It is time!

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My new complete kitchen

Ok ladies and gentlemen, it is time!  House bought – check!  House warming gift – check!  I have finally gotten my very own grill.  I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time now.  I’ve got to figure out how to master this bad boy and plan to start pumping out the blog posts in no time!  In the mean time, what are your favorite recipes for cooking on the grill?  What have you received the best compliments for?

Traditional Irish Soda Bread

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I’ve been wanting to make Irish Soda Bread for a while.  Today was St. Patrick’s Day.  Guess what I made!

Traditional Irish Soda Bread
4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
14 oz buttermilk

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Grease a round cake pan.
  • Mix together all of the dry ingredients.  Add buttermilk and stir until it forms a sticky dough.
  • Place on a floured surface and lightly knead.
  • Shape into a round flat shape in a round cake pan and cut a cross in the top of the dough.
  • Cover the pan with another pan and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove cover and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
  • The bottom of the bread will have a hollow sound when tapped so show it is done.
  • Cover the bread in a tea towel and lightly sprinkle water on the cloth to keep the bread moist.

And it really is that simple.  Just four ingredients.  And it wasn’t too plain at all.  Butter a piece and enjoy with your favorite lamb stew!

The World’s Best Lasagna

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I found this recipe at allrecipes.com.  The only thing that I changed was the way the noodles were prepared.  Other than that I followed this recipe and I’m glad that I did.  The sauce will be the sauce that I make when making spaghetti now as well.  You simply have to try this!  This is what I did:

The World’s Best Lasagna

1 pound sweet Italian sausage

3/4 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
12 lasagna noodles
15 ounces ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • Cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.               
  • When sauce is finishing simmering, soak noodles in hot tap water for about 30 minutes.
  • Mix ricotta cheese, egg, and 1/2 tsp salt in a bowl.
  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.               
  • Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.
This is the best traditional lasagna I’ve ever made.  My mouth was watering when the sauce was cooking.  Well…worth…the…wait!  Stop what you’re doing right now and go make this recipe!!!!

Pork Chops with Mustard Sauce

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Pork Chops with Mustard Sauce

4 (3/4-inch-thick) pork chops
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots (1 to 2)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup country-style Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

  • Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325°F.
  • Heat a dry 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot. Pat pork dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add oil to hot skillet, swirling to coat, then brown chops, turning over once, about 8 minutes total. Transfer to a shallow baking pan, reserving skillet, and bake, uncovered, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Let stand, loosely covered with foil, 5 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, pour off fat from skillet, then cook shallots in butter over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add broth and any juices from baking pan and boil, scraping up any brown bits, 2 minutes. Add mustard and cream and return to a boil, then add lemon juice and simmer until sauce is slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.

Pollo Loco – Mexican Chicken and Rice

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As I was searching for recipes, I came across this one from PlainChicken.com.  I saw the picture and I instantly knew that I had to make this.  This is one of my favorite dishes to order whenever I make it to a Mexican restaurant. 

Pollo Loco – Mexican Chicken and Rice

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 bottle Lawry’s Baja Chipotle marinade

3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup uncooked long grain rice (not instant)
1 Tbsp dried minced onion flakes
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp Pampered Chef Southwestern Seasoning or Taco Seasoning
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 container Mexican cheese dip

  • Marinate chicken in marinade for a few hours.  Pat dry and cook in grill pan(or on grill) until cooked through, while rice is cooking. 
  • Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add rice. Cook, stirring constantly, until puffed and golden. While rice is cooking, sprinkle with salt and Southwestern or Taco Seasoning.
  • Stir in onion flakes, tomato sauce and chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
  • Heat cheese dip according to package directions set aside.
  • To assemble the Pollo Loco – place 1/4 of the rice on a plate, top with grilled chicken. Pour 2-3 Tbsp cheese dip over chicken and rice.

I made some cheesey refried beans with this as well.  Thanks to PlainChicken.com for having several awesome recipes!  You can find the original recipe here.  I wish that I could have grilled the chicken, as it would have been so much better.  This was really really really good too.  Even the wifey loved it!

The Best Chicken and Dumplings

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Tonight, I was in the grocery store picking up food to make another meal on my list of things to cook.  As I was picking up items from my list, my wife called me.  She has been sick for a few days.  She informed me that she wanted some chicken and dumplings.  Since this was on my list of things to cook, I decided to make what was requested of me.  I used some techniques that I’ve picked up over the last few months since starting this blog, to try to make a better flavor.  I made this in my dutch oven that my wonderful wife got me for my birthday.  This is what I created:

Chicken and Dumplings

1 large broiler-fryer chicken , cut up
2 celery ribs , sliced
4 carrots , peeled and sliced
1 medium onion , diced  
2 tablespoons dried parsley
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
salt
pepper
garlic powder 
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
water

Dumplings
2/3 cup milk
2 cups Bisquick Baking Mix

  • Cut up the whole chicken.  Learn how here.  Pat chicken dry with paper towel.  Season pieces with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Brown chicken in batches.  Learn how here.  Remove all chicken pieces from dutch oven and set aside.  Deglaze the bottom with white wine and chicken broth.
  • Add chicken, celery, carrots, onion, parsley, chicken bouillon to dutch oven.  Add enough water until chicken is covered. 
  • Bring to a boil; reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until chicken is done.
  • Remove the chicken from dutch oven.  Strain liquid into another large pan.  DO NOT DISCARD the vegetables that you strained.  Let stock cool in refrigerator until fat rises to the top.  Skim as much fat as you can and discard.  Remove chicken meat from bones and set aside.
  • After fat is skimmed, return stock to dutch oven and bring to a boil.
  • While stock is heating, mix the 2 cups Bisquick and 2/3 cup milk. 
  • Drop spoonfuls of dumpling mix into boiling stock and cook for 10 minutes.
  • Carefully add chicken and vegetables back to stock.
  • Lower heat, cover, and cook for another 10 minutes.
  • Serve and enjoy!

I’ve never really been a big fan of Chicken and Dumplings.  Now I am.  My wife has declared this to be her favorite thing that I have cooked.  The smells that filled my apartment while this was cooking made our mouths water.  The flavors were incredible and well worth the time and effort put into this dish.

  

Chicken Picatta

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I finally made a dish that I have been wanting to try for a while.  The best part of Chicken Piccata is that it is simple to make as well as cheap!  I used a combination of recipes by Giada De Laurentiis, Rachael Ray, and Warren Caterson.  This turned out to be delicious and it has opened my eyes up to a whole new variety of recipes.  I made extra sauce to serve this over linguine noodles with a side of creamed spinach.  I recommend this to everyone!  Warren Caterson’s cookbook Table for Two can be ordered here.  (And yes I know it’s misspelled – lol!)
Chicken Piccata
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, butterflied and cut in half
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, pinch of cayenne pepper
All purpose flour, for dredging
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons capers, drained
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup parsley
  • Season chicken with salt, pepper, and pinch of cayenne pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.
  • In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 3 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add half of the pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes. When chicken is browned, flip and cook other side for 3 minutes. Remove and transfer to plate. Melt 2 more tablespoons butter and add another 2 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add the other half of chicken and brown both sides in same manner. Remove pan from heat and add chicken to the plate.
  • Reduce heat to medium. Add another tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter, the garlic, shallots, and capers to the skillet. Saute garlic, shallots, and capers for 3 minutes.
  • Whisk in wine and reduce liquid 1 minute. Whisk lemon juice and broth into sauce.  Stir in parsley.  When the liquid comes to a bubble, add remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the sauce to give it a little shine. Add chicken back to the pan and heat through, 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Place chicken over bed of pasta and drizzle with the delicious sauce.  Top with parsley and enjoy!
After making this, I will now be keeping capers on hand and experimenting with them.  The flavors of this dish match each other perfectly!

Stuffed Flank Steak

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I had never attemped a pinwheel type dish.  After a long time searching for recipes, I decided to go with the flank steak pinwheel.  The result was wonderful!  It’s always a good thing when my wife says we should have a meal again.
Stuffed Flank Steak

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup red wine
  • 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper                  
  • 1 1/2 pounds flank steak, pounded to 1/2 inch thickness
  • 1 red pepper, cut into strips
  • 1 bunch baby spinach
  • 4 slices provolone cheese
Directions
  1. Combine the olive oil, soy sauce, red wine, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, 1 clove of garlic, Italian seasoning and pepper in a large resealable bag. Shake the bag to blend well. Butterfly the steak so you have a large surface with the steak being thin.  Place the steak into the bag, and seal. Refrigerate a few hours to overnight to marinate.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  3. Crush the remaining clove of garlic on a cutting board with a large chef’s knife. Sprinkle the salt over the garlic, and scrape with the blunt side of the knife to make a paste.
  4. Remove the steak from the bag, and discard marinade. Spread the garlic paste over the top side of the steak. Place layers of red pepper strips, spinach, and cheese over the garlic. Roll the steak up lengthwise, and secure with kitchen twine. Place the roll in a shallow glass baking dish.
  5. Bake uncovered for 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until the internal temperature of the roll is at least 145 degrees F in the center. Let stand for 5 minutes to set, then slice into 1 inch slices to serve.

Looking for some inspiration

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I haven’t posted in a while and when I do it’s a lot less frequent then when I started this blog.  I need some inspiration to get back in the kitchen and blog about what I’m doing.  I’ve signed up to be a Supporting Member on the AllRecipes.com site.  I’m going to try to plan out weekly menus and blog about them.  We’ll see if this does the trick.  When you’re in a slump and just not motivated, what do you look for to be inspired?  What is your best method to get back in the kitchen and do what you love?