Roux

A roux is a simple combination of two ingredients that makes your life so much easier in the kitchen when thickening soups, sauces and gravies; just to name a few. To make a roux is very easy, like I said, it is only two ingredients.

Take unsalted butter and melt down on low heat. Drain off the clarified butter on the top and discard the milk fats that have collected on the bottom. In a heavy sauce pan, on medium heat, add the clarified butter and equal amounts of plain flour. Heat the mixture until it begins to put off a slightly nutty aroma. Remove from heat and store in a container until needed. You can store it in a cool dark area, or if you have made a large amount, store in the refrigerator.

The importance of using plain flour is not evident when you make the initial product. However, depending on what you are adding it to can be very important. You do not want to use self rising flour because it already has baking powder and salt added. The baking powder is the major reason you do not want to use self rising flour for roux, as it could cause a rapid boil over when added to a product and ruin what you are cooking and potentially burn you.

When using roux, just add small pieces, about the size of a pad of butter, until you get the desired thickness. Have your product on medium high heat and stir in with a whisk. Remember, the sauce will thicken more as it cools.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

This is a classic French dish simplified. Good food does not necessarily mean complicated food.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

4 boneless chicken breasts, pounded flat
8 slices Swiss cheese
8 slices deli ham
8 spears fresh asparagus (optional)
1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
¼ cup melted butter
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Pound out the chicken breasts until equal thickness through out, using a meat mallet. Lay breasts with inside facing up. (Determining the inside and outside of the breast is easy. The outside is smooth, and the inside you can see the muscle tissue.) Layer Swiss cheese, deli ham, and asparagus across short part of the meat. Grasping one end of breast, tightly roll it up and secure with a toothpick. Lay seam side down in a baking dish sprayed with pan release.

Season with salt and pepper. Mix breadcrumbs and butter together and evenly sprinkle on top of breasts. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes and breadcrumbs are golden brown.

Serve over wild rice with a White Basil Sauce.




White Basil Sauce

In a saucepan, combine 1 tablespoon butter, 1 teaspoon chopped garlic, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, sea salt and pepper to taste. Bring up to medium heat and stir to keep from burning. Once hot, add 1 pint heavy whipping cream. Bring back up to heat, until you get a gentle rolling boil. Allow to reduce slightly and thicken with a pinch of roux. Roux (pronounced roué) is melted clarified butter heated with a little plain flour and made into a paste. Remember, sauce will thicken more once it cools some. If it is too thick, just add a little more cream or milk.

Serve over Chicken Cordon Bleu.

Passion For A Sandwich

One thing I love is a good sandwich. Not just any lunch meat sandwich, but a combination of delicious ingredients that tantalize the mouth and make the tummy happy. Gently toasted and full of good stuff. The toasting makes the sandwich. Use whatever you have to; George Foreman type grill, an electric griddle, or your faithful cast iron skillet. I like to slightly warm most of the ingredients so when I bite in, it’s hot all the way through and satisfying to the senses.

Just about anything that can be combined on a plate, can be placed between two slices of bread. Remember that turkey sandwich at Thanksgiving? Sliced turkey, a little stuffing, cranberry sauce, and replace the mayo with some mashed potatoes, all toasted and served with a side of gravy for dipping. YUMMY!!!! Or turkey and warm apples with sautéed onions and craisins. These are the types of combinations I love to create. My boyfriend even loves a Spaghetti sandwich. Go figure.

So here are a few of my favorites I want to share. May you enjoy them as much as I do.


Cuban Press

Roast pork loin, thin sliced
Deli ham, sliced
Swiss cheese, sliced
Dill pickles, sandwich sliced
Spicy mustard
French bread, diagonally cut
A little melted butter

Take you French bread and cut on an extreme diagonal. Cover each slice with some spicy mustard on the inside and brush lightly with the melted butter on the outside. Layer the pork loin, ham, Swiss cheese, and pickles between the bread. Place it in your grill and close the lid so the sandwich is “pressed”. If you are using a griddle or cast iron pan, place weight on top of the sandwich to get the “pressed” effect.


Reuben

Corned beef, thinly sliced (thin slicing is the key to the flavor of the sandwich)
Swiss cheese, sliced
Sauerkraut
Thousand Island dressing
Rye bread (I use the rye, pumpernickel combination)
A little melted butter

Because of the “messy” potential of this sandwich, I lightly toast the bread first using a regular toaster. It gives some stability to the structure so it doesn’t fall apart in your hands.

Butter both slices of bread on one side. On the other side of one of the slices, spread some Thousand Island dressing. Layer on the corned beef, sauerkraut and Swiss cheese. I warm up the sauerkraut first so it is hot all the way in the middle without burning the bread. Grill on both sides until golden brown.


Classic Caprese Sandwich

Choice of tomato, medium sliced (there are some beautiful heirloom tomatoes available)
Buffalo Mozzarella cheese, sliced
Basil pesto
Capers
Balsamic vinegar
Olive oil
Sourdough or French bread
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add tomatoes and capers and heat just until the tomatoes begin to break down. About 2 minutes. Take off heat. Drizzle with a little balsamic vinegar.

Brush oil on each side of bread. On opposite side spread some basil pesto. Arrange mozzarella and tomato/caper mixture on bread, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Toast sandwiches on both sides.

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Check back later for more delicious combinations. Until then, YUMMY YUMMY for your tummy!

A Hearty Meal For Those Cold Days

Bolognese Sauce is an excellent sauce for days when the wind is blowing and the cold is biting through your coat. Bolognese Sauce got its name because it is cooked in the traditional style of Bologna Italy, meaning it depends heavily on meats and cheeses. Production of cured pork products is an important part of the local food economy of Bologna Italy, such as, prosciutto, salami, and mortadella (which is similar to our bologna here in the US). It is a slow cooked meat sauce with vegetables and just a hint of tomatoes. Some recipes call for cream or milk to be added, but that is dependent on the taste of the individual. I prefer not to add the milk product, but the recipe below will show both ways.

Bolognese Sauce freezes well, so save yourself some time and double or triple the batch and freeze the rest for quick dinners on those slow days. You will want to serve your Bolognese Sauce over a hearty pasta like fettuccine or a ravioli, something that will be able to support the heavy sauce.

Bolognese Sauce

1/2 cup chopped pancetta
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 lb ground beef
2/3 cup finely shredded carrot
1 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 tbsp chopped garlic
Sea salt and pepper to taste
1 cup (give or take) red wine - any kind will do, pick one you like
1 can chopped tomatoes, with liquid
1 small can tomato paste
1 cup beef stock

1 pound pasta of choice
Grated Parmesan cheese for the top

1 cup milk, half 'n half or heavy cream, whatever is your preference
Note: You do not have to use the milk product if you do not want to. Traditional Bolognese Sauce does not call for it, but it is a nice addition.


In 3-qt saucepan, heat oil and butter on medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until the fat has been rendered. In a separate pan, slowly cook the ground beef and salt and pepper to taste, until no longer pink. Drain any fat from the ground beef and add to the saucepan with the pancetta and the pancetta drippings. Add the chopped garlic and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the carrots, celery and onions and saute for 4 minutes. Add the red wine slowly, and using a wooden spoon, get to the bottom of the pan and scrape all the little bits of flavor back into the sauce. Add the can of chopped tomatoes and the tomato paste. Add some of the beef stock. You do not want it to be too soupy.

Simmer on low for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally. The longer and lower you simmer the sauce, the better it is. As it simmers, if it gets too thick, add a little beef stock. Note: If you make a double batch to freeze some, you want to freeze after this step. Thaw when ready and add the milk product if you are going to, when you reheat it.

If you are going to use any milk product in the recipe, add it now. Add a little at a time so you do not make the sauce too wet. Bring back up to heat and serve over pasta. Garnish with Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!!

Comfort Food: Chili

I love Chili! There's something so very comforting about making and eating it on a cold and chilly day. Just smelling it warms you right up.

The following recipe is one I came up with just by adding some favorite things to a basic pot of beans and hamburger. I enjoy experimenting with flavors and combining them. Texture is also important to me in a nice chili recipe. I hate to eat something that already feels like mush. I enjoy savoring the pop of beans with the texture of the meat, and finish it off with the taste of spice and seasonings.

I love beans too, and like to utilize more than one kind in my creations. This particular recipe calls for three kinds of beans. You can scale it back if you are not such a big fan. This recipe has nice flavor and is not hot, so it is good for those who are afraid of heat. The fresh jalapenos add a nice depth of flavor, but not alot of heat.

3-Bean Chili
2 lb of lean ground beef (or turkey for healthier eating)
3 14 oz cans, each one different, of beans, drained
1 14 oz can corn, drained
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes (don't drain liquid)
1 14 oz can tomato sauce
3-4 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced small
1 onion diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped fine
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 limes

Cook beef in large soup pot, drain excess grease. Add diced onion and jalapenos and let sweat for a few minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot except the limes. Take the two limes and roll them on the cutting board with your hand, using a little pressure. Cut them in half width wise and squeeze the juice in the pot. For a little added zip of flavor, zest some of the rind in also.

Add water to cover the ingredients and cover, stirring occasionally, adding more water if necessary. Simmer on low for as long as you can stand not getting a bowl of it. Serve with cornbread or tortilla chips on the side. Top with fresh chopped green onions and a dollop of sour cream.

YUMMY!!

Angel Cookies

I got the recipe for these cookies from the mom of a guy I dated in my Senior year in high school. It took some talking for her to give it up, but she did. She didn't call them "Angel Cookies". That's a name I came up for them because they are so light and sinfully delicious, that Angels have to of made them originally. :-)

This is an excellent cookie to make for bake sales, school parties, office parties, church fundraisers, or anywhere you need a lot of product, but on a budget. This recipe only has 4 ingredients but makes mounds of cookies.

Angel Cookies
1 pound cream cheese
1 pound butter (not margarine)
5 cups flour
Jam filling of choice (I love apricot!!) Note: Actually you want to use preserves!

Bring cream cheese and butter to room temperature. Blend together with fork or pastry cutter until one color. Blend in flour, one cup at a time. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate overnight.

When ready to bake, cut off a manageable piece and keep the rest in the refrigerator. Put some flour on your cutting board and on the rolling pin and roll dough to a thin sheet, about 1/16 inch thick. If the dough is too thick, your cookie will not turn out right. Using a 4" cutter dipped in flour, cut out circles and fill each circle with a little dab of jam (preserves). (You will want to use jam (preserves) because jelly will just bake right out of the cookie.) Pinch up two sides of the circle, using a dab of water to ensure a secure seal. It is important to wet the seal, otherwise, during baking, the cookie will open. Your cookie will look like a bowtie.

Bake on 350 F until golden brown. This will only take about 8-10 minutes, depending on your oven. After they come out of the oven and cool, sprinkle with a little confectioner's sugar.

YUMMY!!!! I plan on baking these this weekend and will insert a picture here when I do. Note: Made the cookies, but they didn't last long enough for me to get a picture. :-)

Potato Soup

It's chilly out today. Not as chilly as it is further north, but for coastal North Carolina it's on the chilly side. It reminds me of soup or chili weather. Yummm!! Nothing like a pot of soup or chili simmering on the stove for a few hours. I chose a simple one for today. Homemade Potato Soup. With some cornbread or biscuits on the side, yummy, yummy!!

Potato Soup

8 potatoes, peeled and diced into 1 inch cubes, divided into half
2 ribs of celery, sliced
2 medium sized carrots, quartered and sliced
1 medium sized onion. diced
2 Bay leaves
1/8 Dried Thyme
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Water
Milk
Flour

Place half the potatoes, the celery, carrots, and onion in a large soup pot. Fill pan with water about 1 inch above the vegetables. Add 2 bay leaves and bring to a gently boil. Turn down and add thyme, sea salt and pepper. Let slowly cook until the potatoes are fork tender. Add additional water if necessary, but never more than what covers the vegetables as they cook.

In a separate pan cook the other half of the potatoes with a pinch of sea salt until fork tender. I cook these potatoes separate because in the cooking and thickening stage of the soup the potatoes get beat up and become small. This way, when the soup is the thickness I want it, I add the cooked potatoes and have big chunks to enjoy in the soup. If you don't care about little chunks of potato, skip this step and put all the potatoes in at the first step.

In a small bowl, put about 3/4 cup flour and add water to make a slurry. Bring soup back up to a boil and add about 2 cups of milk. When the soup is at a rolling boil, begin to slowly whisk in the flour slurry. As the soup thickens, be sure to lower the heat slightly so as not to scorch the bottom. Once the soup is at the desired thickness, reduce heat. This is where you add the potatoes that were cooked separately. Check the salt flavor of the soup. The addition of milk kills the saltiness, so a little more may be required. Let simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, and serve with a nice chunk of French bread.

Note: The starch content of potatoes designates how fast this soup will thicken. You may not use all the slurry mix or you may need to make a little more.

This is just a good old fashioned potato soup recipe. You can add things like bacon bits or cheddar cheese to give it some pop. The ideas are only limited by your imagination. :-)