Asian Chili Ramen Wrapped Shrimp!

Oh YES I did!  I KNEW I could find a way to let my dirty little secret (Ramen Noodles) into the kitchen.  I knew I could get it to hold a special place in a special dish where it wouldn't be made fun of, ridiculed for its unhealthy existence and not just be referred to as a joke!  I did it!

 

Let me tell you first.  I do not like shrimp.  I like crab and I like lobster.  No shrimpy shrimpy, no scallops, no talapia, not oysters, clams or mussels.  So this one banked shearly on the opinion of my shrimp and all seafood loving husband. 

Do you know how hard it is to find giant shrimp in the middle of the US?  I do use a seafood store here in Omaha that I can USUALLY get what I need at.  Of course, my debit card thought it was buying a diamond but none the less I was able to find about U10 shrimp.  That means that  10 or under make a pound which translates to BIG!  They techinically are Extra Colossal, but I don't feel like that were that big.  Anyway I found them out here as far from any ocean you can get and that alone was a great feat!  I only bought 4 and wrote the recipe that way because I knew my husband would be the only one to eat them.  Make sure they are peeled and deveined, whether you have your fishmonger do it or you do it at home.  Leave the tails on for easier eating!

That being said, I really do not see why you couldn't use a much smaller shrimp and use them as an appetizer or starter if you can't find the bigger shrimp or it is just far more budget friendly.  *and trust me it IS*

This is really so easy to make and it is delicious.  It will look so impressive your friends are going to think you enrolled in culinary school when in reality you were spending time behind their backs with a package of RAMEN noodles! HAHA!

I made these spicy.  To avoid that though, use shrimp flavored ramen and omit the Sriracha!  Let's get going on these babies!

You will need:
4 colossal shrimp
1 pkg chili flavored ramen *this will easily do 8 huge shrimp*
1 tsp Sriracha *optional*
salt and pepper to taste
Peanut oil for frying

Make sure your shrimp are deveined and the tails left on.  Prepare your ramen soup according to package directions only add 1 tsp Sriracha to your boiling water and when cooked,  drain ALL water and then add in 1 tsp butter and flavor packet. 

Mix until all butter is melted and noodles are coated. Let cool completely.  Bring peanut oil to 350 degrees.  Make sure to use a paper towel and dry your shrimp off.  Salt and pepper them to taste or use Mr. Pete's Seasoning!.  Take a small amount of ramen noodles, and carefully wrap the shrimp in the noodles.  Make sure to try and end them so they stick and stay in a position over the top or underneath. 

Wrap all shrimp.  We are not striving for perfection here, as you can see, a little messy wrapping just makes the dish more interesting to look at!

Fry for approx 2 minutes on each side.  Mine were done perfectly, so make sure to watch them according what size shrimp you use. 

Drain on a paper towel and serve!  Use some wasabi, duck sauce or more sriracha for dipping!

Enjoy!!

Your "I found my inner spicy Asian"chefwannabe

Chris

Hoss's Famous Lasagna

Oh what an experience this was.  I turned into his um, kitchen workhorse.  He had never measured out his ingredients before so I was writing and the man who HATES to have his photo taken, suddenly went into supermodel mode and wanted to pose for pictures of every step.  I would have been annoyed at his demands had I not been laughing so hard pretending to have to take second and third photos just to get him to stand in his "pose" a little longer.  Since this will be a blog, full of photos, let me get started on the instructions.

This recipe is HUGE.  We make an aluminum turkey roaster pan and a 9x13 pan.  We like lots of leftovers since we only make this once or twice a year.  When you marvel in awe or disgust at the ingredients, remember this is a ONCE in awhile treat, nothing we eat regularly, so no comments, you got it?

(DISCLAIMER: This is my husbands recipe and he had it long before me, so I am not touching it!)

I will list the ingredients you need in a list.  The ingredients will most likely need to be divided among the different parts of the lasagna.   This is just a master list.....and boy is it a master list alright!

Meet my husband George, aka Hoss or (Geo)

3lbs ground beef
1.5 lbs mild/hot Italian sausage
3 jars spaghetti sauce of your choice
1 can whole tomatoes (use your clean hand to smoosh)
1 box Pomi strained tomatoes *or any crushed tomatoes*
6 eggs
3 lbs ricotta cheese
4.5 lbs shredded mozzarella
3/4 grated Parmesan
2 boxes of dried lasagna noodles (I recommend NOT using the "no boil")
Dried - Italian Seasoning, Basil, Oregano
1/2 cup sugar

Boil noodles.  Drizzle them with oil and lay out in a single layer, cover with foil and lay more on top, etc.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To make bolognese:
In a large pot, empty your jars of sauce.  Add a little bit of water to each jar and swirl around to get all of the sauce out and thin your sauce.  Add in 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup dried Italian seasoning, 1 tbsp garlic salt, 1 tbsp basil, 1 tbsp oregano and pepper to taste.  You can add red pepper flakes to taste if you like.  While it simmers...

Brown ground beef and Italian sausage in large skillet. Season it with...
1/4 cup dried Italian Seasoning
2 tbsp garlic salt

Make sure to break it into very small bits.  You don't want large chunks of meat in your sauce.  Well YOU might but not mine!

Drain ground meat but DO NOT RINSE, you will rinse off all of the flavorings!! Pour into your already simmering sauce.



Your spoon should stand up in it, that is when you know it is perfect!

Simmer sauce for as long as you can on a medium low temperate. Be sure to stir often as the sugar will burn on  the bottom.  Try to let simmer up to 2 hours.  This sauce simmered for 2 hours.

Showing off his um....2 handed egg whisking skills.

Cheese Layer:
3lbs ricotta
6 eggs
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp salt
2 tbsp dried parsley

Combine until creamy and everything is mixed completely



Sauce

Add a ladle full of sauce to the bottom of both pans.  This keeps the pasta  from sticking.  Then layer as follows:


Noodles



Sauce

noodles 

mozz cheese

sauce
noodles

ricotta mixture

mozz cheese

sauce                                                                                   

noodles

mozz cheese

grated parm

This is just my suggestion, you can layer it however you choose to.

Put larger pan on a cookie sheet for stability.  The large one will take 1hr-1.5 hrs in the oven. Keep covered until the last 20 minutes.  The small one will take 30-45 minutes, keep covered until the last 15 minutes.  After removing from the oven, let sit 10-15 minutes before cutting!

Sauce

Only missing its top layer of cheese!

Here he is in his sprinkling glory.  We had a great afternoon cooking.  Nothing can replace simple time together, laughing, singing, and laughing some more!  Thank you honey for making lasagna for my blog.  You are my best friend and my coolest buddy ever!

Happy guy eh?

This is not cheap to make but when  you consider the amount of food you get, it really works out.  You can also make 3- 9x13's. Great from the freezer!  Let thaw in the fridge overnight and pop in the oven for dinner!  We just served it with the usual suspects, salad and crusty bread!

I hope you enjoyed the photo shoot my husband roped me into.  Disguising it as a lasagna blog was clever.........he totally has an inner supermodel!!  I adore this guy...xoxo

Your "wife of a lasagna making supermodel" chefwannabe

Chris

Blush............not Bashful!

It has been one of those days friends!  I allowed my husband to Christmas shop with me.  WHAT was I thinking you ask?  I wasn't!  THAT is the problem!  He is a great shopper when we are casually shopping, in fact a far more willing shopper than I.  When we need to look for something in particular, he is nuts.  He had the audacity to tell me the print on our granddaughters tights didn't NEED to be the same pink as the top.  Ladies?!?!  This is what I was dealing with.  He waited while I got my nails done as well, they were 2 weeks overdue, and it took forever.  Needless to say, not all the shopping got done.

We got home late and I decided I didn't want to cook, I wasn't so hungry anyway and I knew George wouldn't be either.   Well he emerged wondering what was for dinner.  Mind you I haven't been to the store for awhile, so I have no fresh herbs, hardly any veg, and no fresh pasta.  So what I concocted out of the pantry was this pasta dish that I LOVED.  I had no idea it would turn out so good!  Although I only made pasta, and no meat, this would be great with a sliced Italian sausage carefully sliced and laid out on top, or grilled chicken.   I am just a pasta lovin' girl.  There is no way around it, and nothing I can humanly do to change it.  I hope you enjoy, add some meat and a salad, or some bread.  Maybe even use it as a side dish alongside a meatloaf!!

You first need to make a little spice blend consisting of:
1 tbsp dried basil
1/2 tbsp onion salt
1 tsp garlic powder
Combine in small dish

Here is what else you will need:
1 tsp olive oil
1 1/2 cups of crushed tomatoes (I used Pomi)
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Spice blend
12 ounce pack of farfelle (bow-ties) or any short pasta of your choice, prepared
according to package directions.  Do not overcook!


While pasta is cooking......
In a high sided skillet add olive oil and tomatoes. Let warm through and add spice blend.  Let come to a tiny boil and turn down to simmer until pasta is finished cooking.  When pasta is done, drain and set aside.

 

Add in cream and cheese, mixing to combine completely.

Add in pasta and toss until pasta is completely coated in sauce.  It should absorb the perfect amount, almost all of it with a WEE bit left.  Not to dry and not over sauced!

I hope you enjoy this quick and easy side or main dish!!  Have a wonderful evening!!  Happy Christmas baking to all and to all a good night!!

Your "is it Christmas yet"chefwannabe

Chris

Spaghetti Alla Carbonara

OK,  so admittedly, I have only made this once before.  It was a disaster.  No, really, I mean a REAL disaster!  I decided since it is one of my husbands favorites, I would try again.  I watched video after video, read recipe, after recipe.  I equipped myself with every ounce of knowledge I could find.  After all I have eaten it plenty, so know the difference in taste between good carbonara and bad.  So  I was prepared to make the best carbonara I have ever tasted...........and I DID IT!!  I also chose to use bacon instead of panchetta because it is what I had in the freezer.  I personally prefer bacon to panchetta in carbonara.  Odd I know, but I do.  I enjoy the smokey flavor it lends but do miss the bite of the panchetta too.  It is 6 of one, and  a half dozen of the other, pick what you like!

 

After I decided to make my own recipe, I was torn.  Half of the videos I watched,  or recipes I read, used cream and half didn't.  Well, I am a cream lovin' girl so I decided I would take the best parts, in my opinion, of the recipes I watched and put it together into my own version.  This recipe will feed 3-5, I only served it with some crostini. 

Before we start, there are a few tips I have for you.  First, save your pasta water, you will need some of it!  Secondly, bring your eggs to room temp before using.  An important ingredient is fresh cracked black pepper, USE IT!  When you add your egg/cheese mixture, you will have shut off your flame or burner, and put your pan on a cold burner or hot pad on your counter.  The trick is to cook the egg gently with the heat of the pasta and residual heat from you pan.  You don't want scrambled eggs.  That being said, let me tell you what you will need for this dish.

3 eggs (room temp)
1 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup pasta water
1/2 lb bacon, chopped (traditionally panchetta is used so substitute if you like)
1 tbsp fresh cracked black pepper
16 oz spaghetti





Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt liberally and add in pasta.  In a large skillet, brown bacon in 1 tsp olive oil, turn to low so it doesn't gt overly crispy but remains on a gentle heat. 

In a separate bowl mix your eggs, cheese, cream and pepper together.  When pasta is al'dente, use tongs and transfer it from its pot to the bacon pan quickly.  Pour in egg mixture and using tongs, toss until all of the mixture is combined, gently stirring and tossing for a bit longer  Add some of the pasta cooking water to loosen up your sauce and continue tossing until all incorporated.  Do NOT let your eggs scramble!!  They should cook while thickening your sauce, making a silky, gorgeous sauce that gently coats all of your pasta!  Salt to taste as always!! Bacon and cheese are salty so be careful!

My husband fell in love with me all over again after I served this to him.   The only thing I might do differently next time is combine some panchetta with some bacon, and get the best of both worlds!!

 

Buon Appetito!

Your "don't think about the eggs while your eating"chefwannabe

Chris

So when your near me, darling can't you feed me....S.O.S!!

OK so my attempt to change the ABBA lyrics to suit my food meaning didn't work so well, did it?

S.O.S.   Another meal of my past has come back to, well I would say haunt me, but it is to delicious to consider it haunted.  I remember my mom, mother of 10, making this because it was "cheap food".  It was cheap and could feed a small army.  She probably made an entire pot of gravy with only one package of dried beef!!  We joke all the time about how we can remember 3 lbs of macaroni for goulash to 1 lb of ground beef!

Anyway, SOS is short for "shit on a shingle".  One of my dads favorite dishes.  We of course called it creamed chipped beef as kids until we learned what SOS meant and we said that as a little "we said a bad word without saying the bad word and didn't get in trouble" sort of thing!!!

It has been a long time since I made it.  It is so easy and can be served on toast or biscuits, although I have only ever had it on toast.  When I moved to New Jersey, I was introduced to tomato juice, or stewed tomatoes being poured over the top.  Sometimes, eggs were served up on top.  Regardless of how you choose to eat it, it is good eats for sure!!  The recipe couldn't be simpler and what a quick, delicious meal for your family!

SOS
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp. GRATED onion
3-4 cups milk or half and half
1 tbsp fresh black pepper
2 containers of dried beef

Melt butter in a medium saucepan.  Add flour and whisk and let cook for 1 minute, to cook off the raw flavor of the flour.  Add in grated onion.  NO you may not mince, chop, or slice, it must be grated!!  Cook another minute stirring constantly.   While whisking, pour in 3 cups of milk or half and half.  Let come to a boil while stirring so you don't burn it!  It will begin to thicken as it boils.  Depending on the consistency you like, you can add more liquid.  When it comes to the consistency you want, add in dried beef that you have chopped and black pepper.  Add salt to taste, as the dried beef is very salty and you may want to consider rinsing it!  Serve on toast or biscuits!!!

I hope enjoy your SOS as much a I enjoyed mine!!  Make sure to watch that salt content, you don't want to kill anyone!!

Your "SOS rocks" Chefwannabe

               Chris

Salisbury Steak - School Lunch Series!

School days, school days!!  

I love how so many of you have shared your favorite lunch, the cafeteria made when you were a child! I was never one of those kids who got to pack a lunch very often. I had to eat at school mostly but I LOVED it! Of course, I did not like peas and I especially did not like mushy canned peas. I swear as I type I can smell them, SKEEVY! As a matter of fact only in the last couple of years have I leaned to enjoy fresh or frozen peas. Anyway, one day, I didn't want to eat my peas, and I don't like milk so I let someone else drink half of my milk, shoved my peas in the carton and off I went to see if I could "go up", which was some kind of elementary code for taking your try and dumping its contents and giving it to the lady who washed them. Miss Vidal (you Ord Elementary peeps should remember this old battle ax) pardon my terminology. She busted me, made me go sit down and eat my peas out of my milk carton! Anyway, the purpose of telling you that story is that it was on salisbury steak day. No harm was done, it remained one of my all time favorites too.

 

I am pretty confident I hit the nail on the head with this one.  I mean, I don't mean to brag but, I have some real re-creation "skillz".   The consistency was dead on an the taste was exactly what you remember only better!  I used all dried herbs for this particular recipe, I don't feel like any cafeteria in the nation is using fresh herbs on a daily basis!  Please, let me know if I am wrong!  Let us take a trip back in time, to that cafeteria and the one, undoubtedly crabby lunchroom aide or cook.  Remember her?  Now, with her in mind, let's get cooking!

Salisbury Steak (feel free to cut recipe in half or 3rds, I was cooking for a crowd)

3 lbs ground beef

1 tbsp dried parsley

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tbsp onion salt

1 tsp fresh ground pepper

1/8 tsp dried sage

3 cups bread crumbs.

2 eggs

Packaged brown gravy.  (I used SawMill, roast beef gravy and it makes 3 cups)

Mix ingredients thoroughly.  In fact if you have a stand mixer, use it and let it mix for 3 minutes.  You can use an electric hand mixer as well.  Don't ask, just do!  :)  When mixed, form into oval patty's, you should get 9-12 depending on the size.  Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan.  Brown patty's and place into baking dish,

Prepare your packaged brown gravy mix.  Make alot of gravy!  Prepare as directed and pour over salisbury steaks.  Place in pre-heated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.  Serve with mashed potatoes and NO MUSHY CANNED PEAS!!!  Also make sure to serve with a roll, all salisbury steak meals were served with a hot roll as well!

I hope you enjoy your culinary trip down memory lane!  Please, enjoy this recipe and keep your requests coming!!

Your "school lunch ladies ROCK"chefwannabe

Chris

Blast from my past, PORCUPINE BALLS! School Lunch Series

Is my memory serving me when I say we had these for school lunches in elementary school?  I think we always had them with mashed potatoes, which is why I always still serve them with mashed potatoes.  I had forgotten about them for years, and then my sister made them a few years ago and it sparked my porcupine ball love back up and I had to redo them, MY way!!  

Isn't it funny how food can take us to a place, way back when in our minds?  Certain foods (and songs) remind me of certain times in my life,  different experiences or situations and sometimes I let the memory play out in my head and sometimes I shut it off, it wasn't good the first time, and it sure as heck wasn't going to come out any different or better the second time!  

These do use a convenience item of canned tomato soup, but I don't care who ya' are, it is just good sometimes!!  This is a great make ahead and put it in the fridge so it just needs popped in the oven type of meal!  Chefwannabe fans with families, this is a must try for you!  So pay attention and eat ALL of your lunch!!  

 Now lets get started on what we need for 6-8 big balls.

PORCUPINE BALLS
2 lbs ground beef
1 1/2 cups raw minute rice
3 tbsp dry Italian seasoning
1/4 cup dehydrated onion or 2 tbsp fresh grated onion
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
2 cans of tomato soup

In a bowl combine ground beef, rice, onion, seasoning, salt, pepper, red pepper and 1/2 can of tomato soup.  Use your hands people!  Clean em' up and get em' in there!  Form into balls.  Size is up to you.  Place in 9x13 pan and cover meatballs in remaining tomato soup.  I sprinkle a wee sprinkle of parsley on top or course salt.  Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes depending on meatball size!  Serve with mashed potatoes and green beans! 

Hope you enjoy my recreated school lunch and take the time to think about your own favorite school lunches and post them, I will try to recreate them as well!!!  Share with me one of your favorite school lunch memories!  

Your "Ord Elementary Alumni" Chefwannabe

Chris

Lasagna Rollups with Alfredo...

Grab a bucket, hurry!  Your drool will short out your keyboard!  Got it?  Ok.........good.
 



Really?  Are there even words for how amazing this looks?

Happy Halloween!  What is left of it.  What did you dress up as this year?  I dressed up as myself again, it is always very scary for the children.....and adults.  I figure its effective, keep going with it!

So as most of you may have read, today is mine and my husbands 9th wedding anniversary.  Why you ask did I agree to being married on the MOST pagan holiday of all time?  It was the next date open for the mayor who we wanted to marry us because he was a preacher as well.  The clerk laughed, and said, "well I have next Thursday, but it's Halloween", before I could object my husband responded in typical male fashion, "AWESOME".  My wedding cake had Frankenstein and the Bride of Frankenstein on it.  I wish we had a photo, but I don't think we do.  My mother will never get over that fact I got married in BLACK.  *Charcoal gray suit mother*.  Regardless, it has been the most adventurous 12 years of my life with this man.  Oh the things we have done, been through and things we have experienced.  I could write a book, and for those who really know me, you can attest to this.  So this year, we decided no gifts.  We decided to do something for each other we love best.  My husband gave me a 2 hour pedicure, we are talking ped-egg, lotion, painted toenails, massage, the whole bit.  *no, he has no available brothers*  I in turn made him one of his favorite meals.  It was a double whammy, I could make it AND then blog it!  You should all know that when I blog something, I have generally made it 5,000 times.  I just never paid attention to what I put in it, so I have to make it and measure everything.  It still is strange for me, I feel like a total conformist when I measure things appropriately!  But, if it means you being able to make it, and experience it and LOVE IT...I will do ANYTHING! teehee

So, when I first got this idea, I had seen something similiar on HSN.  Advertising a set of baking dishes.  I thought about it, and decided the concept was amazing but their recipe, or combination was heinous and I needed to make it new.  I stole the method, but the recipe is mine.  It may seem labor intensive, but it isn't. It is just alot of "steps" and will be so worth it you will wonder how you ever lived without me in your life.

Lasagna Rollups with Alfredo

1 1/2 lbs of ground meat.

(beef, Italian sausage, turkey, chicken or a combo) I used 1 lb ground beef and 1/2 lb of turkey Italian sausage, if in casing remove)
1.  Brown and drain, set aside to cook while you move on to the next step

2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 1/4  cup grated mozzarella
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp dried Italian seasoning
1 egg
2.  Combine all ingredients thoroughly.  Stir in drained and cooled ground meat

3.  Cook 15 lasagna noodles in oiled and salted water according to package directions.  Drain and run under cold water immediately lay out on sheet pan to prevent sticking.

(Red Sauce/Gravy)
1 can crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
1-2 cloves of garlic finely minced
1/2 large onion also finely minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp dried basil or 5-8 leaves torn into sauce
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
4.  Add olive oil, onion and garlic to saucepan, cook for 2-3 min stirring constantly until onions are cooked slightly, add in tomatoes, oregano, sugar, salt, and basil.  Cook on low until ready to top dish *if using fresh basil add at the very end of cooking*

Alfredo Sauce (the nontraditional way)
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
2 cups milk/cream/half and half
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt
5.  Melt butter and add flour, let cook for 2 min and whisk in milk, salt and parmesan cheese.  Stir constantly until thickened.  Set aside.

Now you have all the components made, a red sauce, a cheese/meat mixture,  alfredo sauce and the cooked pasta.





Pour alfredo into the bottom of a 9x13 pan.  Take a piece of pasta, spread the cheese mixture on it, starting at one end, roll it up, stick a toothpick in it to hold it and stand it on end in the alfredo sauce.

Spread filling on and roll up!  You can lay them on their side or stand them on end in the pan!

Repeat with all noodles.  When you have your pan full, pour red sauce over all roll ups, making sure each top is covered well, use ALL sauce.  Top with remaining mozzarella and parmasen cheese.  Bake in a 375 oven for 20-30 minutes.  Remove when you see cheese is beginning to brown.  

Before baking!

You will love these!!  Do not let the recipe scare you, you all know I am terrible at writing recipes, so I wrote this one in the order you can make it, it seemed easier.  I served some great crostini and a salad.









A few more hours of Halloween left!  Go watch a scary movie after you put the kids to bed,  Make sure to lock your doors............!!!!

Your "Halloween Wedding" chefwannabe

Chris

Batter Dipped Chicken Nuggets (chunks or strips if that's how you roll)

It's an iconic American kids food.  Wouldn't you say?  I would definitely say.

Why is it that every kid in America, if given a choice between anything and chicken nuggets, picks the nuggets?  How many times do you hear from your friends or other people, "My child will not eat anything, but CHICKEN NUGGETS"? It's almost like a kid drug!  Or in honor of Halloween, they are zombies, wanting nothing but NUUUGGEEETTSSS!!  I have a niece and nephew who as kids knew the difference between the white and dark meat ones and would only eat the dark meat ones.  My son, well, let's face it, he would eat anything so never-mind .......



Great color on these babies, I love this recipe!  Chicken Nugget love!

Here is where my nugget discretion comes in.  Batter dipped or breaded?  I know, neither are great for us but, we aren't going there.  I rarely fry anything but once every couple of months, I get a hankerin' for the golden chicken nugget!   I am not a fan of breading of any sort.  I will eat it, obviously, but, nothing I would choose on purpose.  Batter dipped is an entirely different world.  BEER batter makes me whistle like a dwarf on his way to work.  My nuggets are in fact batter dipped, I will share the recipe, along with some dipping options, AND another dish my son used to love using the nuggets.  You can't mess this one up, I promise.  You can thank me with monetary gifts later for changing your chicken nugget world.

Anyway, being a grown up fan of the nugget, I decided to update, and validate why I love them so much!  Let me first remind you, if you use the soda, your batter will have a sweet background flavor.  If you use the beer, it will have the beer flavor in the background.  Point being, you WILL taste whatever you use as your liquid.

Here is what you should grab at the store:

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts OR thighs
3-4 cups of oil (veg, canola, peanut)
2 cups flour + 2 tbsp for dusting
1 cup beer or soda of choice
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp paprika
1 TBSP of your favorite all purpose grill seasoning

-Cut chicken into 1 inch chunks.
-Put oil in deep saucepan or pot and bring to 350 degrees.
-Combine all other ingredients.  Should be thick enough to cling to chicken but thin enough to just drip off the excess.  Dust chicken chunks with 2 tbsp of flour and then pour into batter.  Combine thoroughly.  *I use a glove because I am so sensitive to raw chicken and get sick easily*

The sky blue gloves add a nice pop of color don't you think? Or do they scream "PROSTATE EXAM"??

-Drop into 350 degree oil as many as the size pot you used can take and fry for approx 4 minutes.  Remove with spider or slotted spoon and place onto a newspaper laid out flat or paper towels on a platter to drain.  You can lightly salt while they are still hot.

Now, I married and raised "dippers"  These guys always seem to need something to dip into, to the point of extreme ridiculousness.

In the photo above, my husband had made a small batch of RANCH DIP using my Ranch Dressing Mix Recipe.

Spicy Ketchup
1 cup ketchup
1-2 tbsp of hot sauce

Honey Mustard
1/2 cup yellow or dijion mustard
2 tbsp honey

Family Mustard Sauce
1/2 cup mustard
3 tbsp milk
3 tbsp sugar

Marinara Sauce

Cheese Sauce

You can also morph these nuggets into one of my son's favorite dishes, "KFC BOWLS"  nuggets on the bottom, topped with mashed potatoes, corn and gravy.  Listen.....do you hear that?  It's my arteries clogging.

Pretend you are 7 and play with your nuggets while you eat them.  Have your barbie or G.I. Joe in one hand while you eat nuggets with your other hand.

Your "batter dippin', finger lickin'" chefwannabe

Chris

Roasted....like a chicken with it's head cut off

It is SUNDAY!  

I love Sunday suppers.  Usually involved family, more food than we should be eating, laughter, and time reminiscing around the table.  My husband and I are very big believers in family meals around the table.  Sunday was always family day when my son was little, and we enjoyed big Sunday suppers at home, or at PopPop and MomMom's house, Italian food until we couldn't move and great times.  Do you eat regularly with your family around the table?  Discuss your day, discuss any problems, share experiences?  I sometimes feel we are so busy with work, school, activities, and outside commitments; we forget the importance of the dinner table discussions.  I urge you to eat around the table with your children when you can.  My son can't remember the brand of clothes he had, or the sneakers he had, he remembers fishing with dad, football with dad, cooking with mom and dinner around the table.  I am dead serious, and I love that he remembers how important it was and will pass it on to his own daughter and future children.\

Anyway, we have gotten a little away from it, with our son grown and gone, and living too far away to have our old Sunday dates.  The last couple of weeks I have decided to pick it back up and this week, we had roasted chicken, baked macaroni and cheese, and pavlova for dessert.  We had more, these are just the things I will be blogging.  I will do it in 3 different posts.  I love chicken, I will be honest, I could live on chicken.  Or pretty darn close to living on it.  I inject my chicken using an injector.  If you do not have one, you can let this mixture cool and make sure your chicken is dry so you can rub it all over, on top of the skin and underneath the skin.   So let me share with you how I prepare a gorgeous, tender, juicy roasted chicken! 

You will need:
1 roasting chicken *average size*
1 stick of butter, melted
1 tsp thyme  *ground*
1 tsp onion salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground sage
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup water

I am SO afraid of needles, just looking at this picture is making me feel sick! 

Make sure you rinse your chicken.  I don't really feel you must rinse a chicken for any reason other than it feels slimy and gross to me and I have to get the slime off!  Pat it dry with paper towels and proceed.  Mix these ingredients and inject into all parts of chicken, stick injector all the way in a breast and release butter as your pulling the needle out, so it gets everywhere.  Stick and jab it anywhere and everywhere!!

Leave a little bit of butter so you can rub it on the outside of the skin, so it crisps and browns nicely.  I then grind some fresh sea salt on the outside of the chicken, all over.

You can tuck the wing tips back, tie the legs, whatever you want to do.  You can cut the spine out, which I did, and I put in a freezer bag to use for stock.  You can extract much more flavor from uncooked bones than already cooked bones.

Roast at 375 covered for 1 hour.  Remove foil and continue to roast until your meat thermometer reads 165 in the middle close to the bone of the breast and the skin is nice and brown. I take it out, cover it with foil and let it rest 15 minutes.  I slice the breast, and lightly sprinkle a tiny bit more salt over the sliced meat.

Remember as with all meat, the cooking times depend on the size of your chicken.  Please, please, PLEASE check the temp of your chicken.  Raw chicken can do terrible things to people, *unfortunately speaking from experience* and you don't want anyone sick.  Adjust cooking times according to the size of your chicken.

Now my little chickens, (I use this as a term of endearment for one of my best friends children) try your hand at it.  It is easy, leftovers can be used for endless weeknight meals.  Chicken salad, chicken noodle soup, etc.  It will be so nicely flavored from the injecting and seasonings you won't know how you ever lived without injecting and slow roasting!

Your "finger lickin' good chicken" chefwannabe
Chris

The OTHER white meat. Bacon Roasted Pork Loin

Pork loins.




My bacon was leftover and had been cut!!

These in my opinion are one of the last great deals in the food market.  When they go on sale, I get the huge 10-12 lb ones and divide them into 3 portions.  I store them in a Ziploc and they freeze so well!  You can do anything with these babies!!!  Here is what I do with mine, probably TO often, but it is so good, so tender and so juicy, why mess with a good thing right?  I, by the way am obsessed with juicy meat.  If you have read any of my other blogs, you may already know that growing up, my mother was training to be a shoemaker.  She cooked all meat into shoe leather and used gravy as the softening agent.  It never worked well as I recall but it didn't stop her from repeating the same ritual each week with a new victim..err...I mean roast beef.  It is likely where my aversion to any roast beef comes from.  I do make it occasionally but, shoe-making stopped with my mom.  My precious pork loin doesn't deserve to have it all end "that" way!!

The key to keeping any roasted meat juicy is simple, COVER IT!  Use foil and cover tightly to keep all steam and liquid IN.  Instead of evaporating out, it creates steam that falls back into the meat.  This is a simple recipe but it is delicious, and NO you can not achieve the same consistency in a crock pot, do not even ask!!! This meat is tender, juicy and slice-able, not mushy baby food!

You will need:

3lb Pork Loin (or however much will feed your family)

1tbsp salt

1tbsp pepper

6 slices of uncooked bacon

1 cup chicken or beef stock

1/2 cup water

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

3 dashes of hot sauce

Line a baking pan with foil for easier cleanup.  Preheat oven to 375.  Sprinkle meat with salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder.  Give your pork loin 3 good dashes of hot sauce on top.  This WILL NOT make your pork spicy AT ALL!!  So just do it!!!! Wrap bacon around the pork loin all the way down so it is complete covered.  Pour stock and water into pan.  Cover tightly with foil and bake approx 1 hour, remove foil and let bake another 30 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 150 degrees and the bacon is crisp. Let it rest 10-15 minutes before slicing.  You can use juices for gravy if you like.  

You can also roast any veggies of your choice with the pork!  Try some new ones, maybe some parsnips, or celery root!!  I challenge you to try a new veggie this week!!!

Your "other white meat rocks" chefwannabe

Chris

Delicious!!!! Chicken Saltimbocca

Good evening friends!

I hope this finds you all almost home from a long day at work, and contemplating what is for dinner.  I mean after all, is there anything more important at the end of a long day?  Ok, confession, I started this blog, then went to a church function and now it is 10pm.  If you are still contemplating dinner and have not fed your children, I am calling an intervention.

This recipe came out of some craving, and some curiosity.  I was sick of the same chicken dishes, over and over.  I am a huge fan of the ol' poultry myself, so to find new ways of making it is always in the front of my food thoughts.  When I asked my mother- in -law about it, she said...."it's my favorite".  How could she have never made this for me?  What kind of mother-in-law keeps dishes like this to herself?!?!  I need to rethink my approach with this woman...maybe hold her chocolate making goods for ransom.  Ransom being any other recipes she is keeping from me all while savoring the goodness for herself! HA!   Ok, anyway, it can be made with veal as well, so keep that in mind.  I loved this dish, it has been a very good food week for me!

This chicken recipe is easy and quick.  It does require ingredients you may or may not usually have on hand.  I served it over pasta, and some some bruschetta.  *that recipe to follow soon*  When you pound your chicken breasts so thinly, they take so little time to cook through, they have no time to dry out.  I did use a combination of butter and olive oil because, I mean, well, EVERYTHING is better with butter!  The sage can also be omitted, another thing my mother-in-law does since she does dislike sage.  Though as you will see, I laid whole sage leaves across the chicken, you could also chop it and sprinkle it for a little less sage taste.  It does give it a great background flavor that I would personally miss if it wasn't there.

I will write this recipe up for 6 portions.  You can make 2 or 6 in really the same amount of time, so make extra because my husband suggested, with a leftover piece, you could add some provolone or mozzarella cheese and make it into a panini.  I am quadruple excited about anything that can be made into something totally different as a leftover.  I can however, never give him credit for the idea, you women with husbands know how this goes.  If he thinks he had a great idea.......I will never hear the end of it and if you comment on his idea, it could be the death of me!  HAHA   Just kidding, kind of.

Ok, since I KNOW your on the edge of your seat.  Lets do this peeps!  Get a romantic dinner for 2 set up, go to the food store and get these things for 6 portions.


Grocery List
6 chicken breasts, butterfly them and pound them out thin or perhaps you can by cutlets already thin
6 pieces of THINLY sliced prosciutto (12 if breasts are going to be ginormous....umm....nvm)
18 sage leaves
3/4 to 1 cup  bottle of white wine
1/2 chicken stock
1/4 cup of fresh grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
flour

Make sure all chicken breasts are pounded out equally in thickness. Dust chicken in flour and salt and pepper.  Lay leaves on the top of each piece and then lay a piece of prosciutto over the entire piece of chicken. (might take 2 pieces) In a saute pan, melt 1 tbsp butter with 1 tbsp olive oil.  When ready, add in your chicken, prosciutto side down.  Saute on each side approx 3 minutes, or however long you need for the thickness of your chicken breasts.  Do as many at a time as you can.  When they are done, put on a baking sheet topped with a wire rack in the oven just on warm to keep them warm.  When all chicken is done, deglaze your pan with your wine.  Must be white!  Whisk in chicken stock and last tbsp of butter.  Let simmer 2 -3 minutes and add in Parmesan cheese. Continue whisking and letting reduce and thicken until it is the consistency you would like.   Serve on top of a bed of buttered spaghetti and drizzle some sauce over the top.
                                      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now here are some things that you have options on.  Sage can be chopped or laid whole across the chicken.  My prosciutto was cut to thick by my butcher.  However, I kind of enjoyed it.  I used domestic prosciutto and I considered what was likely available in all parts of the country.  I personally am not a huge fan of the expensive "di Parma" prosciutto.  I find it far to salty for my liking most of the time.  I can purchase it at my local Italian Deli for 29.00/lb.  Domestic I can get at my local food store, for 10.00/lb.   You will not need near a pound by the way.  When you choose a wine to cook with, make sure it is one you would enjoy drinking.  The flavor will concentrate so if you hate the taste of it from a glass, you certainly won't like it cooked into your pan sauce!  Also remember you can chop your sage or use it whole.  *I know there are 4 leaves in my photo*

I hope you try this, you will love it.  Its something likely out of your regular culinary treasure box, but not so far off your family won't try it or LOVE it.  I promise!


Your tired, but happy chefwannabe,

Chris

Mealoaf, Smeatloaf, Double Beatloaf!

Name that movie?!?!  My husbands favorite all time movie!

 

Anyway, I have finally mastered the mystery that meatloaf has always been to me.  I never liked it, it seemed like nothing more than hamburger in a loaf pan, and I dreaded that my mother covered in in ketchup or tomato sauce. YUCK!  As I grew older, I never liked it any better, UNLESS it was drowning in brown gravy.  YUM-MO!  Another important Chris fact, I adore FAKE, straight from the little 33 cent package brown gravy!  One of my secret indulgences!  Since my husband loves meatloaf I took it on as my mission, to concoct and bake the perfect meatloaf.  I actually used a few tried and true tricks that I practice while making meatballs.  It isn't my meatball recipe but it COULD be used as such.  You may find some of the ingredients peculiar.  

Milk. The acid helps break up the proteins in the meat to make it tender and less clumpy.  

Hot sauce.  People always assume the addition of hot sauce in any recipe means its hot and they don't like spicy and they totally disregard it.  Please, understand, the addition of the hot sauce, just adds another layer of flavor.  It Is not enough to even taste any hot, trust me.  

Poultry seasoning, is my secret ingredient and if my husband knew I put it in, he would DIE because he claims to hate it.  Never seems to inhibited to throw some meatloaf down his ol hatch!


LOTS of breadcrumbs!  Celery, carrot and onion, is easiest food processed, you can even cook it in some boiling water first if you choose.  I must hide veggies in my husbands food because he hates them.  Have you ever considered the ridiculousness that is hiding veggies from a 45 year old man?  I know....spoiled rotten.  If you choose to omit this step or just used finely chopped onion, I encourage you to soften it until translucent in olive oil first.  A nicely cooked meatloaf deserves more than a hunk of raw onion to chomp down on.  

The most important however is how you mix it.  Use a hand mixer or stand mixer and let the entire mixture mix for a good 3-4 minutes.  It changes the consistency of the meat and makes the absolute perfect meatloaf.  I mean this is like, THE STEP you must not skip.  


ADJUST your salt and pepper to taste, I happen to enjoy salt, way to much, so you might want to use half as much and salt individual portions to taste.  



1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground turkey
2 eggs
1/3 cup parm cheese
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs (seasoned or plain)
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley-1tsp dried, try and go fresh!
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp milk
1 tbsp pepper
1 tsp hot sauce
1 carrot + 1 rib of celery + 1 quarter of medium onion (food processed with 1/4 cup water OR grated FINELY into mixture)


Mix all ingredients EXCEPT ground meat together well, add ground beef and ground turkey and mix well.  Using your hand mixer, blend mixture for 3-4 minutes.  Or put into your stand mixer and let it rip for 3-4 minutes Turn into loaf pan, or form loaf shape and put in 9x13 pan.  You can also divide into mini meatloaves.  
Top with ketchup mixed with brown sugar,  BBQ sauce or leave plain to top with brown gravy!

Bake 350 degrees for 45 min - 1 hour.  Let rest for 15 min before slicing.

So.....GO, enjoy some good old fashioned meatloaf!  Maybe add some mashed potatoes, some nice fresh green peas?  And don't forget plenty of brown gravy!

Sing while you cook this week.  Make your family wonder if you have gone crazy!

Its late...sleep well, wake up and eat well!