Oh, the weather outside is... disgusting.
If I could bear the thought of storing a picture on my iPhone of my front yard so I could post it for you, I would. But looking outside makes me figuratively ill. Realizing my truck's gas gauge was on 'E' and needing to make a late night gas run in the middle of an almost-blizzard... that made me literally ill.
I've lived in upstate New York all of my life. I should be fairly proficient at shoveling snow and walking on ice and all of those talents that all good northerners should have. You would think. Unfortunately, every year, as much as I enjoy the snow on occasion, I spend about 90% of the time either ignoring or fighting with winter.
Don't get me wrong. There are tons of fun things to do in winter if you just look for them. I'm all for ice skating, snowmobiling, fishing and sledding. And yes, I'm 26 but sledding is still a hobby of mine. The trouble is, when you're done with the snow, the snow is not done with you. It doesn't care that you're boots have no traction, or your tires for that matter. It doesn't care that the Vitamin D in your system is virtually depleted and you're on the brink of a nasty case of Seasonal Affective Disorder. It doesn't care if your pipes burst, or if your power goes out, or if an icicle-covered tree branch falls on your most important possessions. As much as New Yorkers love the stuff, we readily admit that it's a pain in the butt about 90% of the time.
So where am I going with this? Well, thanks for asking. When winter comes, I invariably become a huge hermit by where I don't leave me house unless someone is paying me to. It also means I have to be a little bit more creative because the things I take for granted in the summertime are no longer in reach for me. That includes my snack shop and coffee shop stops. In fact, if you look back through some other posts, you might notice a trend where my fast food copycats are more commonly posted in winter months. That's no coincidence when you consider there's about 10 miles of below zero weather separating me from my favorite foods.
So, in honor of my newfound hermit status for 2014, I am sharing a list of some of my favorite copycat recipes from restaurants I love.
I first tried this sauce a couple months ago at a fancy schmancy restaurant that I would otherwise never visit again. No offense, but I can't stand the idea of dropping $100 on a plate that I could make at home for duckets (I don't know what unit of currency a ducket is, but I like it). Plus, eating at home is becoming more and more fun for me. I really hate eating a great meal in a terribly decorated environment with awful lighting and strangers everywhere. I've got my list of favorites, but for the most part, I stick to home-cooked meals nowadays.
Anyway, the name is the only reason I ordered it. I wanted to scratch something called 'dragoncello' off of my culinary bucket list. I had no idea that it was just a simple terragon sauce. I mean, don't get me wrong, it was a spectacular sauce, as you will find out when you make it. But, something about the name 'dragoncello' made me think of something mythically great. Turns out I really just need to learn Italian...
I can think of a number of things that this sauce would be tasty on, but I ate it on chicken. Don't discount seafood, though. I think this would be super on an oversized filet of white fish or maybe even some lobster.... the ideas are officially swirling...
Dragoncello Sauce
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup finely diced terragon
2 tbsp. minced garlic
1 tbsp. lemon juice
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
Combine vinegar, terragon, garlic, lemon juice and seasoning in a bowl. Use a whisk to stir in the olive oil slowly, allowing the mixture to emulsify.
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Bourbon Chicken BBQ Sandwich with Pineapple Salsa
Oh, the weather outside is... disgusting.
If I could bear the thought of storing a picture on my iPhone of my front yard so I could post it for you, I would. But looking outside makes me figuratively ill. Realizing my truck's gas gauge was on 'E' and needing to make a late night gas run in the middle of an almost-blizzard... that made me literally ill.
I've lived in upstate New York all of my life. I should be fairly proficient at shoveling snow and walking on ice and all of those talents that all good northerners should have. You would think. Unfortunately, every year, as much as I enjoy the snow on occasion, I spend about 90% of the time either ignoring or fighting with winter.
Don't get me wrong. There are tons of fun things to do in winter if you just look for them. I'm all for ice skating, snowmobiling, fishing and sledding. And yes, I'm 26 but sledding is still a hobby of mine. The trouble is, when you're done with the snow, the snow is not done with you. It doesn't care that you're boots have no traction, or your tires for that matter. It doesn't care that the Vitamin D in your system is virtually depleted and you're on the brink of a nasty case of Seasonal Affective Disorder. It doesn't care if your pipes burst, or if your power goes out, or if an icicle-covered tree branch falls on your most important possessions. As much as New Yorkers love the stuff, we readily admit that it's a pain in the butt about 90% of the time.
So where am I going with this? Well, thanks for asking. When winter comes, I invariably become a huge hermit by where I don't leave me house unless someone is paying me to. It also means I have to be a little bit more creative because the things I take for granted in the summertime are no longer in reach for me. That includes my snack shop and coffee shop stops. In fact, if you look back through some other posts, you might notice a trend where my fast food copycats are more commonly posted in winter months. That's no coincidence when you consider there's about 10 miles of below zero weather separating me from my favorite foods.
So, in honor of my newfound hermit status for 2014, I am sharing a list of some of my favorite copycat recipes from restaurants I love.
I first tried this sandwich when I went to visit my old college town last year. The tastes and flavors of this restaurant left me so intrigued that I actually requested a menu to take home so I could look it over.
That's how much life I don't have.
But, after you try this, you will completely understand. The flavors are so complementary and this sandwich is so hearty and filling that it would make either a good lunch or a satisfying dinner.
This might just be tastier than the restaurant version!
Bourbon Chicken BBQ Sandwich with Pineapple Salsa
4 sandwich buns
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken,
1 cup Bourbon Chicken Sauce, divided
1/2 cup Pineapple Salsa
Cole Slaw:
1/4 small head cabbage, shredded
1/2 carrot, shredded
1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp. cup apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp. pineapple juice
Mix shredded chicken with 1/2 cup Bourbon Sauce.
For the cole slaw, combine all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
Toast sandwich buns.
Assemble sandwiches starting with Bourbon Chicken, followed by cole slaw, and then salsa. Spoon extra Bourbon sauce over the top. Finish with top bun.
If I could bear the thought of storing a picture on my iPhone of my front yard so I could post it for you, I would. But looking outside makes me figuratively ill. Realizing my truck's gas gauge was on 'E' and needing to make a late night gas run in the middle of an almost-blizzard... that made me literally ill.
I've lived in upstate New York all of my life. I should be fairly proficient at shoveling snow and walking on ice and all of those talents that all good northerners should have. You would think. Unfortunately, every year, as much as I enjoy the snow on occasion, I spend about 90% of the time either ignoring or fighting with winter.
Don't get me wrong. There are tons of fun things to do in winter if you just look for them. I'm all for ice skating, snowmobiling, fishing and sledding. And yes, I'm 26 but sledding is still a hobby of mine. The trouble is, when you're done with the snow, the snow is not done with you. It doesn't care that you're boots have no traction, or your tires for that matter. It doesn't care that the Vitamin D in your system is virtually depleted and you're on the brink of a nasty case of Seasonal Affective Disorder. It doesn't care if your pipes burst, or if your power goes out, or if an icicle-covered tree branch falls on your most important possessions. As much as New Yorkers love the stuff, we readily admit that it's a pain in the butt about 90% of the time.
So where am I going with this? Well, thanks for asking. When winter comes, I invariably become a huge hermit by where I don't leave me house unless someone is paying me to. It also means I have to be a little bit more creative because the things I take for granted in the summertime are no longer in reach for me. That includes my snack shop and coffee shop stops. In fact, if you look back through some other posts, you might notice a trend where my fast food copycats are more commonly posted in winter months. That's no coincidence when you consider there's about 10 miles of below zero weather separating me from my favorite foods.
So, in honor of my newfound hermit status for 2014, I am sharing a list of some of my favorite copycat recipes from restaurants I love.
I first tried this sandwich when I went to visit my old college town last year. The tastes and flavors of this restaurant left me so intrigued that I actually requested a menu to take home so I could look it over.
That's how much life I don't have.
But, after you try this, you will completely understand. The flavors are so complementary and this sandwich is so hearty and filling that it would make either a good lunch or a satisfying dinner.
This might just be tastier than the restaurant version!
Bourbon Chicken BBQ Sandwich with Pineapple Salsa
4 sandwich buns
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken,
1 cup Bourbon Chicken Sauce, divided
1/2 cup Pineapple Salsa
Cole Slaw:
1/4 small head cabbage, shredded
1/2 carrot, shredded
1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp. cup apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp. pineapple juice
Mix shredded chicken with 1/2 cup Bourbon Sauce.
For the cole slaw, combine all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
Toast sandwich buns.
Assemble sandwiches starting with Bourbon Chicken, followed by cole slaw, and then salsa. Spoon extra Bourbon sauce over the top. Finish with top bun.
Pineapple Salsa
Oh, the weather outside is... disgusting.
If I could bear the thought of storing a picture on my iPhone of my front yard so I could post it for you, I would. But looking outside makes me figuratively ill. Realizing my truck's gas gauge was on 'E' and needing to make a late night gas run in the middle of an almost-blizzard... that made me literally ill.
I've lived in upstate New York all of my life. I should be fairly proficient at shoveling snow and walking on ice and all of those talents that all good northerners should have. You would think. Unfortunately, every year, as much as I enjoy the snow on occasion, I spend about 90% of the time either ignoring or fighting with winter.
Don't get me wrong. There are tons of fun things to do in winter if you just look for them. I'm all for ice skating, snowmobiling, fishing and sledding. And yes, I'm 26 but sledding is still a hobby of mine. The trouble is, when you're done with the snow, the snow is not done with you. It doesn't care that you're boots have no traction, or your tires for that matter. It doesn't care that the Vitamin D in your system is virtually depleted and you're on the brink of a nasty case of Seasonal Affective Disorder. It doesn't care if your pipes burst, or if your power goes out, or if an icicle-covered tree branch falls on your most important possessions. As much as New Yorkers love the stuff, we readily admit that it's a pain in the butt about 90% of the time.
So where am I going with this? Well, thanks for asking. When winter comes, I invariably become a huge hermit by where I don't leave me house unless someone is paying me to. It also means I have to be a little bit more creative because the things I take for granted in the summertime are no longer in reach for me. That includes my snack shop and coffee shop stops. In fact, if you look back through some other posts, you might notice a trend where my fast food copycats are more commonly posted in winter months. That's no coincidence when you consider there's about 10 miles of below zero weather separating me from my favorite foods.
So, in honor of my newfound hermit status for 2014, I am sharing a list of some of my favorite copycat recipes from restaurants I love.
This is a recipe that I adapted from one of my favorite sandwiches ever made. One of my favorite combinations is bourbon and pineapple. I got the idea from a sandwich that I first tried at in college. This salsa goes so well as a topper to my Bourbon Chicken. You could shred the chicken and serve it on a sandwich as I usually do, or serve a whole chicken breast topped with this salsa for garnish. Either way, the bourbon flavor with the pineapple is a crazy delicious combination that I'm completely in love with!
Pineapple Salsa
(adapted from my Pico de Gallo)
If I could bear the thought of storing a picture on my iPhone of my front yard so I could post it for you, I would. But looking outside makes me figuratively ill. Realizing my truck's gas gauge was on 'E' and needing to make a late night gas run in the middle of an almost-blizzard... that made me literally ill.
I've lived in upstate New York all of my life. I should be fairly proficient at shoveling snow and walking on ice and all of those talents that all good northerners should have. You would think. Unfortunately, every year, as much as I enjoy the snow on occasion, I spend about 90% of the time either ignoring or fighting with winter.
Don't get me wrong. There are tons of fun things to do in winter if you just look for them. I'm all for ice skating, snowmobiling, fishing and sledding. And yes, I'm 26 but sledding is still a hobby of mine. The trouble is, when you're done with the snow, the snow is not done with you. It doesn't care that you're boots have no traction, or your tires for that matter. It doesn't care that the Vitamin D in your system is virtually depleted and you're on the brink of a nasty case of Seasonal Affective Disorder. It doesn't care if your pipes burst, or if your power goes out, or if an icicle-covered tree branch falls on your most important possessions. As much as New Yorkers love the stuff, we readily admit that it's a pain in the butt about 90% of the time.
So where am I going with this? Well, thanks for asking. When winter comes, I invariably become a huge hermit by where I don't leave me house unless someone is paying me to. It also means I have to be a little bit more creative because the things I take for granted in the summertime are no longer in reach for me. That includes my snack shop and coffee shop stops. In fact, if you look back through some other posts, you might notice a trend where my fast food copycats are more commonly posted in winter months. That's no coincidence when you consider there's about 10 miles of below zero weather separating me from my favorite foods.
So, in honor of my newfound hermit status for 2014, I am sharing a list of some of my favorite copycat recipes from restaurants I love.
This is a recipe that I adapted from one of my favorite sandwiches ever made. One of my favorite combinations is bourbon and pineapple. I got the idea from a sandwich that I first tried at in college. This salsa goes so well as a topper to my Bourbon Chicken. You could shred the chicken and serve it on a sandwich as I usually do, or serve a whole chicken breast topped with this salsa for garnish. Either way, the bourbon flavor with the pineapple is a crazy delicious combination that I'm completely in love with!
Pineapple Salsa
(adapted from my Pico de Gallo)
2 cups finely chopped pineapple
2/3 cup finely chopped red onion
2 seeded jalapenos, minced
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
Salt & Pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir.
Monday, January 27, 2014
Bourbon Chicken Sauce
Oh, the weather outside is... disgusting.
If I could bear the thought of storing a picture on my iPhone of my front yard so I could post it for you, I would. But looking outside makes me figuratively ill. Realizing my truck's gas gauge was on 'E' and needing to make a late night gas run in the middle of an almost-blizzard... that made me literally ill.
I've lived in upstate New York all of my life. I should be fairly proficient at shoveling snow and walking on ice and all of those talents that all good northerners should have. You would think. Unfortunately, every year, as much as I enjoy the snow on occasion, I spend about 90% of the time either ignoring or fighting with winter.
Don't get me wrong. There are tons of fun things to do in winter if you just look for them. I'm all for ice skating, snowmobiling, fishing and sledding. And yes, I'm 26 but sledding is still a hobby of mine. The trouble is, when you're done with the snow, the snow is not done with you. It doesn't care that you're boots have no traction, or your tires for that matter. It doesn't care that the Vitamin D in your system is virtually depleted and you're on the brink of a nasty case of Seasonal Affective Disorder. It doesn't care if your pipes burst, or if your power goes out, or if an icicle-covered tree branch falls on your most important possessions. As much as New Yorkers love the stuff, we readily admit that it's a pain in the butt about 90% of the time.
So where am I going with this? Well, thanks for asking. When winter comes, I invariably become a huge hermit by where I don't leave me house unless someone is paying me to. It also means I have to be a little bit more creative because the things I take for granted in the summertime are no longer in reach for me. That includes my snack shop and coffee shop stops. In fact, if you look back through some other posts, you might notice a trend where my fast food copycats are more commonly posted in winter months. That's no coincidence when you consider there's about 10 miles of below zero weather separating me from my favorite foods.
So, in honor of my newfound hermit status for 2014, I am sharing a list of some of my favorite copycat recipes from restaurants I love.
This is a recipe that I adapted from one of my favorite sandwiches ever made. One of my favorite combinations is bourbon and pineapple. I got the idea from a sandwich that I first tried at in college. This sauce tastes very similar to the Bourbon Chicken that you find in Chinese restaurants, but with this sandwich, the chicken comes shredded. So, I decided to just post the sauce recipe, so you can decide how you want to cook your chicken.
This sauce is spicy and sticky with an almost-barbecue sauce finish. And, trust me, it's perfect for the sandwich I'm going to be serving up to you later!
Bourbon Chicken Sauce
If I could bear the thought of storing a picture on my iPhone of my front yard so I could post it for you, I would. But looking outside makes me figuratively ill. Realizing my truck's gas gauge was on 'E' and needing to make a late night gas run in the middle of an almost-blizzard... that made me literally ill.
I've lived in upstate New York all of my life. I should be fairly proficient at shoveling snow and walking on ice and all of those talents that all good northerners should have. You would think. Unfortunately, every year, as much as I enjoy the snow on occasion, I spend about 90% of the time either ignoring or fighting with winter.
Don't get me wrong. There are tons of fun things to do in winter if you just look for them. I'm all for ice skating, snowmobiling, fishing and sledding. And yes, I'm 26 but sledding is still a hobby of mine. The trouble is, when you're done with the snow, the snow is not done with you. It doesn't care that you're boots have no traction, or your tires for that matter. It doesn't care that the Vitamin D in your system is virtually depleted and you're on the brink of a nasty case of Seasonal Affective Disorder. It doesn't care if your pipes burst, or if your power goes out, or if an icicle-covered tree branch falls on your most important possessions. As much as New Yorkers love the stuff, we readily admit that it's a pain in the butt about 90% of the time.
So where am I going with this? Well, thanks for asking. When winter comes, I invariably become a huge hermit by where I don't leave me house unless someone is paying me to. It also means I have to be a little bit more creative because the things I take for granted in the summertime are no longer in reach for me. That includes my snack shop and coffee shop stops. In fact, if you look back through some other posts, you might notice a trend where my fast food copycats are more commonly posted in winter months. That's no coincidence when you consider there's about 10 miles of below zero weather separating me from my favorite foods.
So, in honor of my newfound hermit status for 2014, I am sharing a list of some of my favorite copycat recipes from restaurants I love.
This is a recipe that I adapted from one of my favorite sandwiches ever made. One of my favorite combinations is bourbon and pineapple. I got the idea from a sandwich that I first tried at in college. This sauce tastes very similar to the Bourbon Chicken that you find in Chinese restaurants, but with this sandwich, the chicken comes shredded. So, I decided to just post the sauce recipe, so you can decide how you want to cook your chicken.
This sauce is spicy and sticky with an almost-barbecue sauce finish. And, trust me, it's perfect for the sandwich I'm going to be serving up to you later!
Bourbon Chicken Sauce
| 1 tbsp. olive oil 1 tbsp. minced garlic 1/3 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup bourbon whiskey 1/4 cup light brown sugar 2 tbsp. honey mustard 2 tbsp. ketchup 1/2 tsp onion powder 1/2 tsp ground ginger 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes 1-2 tsp cornstarch, if needed Salt & Pepper to taste In a sauté pan over medium heat, sauté garlic in olive oil for one minute. Add soy sauce, bourbon, brown sugar, honey mustard and ketchup. Stir until smooth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Continue to simmer for 10-15 minutes. Stir in onion powder, ground ginger and pepper flakes. Sauce should be thickened, but you can add cornstarch if you like it a bit thicker. Cook an additional 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and season to taste. |
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Rosemary Bread
Oh, the weather outside is... disgusting.
If I could bear the thought of storing a picture on my iPhone of my front yard so I could post it for you, I would. But looking outside makes me figuratively ill. Realizing my truck's gas gauge was on 'E' and needing to make a late night gas run in the middle of an almost-blizzard... that made me literally ill.
I've lived in upstate New York all of my life. I should be fairly proficient at shoveling snow and walking on ice and all of those talents that all good northerners should have. You would think. Unfortunately, every year, as much as I enjoy the snow on occasion, I spend about 90% of the time either ignoring or fighting with winter.
Don't get me wrong. There are tons of fun things to do in winter if you just look for them. I'm all for ice skating, snowmobiling, fishing and sledding. And yes, I'm 26 but sledding is still a hobby of mine. The trouble is, when you're done with the snow, the snow is not done with you. It doesn't care that you're boots have no traction, or your tires for that matter. It doesn't care that the Vitamin D in your system is virtually depleted and you're on the brink of a nasty case of Seasonal Affective Disorder. It doesn't care if your pipes burst, or if your power goes out, or if an icicle-covered tree branch falls on your most important possessions. As much as New Yorkers love the stuff, we readily admit that it's a pain in the butt about 90% of the time.
So where am I going with this? Well, thanks for asking. When winter comes, I invariably become a huge hermit by where I don't leave me house unless someone is paying me to. It also means I have to be a little bit more creative because the things I take for granted in the summertime are no longer in reach for me. That includes my snack shop and coffee shop stops. In fact, if you look back through some other posts, you might notice a trend where my fast food copycats are more commonly posted in winter months. That's no coincidence when you consider there's about 10 miles of below zero weather separating me from my favorite foods.
So, in honor of my newfound hermit status for 2014, I am sharing a list of some of my favorite copycat recipes from restaurants I love. This particularly recipe is a fairly well known bread served in a popular national Italian dining chain. The bread is served in the restaurant piping hot from the onion and served with an herb blend drowned in olive oil.
I don't often make yeast bread because it always seems like a hassle. I really need to invest in a good bread maker to do all the work for me. Until that happens, this is my favorite way of making bread for a delicious Italian meal. It's baked on a cookie sheet in the oven and comes out warm and chewy and all sorts of perfect. It's worth the hours of waiting for the dough to rise to get a bite of this herb-filled side!
Rosemary Bread
(adapted from Cooking Classy)
If I could bear the thought of storing a picture on my iPhone of my front yard so I could post it for you, I would. But looking outside makes me figuratively ill. Realizing my truck's gas gauge was on 'E' and needing to make a late night gas run in the middle of an almost-blizzard... that made me literally ill.
I've lived in upstate New York all of my life. I should be fairly proficient at shoveling snow and walking on ice and all of those talents that all good northerners should have. You would think. Unfortunately, every year, as much as I enjoy the snow on occasion, I spend about 90% of the time either ignoring or fighting with winter.
Don't get me wrong. There are tons of fun things to do in winter if you just look for them. I'm all for ice skating, snowmobiling, fishing and sledding. And yes, I'm 26 but sledding is still a hobby of mine. The trouble is, when you're done with the snow, the snow is not done with you. It doesn't care that you're boots have no traction, or your tires for that matter. It doesn't care that the Vitamin D in your system is virtually depleted and you're on the brink of a nasty case of Seasonal Affective Disorder. It doesn't care if your pipes burst, or if your power goes out, or if an icicle-covered tree branch falls on your most important possessions. As much as New Yorkers love the stuff, we readily admit that it's a pain in the butt about 90% of the time.
So where am I going with this? Well, thanks for asking. When winter comes, I invariably become a huge hermit by where I don't leave me house unless someone is paying me to. It also means I have to be a little bit more creative because the things I take for granted in the summertime are no longer in reach for me. That includes my snack shop and coffee shop stops. In fact, if you look back through some other posts, you might notice a trend where my fast food copycats are more commonly posted in winter months. That's no coincidence when you consider there's about 10 miles of below zero weather separating me from my favorite foods.
So, in honor of my newfound hermit status for 2014, I am sharing a list of some of my favorite copycat recipes from restaurants I love. This particularly recipe is a fairly well known bread served in a popular national Italian dining chain. The bread is served in the restaurant piping hot from the onion and served with an herb blend drowned in olive oil.
I don't often make yeast bread because it always seems like a hassle. I really need to invest in a good bread maker to do all the work for me. Until that happens, this is my favorite way of making bread for a delicious Italian meal. It's baked on a cookie sheet in the oven and comes out warm and chewy and all sorts of perfect. It's worth the hours of waiting for the dough to rise to get a bite of this herb-filled side!
Rosemary Bread
(adapted from Cooking Classy)
1 cup lukewarm water (about 105F)
1 packet active dry yeast
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tbsp. sugar
3 cups flour
1/4 cup fresh cut rosemary
1 tsp salt
Dipping Oil:
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
Combine water, yeast and sugar in a bowl. Stir with a fork. Watch for bubbles to form on the surface. Let sit for 5-10 minutes.
Add the rest of the bread ingredients to the yeast mixture and knead for 10 minutes, or until bread is elastic. You may wish to hold some of the rosemary out of the bread to sprinkle on top of the bread prior to baking.
Cut the dough in half and transfer to a greased cooking sheet and cover with a towel for 1 hour in a warm place. You can freeze one for later use if desired.
Preheat oven to 400F. Brush the tops of the loaves with a little additional olive oil. Bake loaves for 20 minutes, or until top is golden brown.
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Steak, Onion & Horseradish Pizza
One of my favorite meals is steak.
I wish I could say I was prim and proper and lady-like about the situation, but the truth is, when I see steak, I turn into a monster.
A drooling, daydreaming monster who doesn't care about anyone else's life or needs or ambitions. I'll get back to all that when the steak is gone. Until then, I'm going nuts inside my head because there is a delicious piece of steak waiting for me.
My favorite way to eat steak is to find the least fatty cut in the restaurant (No marble here, please!), get it cooked up medium well, and devour it with a healthy dose of horseradish. I mean, healthy enough that any sinus infection I had goes officially bye-bye.
Yeah, that much.
I generally tone it down when I serve it for guests, but anytime I can put a little horseradish in my diet, I jump at the chance. This pizza idea came to me as I pondered how to use up some horseradish cheese in my fridge besides the way I normally do which is pretty much just snacking on the whole brick all day.
This is pretty much my new favorite way of eating steak because it's topped on my 2nd favorite food --- pizza!
Steak, Onion & Horseradish Pizza
1 Pizza Dough
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 tbsp. minced garlic
1 tbsp. dried parsley
1/2 lb. steak meat, thinly sliced
1/2 white onion, thinly sliced
1 cup shredded horseradish cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Preheat oven 450F.
Prepare dough as instructed. Lay out on a cookie sheet or pizza stone.
In a sauté pan, cook onions over medium heat until translucent and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the steak meat and cook 2-3 minutes on each side.
While that is cooking, mix the melted butter, garlic and parsley in a bowl and spoon over pizza dough.
Mix horseradish cheese and mozzarella cheese together. Top with onions and steak. You may wish to reserve some of the cheese mixture and put it on over the steak and onions.
Bake 7-10 minutes or until crust becomes golden brown and cheese bubbles.
I wish I could say I was prim and proper and lady-like about the situation, but the truth is, when I see steak, I turn into a monster.
A drooling, daydreaming monster who doesn't care about anyone else's life or needs or ambitions. I'll get back to all that when the steak is gone. Until then, I'm going nuts inside my head because there is a delicious piece of steak waiting for me.
My favorite way to eat steak is to find the least fatty cut in the restaurant (No marble here, please!), get it cooked up medium well, and devour it with a healthy dose of horseradish. I mean, healthy enough that any sinus infection I had goes officially bye-bye.
Yeah, that much.
I generally tone it down when I serve it for guests, but anytime I can put a little horseradish in my diet, I jump at the chance. This pizza idea came to me as I pondered how to use up some horseradish cheese in my fridge besides the way I normally do which is pretty much just snacking on the whole brick all day.
This is pretty much my new favorite way of eating steak because it's topped on my 2nd favorite food --- pizza!
Steak, Onion & Horseradish Pizza
1 Pizza Dough
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 tbsp. minced garlic
1 tbsp. dried parsley
1/2 lb. steak meat, thinly sliced
1/2 white onion, thinly sliced
1 cup shredded horseradish cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Preheat oven 450F.
Prepare dough as instructed. Lay out on a cookie sheet or pizza stone.
In a sauté pan, cook onions over medium heat until translucent and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the steak meat and cook 2-3 minutes on each side.
While that is cooking, mix the melted butter, garlic and parsley in a bowl and spoon over pizza dough.
Mix horseradish cheese and mozzarella cheese together. Top with onions and steak. You may wish to reserve some of the cheese mixture and put it on over the steak and onions.
Bake 7-10 minutes or until crust becomes golden brown and cheese bubbles.
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Mongolian Beef
Oh, the weather outside is... disgusting.
If I could bear the thought of storing a picture on my iPhone of my front yard so I could post it for you, I would. But looking outside makes me figuratively ill. Realizing my truck's gas gauge was on 'E' and needing to make a late night gas run in the middle of an almost-blizzard... that made me literally ill.
I've lived in upstate New York all of my life. I should be fairly proficient at shoveling snow and walking on ice and all of those talents that all good northerners should have. You would think. Unfortunately, every year, as much as I enjoy the snow on occasion, I spend about 90% of the time either ignoring or fighting with winter.
Don't get me wrong. There are tons of fun things to do in winter if you just look for them. I'm all for ice skating, snowmobiling, fishing and sledding. And yes, I'm 26 but sledding is still a hobby of mine. The trouble is, when you're done with the snow, the snow is not done with you. It doesn't care that you're boots have no traction, or your tires for that matter. It doesn't care that the Vitamin D in your system is virtually depleted and you're on the brink of a nasty case of Seasonal Affective Disorder. It doesn't care if your pipes burst, or if your power goes out, or if an icicle-covered tree branch falls on your most important possessions. As much as New Yorkers love the stuff, we readily admit that it's a pain in the butt about 90% of the time.
So where am I going with this? Well, thanks for asking. When winter comes, I invariably become a huge hermit by where I don't leave me house unless someone is paying me to. It also means I have to be a little bit more creative because the things I take for granted in the summertime are no longer in reach for me. That includes my snack shop and coffee shop stops. In fact, if you look back through some other posts, you might notice a trend where my fast food copycats are more commonly posted in winter months. That's no coincidence when you consider there's about 10 miles of below zero weather separating me from my favorite foods.
So, in honor of my recluse nature, I'm posting some more of my favorite restaurant knock-offs.
One of the best things I've eaten in awhile is this Mongolian Beef at a recent grand opening of a new Chinese restaurant. I usually go for chicken when I go Chinese, so this was actually an unusual choice for me. But I was definitely not disappointed. In fact, I was so inspired to use these Asian flavors on beef that I spent all of the following morning planning out how to make my own version. As good as takeout is, there is always something more satisfying about a home-cooked dish, and making your own Mongolian Beef is no exception. This version has the same flavor while tasting fresher, and the meat is cooked perfectly to my liking.
This dish will make you re-think Chinese takeout forever!
Mongolian Beef
1 lb. steak meat, cut in 1/2" strips
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup beef stock
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp ground ginger
2 tbsp cornstarch
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 scallions, chopped
In a sauté pan over medium heat, cook garlic for 1 minute in oil.
Add beef to pan and cook 2-3 minutes on each side.
Pour in soy sauce and beef stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
Stir in brown sugar and ginger and simmer for 15 minutes.
Stir in cornstarch, salt and pepper. Simmer for an additional 3-5 minutes, until thickened.
Remove from heat. Garnish with scallions. Serve with rice or noodles, if desired.
If I could bear the thought of storing a picture on my iPhone of my front yard so I could post it for you, I would. But looking outside makes me figuratively ill. Realizing my truck's gas gauge was on 'E' and needing to make a late night gas run in the middle of an almost-blizzard... that made me literally ill.
I've lived in upstate New York all of my life. I should be fairly proficient at shoveling snow and walking on ice and all of those talents that all good northerners should have. You would think. Unfortunately, every year, as much as I enjoy the snow on occasion, I spend about 90% of the time either ignoring or fighting with winter.
Don't get me wrong. There are tons of fun things to do in winter if you just look for them. I'm all for ice skating, snowmobiling, fishing and sledding. And yes, I'm 26 but sledding is still a hobby of mine. The trouble is, when you're done with the snow, the snow is not done with you. It doesn't care that you're boots have no traction, or your tires for that matter. It doesn't care that the Vitamin D in your system is virtually depleted and you're on the brink of a nasty case of Seasonal Affective Disorder. It doesn't care if your pipes burst, or if your power goes out, or if an icicle-covered tree branch falls on your most important possessions. As much as New Yorkers love the stuff, we readily admit that it's a pain in the butt about 90% of the time.
So where am I going with this? Well, thanks for asking. When winter comes, I invariably become a huge hermit by where I don't leave me house unless someone is paying me to. It also means I have to be a little bit more creative because the things I take for granted in the summertime are no longer in reach for me. That includes my snack shop and coffee shop stops. In fact, if you look back through some other posts, you might notice a trend where my fast food copycats are more commonly posted in winter months. That's no coincidence when you consider there's about 10 miles of below zero weather separating me from my favorite foods.
So, in honor of my recluse nature, I'm posting some more of my favorite restaurant knock-offs.
One of the best things I've eaten in awhile is this Mongolian Beef at a recent grand opening of a new Chinese restaurant. I usually go for chicken when I go Chinese, so this was actually an unusual choice for me. But I was definitely not disappointed. In fact, I was so inspired to use these Asian flavors on beef that I spent all of the following morning planning out how to make my own version. As good as takeout is, there is always something more satisfying about a home-cooked dish, and making your own Mongolian Beef is no exception. This version has the same flavor while tasting fresher, and the meat is cooked perfectly to my liking.
This dish will make you re-think Chinese takeout forever!
Mongolian Beef
1 lb. steak meat, cut in 1/2" strips
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup beef stock
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp ground ginger
2 tbsp cornstarch
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 scallions, chopped
In a sauté pan over medium heat, cook garlic for 1 minute in oil.
Add beef to pan and cook 2-3 minutes on each side.
Pour in soy sauce and beef stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
Stir in brown sugar and ginger and simmer for 15 minutes.
Stir in cornstarch, salt and pepper. Simmer for an additional 3-5 minutes, until thickened.
Remove from heat. Garnish with scallions. Serve with rice or noodles, if desired.
Monday, January 20, 2014
Mocha Chocolate Chip Frozen Cappuccino
Oh, the weather outside is... disgusting.
If I could bear the thought of storing a picture on my iPhone of my front yard so I could post it for you, I would. But looking outside makes me figuratively ill. Realizing my truck's gas gauge was on 'E' and needing to make a late night gas run in the middle of an almost-blizzard... that made me literally ill.
I've lived in upstate New York all of my life. I should be fairly proficient at shoveling snow and walking on ice and all of those talents that all good northerners should have. You would think. Unfortunately, every year, as much as I enjoy the snow on occasion, I spend about 90% of the time either ignoring or fighting with winter.
Don't get me wrong. There are tons of fun things to do in winter if you just look for them. I'm all for ice skating, snowmobiling, fishing and sledding. And yes, I'm 26 but sledding is still a hobby of mine. The trouble is, when you're done with the snow, the snow is not done with you. It doesn't care that you're boots have no traction, or your tires for that matter. It doesn't care that the Vitamin D in your system is virtually depleted and you're on the brink of a nasty case of Seasonal Affective Disorder. It doesn't care if your pipes burst, or if your power goes out, or if an icicle-covered tree branch falls on your most important possessions. As much as New Yorkers love the stuff, we readily admit that it's a pain in the butt about 90% of the time.
So where am I going with this? Well, thanks for asking. When winter comes, I invariably become a huge hermit by where I don't leave me house unless someone is paying me to. It also means I have to be a little bit more creative because the things I take for granted in the summertime are no longer in reach for me. That includes my snack shop and coffee shop stops. In fact, if you look back through some other posts, you might notice a trend where my fast food copycats are more commonly posted in winter months. That's no coincidence when you consider there's about 10 miles of below zero weather separating me from my favorite foods.
So, in honor of my recluse nature, I'm posting some more of my favorite restaurant knock-offs.
I'm starting with one of my favorite frozen cappuccino recipes.
Now, I know what you're thinking, but frozen drinks hit the spot on cold days as much as they do warm ones. And, when you find a recipe you like enough, you'll drink it all day, every day.
This mocha flavored concoction is delicious on its own, but something about the textural element of chopped chocolate chips just makes this so much better for me.
This is refreshing and delicious, whether it's 100 degrees, or -100.
Mocha Chocolate Chip Frozen Cappuccino
(adapted from The Dallas Socials)
1 cup strong coffee, cold
1/4 cup Mocha flavored creamer (you could use plain cream here)
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
2 tbsp chocolate syrup
1 tsp sugar
1 1/2 cups ice
Garnish:
Whipped cream
Chocolate syrup
Combine all cappuccino ingredients in a blender. Blend until thick with no large ice chunks.
Pour into a tall cup. Garnish with whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup.
If I could bear the thought of storing a picture on my iPhone of my front yard so I could post it for you, I would. But looking outside makes me figuratively ill. Realizing my truck's gas gauge was on 'E' and needing to make a late night gas run in the middle of an almost-blizzard... that made me literally ill.
I've lived in upstate New York all of my life. I should be fairly proficient at shoveling snow and walking on ice and all of those talents that all good northerners should have. You would think. Unfortunately, every year, as much as I enjoy the snow on occasion, I spend about 90% of the time either ignoring or fighting with winter.
Don't get me wrong. There are tons of fun things to do in winter if you just look for them. I'm all for ice skating, snowmobiling, fishing and sledding. And yes, I'm 26 but sledding is still a hobby of mine. The trouble is, when you're done with the snow, the snow is not done with you. It doesn't care that you're boots have no traction, or your tires for that matter. It doesn't care that the Vitamin D in your system is virtually depleted and you're on the brink of a nasty case of Seasonal Affective Disorder. It doesn't care if your pipes burst, or if your power goes out, or if an icicle-covered tree branch falls on your most important possessions. As much as New Yorkers love the stuff, we readily admit that it's a pain in the butt about 90% of the time.
So where am I going with this? Well, thanks for asking. When winter comes, I invariably become a huge hermit by where I don't leave me house unless someone is paying me to. It also means I have to be a little bit more creative because the things I take for granted in the summertime are no longer in reach for me. That includes my snack shop and coffee shop stops. In fact, if you look back through some other posts, you might notice a trend where my fast food copycats are more commonly posted in winter months. That's no coincidence when you consider there's about 10 miles of below zero weather separating me from my favorite foods.
So, in honor of my recluse nature, I'm posting some more of my favorite restaurant knock-offs.
I'm starting with one of my favorite frozen cappuccino recipes.
Now, I know what you're thinking, but frozen drinks hit the spot on cold days as much as they do warm ones. And, when you find a recipe you like enough, you'll drink it all day, every day.
This mocha flavored concoction is delicious on its own, but something about the textural element of chopped chocolate chips just makes this so much better for me.
This is refreshing and delicious, whether it's 100 degrees, or -100.
Mocha Chocolate Chip Frozen Cappuccino
(adapted from The Dallas Socials)
1 cup strong coffee, cold
1/4 cup Mocha flavored creamer (you could use plain cream here)
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
2 tbsp chocolate syrup
1 tsp sugar
1 1/2 cups ice
Garnish:
Whipped cream
Chocolate syrup
Combine all cappuccino ingredients in a blender. Blend until thick with no large ice chunks.
Pour into a tall cup. Garnish with whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup.
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Maple Sweet Potato Butter & Fluff Toasted Sandwich
Does anybody else here love Peyton Manning?
The more I watch these sports shows today gearing up for the Broncos v. Patriots game this weekend, the more I develop an insane crush on this man.
It started way back when he first appeared on Saturday Night Live. I was... smitten, to say the least. It had never even occurred to me that such a good athlete could be so funny, too. In fact, if I didn't watch football, I'd risk it all on the Broncos if only for the fact that Manning's SNL performance was leaps and bounds better than Tom Brady's (no offense, #12).
You know when January comes that my posts become way less about food, and way more about the playoffs. Only my favorite time of the year. Legit.
In fact, if I had to choose between Christmas and the Super Bowl... well, let's save that debate for another day, shall we?
Diverting your attention to the matter at hand... I made you a sandwich.
This recipe is what I've been gearing up for in the last week. The moment when I can use the Maple Sweet Potato Butter in a sandwich that makes me feel like I'm back in November gearing up for a big Thanksgiving dinner.
If you're a fan of the typical sweet potatoes topping with a healthy dose of syrup and marshmallows, then trust me when I say that you're going to be a big fan of this sandwich.
It's sweet and savory and completely filling. Plus, it's super easy, but tastes like you put a ton of effort into it, which is one of my favorite parts of a good recipe.
This sandwich might make Thanksgiving my second favorite holiday, after... well, you know.
Maple Sweet Potato Butter & Fluff Toasted Sandwich
2 slices cinnamon raisin bread
2 tbsp Maple Sweet Potato Butter
2 tbsp Marshallow Fluff
1 tbsp butter
Butter both sides of each slice of bread.
Spread Maple Sweet Potato Butter on one slice. Spread Marshmallow Fluff on the other slice.
Combine slices and place sandwich inside toaster oven.
Toast until bread is golden brown.
The more I watch these sports shows today gearing up for the Broncos v. Patriots game this weekend, the more I develop an insane crush on this man.
It started way back when he first appeared on Saturday Night Live. I was... smitten, to say the least. It had never even occurred to me that such a good athlete could be so funny, too. In fact, if I didn't watch football, I'd risk it all on the Broncos if only for the fact that Manning's SNL performance was leaps and bounds better than Tom Brady's (no offense, #12).
You know when January comes that my posts become way less about food, and way more about the playoffs. Only my favorite time of the year. Legit.
In fact, if I had to choose between Christmas and the Super Bowl... well, let's save that debate for another day, shall we?
Diverting your attention to the matter at hand... I made you a sandwich.
This recipe is what I've been gearing up for in the last week. The moment when I can use the Maple Sweet Potato Butter in a sandwich that makes me feel like I'm back in November gearing up for a big Thanksgiving dinner.
If you're a fan of the typical sweet potatoes topping with a healthy dose of syrup and marshmallows, then trust me when I say that you're going to be a big fan of this sandwich.
It's sweet and savory and completely filling. Plus, it's super easy, but tastes like you put a ton of effort into it, which is one of my favorite parts of a good recipe.
This sandwich might make Thanksgiving my second favorite holiday, after... well, you know.
Maple Sweet Potato Butter & Fluff Toasted Sandwich
2 slices cinnamon raisin bread
2 tbsp Maple Sweet Potato Butter
2 tbsp Marshallow Fluff
1 tbsp butter
Butter both sides of each slice of bread.
Spread Maple Sweet Potato Butter on one slice. Spread Marshmallow Fluff on the other slice.
Combine slices and place sandwich inside toaster oven.
Toast until bread is golden brown.
Monday, January 13, 2014
Maple Sweet Potato Butter
After making my Coconut Ube Butter, I got the urge to make some sweet potato butter, too.
Not because one can never have enough potato butter in their pantry, even though I'm starting to think that this notion could be true.
The urge came from the fact that my brain runs, literally, too fast for my own good. I mean, I literally thought up a hundred good ideas to post on here throughout the day, including a sandwich I'm going to make in the next few days that I predict will change the world. Or, at least my world. But, to get to that sandwich, I had to go through a twisting and turning chain of events that started with Coconut Ube Butter and led me to the present.
I feel like even my blog posts meander in a way that only I understand them.
Is this true?
You can tell me. We've bonded over potato butter. We're, like, practically best friends.
If you've ever seen me chow down at Thanksgiving (which, luckily, you haven't because I assume it's not the most appetizing visual), you would know that I'm a huge fan of sweet potatoes. My favorite way is covered or mixed with maple syrup and marshmallows. I just love over-sweetening already sweet potatoes.
It's kind of like dessert for dinner.
Another favorite thing of mine.
This sweet potato butter has a healthy dose of maple syrup and a touch of salt to bring the flavor out. When this is done slow cooking to perfection, you'll want to put this on just about anything!
Maple Sweet Potato Butter
1 28 oz. can Pureed sweet potato
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/2 tsp salt
Combine ingredients in a slow cooker.
Cook on low for 8 hours, stirring occasionally.
Pour into sterilized jars.
Not because one can never have enough potato butter in their pantry, even though I'm starting to think that this notion could be true.
The urge came from the fact that my brain runs, literally, too fast for my own good. I mean, I literally thought up a hundred good ideas to post on here throughout the day, including a sandwich I'm going to make in the next few days that I predict will change the world. Or, at least my world. But, to get to that sandwich, I had to go through a twisting and turning chain of events that started with Coconut Ube Butter and led me to the present.
I feel like even my blog posts meander in a way that only I understand them.
Is this true?
You can tell me. We've bonded over potato butter. We're, like, practically best friends.
If you've ever seen me chow down at Thanksgiving (which, luckily, you haven't because I assume it's not the most appetizing visual), you would know that I'm a huge fan of sweet potatoes. My favorite way is covered or mixed with maple syrup and marshmallows. I just love over-sweetening already sweet potatoes.
It's kind of like dessert for dinner.
Another favorite thing of mine.
This sweet potato butter has a healthy dose of maple syrup and a touch of salt to bring the flavor out. When this is done slow cooking to perfection, you'll want to put this on just about anything!
Maple Sweet Potato Butter
1 28 oz. can Pureed sweet potato
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/2 tsp salt
Combine ingredients in a slow cooker.
Cook on low for 8 hours, stirring occasionally.
Pour into sterilized jars.
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Chipotle Chicken Barbacoa
So...
Since I did a Beef Barbacoa that naturally knocked my socks right off, I decided to try my hand at a chicken version. I didn't want the recipes to be exactly the same because, well, that's just not very creative on my end, now is it?
I decided that for the chicken, I wanted to omit the taco seasoning, as I just don't like using it on chicken. I don't know if that's a 'me' thing, or an understanding among the general population, but in my world, taco seasoning is left for beef while fajita seasoning equals chicken all day long.
Probably just a 'me' thing.
I did keep the chipotle peppers, mostly because I still had half of an open can from the beef I made. Plus I added some extra adobo for a little spice action. Some apple cider vinegar to sweeten it and this was ready for slow cooking.
The result is tender, moist chicken that falls apart in your mouth while making your lips tingle from the slight burn of the chipotle. Not too hot, but if you're not into spicy, back off on the chipotles a bit. This would be great in a burrito, or even my 7-layer Burrito Dip. I'm definitely a fan of using this recipe for chicken in any Tex-Mex style dish from now on!
Chipotle Chicken Barbacoa
2 lbs. chicken breast
2 cups Pico de Gallo
1 2/3 cups chicken broth
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp. minced garlic
2 tsp Fajita seasoning
2 minced chipotle peppers
2 tbsp. adobo sauce
Salt & Pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker.
Cook on medium heat for 6-8 hours.
Pull meat apart with forks to shred.
Since I did a Beef Barbacoa that naturally knocked my socks right off, I decided to try my hand at a chicken version. I didn't want the recipes to be exactly the same because, well, that's just not very creative on my end, now is it?
I decided that for the chicken, I wanted to omit the taco seasoning, as I just don't like using it on chicken. I don't know if that's a 'me' thing, or an understanding among the general population, but in my world, taco seasoning is left for beef while fajita seasoning equals chicken all day long.
Probably just a 'me' thing.
I did keep the chipotle peppers, mostly because I still had half of an open can from the beef I made. Plus I added some extra adobo for a little spice action. Some apple cider vinegar to sweeten it and this was ready for slow cooking.
The result is tender, moist chicken that falls apart in your mouth while making your lips tingle from the slight burn of the chipotle. Not too hot, but if you're not into spicy, back off on the chipotles a bit. This would be great in a burrito, or even my 7-layer Burrito Dip. I'm definitely a fan of using this recipe for chicken in any Tex-Mex style dish from now on!
Chipotle Chicken Barbacoa
2 lbs. chicken breast
2 cups Pico de Gallo
1 2/3 cups chicken broth
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp. minced garlic
2 tsp Fajita seasoning
2 minced chipotle peppers
2 tbsp. adobo sauce
Salt & Pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker.
Cook on medium heat for 6-8 hours.
Pull meat apart with forks to shred.
Beef Barbacoa
2014 is not starting out the way I had hoped.
This whole 'polar vortex' thing where record lows were set all over the country affected my neck of the woods very little. Oh, except for the part where it dumped sixty inches of snow on us.
60 inches...
5 feet...
Just a few inches shy of covering my whole vertical body.
Perfect.
This storm caused most of us to stay inside for several days. This left me to scour through my fridge for things I could throw together. Some beef, some taco seasoning, some pico de gallo...
Voila! Beef Barbacoa for dinner.
I didn't have anything other than tortilla chips, so this beef dish became a big plate of nachos by the time I was done. The flavor was authentic Mexican and the beef came out super moist and tender after cooking in the beef broth. I think this would be perfect stuffed inside some tortillas for a barbacoa burrito as well.
This hot beef dish will definitely keep you warm in the middle of a polar vortex!
Beef Barbacoa
2 lbs. beef brisket
2 cups Pico de Gallo
2 cups beef broth
2 tbsp. minced garlic
2 tsp Taco Seasoning
2 minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1 bay leaf
Salt & Pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker.
Cook on medium heat for 6-8 hours.
Pull meat apart with forks to shred. Remove bay leaf prior to serving.
This whole 'polar vortex' thing where record lows were set all over the country affected my neck of the woods very little. Oh, except for the part where it dumped sixty inches of snow on us.
60 inches...
5 feet...
Just a few inches shy of covering my whole vertical body.
Perfect.
This storm caused most of us to stay inside for several days. This left me to scour through my fridge for things I could throw together. Some beef, some taco seasoning, some pico de gallo...
Voila! Beef Barbacoa for dinner.
I didn't have anything other than tortilla chips, so this beef dish became a big plate of nachos by the time I was done. The flavor was authentic Mexican and the beef came out super moist and tender after cooking in the beef broth. I think this would be perfect stuffed inside some tortillas for a barbacoa burrito as well.
This hot beef dish will definitely keep you warm in the middle of a polar vortex!
Beef Barbacoa
2 lbs. beef brisket
2 cups Pico de Gallo
2 cups beef broth
2 tbsp. minced garlic
2 tsp Taco Seasoning
2 minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1 bay leaf
Salt & Pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker.
Cook on medium heat for 6-8 hours.
Pull meat apart with forks to shred. Remove bay leaf prior to serving.
Friday, January 10, 2014
Coconut Ube Butter
Did you know I'm obsessed with the color purple?
Even though it doesn't have anything to do with anything significant in my life. I mean, my car is silver. My motorcycle is pink (amazing, but still...). My sports teams are, ahem, black and gold, obviously. Besides a few gorgeous shirts and some jewelry, I don't even think I own anything purple.
So, I make up for the lack of my favorite color by stocking up on these ube potatoes. Because they are purple. Because they flabbergast everyone I know. Because I live to flabbergast.
They taste like sweet potatoes, but they are sooooo purple.
They might just be my favorite root vegetable ever.
I love the taste of coconut with these, so I incorporated a little bit of that flavor in with the use of some extract. I tried using flaked coconut on the first go-around, but I found the taste to be way too mellow, bordering on non-existent. Plus, the texture of flaked coconut in the butter was a huge turn-off. Maybe if it was prepared with something other than a slow-cooker, the results would be different, but really, the slow-cooker has been my go-to for all my other butter experiments, so I didn't want to stray from the norm too much.
Coconut for garnish, though? That might be a new thing.
Oh, and I couldn't find any canned pureed ube, and truthfully, they are so hard to find that it might not even be an option, so I had to puree my own. No big deal, but it does add a little extra work. It's definitely worth it, though. And, seeing the faces of your guests as you pull out a breakfast tray full of biscuits with some bright purple butter?
Flabbergasting.
Coconut Ube Butter
4 cups pureed Ube
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/2 tsp Coconut extract
Peel and dice ube potatoes. Place in a pot of boiling water and cook until the chunks are fork tender. Drain the water out.
Transfer ube chunks to a food processor and puree until smooth.
Combine all of the ingredients in a slow cooker.
Cook on low for 8 hours, stirring occasionally.
Pour into sterilized jars.
Even though it doesn't have anything to do with anything significant in my life. I mean, my car is silver. My motorcycle is pink (amazing, but still...). My sports teams are, ahem, black and gold, obviously. Besides a few gorgeous shirts and some jewelry, I don't even think I own anything purple.
So, I make up for the lack of my favorite color by stocking up on these ube potatoes. Because they are purple. Because they flabbergast everyone I know. Because I live to flabbergast.
They taste like sweet potatoes, but they are sooooo purple.
They might just be my favorite root vegetable ever.
I love the taste of coconut with these, so I incorporated a little bit of that flavor in with the use of some extract. I tried using flaked coconut on the first go-around, but I found the taste to be way too mellow, bordering on non-existent. Plus, the texture of flaked coconut in the butter was a huge turn-off. Maybe if it was prepared with something other than a slow-cooker, the results would be different, but really, the slow-cooker has been my go-to for all my other butter experiments, so I didn't want to stray from the norm too much.
Coconut for garnish, though? That might be a new thing.
Oh, and I couldn't find any canned pureed ube, and truthfully, they are so hard to find that it might not even be an option, so I had to puree my own. No big deal, but it does add a little extra work. It's definitely worth it, though. And, seeing the faces of your guests as you pull out a breakfast tray full of biscuits with some bright purple butter?
Flabbergasting.
Coconut Ube Butter
4 cups pureed Ube
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/2 tsp Coconut extract
Peel and dice ube potatoes. Place in a pot of boiling water and cook until the chunks are fork tender. Drain the water out.
Transfer ube chunks to a food processor and puree until smooth.
Combine all of the ingredients in a slow cooker.
Cook on low for 8 hours, stirring occasionally.
Pour into sterilized jars.
Banoffee Pie
'Ello bananas.
As much fun as it is to parade around my kitchen working on my best cockney accent, it really doesn't translate well to paper, or computer screen. So I'll stop... for your sake.
I made this pie for a couple of reasons. Truthfully, banana is not in my top ten fruit choices, but sometimes, a recipe is so interesting that I have to try it. Plus, the idea of combining bananas with toffee and graham crackers seemed like an intriguing combo.
I wanted to try this boiled can trick with the sweetened condensed milk that I've seen roaming around the internet for a while. I didn't realize that this would produce a perfectly thick and smooth toffee. And, to be completely honest, waiting for the toffee to boil is the hardest part of this whole deal.
It's a no-bake wonder that require little more than pouring and smoothing ingredients.
Even I can do that!
Banoffee Pie
1 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers
1 stick butter, melted
3 ripe bananas
2 cans sweetened condensed milk
1/2 tub of whipped topping
Fill a large pot with water. Place cans of sweetened condensed milk in pot, making sure that they are completely submerged at all times.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for two hours, covered.
Preheat oven 350F.
Combine the graham crackers and butter in a bowl. Transfer to a pie plate and press into the bottom and 1" up the sides of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool.
Slice bananas into 1/4" slices.
When the two hours is up, remove cans and let cool completely before opening.
Arrange a row of banana slices along the bottom of the pie pan. It should take about 1 1/2 bananas. Pour half the toffee over the top. Repeat this with the second half of the ingredients. Smooth the toffee so it's flat.
Chill for 1 hour.
Smooth a thick layer of whipped topping over the top of the filling prior to serving.
As much fun as it is to parade around my kitchen working on my best cockney accent, it really doesn't translate well to paper, or computer screen. So I'll stop... for your sake.
I made this pie for a couple of reasons. Truthfully, banana is not in my top ten fruit choices, but sometimes, a recipe is so interesting that I have to try it. Plus, the idea of combining bananas with toffee and graham crackers seemed like an intriguing combo.
I wanted to try this boiled can trick with the sweetened condensed milk that I've seen roaming around the internet for a while. I didn't realize that this would produce a perfectly thick and smooth toffee. And, to be completely honest, waiting for the toffee to boil is the hardest part of this whole deal.
It's a no-bake wonder that require little more than pouring and smoothing ingredients.
Even I can do that!
Banoffee Pie
1 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers
1 stick butter, melted
3 ripe bananas
2 cans sweetened condensed milk
1/2 tub of whipped topping
Fill a large pot with water. Place cans of sweetened condensed milk in pot, making sure that they are completely submerged at all times.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for two hours, covered.
Preheat oven 350F.
Combine the graham crackers and butter in a bowl. Transfer to a pie plate and press into the bottom and 1" up the sides of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool.
Slice bananas into 1/4" slices.
When the two hours is up, remove cans and let cool completely before opening.
Arrange a row of banana slices along the bottom of the pie pan. It should take about 1 1/2 bananas. Pour half the toffee over the top. Repeat this with the second half of the ingredients. Smooth the toffee so it's flat.
Chill for 1 hour.
Smooth a thick layer of whipped topping over the top of the filling prior to serving.
Friday, January 3, 2014
Apple Pie A La Mode Moonshine
Since I had everything on hand to make my Apple Pie Moonshine, I decided to do a second batch of the rest of the ingredients doing an 'a la mode' twist.
Here's the recipe:
Apple Pie A La Mode Moonshine
(makes 4.5 quarts)
1/2 gallon apple cider
1/2 gallon apple juice
1/2 whole nutmeg
5 cinnamon sticks
5 vanilla beans, slit lengthways
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 liter grain alcohol
1 cup Vanilla vodka
Combine all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Remove nutmeg.
Pour into sterilized jars. Put one cinnamon stick and one vanilla bean in each jar prior to sealing.
Here's the recipe:
Apple Pie A La Mode Moonshine
(makes 4.5 quarts)
1/2 gallon apple cider
1/2 gallon apple juice
1/2 whole nutmeg
5 cinnamon sticks
5 vanilla beans, slit lengthways
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 liter grain alcohol
1 cup Vanilla vodka
Combine all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Remove nutmeg.
Pour into sterilized jars. Put one cinnamon stick and one vanilla bean in each jar prior to sealing.
Apple Pie Moonshine
Did you do anything fun to ring in the new year?
I have to say, in comparison to my previous NYEs, 2014's was a little tame for my tastes.
Maybe I'm growing up. Or, maybe my friends are all growing up. Maybe I need to find a new place to celebrate, because truthfully, I'm just not ready to give up the sparkly dresses, the confetti, the glittery shoes, the noisemakers or the midnight flutes of champagne.
This year, I completely disregarded my inclinations and went for a low-key celebration. We're talking jeans, fleece coats, Hank Williams Jr. on the juke box, and a swig of Canadian beer as the ball dropped.
Yes, I represent a very strange dichotomy in that half of me wants to be prim and girly and full of fun, city energy, while the other side of me can be described simply as 'redneck'.
Yes, we exist even in upstate New York.
So, in honor of that particular side of my personality, I decided to make up a special batch of Apple Pie Moonshine for New Year's Eve.
Now, I know what you might be thinking, and yes, moonshine is, ahem, not the most legal of things. But, I have found that using any grain alcohol will produce the same results. Since you'll be diluting the alcohol down, you won't discern the subtle (read: impossible if you're not a professional taster) differences between store-bought alcohol and real moonshine. If you're a fan of spirits like Limoncello, you'll appreciate this kind of drink.
Sweet and spiced just like apple pie, this is a perfect sipper that is sweet like dessert, but warming like a good spirit should be. This is sure to heat up any chilly New Year's Eve party!
Apple Pie Moonshine
(makes 4.5 quarts)
1/2 gallon apple cider
1/2 gallon apple juice
1/2 whole nutmeg
5 cinnamon sticks
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 liter grain alcohol
Combine all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Remove nutmeg.
Pour into sterilized jars. Put one of the cinnamon sticks in each jar prior to sealing.
I have to say, in comparison to my previous NYEs, 2014's was a little tame for my tastes.
Maybe I'm growing up. Or, maybe my friends are all growing up. Maybe I need to find a new place to celebrate, because truthfully, I'm just not ready to give up the sparkly dresses, the confetti, the glittery shoes, the noisemakers or the midnight flutes of champagne.
This year, I completely disregarded my inclinations and went for a low-key celebration. We're talking jeans, fleece coats, Hank Williams Jr. on the juke box, and a swig of Canadian beer as the ball dropped.
Yes, I represent a very strange dichotomy in that half of me wants to be prim and girly and full of fun, city energy, while the other side of me can be described simply as 'redneck'.
Yes, we exist even in upstate New York.
So, in honor of that particular side of my personality, I decided to make up a special batch of Apple Pie Moonshine for New Year's Eve.
Now, I know what you might be thinking, and yes, moonshine is, ahem, not the most legal of things. But, I have found that using any grain alcohol will produce the same results. Since you'll be diluting the alcohol down, you won't discern the subtle (read: impossible if you're not a professional taster) differences between store-bought alcohol and real moonshine. If you're a fan of spirits like Limoncello, you'll appreciate this kind of drink.
Sweet and spiced just like apple pie, this is a perfect sipper that is sweet like dessert, but warming like a good spirit should be. This is sure to heat up any chilly New Year's Eve party!
Apple Pie Moonshine
(makes 4.5 quarts)
1/2 gallon apple cider
1/2 gallon apple juice
1/2 whole nutmeg
5 cinnamon sticks
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 liter grain alcohol
Combine all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Remove nutmeg.
Pour into sterilized jars. Put one of the cinnamon sticks in each jar prior to sealing.
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