Delicious Deviled Eggs with Chives

Who doesn't like deviled eggs?  Simply one of the easiest, delicious recipes that are always a crowd pleaser.  What's the secret?  Only a few small tips I can suggest:

1. Boiling Eggs.  Seems easy right?  Not really.  I feel after attempting for years - Finally I am not getting any green (which means over cooked & Karl would not approve) or not cooked enough.  This is the hardest part and takes a little bit of skill.  Here's my most recent approach and it seems to work:

           - Place eggs in a pot and cover with water.  Bring them to a boil and let them bobble around for about 5 minutes.   

          - After five minutes find a tight fitting lid and cover the eggs and cut the heat.  

          - Scoot eggs over to another burner that is not hot.

          - Let them sit for about 15-20 minutes

          - Drain and start running cold water over them

          - Grab a bunch of ice and add to the eggs and let them sit in an ice bath for awhile

          - About 15 minutes after they have cooled off, give them a tap on one end and start peeling

          - If you run them under cold water while you peel tends to make it easier

2.  Cut the eggs in half.  Gently remove the yolks and place them in a bowl

3.  Add Mayo (Preferably Duke's) and some delicious German mustard or spicy Dijon will do just fine

4.  Dash of sea salt and white pepper, throw in some black pepper while you're at it.

5.  Mix around ingredients with a fork, whipping it around until it is smooth.

6.  Take a small spoon and scoop the yolk mixture back into the whites.

7.  Sprinkle all of the eggs with a little more salt, pepper, paprika, and of course fresh chives!!

8.  Put out for guests but grab one yourself ---  they will quickly disappear!!!

 

Mushroom Love

This one is for my husband and father-in-law-----who just go crazy for mushrooms as do I.
My father-in-law is always telling me to teach my mother-in-law so I figured I would share it here.
Pretty simple but easy to ruin!

 First and for most this is by far my most favorite ingredient besides the ones I make myself.....

This is my usual method for making saute mushrooms and onions especially for burgers....
Sauteing Mushrooms
1. First you want to heat a decent sized saute pan with about 2 tablespoons of O.O
2. Once the pan is hot add sliced onions and season with Creole seasoning and a dash of S&P
3. Once the onions start to brown add your sliced mushrooms (I love baby bellas)

4. Give the mushrooms a stir and add about one tablespoon butter and another dash of S&P
         (It is important that the mushrooms have enough breathing room, if they don't they will get soggy and never brown)

5. Once the mushrooms have been cooking for awhile and the onions are starting to look browned
Add Apple Cider Vinegar.  Just enough to cover the bottom of the saute pan and not too much. 
6. Continue to cook until the liquid is nearly gone and your mushrooms look browned as you want!
7. Enjoy!

Roasting Chickens in WV with Thyme and Rosemary

To bring in the New Year of 2014 we packed the truck with 3 hounds and headed north to the West Virginia mountains.  We invited the Vinson's, their two four legged kids, and my brother and sister.  

Of course I designated myself as the chef for the week!

When you stay in West Virginia where we do ......

......you know if snow falls, there is a good chance you aren't getting out!

Therefore as the chef I start planning.........

I decided to roast these chickens although we had lots of deer chili knowing if no one was hungry when they were ready - I would make them into fantastic chicken salad (which I will share that recipe later for the Vinson's).

Roasting the Chicken

1.    First and foremost take the chickens out of the fridge at least an hour before roasting, wash them and make sure they are totally dry.  Also set the oven to 375 degrees.

2.    Gather: Olive Oil

                     3-4 garlic cloves or shallots

                     2-3 onions

                     2-3 lemons

                     Lots of fresh thyme

                     Little less rosemary then thyme (you can add sage if  you want as well)

                     Kitchen twine

                     S & P (white if you have it)

                     Paprika

3.  I start by cutting the whole garlic chuck completely in half, quartering the onions, and cutting up the lemons. Doesn't matter that you leave the skins on.  Ina taught me this!!!  

4. Open the chicken and salt and pepper the inside of the cavity pretty well.

5. Take half a lemon and squeeze it all over the chickens

6.  Put some garlic, onion, and lemon inside the birds so that they are stuffed

7. Add the thyme and rosemary right into the middle of the other stuffing

8. Rub the birds down with olive oil.  

9. Gently lift up the skin on the breast and put olive oil (soft butter is even better) in between the skin and meat.

10. Salt, Pepper, Paprika the chickens well, sprinkle with fresh herbs of thyme and rosemary. If you have any left over onions, garlic, and lemon is make it even better if you place them around the birds as I did!

11. Tie the legs together well (helps cook evenly)

12. Tuck the front little wings under or them as well.  

13. A 4 pound bird seems to take 1.5 hours.  The thing is in WV it is totally different.  Altitude definitely makes a difference. I recommend either having a meat thermometer or look for the skin to bubble.  Another trick is sticking a fork into the fatty part and clear juice should run out.

14. Baste now and then

15. When ready, let the bird rest after removing from the oven for at least 10 minutes before cutting.  

If you are eating the birds right then take advantage of the sauce drippings.  

-Remove the chicken from the pan.  

-Put the pan over your stove and turn the head on.  If you have a little wine handy add it to the pan.  -Let it reduce then add a tablespoon or two of butter and you have gravy! 

If you don't eat them save the juice!!!  That is the best chicken stock you could ask for.  Use it later for veggies, soup, more chicken, whatever.  

Don't waste the good stuff!!

Skirt Steak, Beans & Veggies

Skirt Steak is a favorite!!  Love to marinade it and leave it in the fridge for a day.  Sometimes I add the steak to Cuban bread with sauteed onions but other times I stay healthy, no bread.
Marinade:
 Olive oil
 Fresh garlic, minced, maybe 3 clove
 Red wine vinegar almost 1/2 cup
 Soy sauce, couple TBLS
 Fresh squeezed lime
 Lots of freshly ground black pepper
 Nice salt ground
 Fresh chopped cilantro
 Skirt or Flank steak

To cook the steak: 
-Heat a Cast Iron Skillet, Grill, or Grill Pan.
-Cook the steak for about 3 minutes on each side (should come out medium rare).
-Let it rest for 5 minutes before cutting.
-When cutting go with the grain of the meat.

For the beans I use organic red beans and lentils.  Just cooked them in broth, nothing fancy as instructed by the package.

For the veggies I used green beans, asparagus, carrots, broccoli and cauliflower.  I heated up my wok with about two tablespoons coconut oil salt and pepper.  I saute them until they are still crisp.  I don't care for soggy veggies !!!

Good Old Spaghetti Bolognese with Garlic Bread

I know I have not blogged in awhile but life has been busy in a great way!
When it comes to cooking - I never make the same thing twice, exactly.   Always the ingredients are changed, something added, something removed.  To me it's all about what's in the kitchen!  The more and more we think about it, cooking is in fact an art!

Furthermore who doesn't love Spaghetti Bolognese? It seems to be a favorite dish anyone can enjoy any time of the year.  Therefore I thought it would be a great way to kick the blog back off!!

I have say that for years I've tackled getting the sauce right.  I don't feel that it is all                          

about the ingredients, I feel it's about the process as well.  Here we go.....

Spaghetti Bolognese Chino's Way
Ground Veal about a pound, heat O.O. and then brown meat. (Ground sirloin works well too, even better mix them)
Season with some S &P

Once meat is browned add:
1 Chopped Onion
1 Chopped Carrot
2-3 Garlic Cloves (your choice)
1-2 Bay Leaves
S & P
Crushed red pepper flakes (measure according to how hot you can handle it, I put just a little for a small kick)

Cook for a few minutes until onions and carrots begin to soften.
Once softened add some wine - enough to fill 1/3 of the way.
Once wine reduces - Add about the same amount, maybe a tad more of good stock then wine.
Lastly add one can (at least 28oz) of good plum tomatoes.  If you can stop by a specialty shop preferably Italian and buy some good canned plum tomatoes, they make a difference.
As I add the plum tomatoes I give them a little crush with my hands.  Be careful though, they will shoot back when you crush them!!

I always grab a little something fresh from the garden, basil, oregano, flat leaf parsley chop and add with tomatoes.
Give a little dash of S & P
If you are grating your own cheese save the rind, toss it in the sauce while it stews!!

** Always save your rinds.  They work wonders for any recipe, especially soup and sauces. **
The Italian market in St Pete where we live sells them.  I always have some stored in my freezer.

Garlic Bread
Of course the best choice would be some nice fluffy fresh Italian Bread maybe even a baguette.  My husband and I keep 7 Sprouted Grain Bread in the fridge at all time even their English Muffins, I have been know to even use this.  Like I said before it's an art, use what you have......

In a small sauce pan I take a couple tablespoons of O.O. and about half a stick of butter.
I add chopped garlic cloves, shallots, leeks, onions, crushed red pepper, oregano, basil, chives, again, whatever you feel you want to mix.  I don't necessarily use all those at one time, depends on what I feel like or have.
Some stores sell an Italian Seasoning, I recommend this too.

Let the ingredients simmer but not boil so that all the flavors infuse.
I then spoon them onto my bread of choice and bake on 375 until it looks like it has a slight crisp.

Best garlic bread I swear.  Its all about infusing your flavors in the butter
P.S. this butter is great for fish, crab legs, or anything else you may want to try it on!!

Helen's Joy of Cooking Tomato Soup

My tomato plants from the garden decided that they all wanted to ripen at the same time so I decided it was time to make some soup.  As a bridal shower gift from my husband's Aunt, I was passed down my hubby's grandmother's original Joy of Cooking cookbook!! Tells your everything you could need to know, basically a cooking bible. 

I started off by first sauteing together until tender:
2 cups chopped onion
2-3 Carrots chopped
1-2 Bay Leaf

Once tender add:
3 cloves fresh minced Garlic

About one minute after the garlic add:
1 pound fresh tomatoes
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
Handful fresh chopped basil
Salt, fresh ground pepper, pinch or two of white pepper
3-4 cups homemade chicken stock

Bring all ingredients to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes.

In the meantime according to the old fashion Joy of Cooking I was to make my own cream.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Melt on low heat 3 tablespoons butter
then add 2 tablespoons flour and whisk to create ruex.
Let the ruex cool, once cooled return to heat and slow add in 1 cup of milk.
Continuosly stir and on a lower heat until the mixture starts to thicken.
Once it starts to thicken place into bakeware and add a studded onion in the middle.
Place in the oven for 20 minutes.

You may ask, "what is  a studded onion:
The French know this as "onion clout"
Clou meaning nail. 
In this case we are taking two small bay leaves and and nailing them to the onion.
The purpose of this is to be able to easily remove the cloves when the cream is ready.

Once the cream has finished cooking add it to the tomato soup. 
Strain the soup and take the veggie remains and add them to a food processor.
Once you have pureed the vegetables, add them back into the strained liquid. 

Of course I have to add my finishing touch of some fresh chopped chives and a little bit of fresh ground pepper!! Enjoy!!

Healthy Broccoli and Cauliflower Soup

 The weather has dropped and got quite cold here in Florida and also the pollen has left us all feeling as if we are sick. My husband and sister were in the mood for soup so I looked in my fridge to see what I had. I recently purchased a bunch of organic cauliflower and broccoli. I decided these two items would be my main ingredients along with some carrots, shallots, red onion, S & P, fresh herbs; rosemary, thyme, sage and chives.

When making vegetable soup I always feel roasting the veggies gives it a more full flavor.
I combine all the ingredients above and toss them with some good olive oil and put them in the oven for 30-45 min.

In the meantime I heat up some homemade chicken stock. In a large stock pot I crisp some prosciutto slices then remove. In the same pot I add some butter and chopped shallots with S & P. Once they start looking translucent I pour in a bit of Sherry wine and let it reduce.

Once the veggies are finished I let them cool then place them in my Ninja blender with some of the heated stock until puréed.

I combine the purée and shallots and add extra stock to the stock pot.

If you want here you can also add a container of fat free Greek yogurt for added protein and great supplement to heavy cream or half and half. Today I just used broth and cream.

To prepare for serving I grated some Gouda cheese then topped it off with left over fresh chopped herbs from the garden that I used when roasting and crumbled the prosciutto all over! Was so delicious and filling!