Pages

Stay Connected

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Soy-Ginger Grilled Flank Steak

According to an article in the June/July issue of Taste of Home Magazine, grilling meat over high temps triggers the formation of carcinogenic chemicals called heterocyclic amines (HCA's). They say if you marinate meats for at least 1 hour before you grill, you can cut the HCA formation by 57%-88%. Marinating meat in spicy liquids that contain oil, water, vinegar and herbs is especially effective. 

I always like to marinate before grilling anyway (and I didn't even know it was better for you!) as I feel it's adds it's own uniqueness to whatever you happen to be cooking whether it's chicken, pork, beef or fish (yes, I do grill shrimp for the hubby and kids!). Take this flank steak for instance. A few simple ingredients created this fabulous, flavorful meal. 

Soy-Ginger Grilled Flank Steak
1-2lb. Flank Steak

Marinade
1/2 c. Low Sodium Soy Sauce
1/4 c. Canola Oil
1 tsp. Fresh Ginger, grated
1 Clove Garlic, minced
2 tbsp. Brown Sugar

Whisk all of the ingredients together in a small bowl. Add the steak to a resealable plastic bag and add in the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Remove from refrigerator at least 30 minutes prior to grilling. Discard marinade and grill to desired doneness. 

Enjoy!

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Roasted Fennel & Heirloom Tomato Panzanella Salad



Did you ever go out to eat and have something several times over the years, but never thought to make it at home? Well, after the food bloggers conference last Friday, Lauren from Lauren Kelly Nutrition and Bia, from Rich and Sweet, and I headed out for some dinner at Supper in NYC. We had originally planned to go to another restaurant but when we got there, there was a "B" sign in the window. Thanks to Bia, who lived and worked in the city for many years, for explaining the NYC Health Violation Codes to us and we went elsewhere. 

Some food service establishments that require Health Department permits will receive and post letter grades that correspond to their sanitary inspection scores. These establishments include most restaurants, coffee shops, bars, nightclubs, cafeterias, retail bakeries, and fixed-site food stands. This document uses the term “restaurants” to refer to all these establishments.Here is a more detailed explanation I found online on NYC Restaurant Grading and what the letters mean:

Grade A. 0 to 13 points for sanitary violations. 
Grade B. 14 to 27 points for sanitary violations. 
Grade C. 28 or more points for sanitary violations.
Grade Pending. A restaurant’s B or C grade is not final until the restaurant has had the opportunity to go before the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings Health Tribunal to contest the violations cited against it. Until then, the restaurant has the option to post either the preliminary grade or a card that says “Grade Pending.” Once the grade is final, the restaurant must immediately post the letter grade card and take down the Grade Pending card. that it was a health code sign and it probably wasn't very clean. 

So the next time you head on into the city for dinner, look in the window first. I learn something new everyday! :)

Anyway, back to the story...

We were still quite full from lunch so we opted for some wine and appetizers. One of the items we got was their version of Panzanella salad or Tuscan Bread Salad;  which originated in the Florentine region of Italy. It generally consists of soaked stale bread and chunks of tomatoes and is dressed with olive oil and vinegar and their version was delicious. On Sunday, I was looking for something to make with a london broil I was going to be grilling and since it was a warm day, I wanted to make a salad to go with it. I had a Dove Chocolate Discoveries home party the night before and had an extra loaf of bread leftover. I also had just purchased some beautifully ripe heirloom tomatoes (also known as "ugly" tomatoes) and some fennel that I thought would go nicely in here and boy was I right! My daughter and her friend actually woke up to the smell of the fennel and garlic roasting (I guess that's one way to wake up teenagers!) and came out of the room ready to taste my latest creation. It was a definite hit and we barely had enough for dinnertime as they kept taking "tastes" throughout the day. This salad was so good and I loved how colorful it was. 


Roasted Fennel & Heirloom Tomato Panzanella Salad
1/2 Fennel Bulb, chopped
1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 Cloves Garlic, chopped
1/4 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1/2 Loaf Italian Bread (1-2 days old ok)
2 tbsp. Fresh Basil, chopped
2 Heirloom ("Ugly") Tomatoes, large dice
Prepared Dressing

In a bowl, mix together the fennel, garlic,  oil, salt and pepper. Add to a baking sheet and roast at 425 for 10 minutes. Cut the bread into cubes, place on a baking sheet and spray with cooking spray. Bake at 425 for 5-10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, basil, fennel mixture and bread to a large bowl. Next, add in the dressing and mix well. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Serves 4-6. 

Dressing
2 tsp. Capers
3 tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tbsp. Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese, grated

Blend all ingredients together in a mini chopper or blender until smooth. 

Enjoy! 

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Chef Contest-Sweet Creamy Shrimp Delight (Hidemi Walsh)

Welcome to the first every CEK's 2012 Home Grown Chef Contest! 


A few months ago, I challenged my readers to submit their favorite recipes and what a great response I had!  It is up to each recipe contributor to engage their friends/family/etc to view their recipe on this blog post and the 5 most popular recipes (determined by the number of page views it receives) will be added to a poll for everyone to vote on.  (For complete rules of the contest click HERE.) Good Luck!


Recipe Contributor: Hidemi Walsh from Plainfield, IN

Bio: I am Japanese and moved to IN 3 years ago from Tokyo to marry my husband. I used to live in San Francisco as well (almost 10 years ago) so this is not my first time to live in the US but I find lots of new, exciting and interesting things. Food is one of things and I have been learing American traditional dishes which is very fun. I started to cook when I was in mid 20s because I wanted to lose weight. I was overweight and tried lots of METHODS to lose weight. I found out that what you eat is the best way not only to lose weight but also to stay healthy. I stopped to eat out, buy food from stores. Now I cook healthy yet delicious (try) food for my husband and myself every day.


Sweet Creamy Shrimp Delight
3/4 lb Shrimp, deveined, peeled with tails on 
2 Potatoes (about 2/3 lb)
1 cup Lima beans (canned beans),  drained
4 tablespoon Mayonnaise
4 teaspoons Lemon Juice
5 tablespoons Milk
2 teaspoons Grated Garlic Clove
2 teaspoons Sugar
3 tablespoons Flour
3 tablespoons Corn Starch
Olive Oil for deep fry
 




Directions:

  1. Cut potatoes into 1/4 inch thick round slices and heat in a microwave for a couple of  minutes or until tender.
  2. Make sauce. In a bowl, combine milk, mayonnaise, lemon juice, grated garlic clove, sugar, salt and pepper. Mix well.
  3. In another bowl, combine flour and corn starch. 
  4. Sprinkle salt and pepper over shrimp and potatoes. Then coat them with flour mixture.
  5. Heat olive oil in a skillet, deep fry shrimp and then potatoes. Drain both shrimp and potatoes with papaer towel and put them into the sauce bowl. Then add lima beans to the bowl and toss to coat. Sprinkle miced parsley on top.

Chef Contest-Spanish Mussels with Chorizo (Lily Zhou)


Welcome to the first every CEK's 2012 Home Grown Chef Contest! 

A few months ago, I challenged my readers to submit their favorite recipes and what a great response I had!  It is up to each recipe contributor to engage their friends/family/etc to view their recipe on this blog post and the 5 most popular recipes (determined by the number of page views it receives) will be added to a poll for everyone to vote on.  (For complete rules of the contest click HERE.) Good luck!

Recipe Contributor: 
Lily Zhou from Goleta, CA

Bio:
My name is Lily, I live in Goleta with my husband, my son (3.5 years), and my daughter (18 months).  I am a trained chemist although right now I am a stay at home mom.  Cooking and eating is a hobby for me.  There are not many interesting restaurants in the Goleta area, so most of the time I take advantage of the local farmer's market and cook at home.  I don't have a blog, but I post at least once a month on yelp.

Spanish Mussels with Chorizo
1 pound cleaned mussles
olive oil
3 cloves of garlic 
1/4 cup chopped onion
half cup Spanish chorizo 
1/3 cup plum tomato
small pinch of saffron
salt and pepper
chopped parley

Directions:
1. In a large pot, heat 2 tablesp good quality olive oil. Add 3 cloves of minced or sliced garlic, 1/4 cup chopped onion or shallot, half cup of Spanish chorizo. Sauteed until the oil turns red from the paprika. Add 1/3 cup of plum tomato and just a small pinch of saffron, let it cook for about 2 min to meld the flavor. Add salt and pepper to taste (chorizo is very salty, you might not need additional salt)

2. Add 1 lb cleaned mussel to the pot. Stir and then add half a cup white wine. Close the lid and let mussels steam until the shells are open. Do not overcook.

3. Top with optional chopped parsley and serve with crusty bread.

Chef Contest-Mayo Soy Chicken (Hidemi Walsh)

Welcome to the first every CEK's 2012 Home Grown Chef Contest! 

A few months ago, I challenged my readers to submit their favorite recipes and what a great response I had!  It is up to each recipe contributor to engage their friends/family/etc to view their recipe on this blog post and the 5 most popular recipes (determined by the number of page views it receives) will be added to a poll for everyone to vote on.  (For complete rules of the contest click HERE.) Good luck!

Recipe Contributor: 
Hidemi Walsh from Plainfield, IN

Bio: 
I am Japanese and moved to IN 3 years ago from Tokyo to marry my husband. I used to live in San Francisco as well (almost 10 years ago) so this is not my first time to live in the US but I find lots of new, exciting and interesting things. Food is one of things and I have been learing American traditional dishes which is very fun. I started to cook when I was in mid 20s because I wanted to lose weight. I was overweight and tried lots of METHODS to lose weight. I found out that what you eat is the best way not only to lose weight but also to stay healthy. I stopped to eat out, buy food from stores. Now I cook healthy yet delicious (try) food for my husband and myself every day. This is my favorite recipe because it is very easy to make and with a few ingredient make great dessert. 

Mayo Soy Chicken
4 Chicken Thighs
4 tablespoons Mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Soy Sauce
6 tablespoons Flour
3 tablespoons Corn Starch
Canola Oil for deep-fry

Directions:
1. Cut chicken thighs into bite size.
2. In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, black pepper and soy sauce. Mix well. Put chicken thighs and marinate for 30 minutes.
3. In another bowl, combine flour and corn starch. Mix well.
4. In a frying pan, heat canola oil. Coat marinated chicken breasts with flour and corn starch mixture. Deep fry chickens until golden and crispy.

Chef Contest-Chicken with Roasted Peppers (Jenn Cedeno)


Welcome to the first every CEK's 2012 Home Grown Chef Contest! 

A few months ago, I challenged my readers to submit their favorite recipes and what a great response I had!  It is up to each recipe contributor to engage their friends/family/etc to view their recipe on this blog post and the 5 most popular recipes (determined by the number of page views it receives) will be added to a poll for everyone to vote on.  (For complete rules of the contest click HERE.) Good luck!

Recipe Contributor: 
Jenn Cedeno from NJ

Bio:
I’m not a “foodie” blogger; however, I am the author behind the blog: My Daily Jenn-ism.  I like to cook & constantly think of how I would like what I’m making to taste and then I just go with it.  I like to cook.  My husband likes to eat – so it all works out wonderfully.  My recipe below is TODAY’S version and always subject to change with my taste buds. I love this recipe!  And…so does my husband, so I’ve made it quit a bit and I’ve gotten better with it as I go on.  Disclaimer:  I’ve just finished reading the first book of “50 Shades of Grey” series, so this recipe was generated directly after.

The first thing you need is big set of plump juicy breasts…No, no – not your own.  Chicken Breasts, but what you do in your own kitchen is your business!



Chicken with Roasted Red Peppers

2 lbs – Plump Boneless Chicken Breasts

½ cup – Garlic Bread Crumbs
½ - ¾ cup White Cooking Wine
½ - Cup Chicken Stock
2 Tbsp - Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tbsp - Butter
1 Jar – YES JAR, I’m a working mom!  Roasted Red Peppers
1 cup – Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Parmesan Cheese
Garlic powder
Sea Salt
Ground Pepper

If there are no measurements stated, it’s to your taste.

Ok…  Now the first thing you want to do is handle your big plump breasts… 
Wash them gently in cool water and pat them dry…. Yes, like that, but leave them slightly damp.

Now go over and get your oven turned on …350 degrees ought to do it. 

Get a large cutting board & place either clear plastic wrap or wax paper down – place the breasts on top & another piece on top of the breasts.

Now, it’s time to beat your meat!  Gently – You’re not Christian Grey!  You don’t want to damage the breasts.  You just want them to be pounded down & tender so they melt in your mouth.  If you don’t have a mallet, I don’t know use a hammer or something. I’m not that creative.  J

Melt the butter over a low heat along with the olive oil until the pan is hot & the olive oil & butter come together.

While that is happening, lightly bread the chicken breasts.  We are NOT doing an egg wash.  The chicken breasts should be slightly damp & able to hold the crumbs.
After breading, place breasts into pan sprinkle a little garlic powder, sea salt & pepper on the breasts – raise heat slightly and heat both sides until crumbs adhere to breasts.  About 5 minutes per side.  When you flip the breasts, season the other side.  My 2 cents – go easy on the sea salt!  Between the butter, chicken stock & wine – it will be plenty salty!

When the breading is one with the breast, add the wine.  Pour yourself a glass while you’re at it.  I did!
Pour generously around the pan & move pan around in a circular motion so all the breasts can be covered with wine.  Flip to the other side & repeat.  Add Chicken stock & repeat same process as wine.  Once this comes to a boil, remove from heat immediately & place to the side.  We do not want the chicken to cook on the stove top!  Take remaining liquid and put at bottom of baking pan to prevent chicken from sticking to pan.  Add chicken to pan.  As shown – don’t get all judgey… I said I’m not foody – so my pans are all aluminum foil covered.  J

Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese, ½ cup of mozzarella cheese, the roasted peppers & the other ½ cup mozzarella cheese.

Place in the oven & cook for 25-45 minutes.  This depends upon the thickness of the breast; the thicker the breast, the longer the cook time.  Rule of thumb – chicken should never be pink on the inside.  Think Salmonella… 
I usually serve this with pan roasted broccoli & cauliflower in a garlic & butter sauce.  Sorry, no recipe there… I fly by the seat of my pants on that one…

The finished product should look like this…
(I’m a sucky photographer)

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!

~Jenn Cedeno

Chef Contest-Hot Cross Buns Ice Cream (Karin Hung)


Welcome to the first every CEK's 2012 Home Grown Chef Contest! 

A few months ago, I challenged my readers to submit their favorite recipes and what a great response I had!  It is up to each recipe contributor to engage their friends/family/etc to view their recipe on this blog post and the 5 most popular recipes (determined by the number of page views it receives) will be added to a poll for everyone to vote on.  (For complete rules of the contest click HERE.) Good luck!

Recipe Contributor: 
Karin Hung from Vancouver, BC, Canada

Bio: 52 Scoops was created with a simple goal in mind: to develop and compile a collection of 52 ice cream recipes – one for each week of the year.

Inspiration for flavours will come from everyday foods, new tastes experienced when travelling, unusual products spotted at the grocery store, and, hopefully, from you.  Each week, I will develop a recipe and crank out a batch of ice cream in my beloved Donvier ice cream maker.  I’m not promising amazing food photography (hello, iPhone 4 camera) and tested-til-perfect recipes.  What you’ll find here is a collection of simple recipes made mostly with everyday ingredients, and perhaps the occasional report of creative attempts gone awry.
Karin, The Ice Cream Maker Karin has always loved ice cream.  At 12 months, she went from being a “cruiser” (a cautious baby who could only walk while holding onto furniture) to a lightning fast sprinter upon hearing the sudden call for ICE CREAM in the kitchen.  She had early childhood dreams of owning an ice cream parlour, but has settled instead for a gig as an urban planner.  Karin is a self-declared food nerd and loves kitchen gadgets.
Blog: www.52scoops.com  Twitter: @52scoops


Hot Cross Buns Ice Cream  (Makes about 1 quart)

2 eggs
3/4 c brown sugar
3 cups half-and-half cream
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg (use freshly ground, if possible!)
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 tsp orange zest, finely chopped
2 tsp lemon zest, finely chopped
1/2 cup currants
1/3 cup golden raisins

Icing (optional):
1/4 cup icing sugar
1/8 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp milk
  1. In a heavy saucepan, lightly whisk together the eggs and sugar.
  2. Add 2 cups of the half and half, spices, and salt.
  3. Cook the mixture over medium-low heat stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon (170 degrees F / 77 degrees C).
  4. Remove from heat immediately and add the remaining 1 cup of the half and half to stop the cooking.
  5. Add zest, currents, and raisins to the mixture.  Cool and chill overnight in the fridge.
  6. Pour the custard into an ice cream maker and prepare according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
  7. When ice cream is firmly chilled, scoop into serving dishes.  If garnishing with icing, mix together icing sugar, vanilla, and milk.  Drizzle an X over each scoop of ice cream.

Chef Contest-Nanas Chicken Ravioli Filling (M.J. Vitelli)


Welcome to the first every CEK's 2012 Home Grown Chef Contest! 

A few months ago, I challenged my readers to submit their favorite recipes and what a great response I had!  It is up to each recipe contributor to engage their friends/family/etc to view their recipe on this blog post and the 5 most popular recipes (determined by the number of page views it receives) will be added to a poll for everyone to vote on.  (For complete rules of the contest click HERE.) Good luck!

Recipe Contributor: 
M. J. Vitelli from Pittsburgh, PA (Steeler City)

Bio:
I am a Mom of two and a Grammy to 5 and love letting them help me in the kitchen and I created a  blog called I Like to Bake and Cook . I have been blogging since May 2011 and I love it. It has become my top job and even though there is not any pay involved I get plenty of perks from sharing my family recipes. Lots of rave reviews and thanks from those who love to bake and cook and newbies too!

Nana never made meat ravioli or cheese it was always chicken ravioli.   I'm thinking chicken and potatoes were used a lot in meal preparation.  I lot of meatless meals...Mom used to tell me they ate a lot of potatoes.  Nana came from a family of ten and Mom from a family of seven.  I think potatoes were also reasonable in price so beef was a rarity.  Maybe that's a good thing.   Nana lived to 93 and Mom's oldest sister is 96 and her youngest brother is 80 and Mom is 88 going on 89 come October.  I better get to my recipe and stop with the chat.  Here it is:



Nana's Chicken Ravioli Filling
1 1/2 lb. cooked chicken( I used chicken breasts)  I boiled them with a bit of salt and let them cool
1/2 cup seasoned or unseasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated cheese (of course I use Pecorino Romano)
1/4 cup chopped spinach cooked
1 egg beaten
1 Tablespoon water if needed to hold together

Nana would put all chicken in her meat grinder and it was very fine and then she would add bread crumbs, beaten egg, cooked spinach and of course that really good Pecorino Romano cheese.

Dough Recipe 
2 eggs
2 cups flour
bit of water
pinch of salt

Mix eggs  with flour and salt, add a bit of water if needed..Knead until dough form a ball..

From my kitchen to yours,

M. J.










Chef Contest-Seared Steelhead Trout with Balsamic Strawberry Salsa (Lily Zhou)


Welcome to the first every CEK's 2012 Home Grown Chef Contest! 

A few months ago, I challenged my readers to submit their favorite recipes and what a great response I had!  It is up to each recipe contributor to engage their friends/family/etc to view their recipe on this blog post and the 5 most popular recipes (determined by the number of page views it receives) will be added to a poll for everyone to vote on.  (For complete rules of the contest click HERE.) Good luck!

Recipe Contributor: 
Lily Zhou from Goleta, CA

Bio:
My name is Lily, I live in Goleta with my husband, my son (3.5 years), and my daughter (18 months).  I am a trained chemist although right now I am a stay at home mom.  Cooking and eating is a hobby for me.  There are not many interesting restaurants in the Goleta area, so most of the time I take advantage of the local farmer's market and cook at home.  I don't have a blog, but I post at least once a month on yelp.


Seared Steelhead Trout with Balsamic Strawberry Salsa and Sauteed Fava Beans  
This recipe utilize the fava beans and fresh strawberries that's widely available in the farmer's market here around April and May.  Serves 6

Ingredients:
6 portions of 6 oz stealhead trout filet
1 pound of shelled fava beans
salt
pepper
butter
olive oil
1 stalk of chopped scallions

Salsa:
1.5 pound of ripe strawberries
2 tablesp 25 year old balsamic vinegar
juice of one orange
zest of half of an orange
chiffonade of 15 basil leaf
chopped 5 sprig of cilantro
1/4 cup of chopped sweet onions 

Directions:
1. Salt and pepper the stealhead trout filet.  Add 1 tablesp of butter and 1 tablesp of olive oil to a hot pan.  Place filet skin side down.  Let the skin crisp up and finish up by placing the pan in a 400 F oven for 8 min.

2. Grilled half of the strawberries to get some carmalization going.  Remove from grill and chop up the strawberries into approximately 0.25 inch chunks.

3. Chop the remaining strawberries into 0.25 inch chunks.  Add the fresh strawberries to the grilled strawberries.  To the mixture, add salt, pepper, juice of one orange, zest of half of an orange, 2 tablesp of good balsamic vinegar, chopped cilantro and basil, and 1/4 cup of chopped sweet onions.  Mix gently and let the flavor marry in the fridge.

4. Parboil fava bean and remove the bean from its waxy shell.  Place 2 tablesp of olive oil in a hot pan.  Sautee fava bean, add salt and chopped scallions.  Remove from heat.

5.  Plate fava bean on the bottom.  Top with the trout filet and generously scope the fresh salsa mixture over the fish.    







Chef Contest-Caramelized Crispy Snack Mix (Patty VanKirk)


Welcome to the first every CEK's 2012 Home Grown Chef Contest! 

A few months ago, I challenged my readers to submit their favorite recipes and what a great response I had!  It is up to each recipe contributor to engage their friends/family/etc to view their recipe on this blog post and the 5 most popular recipes (determined by the number of page views it receives) will be added to a poll for everyone to vote on.  (For complete rules of the contest click HERE.) Good luck!

Recipe Contributor: 
Patty VanKirk from Newfoundland, NJ


Bio:
Patty Van Kirk has her own dog walking business called The Crate Escape.  She is also a stay at home mom who loves to bake.

Caramelized Crispy Snack Mix (a.k.a. "Crack")
Original Recipe from Land O' Lakes

2 cups firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup Land o Lakes Butter

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda
1 (17.9) oz box crunchy corn and rice cereal 

Step 1.  Combine brown sugar, butter, syrup and salt in 3 quart saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until mixture comes to a boil.  Continue boiling1 minute.
Step 2.  Remove from heat.  Add baking soda, mix well.  Pour sugar mixture overcereal in huge bowl.  Mix well until coated.
Step. 3.  Pour onto greased ocokie sheet.
Step. 4.  Heat oven to 250 degrees.  Put cereal mixture into oven and bake for 40-50 minutes, stirring every15 minutes or until coating is set.
Step. 5.  Take out and let cool 15 minutes.  Break apart gently.

Chef Contest-Chocolate Blancmange (Hidemi Walsh)


Welcome to the first every CEK's 2012 Home Grown Chef Contest! 

A few months ago, I challenged my readers to submit their favorite recipes and what a great response I had!  It is up to each recipe contributor to engage their friends/family/etc to view their recipe on this blog post and the 5 most popular recipes (determined by the number of page views it receives) will be added to a poll for everyone to vote on.  (For complete rules of the contest click HERE.) Good luck!

Recipe Contributor: Hidemi Walsh from Plainfield, IN

Bio: I am Japanese and moved to IN 3 years ago from Tokyo to marry my husband. I used to live in San Francisco as well (almost 10 years ago) so this is not my first time to live in the US but I find lots of new, exciting and interesting things. Food is one of things and I have been learing American traditional dishes which is very fun. I started to cook when I was in mid 20s because I wanted to lose weight. I was overweight and tried lots of METHODS to lose weight. I found out that what you eat is the best way not only to lose weight but also to stay healthy. I stopped to eat out, buy food from stores. Now I cook healthy yet delicious (try) food for my husband and myself every day. This is my favorite recipe because it is very easy to make and with a few ingredient make great dessert. 


 Chocolate Blancmange
2 oz Dark Chocolate Bar
5 tablespoons Corn Starch
1 3/4 cup Milk
2 tablespoons Granulated Sugar


Directions:
1. Chop dark chocolate bar.
2. In a sauce pan, put sugar, corn starch and milk. Heat over low heat and add chopped chocolate. 
3. Stir constantly and simmer until chocolate is melted completely and mixture thickens.
4. Remove from the heat and pour into serving bowl/glass/mousse ring mold. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours or until set. 
5. When ready to serve, put whipped cream on top.

Friday, May 25, 2012

Memorial Day Marinade & Salad Favorites

BBQ's. It's all about the MARINADE and SALADS


Today, I'd thought I'd share the top marinades and salads that I have created here on the blog over the last year to get you started with your Memorial Day celebration!


Let's start with the TOP 5 MARINADES!



This was actually one of the first pictures I
took on my blog over a year ago. I'd like to
thinkI've improved! Don't let the picture fool you,
the flavor was INCREDIBLE!
#5 
Marinated Coconut Rum and Lime Chicken Breasts (Serves 4)
4 Chicken Breasts, bone in
1/4 Cup Coconut Rum, like Malibu®
1 Tbsp. Fresh Cilantro, chopped
1 Lime, zest and juice
1/2 Cup Canola Oil
1 Tbsp. White Vinegar
1 tsp. Kosher Salt
1 tsp. Fresh Ground Pepper

In a bowl, whisk together the rum, cilantro, zest and juice from the entire lime, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Add the chicken to a resealable, plastic bag and add the marinade. Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours. Remove chicken and let stand at room temperature for approximately 15 minutes prior to cooking. Bake at 350°F for approximately 1 hour or until the internal temperature reads 180°F with an instant read thermometer. 



#4 
Wine & Balsamic Marinated Filet Mignon
4 Filet Mignon

Marinade
1/2 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 c. Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 c. Dry Red Wine (I used Malbec)
1 tbsp. Stone Ground Mustard
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 tbsp. Fresh Rosemary, chopped
1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Pepper
1/4 tsp. Kosher Salt

Whisk all ingredients together until well blended. Add the meat and the marinade to a resealable bag and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Discard marinade and let rest at room temperature prior to grilling to your desired internal temperature. Serves 4. 


#3
Balsamic Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken
6 Boneless Chicken Breasts

Marinade
1/4 Cup Honey
1/4 Cup Grey Poupon® Dijon Mustard
1 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 Cup Canola Oil
1/2 Tbsp. Fresh Rosemary, chopped

Whisk all ingredients together. Add chicken to a resealable plastic bag and add the marinade. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. Remove chicken and discard marinade. Grill until the proper internal temperature is reached. 



#2 
Lemon-Ginger Grilled Pork Chops
4 (4-6oz.) Pork Chops, boneless, center cut
1 Lemon, juice only
1 tsp. Fresh Ginger, grated
1 tsp. Honey
2 tbsp. Low Sodium Soy Sauce
1 tsp. Sesame Oil
2 tbsp. Canola Oil

In a bowl, add the lemon juice, ginger, honey, soy sauce, sesame and canola oils and whisk together. Trim any fat from your pork chops and add them to a resealable plastic bag along with the marinade. Seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Remove the bag from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to grilling to bring the meat to room temperature so the meat cooks evenly. Cook until proper internal temperature. Serves 4. 



#1 
Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey Marinated London Broil over Sauteed Mushrooms
2 lb. Top Round London Broil
50 ml Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey 
1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
3/4 Cup Canola Oil
1/2 Cup Scallions, chopped
1 Tbsp. Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/8 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper

In a small bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients (minus the beef). Add the london broil to a resealable plastic bag and add the marinade. Refrigerated 4 hours and grill to desired doneness. 

Sauteed Mushrooms
1-10oz. Package White Mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbsp. Butter
2 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 Cup Beef Broth
1 tsp. Garlic Powder

In a large saute pan, melt butter and add mushrooms. Cook until soft and add remaining ingredients. Stir occasionally until liquid is absorbed. Serve hot. 

*Click here for a complete list of all Marinades 


And now for the Top 5 Salads

#5
Tropical Corn Salad
3 Ears White and Yellow Corn on the Cob, cooked
1 Mango, peeled and diced
2 tsp. Red Onion, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. Fresh Mint, chopped
1/4 Cup Pineapple Juice
2 Tbsp. Canola Oil
1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Remove the corn from the husks and separate the kernels. Place in a bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Mix well. Serve chilled. Serves 4-6.


#4
Cold Chicken and Grilled Vegetable Pasta Salad
1/2 lb. Pasta (I used Penne)
4 Chicken Tenders
1/2 Zucchini, slice vertically in 1" strips, then chop
1 Slice Red Onion, then chop after grilling
1 Cup Grape Tomatoes, halved
1 Cup Haricot Vert, blanched
2 Tbsp. Fresh Basil, chopped
1/3 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/3 Cup Canola Oil
Garlic Powder, to taste
Kosher Salt, to taste
Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste
Cooking Spray

Cook pasta according to package directions and let cool. Spray your grill with cooking spray and heat. Season the chicken tenders with some garlic powder and add it to your grill. Cook approximately 5-7 minutes and remove; let cool and dice into bite sized pieces. Next, add your zucchini and onion slices and grill until they have slightly softened and have nice grilling marks; remove, let cool then chop. In a large bowl, add your pasta, chicken, zucchini, onions, tomatoes, haricot verts, basil, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper. Mix well and refrigerate. Serves 6-8. 


#3
Basil Pearled Cous Cous Salad with Sun Dried Tomatoes
1/4 c. Sun Dried Tomatoes, chopped
1 tbsp. Red Onion, finely chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
3 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Prepare cous cous according to package directions and let cool. Add to a bowl then add in the sun dried tomatoes, onion, lemon juice, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper. Mix well and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Serves 4. 



#2

Pasta Salad with Avocados & Black Beans in a Goat Cheese Lime Vinaigrette
1/2 Box Barilla Piccolini Mini Zucchini & Spinach Wheels Pasta
2 Ripe Hass Avocado, pitted and chopped
1-15oz. Can Black Beans, rinsed
1 Large Plum Tomato, diced
2 Scallions, chopped
Prepared Goat Cheese Lime Vinaigrette

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and let cool, then add to a large bowl. Add the avocado, beans, tomatoes, scallions and prepared vinaigrette and mix well. Makes 8 cups

Goat Cheese Lime Vinaigrette
1/4 c. Crumbled Goat Cheese
1 tbsp. Fresh Cilantro, chopped
1 Lime, juice only
1/4 c. Distilled White Vinegar
1/4 c. Canola Oil
1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Whisk all ingredients together until they are well combined. 
*1/2 Cup Serving Nutritional Information: Calories 119, Carbs 15g, Fat 4g, Protein 4g
*1 Cup Serving Nutritional Information: Calories 237, Carbs 30g, Fat 9g, Protein 8g



#1

Black Bean and Corn Salad
1-15oz. Can Black Beans, rinsed and drained
2 c. Corn 
1 Roma Tomato, finely chopped
2 Scallions, chopped
1 Lime, juice only
1 tbsp. Fresh Cilantro, chopped
1 tbsp. White Vinegar
3 tbsp. Canola Oil
1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Pepper

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serves 8 (1/2 cup servings).

Nutritional Information: Calories 130; Carbs 17g; Fat 6g; Protein 4g 

*Click here for a complete list of all Salads

I'll be off-line most of the weekend, but check back here on Tuesday where the contestants from the Home Grown Chef Challenge will have their recipes posted all throughout the day! They will have until midnight (est), Sunday, June 3, 2012 to get people to view their recipe. Once the Top 5 Recipes have been decided (based on the most page views), I will create a poll on the blog itself where YOU, the readers, can vote on YOUR favorite recipe. This will be done on Monday, June 4, 2012 and will run until Midnight (est) Wednesday, June 6, 2012. The recipe with the most votes will win a $50 Williams Sonoma Gift Card along with a customized bamboo cutting board. All winners will be announced by Thursday, June 7, 2012.


THANK YOU FOR ALL THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED! XO





ShareThis