Carciofi alla Romana (Roman Braised Artichoke Hearts)

This recipe has been on my bucket list for quite a while.

I saw nice big artichokes at Bishop's on Friday. I snagged one, fully aware of the solo mission ahead. (Let's just say, not everyone in my household shares my enthusiasm for these thorny delights.)

I will not name names.

I have to admit, the prep work felt a little wasteful. All those beautiful leaves going to waste! I briefly entertained the idea of stuffing them, but that's a recipe for another time.

Once the artichoke was prepped, the rest was surprisingly straightforward. I did follow this YouTube video on how to clean the artichoke - Cleaning an artichoke

And the result? Absolutely delicious. I was so pleased with how it turned out, and honestly, a little thrilled I didn't have to share.

Would I make it again? Definitely. The recipe, which I found on Serious Eats, was a winner. (It's designed to serve 2-4, but I happily enjoyed it all myself.) I'm already thinking about making it again soon.

Ingredients-

2 whole lemons (for maintaining artichokes' color)

4 large or 12 small artichokes (2 pounds; 1 kg)

1/4 cup (7 g) minced flat-leaf parsley leaves

2 tablespoons minced fresh mint leaves

2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano leaves

3 medium cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1/4 cup (60 ml) dry white wine

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method-

Fill a large bowl with water; halve and squeeze 2 lemons into it. 

Trim artichokes by cleaning them down to the hearts, following the guidelines shown here: Using a serrated knife, cut off top of artichoke and bottommost part of stem. Another video on how to clean artichokes - Cleaning an artichoke

Using a paring knife or sharp vegetable peeler, trim away the tough outer leaves to expose the tender inner leaves and heart. 

Trim away fibrous outer layer around stem to expose tender inner core (if stem breaks off, that's okay; just save it and cook it alongside the hearts). 

Using a spoon, scrape out the inedible, hairy choke in the center of each heart. 

Transfer cleaned artichokes to bowl of lemon water as you work, covering them with a clean kitchen towel to keep them completely submerged.

In a small bowl, stir together parsley, mint, oregano, and garlic. 

Rub concave side of each artichoke heart with herb mixture, packing it into any leafy crevices. Set aside remaining herb mixture.

Add olive oil and wine to a pot just large enough to hold all the artichokes closely side by side, so that they can sit flat with their stem sides up. 

Arrange artichokes in pot and season with salt and pepper.

Bring pot to a simmer over medium-high heat, then lower heat to a bare simmer, cover, and cook until artichokes are fork-tender, 20 to 30 minutes. (Smaller artichokes may not take as long.)

Remove from heat and transfer artichokes to a platter, stem sides up. 

Drizzle with cooking juices, along with some fresh olive oil and a light sprinkling of reserved herb mixture. 

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Breaded Pork Chops

Breaded Pork Chops. AKA my favorite Saturday night meal. I have posted this several times on this blog. 

Always delicious and flavorful and moist pork chops with a crispy breading.

Step one, coat pork chops in egg wash.

Dredge in breading.

The breading. Tonight, homemade breadcrumbs, Panko breadcrumbs, crushed rosemary, parsley, thyme, sage, salt, and pepper were used.

Next, heat olive oil in an oven-safe saute pan.

Add chops to heated pan with oil.

Brown on both sides.

Place in preheated oven at 375˚ for about 15 to 20 minutes. You want the internal temp to be at least 145˚.

We had the last of the green beans from my sister's garden and roasted potatoes for sides. The recipe for the potatoes is from the New York Times.

I cut the recipe in half.

Ingredients-

2½ pounds waxy potatoes (about 6 medium), such as Red Bliss, unpeeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

2 teaspoons dried oregano

¼ to ½ cup olive oil

Salt

Method-

Heat oven to 425 degrees. In large roasting pan, combine potatoes, oregano and oil. Stir until potatoes are well-coated, and spread them evenly in pan.

Place in oven, and roast until golden brown and crispy, 40 minutes to an hour. (If the potatoes are crowded in the pan, they will take longer to crisp.)

Remove potatoes and garlic from oven, and transfer to serving dish. Sprinkle with salt to taste, and serve immediately.

Chicken Cutlets and Mac and Cheese

Not a bad meal for a Tuesday night.

A freezer stash can be a lifesaver, and these chicken cutlets were just that. A few weeks ago, I prepped a batch, using my go-to technique of pounding the chicken to delicate thinness. Then, they met a pan of sizzling olive oil. I know, baking is a healthier option. But sometimes, a perfectly fried cutlet is simply irresistible.

Chicken Cutlets

• Mix eggs with Parmesan Cheese
  
• Mix bread crumbs, flour or corn starch, pepper, Parmesan Cheese, and parsley
• Toss chicken in a bowl with the egg/cheese
  
• Coat chicken with bread crumb mixture
• Heat olive oil in frying pan.
• Add chicken
• Fry until each side is golden brown.
• Drain on wire baking rack.
• Salt immediately after removing chicken from the oil. 
  
  

For a side, I decided to make Mac and cheese. Ditching the box, and making it from scratch tonight.

Mac and Cheese (Stovetop Version)

Ingredients:

• 1 8 ounces elbow macaroni
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup milk, with more if needed
• 1 cup shredded cheese (I love a mix of sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack!)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Cook the elbow macaroni according to the package directions until tender. Drain well.
2. In the same pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the milk and heat until warm.
3. Add the shredded cheese and stir continuously until melted and smooth. Add more milk if it looks like is might be needed.
4. Add the drained macaroni to the cheese sauce and stir until everything is evenly coated.
5. Season with salt and pepper to your liking. Serve immediately and enjoy!

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Slow-Cooker Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Today I went out with my sister. I wanted something that would be ready for dinner when I got home. Cue the slow cooker. The recipe is from Pure Wow. I did make a couple of edits to the recipe.

This is the version of the recipe that I made. I cut the recipe in half and left out the mushrooms and garlic.

It was quite good. We both went back for seconds. 


Slow-Cooker Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients-

1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced

1/2 sweet onion, diced

2 carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds

1 stalks celery, sliced

1/2 cup wild rice

1 bay leaf

3 cups chicken broth

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup heavy cream

Method-

Place the chicken breast, onion, carrot, celery, wild rice, bay leaf, and chicken broth in the bowl of a slow cooker.

 

Turn the slow cooker on low, and cook until the chicken and rice are tender, 6½ to 7 hours.

Season the soup with salt and pepper and stir in the heavy cream. 

Cook until heated through, 15 to 20 minutes. 

Today was my Mom's birthday. It was nice that I got to spend the day with my sister. 

I think Mom would have been pleased with how we spent the day.

What Are We Making For Dinner This Week

Okay, okay, I know I've been a bit MIA lately. Life gets busy, right? But I'm determined to get back into the swing of things, and what better way to do that than by sharing my weekly dinner plans? Let's be honest, trying to figure out what to make for dinner after a long day is the absolute WORST. I simply cannot operate without a plan. 

So, every Thursday, I dedicate a little time to menu planning and grocery list making. It's my little ritual, and it saves me so much stress during the week. Some weeks, like this one, I'll be relying on my freezer stash of pre-made meals (a true lifesaver!).

Without further ado, here's what's cooking (or reheating!) in our kitchen this week:

Saturday, January 4th: Slow-Cooker Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup (New Recipe Alert!)

I'm super excited to try this new recipe I found on Pure Wow! It's a Slow-Cooker Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup, and it sounds absolutely perfect for a chilly January evening. I love anything I can just throw in the slow cooker and forget about, and this creamy, comforting soup seems like just the ticket. I'll be sure to share how it turns out!

Sunday, January 5th: Classic Comfort Food: Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, and Zucchini

Sunday is for comfort food, and nothing says comfort quite like meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and a side of zucchini. This is a family favorite. 

Monday, January 6th: Freezer Rescue: Chicken Cutlets with Noodles and Veggies

Time to raid the freezer! On Monday, I'll be pulling out some pre-made chicken cutlets and serving them with noodles and a side of veggies. It's a quick and easy meal that's perfect for a busy weeknight.

Tuesday, January 7th: Freezer Find: Stuffed Peppers

Another freezer favorite! These stuffed peppers are packed with flavor. I usually make a big batch and freeze them for easy weeknight meals.

Wednesday, January 8th: Freezer Staple: Baked Macaroni

Who doesn't love my Mom's baked macaroni and cheese? This is another freezer staple in my house. It's cheesy, comforting, and always a hit.

Thursday, January 9th: Freezer Surprise: Shepherd's Pie

Rounding out the week with another freezer gem: Shepherd's Pie! This hearty and satisfying dish is the perfect way to end a busy week.

So there you have it! My dinner plan for the week. I hope this gives you some inspiration for your own meal planning. Stay tuned for updates and maybe even some recipe shares! What are you cooking this week? Let me know in the comments below!

The "Best" Meal of the Year

Apparently, I unknowingly entered a cooking competition tonight, and I WON! Okay, maybe it wasn't a formal competition, but after dinner, Chris declared this meal the best of the year. I'll happily accept that compliment! 

The real credit, however, goes to The Original Dish blog for this amazing recipe. I even made the sauce yesterday, taking a tip from the comments section to let it sit overnight and develop even more flavor. Trust me, it was worth the wait!

Click here for the original post-

Braised Short Rib Spaghetti from The Original Dish Blog.

Unfortunately, Milo was not invited to dinner.

Ingredients-

3 lbs bone-in short ribs

kosher salt, as needed

freshly cracked black pepper, as needed

vegetable oil, as needed

1 small onion, diced

2 medium carrots, diced

1 celery stalks, diced

1 1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1/2 cup red wine

1 (8 oz) can crushed tomatoes

1 (14 oz) can tomato sauce

1 bay leaves

1 large sprigs of thyme

1 sprig of sage

1 1/2 cups beef stock

1 tbsp butter

1/2 lbs spaghetti

high-quality grated parmesan, to garnish

fresh parsley or fried sage, to garnish

Method-

Let the short ribs sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. 

Season generously with salt and black pepper on all sides. 

Heat a large, heavy-bottom pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. 

Add enough vegetable oil to just coat the bottom of the pot.

Working in batches, sear the short ribs really well, about 3-4 minutes on all four sides. 

Transfer each batch of meat to a foil-lined sheet pan or plate once seared.

To the pan drippings, add the onion, carrots, and celery. 

Season with salt and black pepper. 

Sauté the vegetables for a few minutes until tender and caramelized.

Stir in the flour and let cook for a minute or so, stirring continuously. 

Deglaze the pot with the red wine. 

Bring to a simmer, scraping the bottom of the pan to release all of the flavors. 

Let simmer for another minute.

Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, bay leaves, thyme, sage, and another pinch of salt. 

Let the tomatoes simmer for 5 minutes.

Stir in the beef stock. 

Add the short ribs back to the pot. 

Bring the liquid to a simmer. 

Cover the pot, leaving a small crack open to allow some steam to escape.

Turn the heat all the way to low and let the short ribs braise for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

To Assemble:

Prepare of large pot of boiling, salted water.

After 3 hours, remove the short ribs from the pot. 

Strain the sauce, using a wooden spoon to really press and release all of the flavor from the vegetables and herbs.

Pour the sauce back into the pot. 

Using a folded paper towel, blot as much fat off the top as possible. 

Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium-high heat. 

Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the sauce cook and reduce for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, use your hands and a pair of gloves to shred the meat, discarding any large chunks of fat, bone, and connective tissue.

 At the same time, drop the spaghetti into the boiling, salted water and cook for 2 minutes less than the package’s instructions.

Once the sauce has reduced and thickened, whisk in the butter, one tablespoon at a time. 

Stir the shredded meat back into the sauce. 

Taste and season with more salt and freshly cracked black pepper as needed.

Drain the pasta and toss it with the sauce. 

Alternatively, ladle the sauce over the spaghetti. Serve with the parmesan cheese and herbs on top.

Overnight Panettone

On Friday night, I started my favorite Panettone recipe from the King Arthur Flour site, Overnight Panettone. I baked it on Saturday, and we dove in on Sunday morning. It was delicious! This recipe never fails.

Read more on my baking blog, Friday Night Baking. Click here.