This broccoli, chicken and cheese tortellini recipe is delicious and pretty quick to get on the dinner table, even on a weeknight. (more…)
Broccoli and Chicken with Cheese Tortellini Recipe
dinner
This is the Most Delicious, Healthy, 10 Minute Salmon #Recipe #Video
Get a healthy, delicious dinner on the table in 10 minutes! REALLY I’m not kidding. Here’s a quick video of my super fast salmon recipe with brown rice and asparagus. The whole recipe in done in this video in real time so you’ll see how fast it gets done.
Espresso Rubbed Lamb Ribs
Okay COFFEE LOVERS! This recipe for Espresso Rubbed Lamb Ribs is for YOU! Using coffee as a spice adds a delicious depth of flavor to meats and even vegetables. I love using instant espresso along with other warm spices like smoked paprika and cinnamon. Crush the espresso between your fingers or in a mortar and pestle to release the flavor.
I cooked these lamb ribs in an oven bag so the ribs cook in it’s own juices. The directions for the oven bags require you toss some flour in the bag before cooking. Another way to cook this is to wrap the ribs tightly in aluminum foil instead of using the oven bag. If you do this then you don’t have to add the flour making this a gluten free recipe.
The Espresso Rubbed Lamb Ribs become a beautiful deep brown after roasting in the oven bag. The ribs, bathed in it’s own rendered fats and juices, come out of the bag unbelievably moist and tender. The finished dish, lamb ribs with a glaze of barbecue sauce for the family (no sauce for me, thanks) and a crisp salad with fresh and pickled vegetables on the side
Coffee Rubbed Lamb Ribs
I baked these ribs in an oven bag so they would be moist and juice. If you don't use oven bags you can wrap the ribs tightly in aluminum foil before cooking
Ingredients
- 4 racks of lamb ribs
- 1 Tablespoon flour if you're using an oven bag
- SPICE MIXTURE
- 2 tablespoons of kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon crushed allspice
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder crush between your fingers to make a fine powder
- ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried garlic or garlic powder
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 300°
- Rub lamb ribs with the spice mixture. Put flour in oven roasting bag and shake around.
- Place ribs in an oven cooking bag on top of a pan with 2 inch high sides (follow the directions on the oven cooking bag package)
- Close the bag with the tie that comes in the package and place in the oven
- Bake the ribs in the bag for 2 hours or until tender. Slice and serve the ribs as is or add BBQ sauce if you like
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WINNER WINNER Chicken schnitzel dinner
When I’m making a meat dish that’s breaded I skip the flour, beaten egg and bread crumb process. I streamline it by making a slurry of cornstarch and egg white to hold the bread crumbs. This creates a well coated piece of meat and the coating won’t separate from the meat while cooking.
4 boneless chicken breasts pounded to about a 1/4 inch thick
salt, pepper, garlic powder
2 egg whites
1/4 cup of corn starch
2 tablespoons of cold water
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 cups bread crumbs
1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
Part skim mozzarella cheese ( not the fresh kind, it’s too watery for this purpose)
1 tomato, sliced
chopped parsley
lemon wedges
Heat the oven to 250 degrees.
Use a skillet large enough to hold 2 pounded chicken breasts. You will need a cookie sheet to put the chicken in the oven
Season the pounded chicken with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Beat egg whites, water and corn starch together. Dip the chicken breasts in the corn starch mixture then dredge in bread crumbs. Saute in oil for about 4 minutes each side on medium high heat until the chicken is cooked through.
Drain the chicken on a paper towel then put cooked chicken on a cookie sheet and top with sliced cheese (please don’t put the paper towel in the oven) . Place in warm oven for 5 minutes to melt the cheese. Sear the tomatoes and place on top of the chicken breast, sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon wedges and a salad.
because BACON! That’s why!
I’ve been curing and smoking my own bacon (insert yo mama joke here) for quite a few months and it’s one of the best things I’ve ever learned to do in the kitchen. It’s so good that I’ve totally given up on purchasing bacon from the grocery store. Here’s the recipe, let me know if you give it a try, I think you’ll be happy that you did.
We’ve been out of bacon for a quite a while, which I don’t mind because we don’t need to eat it everyday. If it’s in the house it WILL be eaten so it’s best not to have it available all the time. My people were starting to crave it. My Mom asked why I didn’t bring any on my last visit and my youngest son has been walking around the house singing the bacon pancake song (yes, that’s a real thing) so I had to get a batch started. It’s not difficult to make but it is time consuming. It takes over a week but it’s well worth it.
My latest batch is finally ready and this is what we did with it:
MARINATED TOMATOES
| 2 Cups of fresh tomatoes chopped into1 inch pieces
1 shallot thinly sliced (2 tablespoons) 1 teaspoon of sea salt 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar Mix all ingredients together and let marinate refrigerated for about an hour |
BACON AND ROSEMARY KETTLE CORN
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon bacon fat
½ cup unpopped popcorn kernels
¼ teaspoon fine salt
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ cup bacon, finely chopped and cooked until crisp
½ teaspoon fresh rosemary chopped
Use a large heavy bottomed pot with high sides and a lid. Please be careful.
Add canola oil, bacon fat and three popcorn kernels into the pot ( these three kernels are used to test the heat of your oil), cover and heat over medium/high flame. When the popcorn kernels start to pop your oil is ready to add the rest of the popcorn kernels, sugar and salt. Cover and shake the pot to keep the kernels from burning, carefully moving the pot off and on the heat.
(almost)The most pleasant day, at Serenbe
I had been looking forward to visiting Serenbe for months. The idea of this sustainable community with great architecture and farm to table dining is the perfect way for a chef (me) and an architect (him) to spend the day. The skies opened up and dumped buckets of torrential rain on us during our nearly hour and a half long drive, but thanfully once we arrived at beautiful Serenbe the skies cleared up nicely. I made a 6:15 dinner reservation at The Farmhouse at Serenbe but we arrived at about 4:30 that afternoon so we could take a walking tour of the village.
We drove past the Inn and the Farmhouse restaurant and parked near the more densely built village with shops. I’m so jealous of this walkable community, I’d love to walk from my home to a gallery or coffee shop to meet friends. Density has its benefits.
materials. Corrugated metal and brick side by side, beautiful.
I could stroll through these streets for hours looking at the beautiful front gardens at Serenbe. The mature, slightly overgrown greenery keeps the walkways shaded making a cool, pleasant journey. The kids wanted to explore the trails that wound through the community so we descended a stairway behind a courtyard. It was BEAUTIFUL…and humid, I was sweat glistening like a rose covered in morning dew when we climbed the stairs out of the trails.
We stopped in at the Blue Eyed Daisy Bakeshop during our stroll. The kids each got brownies and my husband got a cinnamon roll. I didn’t get anything because I knew I was going to order dessert after dinner. There were no raves about the treats, so I didn’t feel bad for skipping them. I purchased a jar of muscadine preserves to bring home from Blue Eyed Daisy, I’m looking forward to tasting it on some biscuits, maybe with a little country ham.
And now finally to dinner at The Farmhouse. After our little hike I was SO ready to relax with bottomless mimosas (YES, that’s right, I said bottomless) and munch on some fried chicken. Fried chicken that none other than Martha herself claims is “The Best”, high praise indeed.
The restaurant is BEAUTIFUL, not overdone, not kitschy just lovely. Like the rest of Serenbe we just felt so good being there.
Dinner looks good. The chicken is golden and plump, the collard slaw looks bright and fresh. The beans are whole which is a good sign that they are not overcooked. The spoonbread looks fluffy and inviting, not weepy or runny, all good signs for a wonderful meal. I was excited until I dug in. I really wanted to like it, but…
It wasn’t bad. That’s the best I can say about it. I cut into the chicken to take a bite expecting a bit of crunch from the light coating, but there was nothing. I expected the chicken to have the deep rich flavor of a family farm raised chicken ( check my Chicken Challenge post on family farm vs factory farm raised chicken here http://wp.me/p2eCV7-71 ) that got to peck and scratch in an open pasture, ( I mean, we ARE dining in the Farmhouse, after all) but there was none. I hoped for some seasoning, some herbs, SOMETHING…there was salt and only salt, not too much, but just salt. The chicken was moist, and that was good, especially for a boneless chicken breast. This meal made me sad. It wasn’t bad, it was just sad.
While the kids and I all had the fried chicken, my husband ordered the country fried steak so I got to taste that as well. It was tender and slightly more flavorful than the chicken…I think they added a bit of black pepper to this. Again there was no crunch from the coating, just a bit more of it. A cheese souffle was offered as the vegetarian entree, but none of our family chose it for dinner.
The sides did not help much. The collard slaw was the best of them, fresh and tender collard greens with julienne carrots and an insignificant dressing. The spoonbread was bland and the bean salad was, well… bland. Again, nothing was offensive , nothing tasted bad it was just bland, boring and yes, sad. These three sides were the only ones offered on the streamlined menu.
We ordered two strawberry cobblers for dessert, the kids shared one and my husband and I shared one. Each came with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. The “cobbler” consisted of a dense, gummy sweet dough on the bottom, cooked sweet strawberries on top of that (sad) dough and then the vanilla ice cream on top. No crispness at all to the crust and some cooked strawberries, it’s like they didn’t even try.
Dinner was a bit of a let down after a beautiful day. If we return to Serenbe it will be on a Saturday so we can enjoy the farmers market, art galleries and other shops. We’ll bring a picnic lunch.
Beets…by D
Beet salad- basic recipe ( adjust all measurements to taste)
2 beets about 2 inches in diameter peeled and grated in a food processor
1 teaspoon salt, more or less to taste
¼ teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed between your fingers
2 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
½ teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
Mix together and store in the refrigerator. The beets become a bit softer as they sit
Variations:
Crumbled feta
Kalamata and Cerignola olives
Fresh mint
Chives
Orange segments
Pickled eggs ( I’ll give the pickled eggs recipe later this week)
Aged provolone cheese ( make a frico by grating the provolone onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. I cracked black pepper over it and baked at 400 degrees for 5-6 minutes until just lightly browned. It will be pliable for a few seconds so you can bend it into shapes)
Snow Crab Boil for a lazy dinner
What’s Happening around the A? The Steak Over Challenge, that’s what
Chef Jeff Schultz’s entry for the Steakover Challenge-photo credit-COPYRIGHT 2012 JOHN LEE PICTURES
I do love a good steak and this weekend Walmart is hosting a big steak cook-off . I love a good firefighter, too so I’ve got the best of both worlds. Firefighters from two Atlanta firehouses are firing-up the grill to go head-to-head in the Walmart Steak-Over Challenge presented by Kingsford Charcoal, Dr. Pepper and A.1. on Saturday, April 20 from noon – 2 p.m. at the 1550 Scenic Highway N Walmart store parking lot.
It’s Danny Pinto from Station 21 and his “Smokey Steaks with Sweet Onion Marinade” versus Station 11’s Jeff Schultz ( Kenny Hutchinson will represent station 11) and his “Southern Sizzle Steaks.” Both sound delicious and I can’t wait to taste them.
Here are the recipes if you can’t make it out to cast your vote:
Smokey Steaks with Sweet Onion Marinade-Danny Pinto
Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 10-15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
YOU’LL NEED
3-4 Walmart Choice rib-eye steaks, about 24-32 ounces total
Chicago steak seasoning, to taste
1 20-ounce bottle Dr. Pepper®
¼ cup of olive oil
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
¾ cup minced onion
INSTRUCTIONS
Place the steaks in a shallow dish, and sprinkle with Chicago steak seasoning on both sides. Mix the Dr. Pepper, olive oil and Worcestershire sauce together, and pour over the steaks, turning to coat both sides with the mixture. Cover the steaks with the minced onions, and marinate for one hour.
When ready to cook, prepare a charcoal grill for direct high heat (450-500 degrees F) using Kingsford® Charcoal.
Remove the steak from the marinade and wipe off onions. Season on both sides with more steak seasoning.
Brush the cooking grates clean. Grill the steaks with the lid closed as much as possible, turning once or twice, until cooked to your desired doneness, 6 to 8 minutes for medium rare. Remove steaks from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Recipe created by The Atlanta Fire Department on behalf of Walmart.
Southern Sizzle Steaks-Jeff Schultz
Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
YOU’LL NEED
3-4 Walmart Choice rib-eye steaks, about 24-32 ounces total
McCormick® Montreal® Steak Seasoning, to taste
1 cup Dale’s® Steak Seasoning sauce
½ cup Dr. Pepper®
INSTRUCTIONS
Place the steaks in a shallow dish, and rub with plenty of steak seasoning on both sides. Pour the steak seasoning sauce and the Dr. Pepper over the steaks, turning to coat both sides with the mixture. Cover the steaks and marinate until they come to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
When ready to cook, prepare a charcoal grill for direct high heat (450-500 degrees F) using Kingsford® charcoal. Brush the cooking grates clean.
Remove the steak from the marinade. Place on the grates, and grill with the lid closed as much as possible, turning once or twice, until cooked to your desired doneness, 6 to 8 minutes for medium rare. Remove steaks from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Recipe created by The Atlanta Fire Department on behalf of Walmart.
Super Fast Shrimp and Broccoli
Get a delicious dinner on the table FAST! I think I’m wearing my rice cooker out, it didn’t want to start for me this time but I finally coerced it into working. Start the rice first, then stir fry the rest.
| 1 large skillet with a lid….or use foil to cover
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil 1 pound sliced smoked sausage (a spicy one if you like) 1 pound of peeled and deveined shrimp 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger 4 cups of broccoli florets 1 tablespoon soy sauce 3 tablespoons apricot preserves 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar 2 tablespoons of water if necessary
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Heat oil in a medium/hot skillet and sauté sausage. Add shrimp and cook until it just turns pink. Remove shrimp and sausage from the pan.
Add the finely chopped ginger, broccoli, soy sauce, apricot jam and vinegar stir and cover. Let the broccoli steam for 3-5 minutes. Add up to 2 tablespoons of water if needed to keep from burning. Add the shrimp and sausage, stirring to coat with the sauce. Serve over rice. |