Rutabaga Hashbrowns

8/17/2023

These are one of best dishes I've made - honestly! The earthiness of the rutabaga and savoriness of the onion go great together and are begging for a good pan-sear - so much for flavorful than roasting! The dill sour cream dipping sauce rounded out all the flavors. So good!

Rutabaga Hashbrowns with Dill Sour Cream Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 lb. rutabagas, grated
1 red onion, grated
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
3 sprigs of dill, minced
1 Tbsp.+ salt
pepper, to taste

Serves 4 - 6
Cook time: 20 minutes

Grate rutabagas and squeeze out as much water as possible; grate onion and combine with rutabaga and 1 Tbsp. salt. Allow mixture to sit while oil heats in pan. When oil is beginning to shimmer, drain/squeeze excess water out of rutabaga/onion mixture.
Add breadcrumbs and egg to rutabaga/onion mixture. Shape into about 6 patties; begin by creating a roughly golfball-sized amount of rutabaga mixture, then squeeze to remove any remaining water, flatten and shape into a hashbrown patty.
Don't crowd your pan, so cook hashbrowns in two batches, flipping when golden brown. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately with dipping sauce.
While hashbrowns are cooking, combine sour cream and chopped dill to make the dipping sauce.
Note: if you need to make ahead you can. Just stick hashbrowns on a baking sheet and bake at 250 until warmed through.

Beet Salad

8/17/2023

Roasting the beets takes a little time, but it's all hands-off time. The dressing comes together in minutes and then you're done. Make a double batch so you have plenty for leftovers!

Beet Salad

Ingredients

olive oil, for roasting
2 lb. beets
1/4 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp. white balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. honey
1 stalk celery, minced
1 shallot, minced
salt & pepper, to taste

Serves 4 - 6
Cook time: 45 minutes

Preheat oven to 425. Trim beets and toss in olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast beets in foil packets until they can easily be pierced with a knife - the amount of time will depend on the size of the beets, but for golfball sized beets it is roughly 30 minutes. Once beets are tender remove from oven and open foil packets (be careful because the packets are full of steam). Peel beets, if necessary (I have found that small fresh garden beets do not need to be peeled, but larger store-bought ones do) and slice into wedges.
While beets are roasting combine remaining ingredients for the dressing. While beets are still warm, toss in dressing. Can be served immediately, at room temperature, and cold.

Beet Tarte Tatin

8/17/2023

A savory twist on a classic tarte tatin, this beet tarte tatin is both sweet and savory and should be enjoyed as a side dish, not a dessert. It's an easy recipe that not only highlights beets, but is great way to go through a bumper crop of them.

Beet Tarte Tatin

Ingredients

olive oil, for roasting
salt & pepper, to taste
5-10 beets, depending on size of beets and size of pan
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup sorghum syrup
1 tube of crescent roll dough (this comes with perforations to make crescent rolls and as just a solid sheet of dough - the the solid sheet if you can)

Serves 4 - 6
Cook time: 1 1/2 hours

Preheat oven to 425. Trim beets and toss in olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast beets in foil packets until they can easily be pierced with a knife - the amount of time will depend on the size of the beets, but for golfball sized beets it is roughly 30 minutes. Once beets are tender remove from oven and open foil packets (be careful because the packets are full of steam). Peel beets, if necessary (I have found that small fresh garden beets do not need to be peeled, but larger store-bought ones do) and slice into 1/2" slices.
Meanwhile, add butter to 8" or 9" sauté pan (non-stick or cast iron would be best). Make sure butter coats bottom and sides of sauté pan so the tatin slips out easily later on. Add sugar and sorghum syrup to butter. Cook butter, sorghum syrup, and sugar until they are syrupy and just beginning to show some color. Neatly arrange beet slices in the pan. Continue to cook until sorghum caramel starts to become a medium brown color. Turn heat off and move sauté pan off heat.
Remove crescent dough from refrigerator and unroll. Gently place the sheet of dough over the pears; cut off excess dough and, using a spatula, "tuck" the dough between the pears and side of the sauté pan. Depending on the size of pan, you might want to fold the entire sheet of dough in half and then gently roll it out to fit the pan, then "tuck" the dough, etc.
Bake for 10 - 15 minutes, it is done when dough is golden and crispy. Allow tatin to set for 10 minutes. Carefully invert the tatin onto your serving platter.

Beef Burgundy Pot Roast

7/5/2023

This pot roast is rich and decadent, but easy to make-ahead for simple, but impressive entertaining. I use a burgundy or pinot noir, but have used a cabernet sauvignon in a pinch...you're really just looking for a dry red wine that won't break the bank. Cooking the mushrooms separately allows them to brown more, but you can throw them straight into the pot and they're still delicious. Also, using an immersion blender to create a gravy makes the best sauce, but skipping that step will leave you with more intact vegetables....totally up to you. You can use any starchy side you'd like, but, for me, mashed potatoes are perfect with this pot roast!

Beef Burgundy Pot Roast

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 lb. chuck roast
1/4 cup pancetta, diced
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp. Wondra or all-purpose flour
2 cups dry red wine, such as a burgundy
1 cup beef stock (or wash out your tomato can if you don’t have stock on hand)
1 28 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 sprigs rosemary
4 sprigs thyme
2 Tbsp. butter
8 oz. cremini mushrooms, quartered
salt & pepper, to taste

Serves 6
Cook time: 2 hours and 20 minutes

Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat; pat chuck roast dry and season with S&P. Sauté pancetta until browned, remove and set aside. Sear chuck in olive oil and drippings on all sides to brown. Once browned, remove and set aside. Add onion, leek, celery, and carrots and cook till softened; add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.

Preheat oven to 300.

Add Wondra and tomato paste, cook to remove raw taste. Deglaze with wine; wait till alcohol cooks off before adding stock; add beef stock and scrap bits off bottom of Dutch oven. Add tomatoes and herbs; stir to combine. Add chuck back to pot, cover and allow beef to cook through. Allow to cook for 2 more hours; remove rest for 15 minutes, slice (your chuck should be close to falling apart and very shreddable so be careful). Using an immersion blender, blend about 1/3 of the vegetables in pot - this will give you a nice gravy. Then return chuck slices to Dutch oven for another 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, sauté mushrooms in butter; once mushrooms have released their juices, salt and pepper.

After 30 minutes, remove Dutch oven from oven and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before serve. Just before serving add mushrooms to Dutch oven.

Serve with mashed potatoes.

Vegetable Marsala

7/5/2023

Here's a vegetarian version of the classic Chicken Marsala. I use zucchini and portobellos, but you could use just about any vegetable you'd like. This creamy, vegetable marsala is a great alternative to chicken, but is also quick to through together on a weeknight while still being impressive.

Vegetable Marsala

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 shallot, diced
4 cloves garlic, diced
2 Portobellos, gills removed, sliced
16 oz. mixed mushrooms, sliced
1 zucchini, sliced
2 Tbsp. Wondra or AP flour
3/4 cup marsala
1/2 cup chicken stock (or vegetable to keep it vegetarian)
3 sprigs thyme, destemmed
salt & pepper, to taste

Serves 4
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat; the olive oil. Add shallot and cook until translucent, add garlic and cook 1 more minute. Add all mushrooms and cook until browned and water is released; after mushrooms have given up their liquid, salt and pepper. Add zucchini and cook until it is done to your liking (I still like a bite to mine).
Sprinkle vegetables with Wondra or flour and cook for about 1 minutes so flour can brown. Deglaze with marsala and allow to cook until alcohol cooks off. Add stock and thyme. Allow sauce to reduce for at least 15 minutes. Enjoy!

Grilled Greek Naan Wraps

7/5/2023

Reminiscent of of gyros these grilled pork gyros use country-ribs as the main ingredient. They cook up quickly and are easy on your budget. These wraps can be pulled together in a very short amount of time and with minimal effort, makin these perfect for the summer!

Grilled Greek Naan Wraps

Ingredients

Wraps

1 lb. country ribs
1 tomato, sliced
2 mini-cucumbers, 1 sliced and 1 grated
1/2 red onion, sliced
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
4 naan
Marinade & Dressing
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 Tbsp. Greek seasoning
2 cloves garlic, grated
salt & pepper to taste

Serves 4
Cook time: 20 minutes

In a mason jar, combine olive oil, red wine vinegar, Greek seasoning, garlic and salt; shake to combine. Pour half the mixture onto the pork to marinade for at 1-2 hours; combine the remaining half with the Greek yogurt and grated cucumber for a quick tzatziki.
Grill the country ribs for about 20 minutes, until a meat thermometer registers 145 internally. Remove and let rest for 5 minutes, then slice lengthwise.
To build your wraps spread naans with tzatziki, 2-3 slices of pork, tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion. Goes great with yellow rice or a side salad.

Chicken Milanese & Apple Salad

7/3/2023

Crispy fried chicken is paired with a citrusy, crunchy apple salad. It's a great meal for any time of year, but I really love it in the late spring when the days start heating up and you're looking for something light and crisp.

Chicken Milanese

Ingredients

Chicken

2 chicken breasts, boneless skinless
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
salt & pepper, to taste
Salad
2 cups arugula
1 apple, thinly sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. honey
salt & pepper to taste

Serves 4
Cook Time: 45 minutes

Heat large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Slice chicken breasts horizontally so you have 4 pieces thin pieces of chicken; cover with plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet to flatten and make the same thickness all over.
Add flour to a pie plate, add egg to a pie plate and beat, add panko to a pie plate
Season chicken with salt and pepper, dredge in flour, then egg wash, then panko mixture.
Add the olive oil to the sauté pan. Sauté chicken in two batches, using more olive oil as needed. This will take about 2 minutes per side, so don't walk away.
Meanwhile, combine olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon, lemon juice, honey, salt & pepper in a mason jar, shake to combine. Toss dressing with apples and arugula.
Serve salad beside or on top of the chicken.

Chicken Marsala

7/3/2023

If you like mushrooms then Chicken Marsala is for you! It's got a rich mushroom-marsala sauce that goes great with a nice starchy side to soak it all up. Great for entertaining, but easy enough for a week night meal!

Chicken Marsala

Ingredients

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 shallot, diced
4 cloves garlic, diced
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbsp. Wondra or AP flour
3/4 cup marsala
1/2 cup chicken stock
3 sprigs thyme, destemmed
salt & pepper, to taste

Serves 4
Cook Time: 45 minutes

Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat; the olive oil. Slice chicken breasts horizontally to make 4 thin chicken cutlets. Pan-fry cutlets about 3 minutes per side, until golden brown. Do not crowd pan and cook chicken in 2 batches, if necessary. Remove to plate and set aside.
Add shallot and cook until translucent, add garlic and cook 1 more minute. Add mushrooms and cook until browned and water is released; after mushrooms have given up their liquid, salt and pepper.
Sprinkle mushrooms with Wondra or flour and cook for about 1 minutes so flour can brown. Deglaze with marsala and allow to cook until alcohol cooks off. Add stock and thyme. Allow sauce to reduce for at least 15 minutes; add chicken to sauce and cook for about 5 more minutes.
Enjoy!

Chicken with Mustard Sauce

4/4/2023

A great recipe for chicken breasts: it cooks quickly and has a flavorful sauce on the side. The cream helps mellow the mustard flavor out some and make a beautiful sauce to go over any starch you'd like.

Chicken with Mustard Sauce

Ingredients

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. butter
1 shallot, diced
4 cloves garlic, diced
2 Tbsp. Wondra or AP flour
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. whole grain mustard
3/4 cup cream, at room temperature
3 springs thyme, destemmed
salt & pepper, to taste

Serves 4
Cook Time: 45 minutes

Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat; add 1/2 the olive oil and 1/2 the butter. Slice chicken breasts horizontally to make 4 thin chicken cutlets. Pan-fry cutlets about 3 minutes per side, until golden brown. Do not crowd pan and cook chicken in 2 batches, if necessary. Remove to plate and set aside.
Add remaining olive oil and butter and cook shallot until translucent. Sprinkle with Wondra or flour and cook for about 1 minutes so flour can brown. Deglaze with wine and allow to cook until alcohol cooks off. Add mustrads, cream and thyme. Allow sauce to reduce for at least 15 minutes; add chicken to sauce and cook for about 5 more minutes.

Chicken Fricassee

4/4/2023

A classically slow-cooking dish, Chicken Fricassee is a great dish for entertaining. You start by pan searing bone-in, skin-on chicken, then sautéing any vegetables you like (I like onion, celery, carrot, mushroom, and asparagus, but you can change as you'd like) then cook everything in a rich broth. I like this served over grits, but rice or any starch will do.

Chicken Fricassee

Ingredients

6-8 chicken thighs or 1 whole chicken cut up into 6-8 pieces (bone-in skin-on either way)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
8 oz. cremini mushrooms, quartered
8 oz. asparagus, chopped
2 Tbsp. Wondra or AP flour
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken stock
3 sprigs thyme
salt & pepper, to taste

Serves 6-8
Cook Time: 1 1/2 hours

Heat a Dutch oven or high walled saute pan over medium-high heat and pan sear each side of chicken until golden brown and crispy, but do not worry about cooking through; this may take two batches, do not crowd the chicken or it will steam and not brown well. Remove browned chicken and set aside.
Add onions, celery and carrots to pot, cook to soften; add garlic and mushrooms and cook until mushrooms give up their juices and start to brown, then add asparagus and cook for a few minutes till bright green. Add Wondra and cook to remove raw taste.
Deglaze with wine, scrapping browned bits off the bottom of the pan, cook wine until alcohol cooks off. Add stock and thyme sprigs and bring to a simmer. Add chicken back to pan and allow to cook through to 165, covered; this will continue to cook low and slow for 45 minutes to an hour. You can continue cooking over the stove or pop it in an oven set to 300.
Great over creamy stone ground grits.