nothing wasted…

So after playing around with what would be for dinner, I realized that I had some lonely grape tomatoes sitting out just waiting to release their juicy goodness! What better to do with them, but make a quick, but flavorful sauce to toss with some pasta…
I simply sautéed the tomatoes in some olive oil until they softened, wrinkled and began to let out their sweet juices. Once those juices started flowing, in went some minced garlic and a touch of super rich balsamic vinegar! As soon as the sauce began to reduce and dash of salt went in, a quick stir and then of course… a taste!
Sweet, salty, slightly acidic and full of that perfect punch. Tossed with some beautiful, ribboned pasta and it was time to experience sensuality…

at a low simmer…
-R

a feast for Sunday dinner…

The craving for something filling and ‘feast-like’ crossed my mind while meandering through the market… with winter in full effect this past week, I thought something reminiscent of a family gathering style would do wonders for a Sunday supper!
After picking up a fresh turkey breast, some carrots, fennel, celery and herbs… all that was left to do was start to prep up this soon to be masterpiece.
Slathered in a homemade buttery ‘sunscreen’ coating and rested on a bed of sliced carrots, onions, fennel and celery [all puréed together after cooking] it was going to be just a few hours of cooking until this meal would be ready for eatin’…
While cooking this ‘bird’, I thought some interesting cornbread muffins would be a great compliment instead of biscuits! These weren’t just your typical boring cornbread muffins, but one with a kick. One large jalapeño, some diced red onion, garlic, corn, red pepper and of course cornmeal all were stars in what would become a great treat!
Lastly, this meal would not be complete without some mashed, garlicky potatoes! Yukon gold potatoes were cooked to perfection and then mashed together with some butter, milk and of course salt and pepper.
Each bite brought me back to having the family here for the holidays and enjoying everyone’s company!

at a low simmer…
-R

‘Q’ is for quiche…

With the continued cold temperatures and brisk wind in the air, I decided tonight I would make one of my all time comfort foods… Quiche.
The beauty when making a quiche is you can’t really get it wrong, just add some of your favorite ingredients and you have yourself one hell of a ‘pie’!
To create my heavenly ‘pie’ I started by rendering pancetta until crispy, once done I sautéed a diced onion, followed by chopped green peppers in the rendered fat with these crispy pancetta critters. Once this three-way came together, I added small chunks of split breast chicken that I roasted earlier…
These darlings then were eased into a pie crust and topped with a blend of shredded monterey jack and extra sharp cheddar cheeses. Then a mix of five extra large eggs, a cup and a half milk, along with salt and crushed red pepper were poured over the cheese and chicken mixture…
This ‘pie’ was now ready for a 375 degree oven. The timer was set for forty-five minutes and it was the waiting game for this amazing ‘pie’ to make its appearance! Once cooked and slightly cooled I sliced a hearty piece and quietly savored every bite.
Deliciously simple and simply delicious is all I can say about this classic comfort food…

at a low simmer…
-R

dinner was [soup]erb!

With a wickedly bone chilling day to deal with, it seemed only appropriate to crank out a hearty pot of soup for dinner! Something to warm up the soul and fill up our bellies couldn’t be made quick enough…
I started by chopping up an onion, mincing some garlic and slicing some carrots. The veggies all were sautéed in a heavy pot with some olive oil until softened and the house smelled amazing. After sautéing the veggies, in went some sliced smoked turkey sausage until cooked through. Once the veggies and sausage were ready, in went the dried split peas, homemade chicken stock and water. A quick stir, then the lid went on and the soup simmered until completely cooked. To top off this luxurious soup… homemade croutons.
The first spoonful instantly warmed us up and made us forget the chilly, deep freeze that was rolling through our town!

at a low simmer…
-R

another meat and potatoes meal…

Tonight for dinner I made pan-seared filet mignon with a side of roasted fingerling potatoes.
The filet mignon was simply seasoned with salt and pepper. Each piece was placed into a searing hot pan coated with some olive oil. Roughly three minutes on each side and then it was into the oven for eight more minutes. Once out of the oven the filet mignon rested to gather all the delicious juices.
To go along with the filet mignon, roasted fingerling potatoes. Just a quick toss with olive oil, salt and pepper, then it was into the oven until browned and crunchy!
The juicy, meaty filet mignon oozed sensuous flavors, while the fingerling potatoes eagerly soaked up every last drizzle of meaty nectar that tried to make a run for it across the plate!
There are not enough descriptive words to explain how this dish hit the spot, but I think you get the idea…

at a low simmer…
-R

French pastry Sunday baking…

Today was an amazing Sunday! A fun-filled day of baking with my niece who is an outstanding executive pastry chef. Get the two of us together in a kitchen and only delicious eats could be made!
We started off by preparing dough for freshly made croissants. After rolling out, folding and resting the butter-filled dough a few times, it was eventually time that we fill with an almond paste filling and bake off these gorgeous pastries. Flakey layers of buttery seduction with a sweet nutty interior made me think of breakfast in the European countryside with a captivating cup of freshly pressed coffee and the breeze blowing past…
In addition, French macarons were whipped up with a homemade pistachio filling. These light and chewy, pillowy sandwiches practically melted in our mouths, and one, two, three… well who really counted! All I can say is these were absolutely delightful.
The day could not have been better spent, or more enjoyable. I’m looking forward to our next baking adventure together and what incredible edibles we will create!

at a low simmer…
-R

an old childhood favorite…

A craving filtered through the house earlier for some delicious, creamy rice pudding… not just any old rice pudding, but an old family recipe passed down.
It starts with your typical ingredients that are expected in rice pudding, but with some extra special ingredients that can only stay with me…
The cooking process takes time and is not one to rush… a great deal of elbow grease and willpower is needed, but the end result… well that is nothing short of magnificent!
Creamy, smooth, slightly sweet and full of exotic, intoxicating spices… bite after bite of this chilled, textural wonder makes enjoying just one bowlful almost an injustice.

at a low simmer…
-R

‘winna’… ‘winna’… was this chicken ‘dinna’

So tonight was a simple dinner decision… chicken with mushrooms, garlic and shallots.
I floured and dipped in egg some thinly pounded chicken breasts. The chicken was pan fried in some melted butter and just enough olive oil to give a light, golden crust. To the chicken, went a splash of white wine to just keep everything delicious!
While the chicken was cooking, I sautéed the mushrooms, garlic and shallots in olive oil until tender. To the mushroom mixture, I added some Marsala wine and reduced everything.
To finalize the cooking, I nestled the chicken into the mushrooms and placed the pan into the oven covered…
Once completely cooked through, it was time to plate and enjoy! Succulent and full of amazing flavors, this was not your ordinary boring chicken dish…

at a low simmer…
-R

party of one…

Tonight I was stag for dinner, but no need to feel sorry for me… I made sure to sit back and take advantage of some takeout and gave myself the night off!
An obscene amount of Chinese food was appropriately delivered to my front door… in this brown bag of tricks you ask?? Pan fried dumplings, boneless spareribs, spicy Hunan chicken and a quart of house fried rice! No I did not ingest all of this, however I did put an admirable dent. To wash everything down… a nice bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. Crisp and fruity, offering the perfect balance to the Chinese food.
I have to remember this meal next time I’m on my own for dinner…

at a low simmer…
-R

taking a ‘dip’ in pure deliciousness!

After realizing that I had a few eggs that would be passing their peak, I decided to make a vanilla bean dipping sauce and a batch of insatiable fried dough!
The dipping sauce was simple, one cup of cream and one of milk [brought to a simmer], into the simmering liquid went a vanilla bean that I split and scraped…
In a separate bowl went four egg yolks and one-fourth cups of sugar. This was whisked until a pale yellow color. The simmering liquid mixture was then slowly added into the egg mixture while constantly whisking.
Once the mixture was incorporated, it was back onto the heat and constantly stirred until slightly thickened. Off the heat a half teaspoon of bourbon was whisked in…
The mixture was set aside to cool until it met its fluffy and golden counterparts…
Dip… bite… dip… bite… this could have went on forever!

at a low simmer…
-R