Monday, November 21, 2022

French Onion Sliders


I could just put this recipe on repeat. We both love these sliders. Another easy meal. If you line your baking pan with foil you should only have one pan to wash.

This recipe is from Delish.comThe recipe calls for Roast Beef from the deli department. I have made it like that once. But I like to use Steak Sandwich meat. There is a brand that is sold around here that is called Old Neighbor Beef Shaved Steak. I pick that up and divide the package into 2 portions. Using the seal-o-vac, I have 2 meals.
If you were to use the Roast Beef, you could do the Au Jus sauce, even cook the onions ahead of time and then put everything together at dinner time



This is my version of the original recipe. This makes enough for the 2 of us.

Ingredients-

4 tbsp. butter, divided

1 small onion, thinly sliced

2 sprigs, plus 1/4 teaspoon of fresh thyme

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

4 slider buns, halved

1/2 lb. Beef Shaved Steak

4 slices provolone cheese

3/4 c. low-sodium beef broth

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce


Method-

Preheat the oven to 350°. 

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. 

Add onion and thyme sprigs and season with salt and pepper. 

Cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 15 minutes. 

Discard thyme.

Remove onions to a plate.

Melt 1 tbsp of butter in the skillet and add steak, cooking it through.

Place the bottom halves of slider buns on a baking sheet or 9" x 9" baking pan, lined with aluminum foil, and top with steak, provolone cheese, caramelized onions, and slider bun tops. 

Bake until cheese is melty and sliders are warmed through, 10 to 15 minutes. 

Meanwhile, make the au jus: 

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter to the same skillet and melt over medium heat. 

Add beef broth, Worcestershire, and thyme, and season with salt and pepper. 

Simmer until slightly reduced, 10 minutes. 

Serve sliders with au jus for dipping.

 

Sunday, November 20, 2022

Fettuccine Con Capicola E Pangrattato

 

This is one of my favorite pasta dinners. Comes together in 20 minutes. I made an ingredient edit. I did not have the fresh marjoram in the house. I used Italian seasoning in its place. I used dried fettuccine instead of the spaghetti.

Ingredients -
3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
2 ounces Capicola, cut into small cubes (I used the hot Capicola)
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
6 tablespoons fine plain bread crumbs
1/2 pound spaghetti
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Method -
In a large skillet, heat half of the butter and oil over medium heat until butter is melted. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, about 7 minutes.
Add Capicola and Italian seasoning: cook, stirring, 3 minutes more. Transfer onion mixture to a plate. In the same skillet, lightly brown bread crumbs in the remaining butter; add onion mixture back to the pan and stir to combine.
Remove from heat, and cover to keep warm.
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to boil. Add spaghetti and cook to al dente; drain. Transfer spaghetti to skillet with onion mixture, toss to combine, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Friday, November 18, 2022

Meatball Salad


Super easy Friday night dinner! The meatballs were made a couple of weeks ago and were in the freezer.
The salad stuff was picked up at Bishop's tonight on my way home from work. It was a delicious salad served with our new favorite Blue Cheese dressing and Parmesan Chips.


 

Saturday, November 12, 2022

Pollo all'Arancia e Olive


In English - Chicken Breast with Orange and Gaeta Olives.
From Lidia's Commonsense Italian Cooking.

Here is a link to the exact recipe from the book on Lidia's site. 

I got home from church at 5:45. 

Dinner was on the table by 6:35pm. 

That included the Arborio rice and the roasted Buttercup Squash. 

Not bad for timing and quite delish!!

That Buttercup Squash is a new product we tried. It was featured in the Bishops Farmers Market newsletter this week so I picked it up for a try. It is Sodium Free, high in Vitamin C and A, and Potassium.

I cut it into 1/5 inch slices, brushing it with olive oil and seasoning it with salt, pepper, and crushed sage. Roasted it at 375˚. 20 minutes. Flip and in for another 15 minutes.

Meatball Salad


I made meatballs on Sunday using the air fryer. 


I also made Marcella Hazen's Butter and Onion Tomato Sauce.


Put the two together and make a salad.



Sunday, October 30, 2022

Aunt Carm’s Braciole

This recipe is from Italian Sons and Daughters of America.  

Easy to prepare during the weekend for a weeknight heat and serve dinner.

For 4 braciole

Four top rounds – cut quarter inch
1/4 pound of Italian lunch meats: capicola, provolone, sliced thin
Meatball mixture – raw (breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, spices, ground beef, ground pork, and egg)
One hard-boiled egg – sliced
Olive oil
Cooking twine

Assemble:

Pound out top round pieces nice and flat.

Layer the lunch meat and cheese. I used Capicola and Provolone.

Spread the raw meatball mixture. 

I used the house meatball mix. 

Ground Beef and Pork with egg and Parmesan Cheese, this time I used bread crumbs instead of bread soaked in milk. 

Seasonings were salt, pepper, oregano, Italian seasoning.

Layer the hard-boiled eggs on top of the meatball mixture.

Make sure to fold up the ends and then roll them into a little package. 

Tie with string. 

Heat a pan over medium-high and add olive oil.

Brown braciole on all sides and ends.

Drop package into the simmering tomato sauce and cook for three hours.

Slice and serve.


Saturday, October 22, 2022

Steak Au Poivre Soup


When I first mentioned that I was making Steak Au Poivre Soup for dinner the reaction was questioning. I found the recipe in the Soup edition of Delish Magazine.

After the first bite was taken, it was requested that we have this every 3 days.

It was really that good. I started the recipe at 5:45PM and we sat down to eat at 6:30pm.

I made 1/2 of the original recipe which serves 4 people. 

I used a sirloin steak, which is more affordable than the filet mignon. My favorite part of the recipe was the fried shallots.

  • Ingredients-
  • 3 tbsp. 

    whole black peppercorns

  • 4 

    (4-oz.) filet mignons or 2 (8-oz.) sirloin steaks, sliced in half 

    Kosher salt  
  • 1/2 c. 

    plus 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 

  • 4 tbsp. 

    (1/2 stick) butter

  • 2 

    thyme sprigs, plus 1 tbsp. chopped leaves

  • 2 

    large shallots, 1 finely chopped, 1 sliced into rings

  • 1/4 c. 

    all-purpose flour

  • 1/4 c. 

    cognac or brandy 

  • 5 c. 

    low-sodium beef broth

  • 1 1/2 lb. 

    waxy baby potatoes, quartered 

  • 1 c. 

    heavy cream

  • 2 tbsp. 

    Worcestershire sauce

Method-
Grind peppercorns on the coarsest setting of a pepper mill (you can also use a mortar and pestle, or wrap peppercorns in cheesecloth and smash with a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy skillet). 

Season steaks on both sides with a generous pinch of salt and crushed peppercorns, pressing peppercorns into the meat. 

  1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 tbsp. of oil until shimmering. 
  1. Cook steaks, gently pressing to make sure you don’t lose any peppercorns until well browned on one side, about 3 minutes. 
  1. Flip steaks and add butter and thyme sprigs. 
  1. Continue to cook, spooning butter over the steak, until tops are crusty and well browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 135°, 2 to 3 minutes more. 
  1. Transfer steak to a cutting board and let rest until ready to use. 
  1. Strain the remaining fat in the skillet and reserve. 
  1. Wipe out any large chunks of pepper from the skillet. 
  1. Return reserved fat to the pan, then cook chopped shallot over medium heat, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes. 
  1. Add chopped thyme and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. 
  1. Add flour and whisk until combined. 
  1. Cook, whisking constantly, until flour darkens slightly, about 2 minutes. 
  1. Whisk in cognac until smooth, then slowly whisk in broth. 
  1. Add potatoes and bring to a simmer. 
  1. Cook until potatoes are tender and the soup is thickened, about 15 minutes. 
  1. Reduce heat to low and stir in cream and Worcestershire. 
  1. Cook, stirring, until warmed through and combined, about 5 minutes more.  
  1. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, cook sliced shallots and remaining 1/2 cup oil, stirring occasionally, until oil begins to bubble around shallots, 2 to 3 minutes.
  1. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook until shallots are golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes more.
  1. Using a slotted spoon, transfer shallots to a paper towel-lined plate; season with a pinch of salt. 
  1. Let cool slightly. 
  1. Divide soup among bowls. 
  1. Cut steak into cubes, then top bowls with steak and fried shallots. 

Tuesday, October 18, 2022

Beef Bourguignonne Pot Pie

Sounds pretty fancy, doesn't it. 

I found this recipe on the Bon Appetit site. I fixed the filling on Sunday and tonight I just put the filling into a pie plate and put the puff pastry on top. It only took about 25 minutes in a 400˚ oven. 

The crust was as good as you would expect, it was puff pastry after all. The filling, well it did needed a bit more seasoning. Some creamy horseradish sauce on the side fixed that.

Want to try this yourself - Click Here.

Sunday, October 16, 2022

Bacon and Onion Pizza


 Jim Lahey Pizza crust recipe. The toppings were cooked bacon, thinly sliced onion, tomato sauce, Parmesan, fresh mozzarella, shredded mozzarella, Olive oil, and oregano. Into a 450˚ oven for about10 to 15 minutes.


Wednesday, October 12, 2022

Happy Anniversary!!


31 Years!!!
We decided to eat at home tonight.
I stopped by Luizzi's in North Haven and picked up some
Octopus Salad and Stuffed Peppers for an appetizer.

Also picked up some Italian Bread and even some imported pasta
to go with our Meat Sauce.

The bottle of wine was from my boss, a very nice Malbec from Argentina.

A perfect dinner.


Happy Anniversary!
 

Monday, October 10, 2022

Sausage, Pepper and Spaghetti Squash Casserole


This dinner started off as sausage and peppers. I roasted the sausage and peppers along with a sliced onion and marinara sauce. As everything was roasting in the oven I noticed the spaghetti squash I received from a co-worker. 

I thought why not make a casserole with sausage and peppers and spaghetti squash! Chris cut the spaghetti squash in half for me in the oven it went for about an hour, maybe 50 minutes.

I shredded the squash and mixed it with some marinara sauce, cheese, and butter. That went into a greased baking dish, and greasing it makes the clean up easier. The sausage and peppers went on top of the squash and I added a bit more sauce and cheese to the top.

I ended up with enough to fix 2 baking dishes. One for the freezer!

Rave reviews were received for this dinner. I liked it because it tasted amazing and with the spaghetti squash we did not need to have the sausage and peppers with rolls. Never a bad idea to cut a carb or two.

Sunday, October 9, 2022

Meatloaf



Yeah! It is meatloaf time again. This time I made it free form. We think this helped it hold its shape better. It was not cooked in a baking dish with a lot of grease.

I lined a baking dish with wax paper and put the mixture in and shaped it into a loaf. Onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, turn the meatloaf out of the pan onto the center of the tray. Baked for an hour at 350˚.

I found a recipe from Alton Brown for a glaze to brush onto the meatloaf after it has been cooking for about 10 minutes. I forgot to do this and put the glaze on for the last 10 minutes. Either way, it was damn good!

Ingredients-
3/4 pound ground beef 
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 cup milk
tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 small onion, finely chopped
3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup ketchup
tbsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp horseradish sauce


The Glaze-
1/2 cup catsup
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Dash Worcestershire sauce
Dash hot pepper sauce
1 tablespoon honey

Method-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, and mix well. 
Place the mixture into a wax paper-lined baking pan and shape it into a loaf. 
Onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, turn the meatloaf out of the pan onto the center of the tray. REMOVE THE WAX PAPER.
Mix the glaze ingredients together in a bowl.
Baked for an hour at 350˚.
After 10 minutes, brush the meatloaf with the glaze.
Bake uncovered for 1 hour until or the internal temp is 160˚. 
After baking, let sit for 5 minutes before removing from pan and slicing to serve.

Sunday, October 2, 2022

Braised Rib Stew



Not sure if the word delicious is enough to describe dinner. Every aspect of this meal was spot on. The meat, the sauce every seasoning.

The recipe is from the Living The Gourmet Life blog. I have followed this blog for, well, a really long time.

It was a very easy recipe to prepare. The bone in short ribs was on sale this week. I love the idea of the stew served over pasta. Chris was in favor of this idea too.

Want to make this? You will be happy that you did. Click here to visit the Living the Gourmet Life blog for the recipe.

Saturday, October 1, 2022

Slow-Cooker Creamy Gnocchi Soup


I found the recipe in the new Delish magazine.

It was a perfect night for Chicken Soup.

I was tied up with some things today, so the slow cooker was the way to go.

I ended up with enough leftovers for a nice bowl of soup for lunch for probably 4 days.


Ingredients-

1/2 yellow medium onion, chopped

3 medium carrots, chopped 

3 stalks of  celery, chopped

1 lb. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp. fresh thyme 

3 sprigs rosemary

3 c. Homemade chicken broth

1 tbsp. cornstarch

1/2 c. heavy cream

1 (17.5-oz.) package of gnocchi

1 c. baby spinach


Method-

Combine onion, carrots, celery, and garlic in the bowl of your slow cooker. 

Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper and place on top of vegetables. 

Add thyme and rosemary, then pour in chicken broth. 


Cook on high for 4 to 5 hours or low for 7 to 8 hours.

Remove chicken and rosemary sprigs from the slow cooker and discard the rosemary. 

Using 2 forks, shred chicken, then return chicken to soup. 

Remove about 1/4 cup of hot broth and place in a medium bowl. 

Add cornstarch to the broth and whisk to combine, then pour back into the soup. 

Add cream and gnocchi, cover, and cook 45 minutes more on high.

Stir spinach into soup until wilted. 

Season to taste and serve with freshly ground black pepper.


Saturday, September 24, 2022

Chicken Cacciatore


Another meal from the freezer. This time Chicken Cacciatore. I made this last Sunday and today I was out with my sister visiting the Mark Twain House so this made dinner a bit easier.

The recipe is from La Cucina, The Regional Cooking of Italy. It is one of a few different recipe for Chicken Cacciatore in the book. This is one of my favorites.

Ingredients-
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
cut-up chicken 
1/2 cup dry white wine 
1/2 lb plum tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 green or yellow pepper, cleaned of seeds, and chopped 
Salt and pepper

Method-
Heat the butter and olive oil in a pan and add the onion. When the onion is golden, add the chicken pieces and let them brown. Pour in the wine, add the tomatoes and sweet pepper, and adjust for salt and pepper. Cover and cook at low heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.


Visting the Mark Twain House today.

Wednesday, September 21, 2022

Pasta with Mom's Meat Sauce

 
This sauce was made on Sunday. I have 3 more zip lock bags of this sauce in the freezer. AKA "Money in the Bank."

My Mom’s Meat Sauce



2 tbsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic
1 medium onion, chopped
1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground pork
1/2 lb. sweet sausage
1/2 lb. hot sausage
4- 28 oz. cans crushed tomatoes
tomato paste
1 tbsp. oregano
1 tbsp. parsley
1 tbsp. basil
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup red wine


Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add garlic and chopped onions and saute for 5 minutes. 

Add all the meat. Cook over medium heat until browned. Meat does not need to be cooked through. Drain off as much of the fat from the bottom of the pan that can.

Add tomatoes and simmer covered for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Add tomato paste to thicken, adding 1 tbsp. at a time as needed. Add herbs, salt, and pepper and simmer for 10 minutes. Add wine, cover, and simmer for 10 to 20 minutes. 

Remove clove of garlic and let cool completely. 

Monday, September 19, 2022

Sheet Pan Sausage and Peppers



This dinner, checked off the two main boxes for a weeknight dinner.

30 minutes and dinner was on the table*. Super easy cleanup. 

*Disclaimer - I did cut up the onions and peppers before leaving for work today.

When I got home, I pierced the sausage with a fork and tossed it with the vegetables in a bowl with olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano, parsley, basil, Italian seasoning, and grape tomatoes.

Onto an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet.

Into a 375˚ oven for 30 minutes, stirring everything twice.

Next stop, the dinner table with some Italian bread.


Sunday, September 18, 2022

Just Another Sunday

I like having food prepared in the freezer. For dinner, I don't mind coming home and making dinner, but there is something wonderful about coming home and having dinner already prepared.

Today I made a large pot of Meat Sauce, my Mom's recipe.


Meatballs. 2 sizes. Both are made in the air fryer and finished in the sauce.
Small ones for tonight's pizza and larger ones for subs this week.




Chicken Cacciatore. Portioned for 2 nights dinners.

2 portions of Spaghetti Squash and Cheese.
The Spaghetti Squash was Air Fried. Only 25 minutes!!!


And for lunch, Air Fried Tofu.



Then there was dinner. Pizza!!!! Meatball Pizza!!! Oh, quite good.