Author: Wendy

Grilled marinated flatiron steak, fresh green beans, and potatoes…

Grilled marinated flatiron steak, fresh green beans, and potatoes…

This was such a low-key yet delicious meal.  Flatiron, or top blade steak, has  “a rich, deep, beefy flavor,”  to quote the guys who wrote “The Complete Meat Cookbook” (Aidells and Kelly). Yes, there is the “signature” line of gristle down the middle of the 

Rosemary, Onion, and Garlic

Rosemary, Onion, and Garlic

I was trying out a marinade recipe and liked the way these ingredients looked on the cutting board.  I’ll report on the marinade later – the chicken is soaking as I write. The lovely cutting board was made by Mark Calabrese.  I recieved it as 

Garlic Roasted Chicken Leg Quarters

Garlic Roasted Chicken Leg Quarters

Here is a delicious, easy and economic chicken recipe from the About.com southern cooking section.

Garlic Roasted Chicken Leg Quarters
By Diana Rattray, About.com

Garlic roasted chicken leg quarters are tasty and easy on the budget. Serve this chicken with roasted or mashed potatoes and your favorite vegetables.
Ingredients:

* 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
* 1 teaspoon dried leaf oregano
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon chili powder
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
* dash freshly ground black pepper
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 4 chicken leg quarters
* 1/2 cup chicken broth (part dry white wine, if desired)

Preparation:
Heat oven to 425°.

Combine the garlic, oregano, salt, chili powder, cumin, and black pepper. Add olive oil and mix well. Use a mortar and pestle to make a paste consistency, or mash with a fork.

Wash chicken leg quarters and pat dry. Snip off any excess skin. Arrange the chicken pieces in a baking dish and pat the garlic mixture over each quarter. Pour 1/2 cup of chicken broth (part dry white wine, if desired) into the baking dish. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until juices run clear.
Serves 4.

————–

For a lower fat version with all the flavor, rub the paste UNDER the skin before cooking.  The skin on will keep the flavor and moisture in the meat, then remove the skin before serving.  And, a thank you to my friend Lori for this next tip: at a tablespoon or so of brown suger to the paste – it adds a nice depth without too much sweetness.   I think I need to get the recipe for the super potato salad that Lori made for our July 4th party, too!  Lori is a great cook, too.  I think it has to do with being born between August 14 (my b-day) and August 16 (Lori’s b-day.  August 15 = Julia Child’s b-day.  <grin>

I’ll never buy pre-cooked shrimp again!

I’ll never buy pre-cooked shrimp again!

I actually never bought shrimp until I met my husband.  Oh sure, I’ve eaten it at parties and when out to dinner, but I never bought it and prepared it myself.  And, since 2003, I’ve been buying the pre-cooked kind when Steve gets a hankering 

anything with smoked paprika….

anything with smoked paprika….

WELL, I discovered smoked paprika when devising my menu for the New Year’s Day party. Along with making the pulled pork and Hoppin’John with ham super delicious, it gave a lovely depth to the vegetarian Hoppin’ John as well as the collard greens that also 

Quick Dinner NOT the usual pork and beans!

Quick Dinner NOT the usual pork and beans!

Do you want a meal in just about an hour start to finish? Here are the links. If you are like me, you wait until the pork tenderloin is on sale.

I bought what DeMoula’s/Market Basket calls a “mini sirloin roast” last week with the intention of trying it as a substitute for the tenderloin in this recipe, but ended up making this:

Braised Pork Chops with Sage

It was very yummy – luckily I have a lovely sage plant that wintered over. My Rosemary and Oregano did, too. Now I have to set myself up with year-round thyme and basil!

Anyway – the following recipes will give you a lovely meal in the proverbial “just about an hour
from start to eating.
Pork Tenderloin Medallions With Spicy Marmalade Sauce


Sesame Green Beans

And, I tried out mung bean threads – for the first time! Very unexpected texture – I need to learn more about how to use them. I would recommend vermicelli (rice sticks) instead for a quick carb accompaniment if, like me, you don’t get basmati brown rice on the stove at the very beginning!

Easter Dinner – Sticking with the Favorites.

Easter Dinner – Sticking with the Favorites.

At least, sticking with the same menu I’ve been serving on Easter since I started hosting this holiday in 2006. My brother Steve and his wife Lorraine do Thanksgiving and Christmas. My Steve and I do Easter and July 4th – and now also New 

Spicy Meatballs – and not from that old TV ad!

Spicy Meatballs – and not from that old TV ad!

Ah – blogging once more – hopefully I can stay back at it for a while! Actually, I think I am getting close to finally taking a running leap and making food service a career. I am thinking Personal Chef or the like. I am 

Pulled Pork, Vegetarian Hoppin’ John and Collard Greens

Pulled Pork, Vegetarian Hoppin’ John and Collard Greens

Here are some foods I served a a recent church luncheon for which I had many requests for the recipes. I also served these dishes, along with a ham and bacon version of the Hoppin’ John and a few fun condiments, at my 2009 New Year’s Day party. YUM! This is good stuff. (Kelli, see the link for the pulled pork for the chutney recipe!)

As I have described to some folks, I was really nervous when pouring the barbecue sauce over the pork when making pulled pork that first time the day before the January 1 party… It seemed bitter and overly “molassasy.” But, within two hours at 250 degrees, it smelled heavenly.

And, the smoked paprika is key in all these recipes. I don’t remember how I discovered it, but I know I didn’t want to use Liquid Smoke after reading about it online. Perhaps that is how I found this amazing way to impart a deep smokey flavor without the kettle grill or smoker. AND, it is super for vegetarian recipes. The original Hoppin’ John and boiled collard green recipes depended on smoked ham hocks or the like to create that deep flavor, but smoked paprika does the trick.

Okay, here are the recipes and links at which I found them:

Pulled Pork (serve over rice – I use brown basmati)
https://gourmetfood.about.com/od/fishandseafood/r/pulledporksand.htm

I used 9.5 lbs for the church luncheon and just multiplied all ingredients by 1.5.

6 Pounds Boston Butt (Pork Shoulder)

RUB:
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Cumin
1 Tablespoon Ground Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon Dried Thyme
1 Tablespoon Dried Rosemary
2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 Tablespoon Salt

BBQ Sauce:
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Dark Molasses
1/4 Cup Worcestershire Sauce
2 Tablespoons Liquid Smoke or smoked paprika! (optional)*
1/4 Cup Mustard
3 Tablespoons Honey
1/2 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Jalapeno Juice or 1
Teaspoon Tabasco Sauce
2 Teaspoons Salt
1 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

*Use smoked paprika – useful also in vegetarian dishes to give that “smoked ham” flavor.

Prepare the Pork:
In a small bowl, combine the 1/2 cup brown sugar, cumin, thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 tablespoon black pepper. Rub mixture all over pork shoulder. Refrigerate pork for 8 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. In a large sauté pan, heat 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil to medium-high. Add the pork shoulder to the pan and brown on all sides.

For the BBQ Sauce:
In another bowl, mix together the 1/2 cup brown sugar, molasses, Worcestershire, liquid smoke, mustard, honey, cider vinegar, jalapeno juice, salt, and pepper.
Transfer pork shoulder to a Dutch oven or large oven proof dish. Pour BBQ sauce over the top and place into oven. Cover with lid or aluminum foil. Cook pork for 8 to 10 hours until it easily falls apart. Remove the lid or foil the last 30 minutes.
Remove pork and let cool. Shred pork by pulling it apart with two forks.

[NOTE: this is a re-heatable dish and be kept at a safe warm temperature for a number of hours with no harm to texture or flavor.]

Vegetarian Hoppin’ John
https://aquarianvegetarian.wordpress.com/2007/12/02/hoppin-john/

one 16-ounce package of dried black-eyed peas
one large can of tomatoes [diced and their juice work fine]
one large onion
one green pepper
three sticks celery
three carrots
1/4 cabbage
four to five tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoon vegetable seasoning such as Mrs. Dash **
1 tablespoon garlic salt
[NOTE: I don’t buy Mrs. Dash, so I looked up a “copycat recipe for Mrs. Dash and added a pinch or so of most ingredients listed (everything from marjoram to cumin) and also added two teaspoons or so of smoked paprika. The smoked paprika is key.] **

Directions
Soak beans overnight. Drain. Simmer beans in enough water to cover them for about four hours [more like 1 or 1½ or so!] or until done. Remove the core from the cabbage, and peel and chop all the vegetables. Heat olive oil in a six-quart, Dutch-oven pot. Add the chopped vegetables to the olive oil and cook, with the lid on, for about ten minutes or until the cabbage is soft, stirring the vegetables occasionally.
After the vegetables are “sweated,” add the vegetable seasoning and salt and cook for a few more minutes to create a flavor base. Add the canned tomatoes. Heat to a simmer. Add the cooked beans and their liquid. Heat again to a simmer and then turn off the heat. The beans are done.

[NOTE: this also is a re-heatable dish and be kept at a safe warm temperature for a number of hours with no harm to texture or flavor.]

Vegetarian “Southern-style” Collard Greens
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/cooking-for-real/vegetarian-southern-style-collard-greens-recipe/index.html

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 pound collard greens, chopped
3 cups vegetable stock
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
In a large pot over medium heat, heat oil and butter. Saute the onions until slightly softened, about 2 minutes, then add the red pepper flakes and garlic, cook another minute. Add collard greens and cook another minute. Add the vegetable stock, cover and bring to a simmer. Cook until greens are tender, about 40 minutes. Add tomatoes and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
[Note: These can be left in the water over a burner set on low for a number of hours and again re-heated later.]

ooo – need to post more often!

ooo – need to post more often!

Okay – let’s try posting on a regular basis again……