An Adventurous Steakhouse Dinner and Sides

This was a very ambitious dinner to make, but the end result was steak that melted in my mouth served with two exciting side dishes I'd never made before.

The smell of the steak, onions, garlic and thyme was awesome, but be sure to turn on the oven hood fan and maybe even open some windows. About halfway through searing the steak all the smoke detectors in my house went off!

Herb-Roasted Beef Rib-eye with Roasted Shallots
Recipe courtesy of Iron Chef, Geoffrey Zakarian

Total Time: 2 hr 25 min (yea, this one takes some time and effort)
Prep: 15 min
Inactive: 1 hr 15 min
Cook: 55 min
Yield: 2 to 4 servings (or in our case 2 servings twice)
Level: Easy (What? Bullshit, this is a lot of work)

Ingredients
One 2.5-inch-thick boneless rib-eye (1 1/2 pounds), tied with 2 pieces of twine to keep it together in a compact round shape
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon ground paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
(I used an A1 steak seasoning and it was great!)
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 stick of butter
10 sprigs fresh thyme
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
1/2 head garlic, cloves smashed

Roasted Shallots:
Cook these before the steak so you can reduce the heat for the steak.
8 shallots, cut in half through the root, skins left on
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for finishing
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Directions

Roasted Shallots:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Season the baking sheet with the olive oil and thyme and season with salt and pepper.
Lay the shallots on the baking sheet cut-side down. Roast until the shallots are very tender, about 25 minutes.

Steak:
Season the steak rather liberally with kosher salt. Bring it to room temperature, about 1 hour outside of the fridge.
Preheat (or cool down) the oven to 325 degrees F.
Combine the paprika, cumin, mustard and a few turns of freshly cracked pepper in a small bowl. Season the steak with the rub. (I used the A1 rub, just sayin...)
Heat the canola oil in a saute pan over high heat until smoking.
Add the steak and sear on all sides, about 3 minutes per side.

Moment of truth. I am hoping not to burn a $30 piece of steak!!

Add the butter, thyme, rosemary and garlic.
Reduce the heat to medium low and baste the steak with the butter as it begins to brown, 2 to 3 minutes (without burning).

I felt like a real gourmet chef doing this!

Transfer the steak to a rack in a roasting pan and top with a few pieces of the herbs and garlic and 3 spoonfuls of the butter.
Roast to an internal temperature of 120 degrees F for medium rare, 7 to 10 minutes. Allow the meat to rest for 15 minutes before slicing into 1/2 inch pieces.
Serve with the roasted shallots.

Sour Cream and Onion Hash Brown Balls
You can make this part ahead and reheat in the oven or microwave before serving.
The online recipe is BS, from a professional restauranteur who doesn't want you to be able to make his trademark dish. Here's how I did it.

Ingredients:
3 Idaho potatoes peeled and shredded (1 potato per 2 hash browns)
1 large yellow onion, peeled and sliced thin
1 egg
3 tbs flour
1 tbs. EVOO
2 tbs. butter
salt and pepper to taste
4 scallions diced small
2-3 tbs. low fat sour cream

Directions:
Brown the onions in a large skillet with the EVOO and butter.
Heat Canola oil about an inch deep in a large skillet or Dutch oven to screaming hot.
Squeeze as much water out of the potatoes as you can. Use a cheesecloth or just wring them out with your hands and pat dry on paper towels.
Mix potatoes, egg and flour in a large bowl.
Salt and pepper the potatoes liberally.
Grab small handfuls of potatoes and roll them loosely into balls, about 2-3 inches round. Don't pack them tight. Just enough to hold together. Don't try to make perfect balls. Let them have some character, with shreds hanging off.
Drop them carefully into the hot oil. Don't mess with them. Let them fry until golden brown, then gently turn them over to fry the other side.
Remove from oil to drain and cool.
Serve with a spoonful of caramelized onions, a dollop of sour cream, topped with scallions.

Baked Chicken Parmesan

Who doesn't like chicken parmesan? I love chicken parmesan, but I never make it at home because I don't like to fry foods. Watching 'The Kitchen' on Food Network Sunday morning, Sunny Anderson showed a simple five ingredient recipe for baked chicken parmesan that I decided I just have to try, so here goes. If this turns out well, it could become a regular in the rotation. You can never have too many good, simple chicken dishes, right?

Sunny's Easy Chicken Parmesan
Recipe courtesy of Sunny Anderson

Total Time: 40 min
Prep: 10 min
Cook: 30 min
Yield:4 servings
Level:Easy

Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray (olive oil or butter), for coating the baking sheet and chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, gently pounded to an even thickness
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups seasoned Italian breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 cup prepared pizza sauce (not tomato sauce)
Four 1/4-inch-thick slices fresh mozzarella

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or nonstick aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.

Season each chicken breast with salt and pepper, then coat each breast with cooking spray. In a shallow bowl, mix the breadcrumbs and Parmesan. Press the chicken breasts into the mixture 1 at a time to coat on all sides, shaking off the excess. Spray the coated breasts with more cooking spray. This makes them turn out crispy without frying!

Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Bake, flipping halfway through, until the juices run clear, 20 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the oven and turn on the broiler. Spoon the pizza sauce evenly over the top of each chicken breast and top with a slice of mozzarella. Place under the broiler and watch for the cheese to melt and bubble. Serve.

VERDICT: It turned out well! The recipe is so simple I already have it memorized. We will definitely be having this again.

Surf and Turf Special

Today I have four recipes for you, which when combined, yield a perfect surf and turf dinner for four. Or- you can cut the recipe in half and make it a special dinner for two- twice! We'll be having this combination again tonight, and I can't wait. All these recipes have been adapted from Rachael Ray.

The first half of this dinner is a grilling recipe for steak that you top with a tomato and bacon salad.

Steak with Tomato-Bacon Salad Topper
Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray

Ingredients
8 slices smoky bacon
4 flat iron or sirloin steaks, 8 ounces each
2 large garlic cloves, halved
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling, plus 3 tablespoons
2 sprigs rosemary, leaves chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pints cherry tomatoes or multi-colored baby heirloom tomatoes, halved or quartered
1/2 small red onion, chopped
1 cup shredded basil leaves
2 cups baby arugula
Parmigiano-Reggiano, for shaving

Directions
Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Arrange the bacon on a slotted broiler pan or a baking rack set over a baking sheet. Bake until crisp. Remove from the oven to paper towels to drain. Reserve.

While the bacon cooks, heat a grill pan or outdoor grill to medium-high. Rub the steaks on both sides with the cut garlic cloves and dress with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, chopped rosemary, and salt and pepper, to taste.

In a large bowl combine the tomatoes, onions, basil and the remaining 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Grill the steaks for 5 minutes on each side for medium-rare, more or less for desired doneness.

Chop the bacon and add it to the tomato salad, then fold in the arugula.

Serve the steaks whole or sliced with lots of salad on top, garnished with a few shaves of Parmigianino-Reggiano.

The second half of this meal is grilled shrimp with a homemade spicy cocktail sauce.

Grilled Shrimp with Chili Cocktail Sauce
Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray

Ingredients
2/3 to 3/4 cup chili sauce
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
2 tablespoons lemon juice, about 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon hot sauce, eyeball it
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon celery seed, 1/3 palmful
1 rib celery from heart with leafy tops, finely chopped
Coarsely ground black pepper
16 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
1 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
A small handful parsley, finely chopped

Directions
Combine the first 7 ingredients in a bowl, and season with pepper, to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Heat a grill pan or grill to medium-high.

Dress the shrimp with extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper, to taste, and smoked paprika. Skewer the shrimp onto metal skewers, to ease in turning them, and grill until the shrimp are opaque and firm, about 7 to 8 minutes. Pile the shrimp on a serving platter, and drizzle with the sauce or pass the sauce at the table.

Sloppy Jose'

Sloppy Jose'
Mike Simonsen

This is an original recipe that occurred to me after several shots of Cuervo Gold chased down with Margaritas. It's a cross between nachos and Sloppy Joe's. I actually wrote the recipe before I ever made it. Then adjusted to taste after a bit of experimentation. The best thing about it is it's a new way to utilize leftover Sloppy Joe meat.

I confess, I'm not a big fan of leftovers. I put things away in containers and fully intend to eat it the next day, but more often than not, I make something fresh and eventually the leftovers go in the trash on garbage day.

Sloppy Jose assembled and ready for the microwave

Ingredients
20-30 Taste of Lime nacho chips
1/3 lb of leftover Sloppy Joe meat
1/4 red onion diced
1/4 red or orange bell pepper diced
6-12 Jalapeño slices
3/4 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend

Directions (single serve)
1. Arrange nacho chips in a single layer on a microwavable plate
2. Distribute Sloppy Joe meat evenly across chips
3. Sprinkle cheese over chips and meat
4. Add onion, bell pepper and Jalapeño slices
5. Microwave for two minutes
6. Consume with your favorite beverage

I don't eat it with salsa. I think the Sloppy Joe meat adds enough tomato-based flavor.

Chicken with Cherry Pineapple Salsa

This is a relatively inexpensive, easy to prepare dish that also happens to be an excellent diabetic meal. This is becoming a 'go to' dish for me. I keep the dried cherries and pineapple chunks in stock as a pantry item all the time now. Serves 4 and takes about a half hour to make.

Ingredients:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 8oz. can unsweetened pineapple chunks
1/2 cup sweet and sour sauce
1/2 cup dried cherries
2 green onions, sliced

Directions:
1. Sprinkle garlic salt and ginger over chicken.
2. Brown chicken in oil, in a large non-stick skillet.
3. Drain pineapple, saving 1/4 cup of the juice in reserve.
4. In a small bowl, combine reserved juice, sauce, and cherries; pour over chicken.
5. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer, turning once, 8-10 minutes or until a thermometer reads 170 degrees internal temperature.
6. Stir in pineapple and onions, heat through.
7. Serve over rice or with salad or veggies on the side.

Mediterranean Shrimp

from Katie Lee (The Kitchen)

This dish is easy, tasty and healthy. 
Serves four and takes less than an hour from start to table.

Ingredients

In the serving dish with the feta cheese on top.

Vegetables:
3 tablespoons dry white wine
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
12 ounces jarred artichoke hearts, drained
8 ounces fresh green beans, trimmed and cut in half
1 pint grape tomatoes
1/3 cup kalamata olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons capers, drained and coarsely chopped
1 red onion, cut into chunks
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Shrimp:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 pound cleaned large shrimp
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 baguette, cut in half lengthwise and then crosswise into 4 pieces total
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese

Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

For the vegetables: In a large bowl, whisk the white wine, olive oil and garlic. Add the artichokes, haricot vert, tomatoes, olives, capers and onions and toss to coat. Season with about 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Transfer the mixture to a baking sheet and evenly spread out. Roast until the tomatoes begin to release their juices, 10 to 12 minutes.

For the shrimp: While the vegetables are roasting, use the same bowl and mix together the olive oil, oregano, red pepper, garlic and lemon zest and juice. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Season with about 1/4 teaspoon salt and a pinch of black pepper.

Drizzle the baguette pieces with olive oil.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and add the shrimp. Stir and evenly spread out the shrimp and vegetables. Add the pieces of baguette around the perimeter. Roast until the shrimp is pink and opaque, 8 to 10 minutes.

Transfer to a serving bowl, sprinkle with the crumbled feta and serve with the bread.

Yes, it looks this good straight out of the oven. OMG

Big Mike's Chicken Chili Cha Cha

Craving something southwestern for dinner, I threw together this recipe from items in the pantry. It turned out fantastic! The smoky chipotle seasonings in the bean salad put it over the top.

We had it two days in a row, once over brown rice and once over white rice.

I'll post pictures next time I make it.

Time: 90 minutes
Serves: 4 - 6

Ingredients
1 lb. boneless chicken breast (1 inch chunks)
1 medium yellow onion (large chop)
1 tbs. EVOO
2 tbs. butter
Salt and pepper
1 15 oz. can Mexican seasoned stewed tomatoes
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 15 oz can tomatoes puree
1 15 oz. can Southwest Bean Salad
1 4.5 oz. can green chiles
1 10 oz. can red and green chiles
1 tbs. dried cilantro
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 tbs. chili powder
1 cup white or brown rice
Shredded Mexican or Taco blend cheese

Directions
In a large Dutch Oven, heat EVOO and butter to melt over medium high heat.
Add onion, cook until tender.
Add chicken, cook until thoroughly browned.
Salt and pepper lightly.
Add stewed and diced tomatoes, tomato puree, bean salad, chiles, cilantro, red pepper flakes and chili powder. Simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally.
Prepare rice according to package directions.
To serve, ladle chicken chili over rice, sprinkle with Mexican or taco cheese blend.

Cajun Chicken Alfredo

Cajun Chicken Alfredo
Recipe courtesy of Guy Fieri

I haven't made a lot of dishes using Guy Fieri recipes. He usually features other people's cooking on his shows. But this one sounded so good when I saw it on Guy's Big Bite I had to try it.

It turned out fantastic- an instant hit. It was very good reheated in the microwave the next day also.

You know a recipe is good when suddenly there is no talking at the dinner table and everyone is just eating and making yum yum sounds. When she finally came up for air, Irene said, "You can make this as often as you want."

That's what I like to hear!

Ingredients
Kosher salt
Four 5-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/4 pounds)
Paul Prudhomme's Chicken Spice Rub
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1/4 cup dry white wine
3 cups heavy cream
1 cup roughly chopped marinated sun-dried tomatoes
1 pound fettuccine
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion, for garnish

Directions
1- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over very high heat.

2- Dredge the chicken breasts in the Blackening Spice Rub. Place in the cast-iron skillet. Blacken both sides of the chicken, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

3- Transfer the chicken to a baking sheet and place in the oven until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 15 minutes.

4- Remove from the oven and slice the chicken into strips on the bias.

5- In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and lightly brown it, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the wine. Pour in the heavy cream, bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce is reduced by half. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and chicken slices.

6- Meanwhile, cook the fettuccine al dente, according to the package directions. Drain.

7- When the cream sauce is at the desired consistency, stir in 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, the sea salt, pepper and pasta.

8- To serve, toss the pasta with the cream sauce and serve on large rimmed plates. Garnish with the green onions and the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Braised Beef Stew - Slow Cooker Style

The best thing about this recipe is that today at 3:30pm I realized all I had to do was heat up last night's dinner slowly in a crock pot and I was going to have THIS! for dinner again tonight at 5:30. I couldn't go anywhere and get this dish for any amount of money.

I admit, it was quite a bit of effort the day before. I think it took me 45 minutes to put this together and then it takes 4-5 hours to cook. But it is worth it.

INGREDIENTS
Extra virgin olive oil, for sautéing and drizzling
4 onions, very thinly sliced
6 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
3 pounds chuck, bottom round or top sirloin steak
1/2 cup of sweet red wine
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4-5 starchy potatoes
2 cans Italian tomatoes (32 oz.), sliced or roughly crushed
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped, divided
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves picked and finely chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 handfuls)

PREPARATION
1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat with a thin layer of olive oil. Add the onions and garlic to the hot olive oil and sweat them until very soft and very light caramel in color, 20-30 minutes. Turn off the heat and reserve.
2. Add a thin layer of olive oil in another skillet and heat to medium high. Pat the meat dry and season very liberally with salt and pepper. Brown the meat to a deep brown all over in the skillet, 12-15 minutes.
3. Peel the potatoes and very thinly slice them lengthwise into planks. Slice the tomatoes, working over a bowl to catch their juices.
4. Turn the crock pot on high and add the beef. If the meat is thick slice it in two and cover the bottom in one layer approximately 1- 1 1/2" thick.
5. Deglaze the meat skillet with 1/2 cup of red wine and add the sauce and drippings to the meat in the crock pot.
6. Arrange half of the onions over top of the meat. Season with salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon thyme.
7. Arrange half of the potatoes over the onions and dress with a liberal drizzle of olive oil, about 1 tablespoon, salt, pepper, half of the rosemary and a handful freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
8. Top the potatoes with on can of tomatoes and their juices and season with salt and pepper.
9. Repeat the layers.
10. Cover the crock pot and cook on high until the meat is very tender, 4-5 hours.
11. To serve, cut down through the layers of the potatoes, tomatoes and onions to portion the meat. Serve in shallow bowls with crusty bread and pan juices....or cool and store for make-ahead meal.

Adapted from Rachael Ray's "Grandpa's Braised Beef".

Serves 5-6

Big Mike's Pork Chops and Rice

This is a simple recipe adopted from a Trisha Yearwood recipe. I like dishes you can throw in the oven and forget while you make the rest of dinner.

Ingredients
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup long grain white rice
4 pork chops, bone in
salt or steak and chop rub to taste
1/2 teaspoon pepper
One 10-ounce can beef broth, plus more if needed
4 onion slices (red or yellow), separated into rings


Directions
1- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2- Season pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper or your favorite steak and chop rub.
3- In a medium skillet, melt 1 tbs. butter over high heat. Brown pork chops on both sides to get a nice crispy crust and color, about 4 minutes per side. Remove from heat and reserve.
4- In the same skillet, melt 3tbs. butter over medium-low heat. Add the rice and saute until it is light brown, about 5 minutes.
5- Spread the rice in a 9- by 13- by 2-inch casserole. Arrange chops on top of the rice. Pour the broth and 2/3 cup water over the chops. Spread the onion rings over the chops and sprinkle them with the pepper. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake until the pork chops are tender, about 45 minutes.
6- Change the oven to broil, add a bit more broth if the rice is dry and return the dish to the oven for a couple of minutes until the pork is browned.

Serve with green beans, green bean and tomato salad or other green and red dishes for contrast, color and presentation.

Picture above is half recipe for two, utilizing red onions.

Big Mike's Greek Roasted Stuffed Peppers

Everyone has a stuffed pepper recipe. I borrowed the concept of mine from Ellie's Greek-Style Stuffed Peppers. After making it, posting the results getting some feedback from friends and family I modified it and the results were outstanding. The biggest thing I changed was to roast the peppers before stuffing them. I like the peppers to be softer than the original recipe made and I love the extra flavor from the roasting process. I also added lamb to the meat mixture. I mean, hey, this is supposed to be a Greek recipe, right? It doesn't matter if you make red or green peppers, you'll love this recipe.

Ingredients
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1/2 pound ground lamb
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 medium zucchini, coarsely grated (about 2 cups)
1 small onion, minced (about 1 cup)
3/4 cup white rice (cooked)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 large red or green bell peppers, halved lengthwise, cores and ribs removed
2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
3/4 cup good marinara sauce
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions
Cut and core the peppers, then place them on a roasting pan open side down and broil them in the oven for 5-10 minutes (until they are scorched a bit and softened).
You can do this on the top burners of your stove also, I prefer doing them all at once in the broiler.
Remove from broiler and let cool.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl combine the beef, lamb, spinach, zucchini, onion, rice, egg, oregano, salt and a few grinds of pepper. Mix until thoroughly combined.

In another bowl combine the stewed tomatoes and marinara sauce and mash with a potato masher until the tomatoes are broken into smaller pieces.

Arrange the pepper halves cut side up in a 9 by 13-inch baking dish and fill each pepper half with the meat mixture. Pour the tomato marinara mix over the peppers. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until the meat mixture is completely cooked and the peppers are tender, about 25 minutes longer.
Sprinkle with the feta cheese and serve.

Giada's Beef and Cheese Manicotti

Giada's Beef and Cheese Manicotti

This dish took a lot of prep and a lot of thought. For example, I used a baggie with the corner trimmed off like a pastry bag to stuff the manicotti. I've never done this before, but it just seemed like a better idea than trying to stuff those pastas with my fingers or a spoon.

This turned out fantastic. I don't think I will change a thing.

Ingredients
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 pound ground beef
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
14 (8-ounce package) manicotti
1 (15-ounce) container whole-milk ricotta
3 cups shredded mozzarella
1 cup grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups marinara sauce
2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

Directions
Heat a heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon of the olive oil, onion and ground beef. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until the meat browns and the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, and cool.
Brush 1 teaspoon of oil over a large baking sheet. Cook the manicotti in a large pot of boiling salted water until slightly softened, but still very firm to the bite, about 4 to 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the manicotti from the pot to the oiled baking sheet and cool.
Meanwhile, combine the ricotta, 1 1/2 to 2 cups mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and parsley. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper to taste, and mix. Stir the cooled meat mixture into the cheese mixture.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Brush the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil over a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Spoon 1 1/2 cups of the marinara sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Fill the manicotti with the cheese-meat mixture. Arrange the stuffed pasta in a single layer in the prepared dish and spoon the remaining sauce over.
Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese, then the remaining 1/2 cup of Parmesan over the stuffed pasta. Dot entire dish with the butter pieces. Bake the manicotti uncovered until heated through and the sauce bubbles on the sides of the dish, about 30 to 35 minutes. Let the manicotti stand 5 minutes and serve.

Tyler's Chicken Enchiladas

This recipe from Tyler Florence is a lot of work in prep time, about an hour. But it is so worth it. These are the best enchiladas I've ever made.

Total Time: 1 hr 15 min
Yield:16 enchiladas, 8 servings
Level: Intermediate

Ingredients
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast
Salt and pepper
2 teaspoons cumin powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon Mexican Spice Blend
1 red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
5 canned whole green chiles, seeded and coarsely chopped
4 canned chipotle chiles, seeded and minced
1 (28-ounce) can stewed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon all-purpose flour
16 corn tortillas
1 1/2 cups enchilada sauce, canned
1 cup shredded Cheddar and Jack cheeses
Garnish: chopped cilantro leaves, chopped scallions, sour cream, chopped tomatoes

Directions
1. Coat large saute pan with oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Brown chicken over medium heat, allow 7 minutes each side or until no longer pink. Sprinkle chicken with cumin, garlic powder and Mexican spices before turning. Remove chicken to a platter, allow to cool.
2. Saute onion and garlic in chicken drippings until tender. Add corn and chiles. Stir well to combine. Add canned tomatoes, saute 1 minute.
3. Pull chicken breasts apart by hand into shredded strips. Add shredded chicken to saute pan, combine with vegetables. Dust the mixture with flour to help set.
4. Microwave tortillas on high for 30 seconds. This softens them and makes them more pliable. Coat the bottom of 2 (13 by 9-inch) pans with a ladle of enchilada sauce. Using a large shallow bowl, dip each tortilla in enchilada sauce to lightly coat. Spoon 1/4 cup chicken mixture in each tortilla. Fold over filling, place 8 enchiladas in each pan with seam side down. Top with remaining enchilada sauce and cheese.
5. Bake for 15 minutes in a preheated 350 degree F oven until cheese melts. Garnish with cilantro, scallion, sour cream and chopped tomatoes before serving.

Serve with Spanish rice and beans.

Giada's Chicken Cacciatore

Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis' recipe on Foodnetwork.com. I used boneless skinless meat to reduce the fat and I used some pickled red peppers I had leftover from another recipe instead of a fresh red bell pepper.

She claims you can make this in less than an hour. Not me! It took me all of 90 minutes from start to plating. 

Total Time: 60-90 min

Yield: 4-6 servings

Level: Easy

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken thighs

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts halved crosswise

2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

1/2 cup all purpose flour, for dredging

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 large Italian style pickled red peppers 

1 onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

3/4 cup dry white wine

1 ( 28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice

3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

3 tablespoons drained capers

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves

1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions

1. Sprinkle the chicken pieces with 1 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour to coat lightly.

2. In a large heavy saute pan, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and saute just until brown, about 5 minutes per side. If all the chicken does not fit in the pan, saute it in 2 batches. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. 

3. Add the bell pepper, onion and garlic to the same pan and saute over medium heat until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. 

4. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, broth, capers and oregano. 

5. Return the chicken pieces to the pan and turn them to coat in the sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Continue simmering over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through, about 30 minutes for the breast pieces, and 20 minutes for the thighs.

6. Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a platter. If necessary, boil the sauce until it thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Spoon off any excess fat from atop the sauce. Spoon the sauce over the chicken, then sprinkle with the basil and serve.

Chicken cacciatore is not a pasta dish. Serve with mashed potatoes or palenta and some green vegetables.

Paula's Chicken Dinner Stir Fry

I've been trying to do stir fry that was as good as what I could get in restaurants for years, but never really tried that hard because it gave me something to order when we go out. I prefer to order things that I can't (or don't) make at home for a variety of reasons.

Then I started hearing about Hoisin sauce. It's a mixture of soy, garlic and red chiles that results in a dark, somewhat thick sweet and salty sauce used for glazing meat and dipping. I hunted around for a stir fry recipe utilizing this secret ingredient and found a Paula Dean stir fry that has all the ingredients I was looking for. I substituted snap peas for mushrooms, since Irene doesn't like mushrooms, and I use a few more carrots that the recipe calls for - but other than that, I didn't mess with the recipe much.

Hoisin sauce is the mystery ingredient I've been hunting for. It imparts that distinct oriental flavor I was craving. I love the flavor of the sauce on the chicken, carrots, peas and broccoli. This dish has turned out great every time I've made it and it has become my go to chicken dish if I want something special. It also makes enough for us to have it twice in a week for dinner and I can sneak a lunch or two out of the batch. What could be better?

Chicken Dinner Stir Fry

Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 bunch broccoli, cut into florets
1 package fresh snap peas
2 to 3 carrots, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup onion, diced
1 (8-ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon powdered ginger
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions
In a large skillet, heat the oils over medium-high heat.
Add the chicken and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until lightly browned.
Add broccoli, peas, carrots, pepper, and onion and cook an additional 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Stir in the water chestnuts.
In a small bowl, combine broth, hoisin sauce (the secret ingredient!), soy sauce, ginger, and cornstarch.
Add to chicken mixture and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Reduce heat to medium to medium-low, and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, or until sauce thickens.
Serve over hot, cooked rice noodles or brown rice.

Makes 6-8 servings.

Rachel's Sausage, Pepper and Onion One-Pot

Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

This one is on the menu for March. I'll let you know how it turns out!

Ingredients
2 pounds Italian hot and/or sweet sausages
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seed
1 red chile pepper, thinly sliced
2 cubanelle peppers, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, cored and thinly sliced
2 large red or yellow onions, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce or stewed tomatoes
A generous handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
A loaf ciabatta bread*
Cook's Note: Wrap the bread in plastic or freeze if not using within 24 hours

Directions
1. Place the sausages in a high-sided skillet or Dutch oven and add 1-inch water and 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil to the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat a bit and allow the water to boil away. The sausages will gently cook through in the water, and then the oil will crisp the casings up to a deep brown. Remove the sausages to a plate.

2. Heat extra-virgin olive oil, a couple of turn of the pan, in the same skillet over medium-high heat, stir in fennel seed and chile pepper, then add in the peppers, onions, and garlic as you slice them, season with salt and pepper and cook 15 minutes to soften. Stir in the tomato paste 1 minute, then wine for 1 minute more. Add the chicken stock and canned tomatoes. Finish with parsley.

3. Slice the sausages on an angle and add to the pot. Cover, cool completely, and store for a make-head meal. Reheat, covered, over moderate heat or in moderate oven.

4. Crisp up chunks of bread in a warm oven just before serving for mopping up your plate!

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/sausage-pepper-and-onion-one-pot-recipe.html?oc=linkback

Big Mike's Texas Chili

Chili is the ideal one pot dish. You can make everything in one pot, serve it from one pot, store it in one pot and when you are done - clean one pot. What's not to like about that?

For this recipe, I've added some new twists to my standard chili recipe, particularly, adding some new peppers into the ingredients list.

Ingredients
2 Pablano peppers roasted, peeled and deseeded
1 red bell pepper roasted, peeled and deseeded
2 oz. chipotle peppers in adobo sauce - diced small
1 medium onion
1 lb. ground sirloin
1 40 oz. can Bush's chili hot beans
2 14.5 oz. cans stewed tomatoes (I like the ones seasoned with Jalapenos, garlic and cumin)
1 28 oz. can tomato sauce
1 8 oz. can tomato paste
1 tbs. salt
1 tbs. black pepper
4-5 tbs. chili powder
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
2 tbs. dried cilantro
4 oz. frozen corn

Directions
(Do this prep work ahead of cooking the chili. It's fun, easy and worth every extra minute.)
Preheat broiler to high
1. Place Pablano peppers and a halved red bell pepper on a cookie sheet (I like to use no stick aluminum foil), and place on the highest rack of the oven under broiler flames. Broil for about 10 minutes on each side, or until the Pablanos are black and bubbly looking. The red pepper will be blackened a lot too. Don't worry we like this!

2. Place the peppers in a bowl and cover tightly with shrink wrap to steam them. Set aside and let cool until they are cool enough to handle. When they are cool enough to touch, unwrap them and peel the loose papery skin off them by gently pulling on the membrane. It should come off very easily. Take out the seeds and chop into 3/4 inch pieces. Save in a bowl for later.

3. As long as you are chopping peppers, you can also take out your chipotle peppers and chop them up fine also. Save in a small bowl for later.

Two hours before serving:
4. Splash some olive oil in the bottom of a hot Dutch oven. Brown ground sirloin until about half done. Season liberally with salt and pepper.

5. Add onion, cilantro, red pepper, and a dash of chili pepper. Cook until onions are tender and meat is completely browned.

6. Everybody in the pool! Add chili hot beans, tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes, tomato paste, roasted peppers, chipotle peppers and remaining chili powder. Simmer over medium-low heat for 1 hour, stirring frequently.

One hour before serving:
7. Add frozen corn and reduce heat to low. Continue cooking on low and stirring occasionally.

8. Remove from heat and let cool slightly before serving.

Enjoy with buttered corn muffins or a hardy crusty bread for sopping. It's even better the second day, so plan on a leftover party.

The Smoky Meatloaf Experiment

Inspired by an episode of "The Best Thing I Ever Made" on Food Network, I decided to try making my next meatloaf a "smoky" one, based on some ingredients in the TV recipe. The main secret ingredient was going to be barbecued potato chips in place of bread crumbs. It also has some smoky heat to it from the chipotle peppers in adobo.

Now that we've had the first loaf, my impression is this: It turned out about as good as I thought, maybe even better than I expected, but you know what? My regular meatloaf is so good I doubt I will try doing this again. Bottom line: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

If you're looking for something different and want to try it, there is nothing wrong with this recipe. Next time I make 'Big Mike's Classic Meatloaf', I'll post the recipe here for that.

Ingredients
2/3 cup ketchup
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 ounces chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped fine
6 ounces barbecue potato chips
3 cloves garlic
1 medium carrot, shredded
1 medium onion, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound ground sirloin
1 pound ground pork
2 large eggs

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine the ketchup, tomato paste and chipotle peppers in a large mixing bowl. Remove 1/3 cup of the mixture and set aside.

3. Crush the potato chips in a freezer baggie until they are a coarse breadcrumb consistency. Transfer the potato chips to the bowl with the ketchup mixture.

4. Heat the olive oil in a 10-inch cast-iron pan set over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the onion mixture, sage and salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables soften and begin to brown slightly, approximately 5 minutes. Add the mixture to the mixing bowl with the potato chip mixture and stir to combine and cool the vegetables slightly.

5. Add the ground sirloin, pork and eggs and use your hands to thoroughly combine.

6. Form into 2 small 1lb. loaf pans. Bake at 350 for one hour. At about 45 minutes brush the remaining wet sauce on the top of the loaves and return to baking.

7. Remove and let rest at least ten minutes before slicing and serving.

Serve with mashed potatoes and peas or greens.

The original inspiration is a much more complicated recipe available here:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/smoked-party-meatloaf-recipe.html?oc=linkback

Amy's Midwestern Fried Chicken and Gravy

From Amy Thielen (food network)

Pan fried and then finished in the oven.
Plus a bonus gravy recipe. Gravy is really 10% recipe, 90% love.

Ingredients
One 4- to 4 1/2-pound chicken, cut into 10 pieces
1 cup buttermilk
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
7 cloves garlic, smashed
1 1/2 cups plus 5 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 cup finely ground butter crackers, such as Ritz or Club (about 1 sleeve)
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
About 2 cups lard or canola oil, for frying
1 small bunch fresh sage
2 1/2 cups chicken stock, low-sodium store-bought or homemade
Mashed potatoes, for serving

Directions
1. Put the chicken pieces in a large bowl, and add the buttermilk, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, the thyme, and 4 of the garlic cloves. Marinate for at least 1 hour at room temperature or, refrigerated, overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and set a baking sheet fitted with a rack on the middle shelf.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the chicken coating: Combine the 1 1/2 cups flour, the ground crackers, 1 3/4 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and the paprika in a large bowl. One at a time, take the chicken pieces from the buttermilk and dunk them in the flour dredge, pressing hard to make the coating adhere to every spot. Set aside on a plate.
4. In a large, high-sided cast-iron pan, add lard or oil to a depth of 1/2 inch. Heat over medium-high heat until a droplet of water sprinkled on the surface sizzles loudly.
5. Give the chicken pieces a fresh roll in the flour mixture if they've absorbed it, and add as many pieces of the dark meat (thighs, wings, and drumsticks) as will fit comfortably in the pan. Fry, turning as needed, until all sides turn dark golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the cooked chicken to the baking sheet in the oven. Continue frying the rest, saving the white breast meat until last, and being careful not to burn the residue forming at the bottom the pan; that's your gravy base. When it is browned, add the chicken to the baking sheet. (Ideally the dark meat should bake in the oven for about 20 minutes and the light meat for about 10 minutes, until cooked through.)
6. Pour off most of the fat in the pan, leaving 2 tablespoons of oil and the brown sludge at the bottom of the pan. (But if any of it looks burnt, discard that as well, because that is the base of your gravy.) Let the pan cool down for a minute. Then add the remaining 3 garlic cloves and the sage, and fry for 1 minute. Add the remaining 5 teaspoons flour and cook, stirring, until the mixture is smooth and light brown, about 2 minutes. Add the stock and whisk until smooth. Cook the gravy over low heat until it thickens softly, about 5 minutes.
7. Season the gravy with salt and pepper to taste, remove the garlic and sage, and pour it into a spouted pitcher to pass behind the hot chicken and the mashed potatoes.

Big Mike's Vegetable Beef Stew

This recipe is the result of about ten years of experimentation. I think we've got something special now.

Ingredients

extra virgin olive oil

1.25 lbs. stew beef

1 cup red wine

3 cloves garlic chopped fine

3 tbs butter

1 medium yellow onion diced

3 carrots peeled and sliced

4 celery stems large dice

1 Idaho potate diced

2 tbs AP flour

1.5 - 2 cups beef stock

2 tbs ground sage

2 tsp dill

3 bay leaves

1/2 cup mushrooms
large can of whole tomatoes

1/2 cup frozen corn

Directions

1. Lightly coat skillet with olive oil, bring to high heat.

2. Seer beef and brown on all sides to trap juice and create flavor leavings in pan. Use tongs and/or a spatula to manipulate meat.

3. Remove beef to glass bowl. Deglaze pan with red wine. Reduce by 1/3 or 1/2. Scrape up all the delicious goodness for the broth. Pour the red wine and scrapings over the beef as a marinade.

4. Peel and fine chop 4 garlic cloves and add to the beef and marinade.

5. Heat butter in skillet, add onion, carrots, celery and potato. Cook to slightly tender crisp. Add flour, mix in, continue to cook for a few minutes.

6. Add beef to mixture and add beef stock to just cover meat and vegetables.

7. Add sage, dill mushrooms, tomatoes and frozen corn.

8. Bring to a boil and then let cool slightly. If you want thicker sauce add Wondra blended in water to thicken.

9. The broth will have a red wine note. Salt and pepper to taste at serving.