tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85956267979114539642024-02-19T11:45:36.536-05:00Go Ahead... Take A Bite!A recipe blog with step by step photos and directions, for beginner cooks to amateur chefs! We have a passion for food and a desire to teach traditional techniques plus new tricks and tips! Learn how to: cook meat to the doneness you like, prep ingredients, season food right, Find tried and tested, kid-friendly, budget-friendly, homemade recipes for appetizers, soups, stews, salads, dressings, mains, casseroles, snacks and desserts, for gourmet dinners to weeknight suppers and backyard BBQs!Mary Sullivan Frasierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10796241299065062308noreply@blogger.comBlogger225125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8595626797911453964.post-67026364851578446742018-11-28T19:04:00.001-05:002018-11-28T19:04:50.292-05:00Home Style Roast Beef (Plus, How To Make Perfect Gravy Every Time!)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I realized yesterday that I've been just a little bit hung up on the idea of "Sunday Dinner" types of meals recently and I suppose that could be because the typical late Fall weather here in the Northeast has been insanely cold, rainy/snowy and just plain old... yuck. The weather in November is always a bit touch and go around here and there are always a few days at the beginning of the month that tend to hint at snow, as a way for mother nature to remind us that her daughter Winter is on her way to this part of the world. To be honest, up here in my neck of the woods, it isn't too far-fetched to expect a November blizzard (and this year we've already come close) and by mid-December, it's definitely beginning to feel a lot like Christmas. But... I digress.<br />
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At any rate, this recent food obsession has led to some very hearty and pretty tasty weekend meals and what (in my opinion at least), is a fair amount of seasonal (and yummy) content for me to share here on the blog!<br />
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<i><span style="color: red;">I'll be posting the recipes for the sides that we had with this roast, not long (hopefully) after this goes live and as usual, I'll add the links to them at the bottom of this post, once they're up.</span></i><br />
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<b><u>Home Style Roast Beef</u></b><br />
<ul>
<li>5 to 6 Lb Top Sirloin Roast, tied</li>
<li>3-4 Lg Carrots and/or Parsnips, washed and cut into halves/thirds</li>
<li>2 Med Yellow Onions, peeled and quartered</li>
<li>Kosher Salt</li>
<li>Freshly Ground Black Pepper</li>
</ul>
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<b>You'll Need:</b><br />
Large Roasting Pan<br />
Roasting Rack (optional)<br />
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<b><span style="color: red;"><i>The gravy ingredients and instructions will follow the roasting directions.</i></span></b><br />
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1. Season the roast with salt and pepper on all sides. You can lightly dust it with a bit of flour if you like, but it isn't necessary if you don't want to take the time.<br />
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2. Preheat your oven to 350°F and place the roasting pan on the stovetop (spanning one or two burners) over medium-high heat. Place the roast in the pan and brown it well on all sides, turning it often to prevent burning. You can also use a large frying pan for this step, but I see no reason to dirty extra dishes.<br />
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3. Once the roast is well-browned, remove it from the pan and place the roasting rack (if using one) in the pan. If you don't have a rack, you can add your aromatics (the cut-up onions, carrots, parsnips, etc.) directly to the pan and they'll act as it's "natural" counterpart. If we'd had both carrots and parsnips, I would have used them both. Love me some roasted root veggies!!!<br />
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4. Place the roast on the rack and add all of the aromatics around the perimeter of the roast. (Obviously, if you're using your vegetables as your rack, you'll place the browned roast directly on top of your veggies)<br />
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5. Place the pan in your preheated 350°F oven and roast it until the center reaches your desired temperature of doneness. (<i>see chart below for temperatures</i>)<br />
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<i>DON'T FORGET ABOUT CARRY-OVER COOKING!!</i> (<i>see last chart below</i>)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3b_JtAEBoX0/WtYPMYntUxI/AAAAAAAAbhE/9ZV3CR4TmbUZrYHqZQYpcphJ0wUh1cM0QCLcBGAs/s1600/454406.image0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="535" height="297" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3b_JtAEBoX0/WtYPMYntUxI/AAAAAAAAbhE/9ZV3CR4TmbUZrYHqZQYpcphJ0wUh1cM0QCLcBGAs/s640/454406.image0.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #45818e; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">[Illustration by Elizabeth Kurtzman]</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cCBQQuzioLk/WtYPMcXDosI/AAAAAAAAbhI/-N-ZAriWsJMdLgh-whXFhCLouZRNR2CdwCLcBGAs/s1600/Grilling%2BBroiling%2BTemp%2Band%2BTime%2BChart.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="261" data-original-width="521" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cCBQQuzioLk/WtYPMcXDosI/AAAAAAAAbhI/-N-ZAriWsJMdLgh-whXFhCLouZRNR2CdwCLcBGAs/s640/Grilling%2BBroiling%2BTemp%2Band%2BTime%2BChart.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #45818e; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Graphics Sources: Google Images</span></td></tr>
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<b><u>The Gravy</u></b><br />
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<ul>
<li>Beef Drippings, drained of any excess fat</li>
<li>2 to 3 Tbls <span style="color: red;"><b>*</b></span>AP Flour (heaping)</li>
<li>Water, roughly 1 Cup (for the <span style="color: red;">**</span>slurry)</li>
<li>3 to 4 Cups Beef Stock (or Broth)</li>
<li>1/2 Cup Red Wine, to deglaze the pan (Dry Vermouth will work fine too)</li>
<li>2-4 Tbls Butter</li>
<li>Kosher Salt</li>
<li>Freshly Ground Black Pepper</li>
</ul>
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<span style="color: red;"> </span><span style="color: red;"><b>*</b> </span>All-Purpose<br />
<span style="color: red;"><b>**</b></span> Click <a href="https://rouxbe.com/tips-techniques/361-what-is-a-slurry" target="_blank">HERE</a> if you are not familiar with making a slurry)<br />
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What would a luscious plate of juicy roast beef be without a drizzle (or more) of a rich golden brown and of course, beefy gravy? Well, around here, we'd say that was a sacrilege! (or at the very least, b-o-r-i-n-g!)<br />
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So, this is where I share the hubber's tried, tested and true method for making a perfect gravy with you. It's basically the same process whether you're planning to drizzle (or pour) it over beef, chicken, pork, turkey or basically just about any other roasted or pan-seared protein you can think of.<br />
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1. While the roast is resting, it's time to make the gravy! I love the veggies that are left over in the roasting pan, but they're usually not the prettiest thing to look at. They get a bit mushy, but the caramelization on them is gorgeous and adds the most lovely depth and richness. Oh dear. I digress yet again...<br />
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2. After removing the meat and the veggies, you'll see a lovely brown stickiness left on the bottom of the pan. This is called the <b><i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deglazing_(cooking)" target="_blank">fond</a></i></b> (primarily in fancy French culinary circles). But, we can just call it "pan drippings" if you prefer. This lovely little gift that your roast leaves behind serves the very important purpose of being a rich (and in this case beefy) base for an exceptional gravy.<br />
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<span style="color: red;"><b><i>Cook's Note:</i></b> <i>Most grocery chains in America now carry both broth and stock and each of these serve their purpose. But, in our humble opinion, using stock whenever possible for making a meat gravy is always the better option. Don't get me wrong... broth will still make a delicious gravy, sauce or soup, but because it's made by slowly simmering the roasted bones along with any remaining meat that is left on those bones, a <b>stock</b> has a certain depth of flavor that you just can't get from a broth.</i></span><br />
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3. Place your roasting pan on a burner (or burners) set at medium to medium-high heat.<br />
<i><br /></i> <i><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;"><b>Cook's Note:</b> Now... if you've used a glass or thinner ceramic baking dish, I would suggest using some kind of diffuser with a gas cooktop or with one that has electric coil elements, in order to protect it from cracking or shattering from the direct heat. If you don't happen to have a diffuser lying around, alas, do not despair...</span> </i><br />
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<i><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;">You can just use the heat that's left over in the pan from the roasting process. This will allow you to bring the drippings to the point where they can be poured into a heat-safe pot. While the pan is still hot, pour a small amount of liquid (stock/broth, wine, water, etc.) into it and stir it quickly with a whisk or spatula, just long enough to loosen the fond from the bottom. As soon as you've achieved this, carefully pour the contents into a nice heavy saucepan, making sure to scrape up every last bit of that goodness you've just freed from the bottom. Et voila! You are now ready to commence with the gravy making!</span></i><br />
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4. Pour about a quarter cup of stock/broth into the pan and using a whisk or a heat-safe spatula begin stirring and gently scraping the bottom of the pan as the stock comes up to a steady and robust simmer.<br />
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5. Add in your wine (or vermouth) and continue to stir as it simmers. You'll notice that the liquid in the pan will begin to thicken. This is exactly what you want to happen.<br />
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6. Put your flour in a large glass, plastic bottle or jar that has a tight-fitting lid.<br />
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7. Add in the water and give it a bit of a stir with a long fork or a skinny whisk to loosen the flour from the bottom. Place the lid on the container and make sure it's on there tightly. Now, shake the dickens out of it, until you can no longer see any lumps or pockets of dry flour. (<i>we recommend doing this over the sink, just in case the lid gets loose and the slurry goes flying all over the kitchen - trust us - we know about this from personal experience!</i>)<br />
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: red;">Cook's Tip:</span></b><span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span><span style="color: red;">A proper slurry should be roughly the consistency of a "heavy" or "whipping" cream. (I think that'd be known as "double cream" to our European friends!)</span></span></i><br />
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7b. While this next step is optional, I would highly recommend doing it. We like to add a good tablespoon or two of butter to the pan at this point and stir it in until it has melted completely. It's just one more little flavor booster that you might not realize is in there, but your taste buds will definitely recognize it!<br />
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8. Now you can slowly pour the slurry into the briskly simmering base, whisking vigorously as you go.<br />
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<i><span style="color: red;"><b>Cook's Tip:</b> Please keep in mind that you might not need all of the slurry that you've mixed up, so please be patient and resist any temptation to pour every last drop into the pan at once.</span></i><br />
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9. When the contents of the pan reach the thickness of a standard pancake batter or a pudding or custard that hasn't reached its full setting point, it's time to add the rest of the stock/broth to the pan.<br />
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10. Continue slowly adding more stock/broth to the pan while whisking, until it reaches the thickness that you prefer. Some people like a very thick gravy and others might like it more on the thin side. This is truly one of those areas of cooking that come down to personal preference, so adding the stock/broth slowly will help <i><b>you</b></i> to reach <b><i>your</i></b> desired gravy consistency<span style="color: inherit; font-size: inherit;">.</span><br />
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11. Season the gravy well with salt and pepper. And if you happen to be the adventurous type, you can experiment with some additional herbs and/or spices. Maybe just a pinch of onion or garlic powder, a little bit of chopped rosemary or possibly some freshly chopped thyme. The only limit is your imagination!<br />
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12. Finally, at this point you should have your sides all prepared and ready to go, so go ahead and have at it - and I sincerely hope that you enjoy every last bite!<br />
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I'll be posting the recipes for the side dishes we had with this roast very soon and I'll be sure to link them here at the bottom of this post when they're up on the blog. But...<br />
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If you want to be sure not to miss those posts (or any of my future recipes), why not pop over to the sidebar on the right, or just below this recipe and subscribe!<br />
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This roast ended up being just a tad over-cooked <b><i>for our tastes</i></b>. I was busy making the potatoes and mushrooms and I left it in the oven a little longer than I normally would. We prefer a roast beef like this to be more on the medium rare side and this was a bit more in the medium range. The internal temperature was already about 128°F and (as you can see in the charts above) I really should have taken it out when it had reached 120°F. It was still quite delicious, though! And it was even better the following night when we had hot roast beef sandwiches for dinner!<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Enjoy!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>Mary</i></span><br />
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Mary Sullivan Frasierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10796241299065062308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8595626797911453964.post-61200474286257565292018-08-31T17:38:00.001-04:002018-09-03T03:56:39.212-04:00Slow Smoked Pulled Pork<br />
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Tis the season! For BBQ that is! We might be getting a little closer to the cold weather months, but we've still got one last Summer holiday left and it's a big one! Labor day! A holiday that has now become quite bittersweet for me.<br />
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Sure... it harkens the coming of those slightly chilly, crisp but still sunny days of Autumn and the exciting new school year. (when/if you still have young'uns at home!) And of course, it's also that time of the year for holidays like Halloween and Thanksgiving, with their pails full of sweet treats and "turkey day" feasts, as well as the lovely warm earthy hued rustic reds, deep oranges and rich browns of both Mother Nature's and our own decorations.<br />
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For most of my life, Fall was my favorite season. It just so happens that I was a September baby, so of course, that was always something to look forward to. I remember almost wishing away my Summers back then, because I couldn't wait to get into my cozy old jeans and sweaters, my perfectly worn out leather boots and well... just about everything plaid!<br />
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But as we all know, Labor Day weekend is also the "official" END to what has now, in these middle-stage years of my life, become my new favorite of all of Mother Nature's four seasons... Summer. What I used to look forward to, I dread these days. It's not that I don't still love Autumn itself, but Fall leads to Winter and frankly, this broken old body of mine simply can't handle the cold and snow anymore. Plus, it seems like the Winters up here in the Adirondacks have grown colder and lasted longer as each year has passed.<br />
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Argh! Now, that's more than enough of the doom and gloom, isn't it? It's time to get on with the <b><i>real reason</i></b> for this post, right?<br />
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It's time to talk about delicious, rich, succulent slow smoked pork shoulder! Or, what's most commonly referred to as "pulled pork". It's the perfect main attraction for that final Summer backyard bash and although it takes patience and time, it's easier than you might think! <b><span style="color: red;"><i>Keep in mind that this process is </i>a labor of love<i> and requires the "pit master" to be on sight </i>all day long<i>. Starting this "smoke" early in the morning is not only recommended, it's mandatory!</i></span></b><br />
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<b><u>Slow Smoked Pork Shoulder (Pulled Pork)</u></b><br />
<ul>
<li>A 5 to 6 Lb Pork Shoulder/Butt - the butcher might call it a "Boston Butt"</li>
<li>Pork Rub (store-bought or homemade - link to recipe below)</li>
<li>Lg Bag of Charcoal Briquettes - no lighter fluid/quick-light charcoal, please</li>
<li>A Smoker, Kettle Style Grill or Gas Grill w/compartment for wood chips</li>
<li>Wood chips of your choice, soaked well (we use/prefer Hickory)</li>
<li>A digital or an instant-read meat thermometer</li>
<li>Time - This will take 8 to 10 hours to reach the required doneness</li>
</ul>
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<b>1.</b> Take the roast out of the refrigerator about an hour to an hour and a half before you're ready to put it on the smoker/grill. We buy both bone-in and boneless roasts, depending on what the butcher has or what might be on sale at the time. Smoking the roast is going to yield the same results either way.<br />
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<b><i>Tip:</i></b> You want any meat that you're cooking (indoors or out) to come as close to room temperature as possible before cooking. Why? Because if you take any cold piece of meat and immediately put it in a hot oven or pan (or on a hot grill) it will seize up/tighten up and will remain that way, which gives you a much less tender end result. Bringing meat to room temperature will relax it right from the start and everyone will be much happier when it's time to eat!<br />
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The hubby usually makes a homemade rub (recipe <a href="https://www.goaheadtakeabite.com/2011/10/slow-smoked-baby-back-ribs.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>) but on this particular day, he wanted to try the store-bought McCormick brand that happened to catch his eye in the spice aisle, when he went to pick up the meat. If you already have a particular favorite recipe or store-bought rub, by all means, use it!<br />
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2. While the meat is coming up to temperature, prepare the smoker/grill. If you have a smoker (or a gas grill that came with a wood chip compartment), just follow the instructions that came with it.<br />
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For a kettle style grill like ours, please see the section of my <b>Slow Smoked Pork Ribs</b> recipe post, titled: <b><i>Kettle Style Grill Set-Up</i></b> <a href="https://www.goaheadtakeabite.com/2011/10/slow-smoked-baby-back-ribs.html" target="_blank">HERE</a><br />
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<b>3.</b> Once the coals are ready (225°F - or as close to that as you can possibly keep it) take one good-sized handful of the wood chips at a time and squeeze out as much of the water as possible. Spread a handful out over the prepared coals on each side of the grill in a relatively shallow layer and you're ready to replace the upper grill rack.<br />
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<b>4.</b> The Hubbs tends to put the cover back on the grill for a few minutes to get the smoke flowing before he continues.<br />
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<b>5.</b> Place the pork shoulder right in the center of the grill rack, directly over the drip pan. If you have a digital thermometer, place the probe in the thickest part of the roast and set your temperature for 190°F before putting the cover on.<br />
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<b>6.</b> Cover the grill and, well... wait. LOL Pop open a cold one, grab a comfy lawn or patio chair and enjoy the lovely weather OR you can do some work (or play) around the house while the roast is cooking.<br />
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You really can't wander too far away from home because smoking is a method of cooking meat that requires regular attention throughout the cooking process. The coals and the wood chips need to be replenished several times over the 8+ hour period of time that it will take to get that pork to the point where it's falling apart with just a small amount of pressure from a fork or a pair of tongs.<br />
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<b>7.</b> Once the meat is finally done, remove it carefully to a large platter or baking dish, tent it quite loosely with foil and allow it to sit and rest for about 10 - 15 minutes before starting to "pull" it.<br />
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<b>8.</b> Using 2 large forks (or a pair of tongs and a large fork), begin pulling the meat apart into shreds. How thick or thin your shreds are, is really a matter of personal preference. Some people like large chunks and others would rather have it thinly shredded. We do a bit of both so that all of our guests get the type/texture that they prefer.<br />
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<b>9.</b> Serve the pork with split rolls and a few different types of BBQ sauce - we usually make sure to have a selection of sweet, smoky and spicy sauces available and we always put out several bottles from Hubby's hot sauce collection.<br />
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The coleslaw in this post is made with the bagged chopped cabbage and carrot mix that you find in the refrigerated produce section of most major grocery chains. I make my own dressing, but there are quite a few decent bottled versions available these days in that same section of the produce department.<br />
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My Coleslaw Dressing:<br />
(for 2 bags of the cabbage/carrot mix)<br />
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<ul>
<li>1 Cup Real Mayonnaise (I use Hellmann's/Best Foods)</li>
<li>2 Tbls Cider Vinegar</li>
<li>1 Tsp Onion Powder</li>
<li>2 Tsp Superfine Sugar</li>
<li>Salt & Pepper, to taste</li>
<li>1/4 of a Small Yellow Onion, grated & with juices (optional)</li>
<li>1 Tsp Poppy Seeds (optional)</li>
</ul>
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Mix all ingredients well with a whisk to remove any lumps and completely dissolve the sugar. Refrigerate in a tightly covered container until about 15 to 20 minutes before you plan to serve the slaw.<br />
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Place the 2 bags of coleslaw veggies into a large mixing bowl.<br />
Add the dressing and stir well, making sure to coat all of the cabbage/carrots.<br />
Cover and refrigerate in the mixing bowl for 10 to 15 minutes. The slaw will "shrink" down by roughly about 1/4 while it's in the fridge because the dressing wilts the cabbage a bit as it sits - but that process also marries the flavors of the dressing and the vegetables together, so this is a good thing.<br />
When you're ready to eat, you can pour your slaw into a smaller "prettier" bowl if you like but you certainly don't have to. I'm just a tad quirky when it comes to those types of things. LOL<br />
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Many people like to pile their pulled pork sandwich with creamy crunchy slaw, so that's always on the menu around here, but you can add any and all kinds of sides and condiments that you want to, like:<br />
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<ul>
<li>pickles</li>
<li>potato salad </li>
<li>baked beans</li>
<li>pasta/macaroni salad</li>
<li>cornbread</li>
<li>collard greens</li>
<li>tossed green salad</li>
<li>three-bean salad </li>
<li>broccoli salad</li>
<li>or any other side dish/dishes that scream "Summer Barbecue!!!" to you.</li>
</ul>
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<b><i><span style="color: red;">You'll find a post with several of my salad and salad dressing recipes by clicking <a href="https://www.goaheadtakeabite.com/2013/07/12-awesome-summer-salads-plus-salad.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>!</span></i></b><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>Enjoy!</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>Mary</i></span><br />
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Mary Sullivan Frasierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10796241299065062308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8595626797911453964.post-6100603922915224432018-02-03T08:07:00.000-05:002018-02-03T08:07:31.003-05:00Original "Crack Dip" Recipe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I know that we're way behind the trend with this long-time favorite dip, but what can I say? I don't know anyone who can actually keep up with all of the foodie trends out there in real time or as they happen. But, the important thing is that we finally gave it a go and WOW!! are we ever glad that we did. To the very best of my knowledge, we started with the "original" base recipe for this dip, but it goes back a few years in its height of popularity period, so this might taste slightly different than some versions that you might have tasted in the past.<br />
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We've also included some add-ins in this version that may or may not be in keeping with the first variations of the recipe. But, if you've hung around this blog for long, you know that I have a tendency to add my own twist to recipes that I haven't developed myself. 😉<br />
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There are always popular recipes floating around the blogosphere and Pinterest that never quite live up to the hype that surrounds them but this, my friends, is NOT one of them! We quickly learned that this stuff is truly addictive and is one of those recipes that is 100% <b><span style="color: red;">**</span></b>deserving of its name.<br />
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<i><span style="color: red; font-weight: bold;">**</span>I'd like to think that it's automatically understood that we have no first-hand (or any other hand) knowledge of the drug that this dip is named after. But... because we are very much aware of the many ways that things you put up on the interwebs can be misconstrued and/or misrepresented and for those who might not be familiar with us or with this blog and for the sake of clarity, I'll just put </i><i>out </i><i>this statement of fact right here and now for everyone to see. </i><br />
<i><b><br /></b></i> <i>We<b> <span style="color: red;">DO NOT</span> </b>use or have any experience with <span style="color: red; font-weight: bold;">ANY</span> illicit or illegal drugs in this family or in this household and<b> We. Never. Will.</b></i><br />
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So... now that that's out of the way, let's get on with the recipe, shall we?<br />
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<b><u>Original "Crack" Dip</u></b><br />
<i>(Makes approx 5 Cups)</i><br />
<ul>
<li>2 Cans Mexicorn, drained</li>
<li>1 Cup Good Quality Mayonnaise</li>
<li>1 Cup Full Fat Sour Cream</li>
<li>1 Cup Scallions, chopped (<span style="color: magenta;"><b>*</b></span>green parts only)</li>
<li>1 Can Mild Chopped Green Chilies</li>
<li>1/3 Cup <span style="color: red;"><b>**</b></span>Sliced Jalapenos, chopped (optional)</li>
<li>Several shakes of your favorite hot sauce (optional)</li>
<li>8oz Shredded Mexican Cheese Blend (<b>not</b> seasoned)</li>
<li>Tortilla Chips, Crackers, Potato Chips, etc. (for serving)</li>
</ul>
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<b>1.</b> Drain the 2 cans of corn very well and add them to a large bowl. We always use the Green Giant Niblets brand <i>(not sponsored)</i> of either their regular or Mexican style corn because as per their claims, it really isn't "mushy". There's so little liquid in the can that the kernels actually do stay very crisp and closer to fresh corn, straight from the cob.<br />
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<b>2.</b> Add the chopped green chilies and give it a little stir.<br />
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<b>3.</b> Measure out your mayonnaise and add it to the bowl.<br />
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<b>4.</b> Then measure out the sour cream and add it in as well.<br />
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We love the "push-up" style measuring cups, but if you're thinking of getting one (or more) please be sure to buy a good reputable brand like OxO or Pampered Chef <i>(not sponsored)</i> because a tight vacuum seal is important, as is making sure that it will remain that way after continued use. (<i>Semi-solids or liquids seeping out of our measuring cups is something we strive to avoid at all costs.) </i><span style="font-size: large;">🍶</span><br />
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To make sure that these great utensils stay like new, we never put these types of products in the dishwasher - even if they say that they're dishwasher safe right on the utensil<span style="color: inherit; font-size: inherit;">. There are some areas in life where it's good to go off the beaten path and take a chance or two, but I've learned over the years that this rarely applies to cooking utensils.</span><br />
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<b>5.</b> Wash, dry and chop your scallions. Most recipes that include scallions (also called green onions or Spring onions) generally call for the white and light green parts only, but those lighter ends tend to have a more pronounced or sharp onion flavor and can be a bit too strong for this dip. The darker green ends are slightly less harsh but are still quite flavorful and I've found that they don't overpower or fight with the rest of the ingredients.<br />
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<span style="color: magenta;"><b>*</b></span>If you worry that you won't have a use for, or might end up wasting the white and light green parts of the scallions, you can always substitute fresh chives instead. They usually come in smaller bunches and often in those sealed plastic packages that most grocery chains sell these days.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8XrtMiR1Au0/WnKLHM320qI/AAAAAAAAa3g/vyxo_rPhzRkfCQO9q7kI_bj57foD-vorgCLcBGAs/s1600/herb%2Bbags.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="166" data-original-width="590" height="180" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8XrtMiR1Au0/WnKLHM320qI/AAAAAAAAa3g/vyxo_rPhzRkfCQO9q7kI_bj57foD-vorgCLcBGAs/s640/herb%2Bbags.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: Google Images</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Mxu7RVhMVhs/WnKLGzH7zdI/AAAAAAAAa3Y/xV0LtG4owzAXeQZkq8qq8b1FWBw5QNG9wCLcBGAs/s1600/Organic-Herbs-Poultry-Blend-Simple-Truth-570x576.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="570" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Mxu7RVhMVhs/WnKLGzH7zdI/AAAAAAAAa3Y/xV0LtG4owzAXeQZkq8qq8b1FWBw5QNG9wCLcBGAs/s400/Organic-Herbs-Poultry-Blend-Simple-Truth-570x576.jpg" width="395" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: Google Images</td></tr>
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<span style="color: red;"><b>**</b></span> Please note: If you plan to add the jalapenos to your dip, make sure that you use either fresh peppers that you slice and remove the seeds from; or if you're in an area where decent fresh produce just isn't as available during some of the colder months, you can use jarred jalapenos. Just make sure to buy the jalapenos that are packed in nothing more than water (and often a bit of salt). The pickled variety is great for lots of applications but will add a sour note to this dip that just doesn't work well with the rest of the ingredients.</div>
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<b>6.</b> Before you add the cheese, mix the first few ingredients together until they're very well blended. I find it's best to use a silicone, wood or metal spoon as opposed to a whisk because the whisk tends to gather up the kernels of corn and the scallions into its center and then you have to scrape them out or bang the whisk on the edge of the bowl, which can get very messy. <i>(If you're skeptical about that little fact, just ask my hubby! lol)</i><br />
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You can slice your scallions the way we did, or you can mince them up very finely. It's all about personal preferences. I like the corn and the scallions to be roughly around the same size in this dip, simply because I prefer a more chunky texture when I'm serving a dip with something as substantial as a tortilla chip. I also find that it adds a certain balance to the overall flavor of the finished dip.</div>
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<b>7.</b> Next, add your shredded cheese. Again, it's really a personal preference thing and I just happen to prefer the more finely shredded style for dips, but of course, you can certainly use the thicker shreds if you like that better. I wait until the last step to add the cheese because I can fold it in gently to keep it from gathering into clumps.<br />
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In our house, we usually have to make "split batches" of certain recipes because as some of you already know, my beloved hubby is a serious fan of any and all things <i>caliente</i> and I am most definitely... not. I've joked with him for years that he has an asbestos tongue. Ha! 👅<br />
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You can always make a single batch with or without the heat if you know that everyone who'll be partaking in this highly addictive dip has the same tolerance for spiciness, but from here on out in this post, you'll see that we've separated our dip into two bowls.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-adfhrEnOvIg/WJAi1ayQVPI/AAAAAAAAXXg/oQtsYhj_Qk0uVOgLz1I-j_8SvCFHTvyGwCEw/s1600/27513039976_d179340607_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-adfhrEnOvIg/WJAi1ayQVPI/AAAAAAAAXXg/oQtsYhj_Qk0uVOgLz1I-j_8SvCFHTvyGwCEw/s640/27513039976_d179340607_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Splitting it up for a large crowd of people does have its upside though. That way, if you have certain friends who enjoy hot or spicy things and others who don't - you've got both palates covered and everyone can enjoy this amazing dip!<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HNdYETnLNas/WJAi0EmLTEI/AAAAAAAAXXw/da4Lwf3Oe5cVuAsrTaeT2RxRPLDWoBFuQCEw/s1600/27475378841_791a2d7c7d_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HNdYETnLNas/WJAi0EmLTEI/AAAAAAAAXXw/da4Lwf3Oe5cVuAsrTaeT2RxRPLDWoBFuQCEw/s640/27475378841_791a2d7c7d_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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As you can see in the photos (above and below) not only does my hubby like to add jalapenos... he also shakes in a healthy dose of one of the many varieties of hot sauce that we keep on hand at all times. The brand that he chooses varies from dish to dish, depending on the flavor that he feels will best suit the other ingredients. Trust me when I say that he is well known amongst our family and friends as a true connoisseur of hot sauces. 💥💣<br />
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<b>8.</b> Place the finished dip in an air-tight container and refrigerate for at least thirty minutes to an hour to allow all of the flavors to meld. When it's party time, you can spoon it into more festive bowls and serve it with a huge bowl (or two) of your favorite brand of tortilla chips, crackers, potato chips etc. and enjoy!<br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">Tip:</span></b> If you are having a party or group of people over, you really might want to double this recipe. When I said this is a highly addictive dip, I wasn't kidding! The first time we ever made it, we learned quickly why it's called "crack dip"!<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>Enjoy!</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Mary</span><br />
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Mary Sullivan Frasierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10796241299065062308noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8595626797911453964.post-474609448553203442017-11-21T12:27:00.000-05:002017-11-21T16:40:55.876-05:00Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8U4UVgqE4dc/VlHRtBufW7I/AAAAAAAATWc/70n4gELTHyI/s1600/Thanksgiving%2B2015%2BHeader.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="620" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8U4UVgqE4dc/VlHRtBufW7I/AAAAAAAATWc/70n4gELTHyI/s620/Thanksgiving%2B2015%2BHeader.png" width="455" /></a></div>
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Looking for some last minute sides for your turkey and stuffing? Or, maybe you're looking for help about how to roast your very first Thanksgiving bird. Either way, you'll find recipes for everything you'll need from salad to dessert in the links below. Since this is just a sampling of the hundreds of recipes on this blog, you can also take a peek in the sidebar to the right to see if there are any goodies there that might fit into your holiday menu and you can use the search feature at the top right side of this page to look for more specific ideas.<br />
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Just click on the titles above any of the photos below and you'll be taken right to the recipe for that dish, including step by step photos and directions!<br />
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If you decide to make any of the dishes that I'm showcasing here, I'd love to see a photo of <i><b>your</b></i> masterpiece! You can share it with me on the<br />
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By posting to the page, "atting" (@) me or by using the hashtags <b><span style="color: #38761d;">#GATABthanksgiving</span></b> <b><span style="color: red;">#GATABholidays</span></b> or <b><span style="color: orange;">#GATABrecipes</span></b>.<br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>Enjoy!!</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">and have a <b><i>Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving</i>!</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><u><b><i>Appetizers and Salads</i></b></u></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.goaheadtakeabite.com/2013/11/autumn-harvest-salad-with-chicken-and.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Autumn Harvest Salad w/ Cider Vinaigrette</span></b></a></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ORY4cnWov8I/WQOzE2pvCII/AAAAAAAAYac/wBANhjwtlZo_e8dzO7lzHqGKgxoS96I7wCLcB/s1600/100_9696.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ORY4cnWov8I/WQOzE2pvCII/AAAAAAAAYac/wBANhjwtlZo_e8dzO7lzHqGKgxoS96I7wCLcB/s640/100_9696.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.goaheadtakeabite.com/2014/03/roasted-cauliflower-garlic-bruschetta.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Roasted Cauliflower and Garlic Bruschetta</span></b></a></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7w5prcfF4IQ/WQO0eqntm1I/AAAAAAAAYao/sOhyvmVyuS0vwleLRqYF9cJkNb1fJJ0-QCLcB/s1600/103_0099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7w5prcfF4IQ/WQO0eqntm1I/AAAAAAAAYao/sOhyvmVyuS0vwleLRqYF9cJkNb1fJJ0-QCLcB/s640/103_0099.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u><a href="http://www.goaheadtakeabite.com/2011/04/seasonal-food-friday.html" target="_blank">Asparagus Wraps (Two Ways)</a></u></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MDGWqgBJeSE/WhRU-NIsrxI/AAAAAAAAadA/oeuvhP0gKfwfz0It9RoA4D0m59yBL8SCACEwYBhgL/s1600/Asparagus%2BTwo%2BWays.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MDGWqgBJeSE/WhRU-NIsrxI/AAAAAAAAadA/oeuvhP0gKfwfz0It9RoA4D0m59yBL8SCACEwYBhgL/s640/Asparagus%2BTwo%2BWays.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><u><b><i>The Bird</i></b></u></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.goaheadtakeabite.com/2014/11/perfect-roasted-turkey-with-brining.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Perfect Roasted Turkey (with Brining)</span></b></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cFLPw1QB-78/VlI80e50CHI/AAAAAAAATeA/Plkvl9RIO7s/s1600/Roasted%2BTurkey%2Bw%2BBrining.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="484" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cFLPw1QB-78/VlI80e50CHI/AAAAAAAATeA/Plkvl9RIO7s/s640/Roasted%2BTurkey%2Bw%2BBrining.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><u><b><i>Sides</i></b></u></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.goaheadtakeabite.com/2014/11/roasted-butternut-squash-puree.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Roasted Butternut Squash Puree</span></b></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6ZHcQuCXfHI/VlI8ff5dVqI/AAAAAAAATd0/oIMdVgtJty4/s1600/Roasted%2BButternut%2BSquash%2BPuree%2BHeader.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6ZHcQuCXfHI/VlI8ff5dVqI/AAAAAAAATd0/oIMdVgtJty4/s640/Roasted%2BButternut%2BSquash%2BPuree%2BHeader.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.goaheadtakeabite.com/2013/12/cheesy-broccoli-gratin.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Cheesy Broccoli Gratin</span></b></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yMdeVAIrDLc/VlI6JBE0ySI/AAAAAAAATdk/hclRs-2dvKo/s1600/Broccoli%2BGratin%2BPic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="484" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yMdeVAIrDLc/VlI6JBE0ySI/AAAAAAAATdk/hclRs-2dvKo/s640/Broccoli%2BGratin%2BPic.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><a href="http://www.goaheadtakeabite.com/2011/12/brussels-sprouts-with-fig-balsamic-and.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Brussels Sprouts with Fig Balsamic and Pancetta</span></a></b></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fw0t9cj0KdQ/WhG0hUub72I/AAAAAAAAaao/kYqEBQLxioI21JNOv636suL1nZO7SnA4wCLcBGAs/s1600/Sprouts%2Bwith%2BFig%2BBalsamic.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fw0t9cj0KdQ/WhG0hUub72I/AAAAAAAAaao/kYqEBQLxioI21JNOv636suL1nZO7SnA4wCLcBGAs/s640/Sprouts%2Bwith%2BFig%2BBalsamic.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.goaheadtakeabite.com/2013/03/mashed-potatoes-with-parsnips-and-leeks.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Mashed Potatoes with Parsnips</span></b></a></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b-yNGr62gYQ/WhLN7LCvXlI/AAAAAAAAaa4/nw3BVXdWt0gyLUPyOYv4xljd9WmBZD7yQCLcBGAs/s1600/Mashed%2BPotatoes%2Band%2BParsnips.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b-yNGr62gYQ/WhLN7LCvXlI/AAAAAAAAaa4/nw3BVXdWt0gyLUPyOYv4xljd9WmBZD7yQCLcBGAs/s640/Mashed%2BPotatoes%2Band%2BParsnips.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u><a href="http://www.goaheadtakeabite.com/2013/05/the-side-board-steakhouse-spinach.html" target="_blank">Steakhouse Spinach (Creamed Spinach)</a></u></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K9YUiYQoUVo/WhRasGlQfyI/AAAAAAAAadQ/hRlVxG1gMGYRUyczpVDyGTArsQ0wsuOEgCLcBGAs/s1600/Steakhouse%2BSpinach%2Bfinished.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="789" data-original-width="940" height="536" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K9YUiYQoUVo/WhRasGlQfyI/AAAAAAAAadQ/hRlVxG1gMGYRUyczpVDyGTArsQ0wsuOEgCLcBGAs/s640/Steakhouse%2BSpinach%2Bfinished.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.goaheadtakeabite.com/2013/03/lyonnaise-potatoes-great-for-easter.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Gooey Buttery Lyonnaise Potatoes</span></b></a></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-33Wskp9V73Q/WhLQZYaQDII/AAAAAAAAabE/gYlugiPjp2sThcLmn46zHnKAPX7NMXQngCLcBGAs/s1600/Labeled%2BLyonnaise%2BPotatoes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="465" data-original-width="620" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-33Wskp9V73Q/WhLQZYaQDII/AAAAAAAAabE/gYlugiPjp2sThcLmn46zHnKAPX7NMXQngCLcBGAs/s640/Labeled%2BLyonnaise%2BPotatoes.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u><a href="http://www.goaheadtakeabite.com/2012/03/roasted-vegetable-couscous.html" target="_blank">Roasted Vegetable Couscous</a></u></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0kgswtSuafI/WhRg-uM7wzI/AAAAAAAAado/nSpr0U1gmz4p1taBd20IfvZR4kavqw8QQCLcBGAs/s1600/Roasted%2BVeggie%2BCouscous%2Bfinished.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="789" data-original-width="940" height="536" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0kgswtSuafI/WhRg-uM7wzI/AAAAAAAAado/nSpr0U1gmz4p1taBd20IfvZR4kavqw8QQCLcBGAs/s640/Roasted%2BVeggie%2BCouscous%2Bfinished.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.goaheadtakeabite.com/2012/04/oven-roasted-herbed-potatoes.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Oven Roasted Herbed Potatoes</span></b></a></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aieiB72JZ8I/WhLkEKT8zFI/AAAAAAAAabw/pll8RVQmpzYa02MZoxqeBdYaFKu81ojVQCLcBGAs/s1600/Oven%2BRoasted%2BHerbed%2BPotatoes.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="789" data-original-width="940" height="536" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aieiB72JZ8I/WhLkEKT8zFI/AAAAAAAAabw/pll8RVQmpzYa02MZoxqeBdYaFKu81ojVQCLcBGAs/s640/Oven%2BRoasted%2BHerbed%2BPotatoes.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><u><b><i>Desserts</i></b></u></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.goaheadtakeabite.com/2015/10/nanas-apple-pie-last-apple-pie-recipe.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Nana's Apple Pie</span></b></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ftvwg5pO21E/VlI8fe5283I/AAAAAAAATdw/o5bCMSDjhzs/s1600/103_0525.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ftvwg5pO21E/VlI8fe5283I/AAAAAAAATdw/o5bCMSDjhzs/s640/103_0525.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.goaheadtakeabite.com/2012/09/chocolate-chip-pb-bars.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Chocolate Chip PB&J Bars</span></b></a></div>
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<br />Mary Sullivan Frasierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10796241299065062308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8595626797911453964.post-57497700007190729002017-10-02T18:35:00.001-04:002017-10-02T18:35:43.497-04:00Chicken Paprikash<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is such an easy dish to make and is so delicious, I honestly don't know why I don't make it a lot more often. It is rich and full-bodied, but not as high in fat or calories as you might think. If you're really concerned about fat grams, you can always use a low-fat or no-fat sour cream, or even plain yogurt in its place. In a dish this flavorful, I doubt that you'd notice a difference.<br />
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It's one of the hubber's favorite chicken dishes and let's face it... it's downright comfort food. To be honest, I love just about anything that you can serve over buttered noodles or rice. I often think that love of <i>"protein plus sauce over starch"</i> could have a lot to do with my age and the era that I grew up in. The 60's and 70's were a transformational period in regard to women's roles in the family and it affected how they handled the day to day care and feeding of their families pretty dramatically. All of these new "career women" suddenly found themselves juggling the kids, the household duties and their newest responsibility... a job. Jobs took working moms out of the home for anywhere from a couple of hours to a full 9 to 5 day - but as fate would have it, something new and innovative sprung up out of these changes. It was the foundation of the concept of "quick and easy weeknight cooking".<br />
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New ideas from brands like Betty Crocker and Campbell's Soup company allowed women to be able to toss a handful of pantry staples together and pour them all into a buttered baking dish (or a bit later on a crockpot), which helped to free up a lot of precious time for moms who were either going back to school, into the workforce or just beginning to work outside of the home. As buttered noodles and rice and one of the newest sensations, "instant potatoes" became the base for all kinds of oven-baked casseroles and crock-pot concoctions, women gained more time to pursue a career, attend those PTA & scout troop meetings or the kid's sporting events and still know they were feeding their families a hearty, tasty and usually pretty affordable meal.<br />
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You can certainly serve rice or mashed potatoes with this dish, but the usual or traditional Hungarian accompaniment for many meat dishes is generally served with <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sp%C3%A4tzle" target="_blank">spätzle</a></span>, a noodle-like dumpling that has been a traditional staple for centuries in countries like Hungary, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, etc. It also happens to be a particular favorite of mine, but I have yet to attempt it in my own kitchen.<br />
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One of the best parts about Paprikash is that it has only a few ingredients that are readily available and with the pretty consistent weekly sales that we see these days on chicken in most local grocery chains, it can be quite affordable. The recipe is quick and easy and most important of all, it really is <b>delicious</b>!<br />
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Remember to always do your prep work first. It saves so much on time and it helps you coordinate your main dish and your sides, so it's more likely that everything will be ready at the same time.</div>
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<b><u>Chicken Paprikash</u></b><br />
(Serves 4)<br />
<ul>
<li>4 Boneless Chicken Breasts (sliced in half lengthwise)</li>
<li>1 Large Onion, minced</li>
<li>1 Cup Chicken Stock or Broth</li>
<li>1/4 Cup Dry White Wine or Dry Vermouth</li>
<li>1 Cup Sour Cream (or Plain Yogurt)</li>
<li>4 Tbls Butter</li>
<li>1/8 Cup Sweet Hungarian Paprika (see <span style="color: red;">***</span>Notes below)</li>
<li>Kosher Salt</li>
<li>Freshly Ground Black Pepper</li>
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If you're working with standard sized chicken breasts, start by cutting them in half lengthwise. This will help them to cook more quickly and evenly and stretch the recipe to feed more people and/or have yummy leftovers for lunch the next day. You can always purchase 8 thin sliced chicken breast cutlets to save more time, but I've been doing this for so long, it only takes me a minute. (And as I always say.... it's very important to have well-sharpened knives on hand in your kitchen. A properly sharpened knife is much less dangerous than a dull one.)<br />
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Season the chicken breasts on both sides with salt & pepper.<br />
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Peel and chop the onion pretty finely. It's OK if you don't end up with perfectly symmetrical cubes of onion like the professional chefs do. Just try to keep the pieces as close in size as you can to ensure even cooking.<br />
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I'll do a small dice to start and then I'll reduce the dice even more to get the size that I'm looking for.<br />
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This results in a more smoothly textured sauce in the finished dish, so that ensures that nobody is chomping on big chunks of onion. Of course, it also helps speed up the cooking time. ⏰<br />
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You can start with 2 tablespoons of butter to saute the chicken and save the other 2 tablespoons as needed to cook your second batch and your onions, but I just throw it all in at once and I usually have plenty of butter left in the pan to take me the whole way through.<br />
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Cook the chicken over medium-high heat, turning several times until each breast is a nice golden brown on both sides. Turning the meat often also helps to the butter from burning. You don't have to cook the meat all the way through at this point, as you'll be putting it back in the pan again in a few minutes. You can test for doneness using the chart below. (for the purpose of this recipe, somewhere between a #3 a #4 on the chart is perfect at this point)<br />
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I always use the finger test to see whether or not the chicken is cooked all the way through. If you've never tested the doneness of meat this way and want to know exactly what you're looking for, see the chart below. This works with all meats and in my opinion, when it comes to chicken, you want the end result to be between #4 and #5 at the thickest part of the breast. (or thigh, if you are using those instead)<br />
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Once it's golden brown, remove chicken to a plate and set it aside. Add your onions to the same pan and saute' them over medium to medium-high heat until they're just translucent. Stir the onions frequently to prevent them from browning too much and scrape up the brown bits (the French call this fond) on the bottom of the pan.<br />
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You probably won't need to add any more butter after removing the chicken, but if you find the pan to be a bit dry, just add another teaspoon or two of butter - or even a bit of light olive or vegetable oil.<br />
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When the onions are translucent, pour in the wine or vermouth and stir very well, scraping up any remaining brown bits from the bottom of the pan. There's a lot of flavor in that fond!<br />
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You don't want the wine/vermouth to reduce too much at this point. One to two minutes at the most should be long enough before moving on to the next step.<br />
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Add in the Sweet Hungarian Paprika and stir well to combine.<br />
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<span style="color: red;">***</span>Note: It's preferable to use a good quality Sweet Hungarian Paprika for this dish. The "generic" paprika that you find in standard bottles or jars in the seasonings section of your grocery store, is often less flavorful, sometimes a tad bitter and not much good for anything besides decorating deviled eggs and potato salad. There are a couple of brands that will do in a pinch, but we try not to use them unless we haven't been able to find our preferred brand. (which happened to be the case when I prepared this recipe)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">This looks like it's the original, but we've only been able to find it on Amazon.UK</span></b></td></tr>
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The original brand that we've purchased for years had only the word "Szeged" at the top of the tin and underneath it, the words "Sweet (or Hot) Hungarian Paprika". It also said right on the tin that it was imported from Hungary. Authentic Hungarian paprika is made from drying and then grinding high quality sweet or hot Hungarian grown bell peppers into a powder, with nothing else (like fillers or preservatives) added. Our brand mysteriously disappeared from the grocery store shelves a few years ago and for quite a while we've had to resort to buying slightly higher-end American made brands, such as McCormick.<br />
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There is a particular brand that has shown up recently on Amazon and in several grocery chains and WalMart that's called Pride of Szeged (below), but there's been some controversy surrounding this brand because it doesn't say anywhere on the tin that its imported from Hungary. The tin looks <b>very</b> similar to the "authentic" brand, but having used that one for many years, we can tell that this doesn't taste quite the same or have the same fresh sweet bell pepper aroma of the original. They also tend to charge the same slightly higher price as the imported stuff and if I'm not getting the "real deal" then I have no desire to spend the extra cash on it.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Is this an impostor?</span></b></td></tr>
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Anyway.... Let's get on with this recipe, shall we?<br />
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Allow the paprika to cook with the butter, wine and onion mixture for a minute or two, to bring out its full flavor and aroma. This would also be a good time to put the water on to boil for your egg noodles. (or for you to prepare your rice, etc.)<br />
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Add the chicken pieces (and any juices that have accumulated on the plate - lots of flavor in those juices, folks - back to the pan and turn it several times to coat it thoroughly with the onions, the wine and the paprika.<br />
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Pour in the chicken stock and continue to turn the chicken over a few more times to coat it with the sauce again.<br />
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Add your noodles to your boiling water and cook according to the package directions. We like our egg noodles the same way that we like all types of pasta... al dente'.<br />
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Let the chicken simmer in the sauce for 2 to 3 more minutes to allow it to finish cooking thoroughly.<br />
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Remove the chicken to the plate again and cover it with a bit of foil to keep it nice and warm while you're finishing the sauce.</div>
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Making sure that your heat is no higher than medium, add in the sour cream and stir in with a spatula or a whisk to combine it completely. You generally don't want to boil a sauce that has sour cream or yogurt in it. This can cause the sauce to separate.<br />
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You want the sauce to be a solid coral/rusty red shade, without any streaks of white left in it.<br />
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Once the sauce is fully combined, add the chicken pieces back to the pan (don't forget those juices from the plate!) and turn it a few times to coat it well with the sauce. You can also spoon some of the sauce over the chicken to coat it thoroughly.<br />
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You can't really tell from the photo, but there were a few tiny bubbles in the sauce popping up here and there as it was coming back up to temperature up after the addition of the sour cream. This isn't going to hurt the sauce at this point. Just be sure to turn the heat down a bit more if the bubbling starts to increase.</div>
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Turn the heat down to the lowest setting on your cooktop and partially cover the pan while you butter your cooked and drained noodles or fluffed rice. If I happen to have some fresh flat leaf parsley on hand, I'll sometimes chop a bit of it up and add it to the noodles, just for a little pop of freshness and color. As you can see, I was too hungry and too impatient to do that on the night that I prepared this. LOL<br />
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How you serve the finished Paprikash is totally up to you. You can plate up your noodles and chicken individually or you can arrange everything on a large deep platter if you prefer and serve it "family style" at the table. Just make sure to spoon plenty of the delicious sauce over everything and if there's any left in the pan, be sure to pour it into a small bowl or pitcher to pass at the table.<br />
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Serve your masterpiece right away while it's piping hot and of course... enjoy!<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Enjoy!</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>Mary</i></span><br />
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Mary Sullivan Frasierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10796241299065062308noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8595626797911453964.post-54480690775543152142017-04-11T11:14:00.000-04:002017-09-25T11:41:06.896-04:00Classic Chicken Piccata<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I remember my first experience with "piccata" and I'm sad to say that it wasn't a very good one. It was a veal piccata dish, made by an old friend who had invited us to dinner back in the late 70's or very early 80's. It wasn't because it was veal. I like veal. To be totally honest, I have a love/hate relationship with it. I enjoy it immensely (when it's prepared properly) and ground veal also happens to be a very integral ingredient in my meatball recipe. The only "down" side to veal, is that I have to take my emotions completely out of the equation whenever I eat it. It's kind of like the whole venison/Bambi thing. I only get it in certain restaurants and I have to trick my mind into not thinking that I'm eating, well.... you know. Let's just let it go at that, right? I think we'd all have a better rest of the day. 😳<br />
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Now, don't get me wrong... I'm not saying that my friend was a bad cook. On the contrary, I think she did a good job with the meals that I'd had before at her table. This time, however, was a bit of a disaster. The oil and butter that she cooked the meat in, never got up to the proper temperature and whenever you cook with fats or oils, that just isn't a good thing - especially when it's been coated with flour or breadcrumbs. The coating just soaks up the oil like a sponge and unfortunately, I don't think she knew it would continue to do so, because she just kept adding more. The veal became quite tough and chewy and the normally lightly browned outer coating was... well, not.<br />
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We were all very polite that night and tried to act like we loved the meal, but I found out from other friends who were dining that night, that I wasn't the only one who was clandestinely spitting each bite into my napkin. I've often wondered if she noticed and just let it go, to avoid embarrassment on all sides.<br />
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I suppose I should have thanked her really, because I learned something from that experience about what <b>not</b> to do. The result of that dinner (or maybe I should call it a lesson) ended up being two-fold. A) I learned to never add meat to a pan that hasn't come up to temperature and B) when it comes to piccata, I decided that I'd just stick with chicken.<br />
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I promise that my recipe will come out just right every time, because I've made it many, many times over the years and perfected it in the process. It's a very lovely Northern Italian staple and it also happens to be one of our favorites.<br />
<b><i><br /></i></b><b><i><span style="color: red;">*The recipe I'm giving you will serve 4 people, but I had only two chicken breasts in the freezer the day that I decided to photograph the meal for the blog and I cut one rather large breast in half to facilitate even cooking, so you'll see only three pieces in the photos.</span></i></b><br />
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<b><u>Classic Chicken Picatta</u></b><br />
Serves 4 - (can easily be doubled)<br />
<ul>
<li>4 Boneless Chicken Breasts, thinly sliced or pounded</li>
<li>3/4 Cup All Purpose Flour</li>
<li>2 Tbls Capers, rinsed</li>
<li>4 Tbls Butter, divided</li>
<li>2 Cups Chicken Stock or Broth</li>
<li>1/2 Cup Dry Vermouth</li>
<li>1/4 Fresh Lemon Juice</li>
<li>2 Tsp Kosher Salt</li>
<li>1 Tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper</li>
<li>1 Tsp Italian Seasoning</li>
<li>Zest from 1 Lg Lemon (2 Tbls)</li>
<li>Light Olive or Vegetable Oil</li>
<li>Fresh Chopped Parsley, for garnish</li>
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If you're using whole chicken breasts, you'll need to butterfly them, cut them in half or pound them down to about a quarter of an inch thickness so that they'll cook evenly and quickly. <b><i><span style="color: red;">*See my note above. </span></i></b><br />
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As I say in all of my recipes, it's important to have as much of your "prep work" done before you start to cook. I don't do it just for the photo op. It really makes the entire cooking process go much more smoothly. So, take a few minutes to zest and squeeze your lemon(s). Have all of your seasonings and flour ready to go in a container that will fit the size of the meat you're dredging in it. If there are wet ingredients like the vermouth and chicken stock in this dish, have them all measured out as well. Also rinse things like capers and drain them, so that you can just toss them in when the time comes. You get the drift.<br />
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I will often mix my dry seasonings together and put them into a tiny prep bowl or one of the funky little spoons that I collect. (like the one shown in the photo above)<br />
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As you can see in the photo, I make sure that the flour or breadcrumbs being used to coat or to dredge meats or vegetables is always seasoned, even when I've seasoned the food itself. Seasoning is all about layers, my friends!<br />
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Capers are one of those ingredients that's kind of an acquired taste and if you know from experience that you just don't like them, you can leave them out. That being said, if they're something that you've never tried, please do give them a chance. They're an integral part of piccata and they get a bad rep because many cooks don't take the time to rinse and drain them before adding them to a dish. They usually come packed in jars filled with a salty and/or vinegary brine and that can add a bit too much pungency to a dish if they're just dumped in straight from the jar.<br />
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Season both sides of the chicken liberally with the salt, pepper and Italian seasoning mixture.<br />
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Add any remaining seasoning to the flour. If you don't have any left after seasoning the meat, you can just add the seasonings one by one or make up another slightly smaller bowl of them and add them into the dredging dish or plate.<br />
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Give the flour and seasoning mixture a good stir to incorporate them well. You don't want any small pockets of overly seasoned flour and large areas that are not seasoned a all.<br />
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Using your very clean hands or a pair of tongs, dip each piece of chicken into the flour mixture, turning it over as needed until the chicken is nicely coated. Some people like to use a two step, or wet dry process here. This is when you dip or soak the meat in question in an egg wash or buttermilk, etc. before you add it to the dry ingredients, whether that's flour or breadcrumbs. (or both in some cases) I don't feel this is necessary this time, simply because I don't really care for a thick crust on my chicken piccata.<br />
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Try not to have any "bald patches" on the meat, so if you're making a larger batch and you run out of your dredge, just add an appropriate amount of flour and your seasonings to the dish and continue the dredging process. Put the coated chicken pieces onto a plate or sheet of waxed paper until you're done with all of them and your pan is ready to start cooking. You also want to make sure to hang onto any leftover flour mixture for later use in this dish. (<b><i><span style="color: purple;">**</span><span style="color: purple;">this is specific to this recipe, because it will be used in a way that it will continue to be cooked for a while after it's second use.</span></i></b>)<br />
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<i><span style="color: purple;"><b><span style="color: red;">**</span>If you aren't going to be using a dredge mixture in a way that it will be cooked longer during the course of the recipe, do not ever save a mixture that raw meat has touched for later use. It has been "cross contaminated" at this point and would cause illness to anyone who ate food that was prepared with it.</b></span></i><br />
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Add about two teaspoons of light olive or vegetable oil to a large skillet that is preheating over a medium high flame.<br />
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Once the oil is distributed well in the skillet and is heated to the point where it is sizzling, you can start adding your chicken to it.<br />
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Cook the chicken, turning it frequently until it is nicely browned on each side and cooked all the way through. This shouldn't take more than about 3 (maybe 4) minutes per side when the chicken breasts are this thin.<br />
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If it looks like the flour is starting to get too dark, too quickly or it starts to smoke, turn the heat down a couple of notches to medium or even medium low for the remainder of the cooking time.<br />
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Once the chicken is cooked through, remove it to a clean plate and cover lightly with foil to keep it warm. Maintaining (or returning to) a medium to medium high heat, add in the lemon juice and stir it around with a spatula, scraping up any browned bits and thickened juices (called fond by the French) from the bottom of the skillet.<br />
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You'll see that the bottom of the skillet is "clear" of pretty much all of the fond.<br />
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Continue cooking and stirring occasionally, until the lemon juice has reduced slightly.<br />
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Add in the dry vermouth (or white wine) and reduce that by about 1/3rd.<br />
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Add in the 1/2 of the lemon zest...<br />
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...and the capers. Stir or gently swirl the pan to incorporate both.<br />
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If you aren't seeing small bubbles around the edges of the skillet, you'll need to turn the heat up a tiny bit until you do.<br />
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Take about a tablespoon of the reserved seasoned flour mixture and add it to the skillet.<br />
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Stir the flour into the liquid in the pan until it is the consistency of heavy cream. Keep stirring it for about a minute to cook out any "raw" flour taste.<br />
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At this point, slowly pour in about 2/3 of the chicken stock.<br />
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Set the remaining stock aside for a few minutes.<br />
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Return the chicken pieces to the skillet.<br />
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Make sure to get any juices that have accumulated on the plate. Those juices are pretty much "liquid gold" because they have a lot of flavor in them!<br />
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Continue to cook the chicken, turning it over from time to time to coat it in the sauce and heat it back through. (no more than 2 to 3 minutes)<br />
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The liquid in the skillet is going to continue to reduce and thicken during this time, so that's why you'll need that reserved 1/3rd of the stock.<br />
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Add the rest of the stock and continue cooking and turning the chicken in the sauce that's forming.<br />
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Next, add the second 1/2 of the lemon zest and stir well. This will add a nice kick of fresh lemon to the sauce that will have dissipated while it's cooked for a while.<br />
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After cooking for a about 2 more minutes and once the chicken is heated back through, remove it from the pan to a warm platter or individual plates and serve right away.<br />
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We love to have long cooking jasmati rice with this dish, but you can serve it with your own favorite type of rice, buttered noodles, potatoes - or whatever you like best. If you're avoiding or cutting back on carb intake, serve it over a bed of sauteed spinach or alongside your favorite veggies. No matter what you decide to serve it with, once you've tried it, I think you'll want to make it again and again. It's a bit addictive. 😊<br />
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Enjoy!
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>Mary
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="color: orange;">Don't forget that you can print this (or any) recipe using the</span></i> </span><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;">"Print Friendly"</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <i><span style="color: orange;">button at the foot of each post. It's a great little feature that </span><span style="color: #cc0000;">allows you to remove any pictures</span><span style="color: orange;"> (or </span><span style="color: #cc0000;">any text</span><span style="color: orange;"> that isn't relevant to the recipe) </span><span style="color: #cc0000;">before printing</span><span style="color: orange;">. That can save on ink and paper & in today's economy, who doesn't want to save a little cash when you can?!</span></i></span></b><br />
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<br />Mary Sullivan Frasierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10796241299065062308noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8595626797911453964.post-63299756638217330202017-02-19T13:43:00.001-05:002019-06-29T12:16:55.595-04:00Grilled Churrasco Skirt Steak With Chimichurri (Plus BONUS VIDEO!)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's not likely that skirt steak would really be on the same tenderness scale as say, filet mignon... But, ask people who've had it (cooked properly, of course) to rate it's flavor on a scale from 1 to 10 and I'd bet you plenty that 99.9% of the card-carrying carnivores on the planet would happily answer that it's an absolute 10. <i>(or maybe even higher!)</i><br />
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We've made this particular steak recipe from <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/chefs/daisy-martinez.html" target="_blank">Daisy Martinez</a> many times since we first tried it last Summer and I have to say that it's one of the most delicious cuts of beef I've ever tasted. I won't lie...because it comes from a more muscular part of the cow, it does have a texture that's a tiny bit chewy, but not at all in a bad way. Just imagine the texture of perfectly smoked ribs... yeah, it's something like that. It's definitely the type of steak that has to be sliced against the grain, similar to flank steak or tri-tip, but it's not too expensive and the incredible flavor will satisfy even the pickiest of "steak connoisseurs".<br />
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...And then there's the Chimichurri sauce that tops this steak. It's the perfect compliment to a rich cut of beef like skirt steak. And Daisy uses an amazing little trick that I'd never seen before, that is meant to add extra tenderness to the meat and I kid you not... it works like a charm!<br />
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<i><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">As a little bonus</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">, </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">especially for all of my very dear friends who've stuck around and have never given up on me through all of my unannounced (and often extra long) absences from the blogosphere, I've faced one of my biggest fears - making my own demonstration video) included a bonus video showing you how, after years of trial and error, I figured</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"> out </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">the way to</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>saute the perfect mushrooms </b>to</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">serve alongside steak or other dishes.</span></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">You can check out that post, complete with the bonus video (made by yours truly!) by clicking ➞<a href="http://www.goaheadtakeabite.com/2017/02/how-to-saute-mushrooms-perfectly-every.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>.</span><br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Churrasco Skirt Steak</span></u></b><br />
By: <a href="http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/daisy-martinez/grilled-skirt-steak-churrasco.html" target="_blank">Daisy Martinez</a><br />
(Serves 4)<br />
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<b><u>FOR THE STEAK:</u></b><br />
<ul>
<li>2 skirt steaks (about 1Lb each), trimmed of fat and cut in half, crosswise</li>
<li>Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper</li>
<li>1 teaspoon onion powder</li>
<li>4 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar <i>(I prefer red)</i></li>
<li>1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil</li>
</ul>
<b>1)</b> Rub a generous amount of salt and pepper into both sides of the steaks. Rub the onion powder into the steaks, dividing it evenly. Put the steaks into a baking dish or container that holds them comfortably.<br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b><u>(Now for Daisy's awesome tenderness trick!)</u></b></span></i><br />
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<b>2)</b> Placing your thumb over the top of the bottle to control the flow, sprinkle the (approx) 2 tablespoons of vinegar over the steaks and brush lightly with the olive oil. Allow the steaks to marinate for up to 30 minutes at room temperature, or refrigerate in a tightly covered dish for up to 2 days. I won't go into the science behind doing this step, but trust me, it's amazing what a difference it makes with your tougher cuts of meat!<br />
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<b>3)</b> Heat your grill to medium-high, or if cooking your steaks indoors on the top of the stove, place a large grill pan over medium-high heat. Grill the steaks, turning only once, to the desired doneness. Remove from the grill and let rest 5 to 10 minutes, loosely covered with some foil. Slice the steaks thinly <i><b>against</b></i> the grain just before serving. Drizzle some of the chimichurri over the steaks and pass the rest separately.<br />
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<b><u>FOR THE CHIMICHURRI:</u></b><br />
<ul>
<li>1/4 cup red wine vinegar</li>
<li>Salt and freshly ground black pepper</li>
<li>1 heaping teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional</li>
<li>4 cups flat-leaf parsley (from about 1 large bunch)</li>
<li>1/2 cup fresh oregano (not in Daisy's recipe so this is optional)</li>
<li>6 cloves garlic</li>
<li>1/2 to 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil</li>
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In a food processor, pulse the parsley and garlic until finely chopped. (Also add the oregano, if you decide to try it)<br />
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Scrape them into a bowl and stir in the olive oil and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. You can add some red pepper flakes, for a spicy chimichurri. <i>(We didn't because unlike my beloved, I have very wimpy taste buds)</i><br />
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Set this aside until you're ready to serve. <i>(this can be kept at room temperature for an hour or two - or refrigerated for 2 to 3 days in an airtight container)</i><br />
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Place the steaks in a flat dish that is large enough to keep them in a single layer. Season them generously on both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.<br />
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Using the bottle itself, place your thumb over the top and drizzle 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar (give or take) over each of the steaks, turning them over so that they're coated on each side.<br />
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Then, drizzle about the same amount of a nice light olive or vegetable oil over the steaks in the same manner.<br />
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Allow them to sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes while your grill (or grill pan) is heating up.<br />
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I don't have photos of the grilling process, but it's pretty simple. You can use a gas grill, a charcoal grill (which I recommend, because it gives the meat even more amazing flavor - see <b><span style="color: red;">*Note</span></b> a bit closer to the end of the post) or if the weather just isn't conducive to outdoor grilling, you can always use a heavy grill pan on your stove top.<br />
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First, prepare your grill, cleaning off the grates with a wire brush or crumpled foil and tongs, if necessary. You'll be grilling the steaks over direct heat.<br />
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Next, using long grilling tongs, oil the grill grates with a clean rag or a couple of sheets of folded paper towel coated in a little light olive or vegetable oil to help keep the meat from sticking. <i>(Keep in mind that all meats when being grilled will sear onto the grates for a bit at first. You actually want this to happen because when it releases naturally from the grill, the meat itself is telling you that it's time to turn it.)</i><br />
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Using tongs (or your very clean fingers), place the room temperature steaks on the grill, directly over the prepared coals.<br />
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The standard times for grilling, depending on how you like your beef done. <i><b>(All cooking times are approximate)</b></i><br />
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<b>For medium rare:</b> About 3 minutes per side, <span style="color: red;">**</span>turning them about 90 degrees on each side once halfway during each 3 minute period, to give them those great looking crosshatched grill marks. :)<br />
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<b>For medium:</b> About 4 minutes per side, repeating the steps above.<br />
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<b>For well done:</b> I'm going to be honest here... when it comes to well-done beef, I wouldn't know how long to tell you to cook it because, in our house, well-done steak has never actually happened. lol<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><b>**</b></span><i><b>Please don't use a fork or anything pointed to pick up or move any meat around as it's cooking. Piercing the meat, allows all of the delicious juices to escape and that will leave you with dry, tough meat.</b></i><br />
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Once the meat is cooked to the doneness/temperature that you prefer, place it on a clean plate, cover it with foil and allow it to rest for about 5 to 8 minutes. This helps any juices that naturally want to run out after cooking, to absorb back into the meat fully - and that keeps it moist and flavorful.<br />
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When the steak has rested, place it on a cutting board and slice on the diagonal, cutting <b>against</b> the grain of the meat. With skirt steak, you'll usually find that you have to turn the meat slightly as you're slicing it, because the grain in this cut of beef tends to change directions a little bit from one end of the steak to the other.<br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">*Note</span></b> - We don't use charcoal lighter fluid - or the charcoal briquettes that come already infused with it. If you like it or find it convenient, that's fine. It all comes down to personal choice. It's just that we feel that it adds an unpleasant chemical flavor to the foods that are cooked when using it.<br />
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We use a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Weber-7416-Rapidfire-Chimney-Starter/dp/B000WEOQV8" target="_blank">charcoal chimney</a> instead. They aren't expensive and you can find them at just about any retailer that sells barbecue grills and equipment.<br />
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As a side note: In case you're afraid it might take longer to get the coals going, the truth is... it really doesn't. As a matter of fact, we've found that to get from fresh out of the bag briquettes to the point where they're just right for cooking, takes the same amount of time!<br />
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PS ~ Don't forget to check out my post and video on <b>how to saute mushrooms like a boss</b>! Just click right <a href="http://www.goaheadtakeabite.com/2017/02/how-to-saute-mushrooms-perfectly-every.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>!<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>Enjoy!</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>Mary</i></span><br />
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Mary Sullivan Frasierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10796241299065062308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8595626797911453964.post-41633466451890978682017-02-19T13:32:00.001-05:002017-10-24T09:45:02.521-04:00How To Saute Mushrooms Perfectly - Every Time!<br />
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The way I see it, mushrooms tend to be one of those 50/50 foods. You guys know what I mean... the kind of food that never gets a middle ground response.<br />
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When it comes to this often pungent, earthy fungi people either <i>really</i>, <i>really</i> love them, or they <i>really</i>, <i>really</i> hate them. I can't think of anyone I know who reacts to mushrooms with a "meh..." or shrugs their shoulders in a show of indifference. As a matter of fact, I've seen a whole lotta interesting facial expressions when mushrooms have cropped up in conversations.<br />
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Try it out for yourself sometime. Just take a minute to look at everybody's face, the next time you and a group of your friends are deciding what toppings to get on the pizzas you're about to order. In my experience, the reactions are second only to the ones I've seen when the hubbers mentions those "hairy" little fish - ya know... anchovies. Yuck!<br />
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If you, or one or more of your loved ones, is a mushroom lover (and I assume that's the case, since you're here reading this) then you know that mushrooms go really well with steak. The big steakhouses know this, because they usually offer them as one of the a la carte dishes you can get alongside your NY Strip, Rib Eye or Porterhouse. I've never really thought to ask why, but Filet Mignon often has a sauteed mushroom cap perched regally on top, when it comes out to the table. For the recipe for the Grilled Churrasco Skirt Steak with Chimichurri just click right <span style="font-size: large;">↦ </span><a href="http://www.goaheadtakeabite.com/2017/02/grilled-churrasco-skirt-steak-with.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>!<br />
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BTW, I've even included a nifty little video 📹 in this post and this time, it isn't one that I chose from the internet. Nope. This time it's little old me showing and telling you how to do it! Now, I really have to clarify that 1) I'm not gonna be discovered by the Food Network for this little video and 2) I'm not planning to do a video for every recipe I post, nor am I planning to start a cooking channel. I might do the occasional video here and there, depending on how I'm feeling at the time. (in other words, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. LOL) The video is at the end of this post.<br />
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🍄So... Let's get this recipe started, shall we?🍄<br />
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<b><u>Perfectly Sauteed Mushrooms</u></b><br />
2 - 4 Servings <i>(can be doubled)</i><br />
<ul>
<li>8oz Button or Crimini Mushrooms</li>
<li>1 Tbls Olive Oil</li>
<li>1 Tbls Butter</li>
<li>Kosher Salt</li>
<li>Freshly Ground Black Pepper</li>
<li>Garlic Powder, Onion Powder or Favorite Seasoning Blend</li>
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<b>First, just a few important tips about using/storing mushrooms:</b><br />
<ol>
<li>Try not to buy your mushrooms more than a day (or 2 at most) before you plan to cook them. They tend to degrade and mold very quickly, especially during the Summer or in warmer climates.</li>
<li>Keep them in a ventilated container if you don't plan to use them right away. Since mushrooms contain a lot of their own natural moisture, condensation can be an issue (they'll sweat) in an enclosed plastic bag or in one of those cello wrapped cartons. (like the one in the photo above) I usually poke a few slits in the plastic wrap with the tip of a sharp paring knife, if I'm planning to keep them for a day or two.</li>
<li>There are a couple of schools of thought on this, but I never put uncooked mushrooms in the refrigerator. I find that it tends to make them rubbery.</li>
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Mushrooms grow in soil, so there will usually be some of that soil on your mushrooms when you buy the. Never soak mushrooms in water. Some people will run them under cold water to rinse them off, but I don't like to expose them to even that much added moisture.<br />
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I just take a clean, slightly damp paper towel and brush off any excess debris. If there's a tiny bit thats left behind, I don't worry about it. As my sainted mother always said: "You've gotta eat a peck of dirt before ya die." I have absolutely no idea where that saying originated, but I've heard it my whole life & besides... if mama said it, it must be true, right? 👵<br />
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Trim just 1/16th of an inch off the ends of the stem with a sharp pearing knife. Unless the stems are extremely tough or "woody", I see no reason to cut the entire things off. They cook up just as tender and flavorful as the caps do, plus they increase the overall yield. More mushrooms is a good thing in my book!<br />
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Slice the mushrooms, or cut them into halves or quarters, depending on the size and texture that you're looking for. Of course you want them to be appealing to look at on your plate, but you also want them to cook evenly.<br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">You'll probably notice that the mushrooms in the included video are sliced, but that the photos I'm using show them cut into larger pieces. This is because the filming of the video was a spur of the moment kind of thing one night and the photos were taken during the preparation of another recipe.</span></i><br />
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99% of the time, I use a combination of light olive oil and butter. I rarely ever use extra virgin olive oil for shallow frying or sauteing because "EVOO" can be too heavy in flavor and that just undermines the simplicity of certain foods. To me, there are just some foods that should remain as close to their original flavor as possible.<br />
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I always use salt & pepper and sometimes, that's all that I want. Other times, I'll use onion powder, garlic powder, or my favorite seasoning blend in the world... It's called Garlicious Grind and I use the Tuscan blend. If you've been around for a while, I know you've seen me use this seasoning in many recipes. It just seems to work really well in savory dishes of all kinds. It's perfect for meats and poultry of all kinds and it adds depth to just about anything Italian. I kid you not... this stuff is seriously addictive! <b><i><span style="color: red;">**</span>See note below for further information.</i></b><br />
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Once your mushrooms are ready, place a non-stick pan over medium heat for just a minute to warm up the surface slightly.<br />
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Pour approximately a tablespoon of light olive oil, or a combination of oil and butter into the pan. Swirl it around a bit to just barely coat the bottom.<br />
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Put the mushrooms in the pan and immediately toss them around so that the oil/butter coats all of the mushrooms as much as possible. Keep in mind that mushrooms can be a little persnickety when it comes to absorbtion. They're like little sponges and some pieces will just naturally soak up more than others. If this happens (and it most likely will) you can just add a bit more oil and/or butter, as you need to, just to get them coated.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="color: red;">**</span></b>If you're interested in this seasoning blend, they do have a website where you can purchase their products, that I'll link here ➔ </span><a href="http://northeastcornerherbs.com/online-store/" style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;" target="_blank">Northeast Corner Herb Farm</a><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">. They offer a couple of different herb blends, dip mixes, some gorgeous culinary grade organic herb braids, gift baskets and they even have a special little treat for your furmeow family members... Chester's Choice Catnip! My cats have always gone nuts over it - and trust me - we've had some pretty finicky cats in our family, so that's saying something! </span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">(I am not affiliated with NE Corner Herb Farm and do not receive compensation in any form, for using their products or for mentioning them in my blog posts - I just happen to love what they sell and I try to buy local products as much as I possibly can!)</span></i><br />
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If you'd like the recipe for the Grilled Skirt Steak that we served these with, just click <span style="font-size: large;">↣ </span><a href="http://www.goaheadtakeabite.com/2017/02/grilled-churrasco-skirt-steak-with.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Enjoy!</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>Mary</i></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="color: orange;">Don't forget that you can print this (or any) recipe using the</span></i> </span><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;">"Print Friendly"</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <i><span style="color: orange;">button at the foot of each post. It's a great little feature that </span><span style="color: #cc0000;">allows you to remove any pictures</span><span style="color: orange;"> (or </span><span style="color: #cc0000;">any text</span><span style="color: orange;"> that isn't relevant to the recipe) </span><span style="color: #cc0000;">before printing</span><span style="color: orange;">. That can save on ink and paper & in today's economy, who doesn't want to save a little cash when you can?!</span></i></span></b><br />
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Mary Sullivan Frasierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10796241299065062308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8595626797911453964.post-51689369833632672962017-01-19T00:50:00.003-05:002019-03-19T21:14:32.417-04:00Old Fashioned Roast Pork Dinner<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A few weeks ago, while going over one of my posts from a previous holiday season (<a href="http://www.goaheadtakeabite.com/2015/10/nanas-apple-pie-last-apple-pie-recipe.html" target="_blank">Nana's Apple Pie</a>) I began feeling more than a bit nostalgic. Not that it's at all unusual at certain times of the year, for folks to experience a mix of joyful anticipation for the time that we'll be spending with our loved ones, yet tinged with a sense of sadness and longing for the ones who are no longer here to celebrate with us.<br />
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But as my thoughts filled with the memories of early childhood Christmases, spent piling into the car after Christmas morning Mass and going straight to Nana's house (or "down home" as Daddy used to say), we'd usually find her busy in the kitchen, wearing one of her trademark pinafore style aprons, with faded red poinsettias or some Currier and Ives holiday print, that I'm sure had been given to her by one of the grandchildren some Christmas before. And she'd be preparing Christmas dinner - you know... the special kind of "dinner" that used to be eaten at 1:00 in the afternoon, on Sundays or other special occasions? And the meals were simple, really. They generally consisted of some kind of incredibly delicious roasted or braised meat with fried, mashed or scalloped potatoes and a vegetable or two, but as simple as they were, they were the most delicious Sunday dinners I can ever remember eating. Dessert (as well as the rest of the meal) was always made from scratch and was often some type of fruit pie, or a simple cake - and it was always just as memorable.<br />
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Sadly, I don't have her recipes to follow, but over the years I've worked out my own versions of several of them and I think I've come pretty darned close to what I remember from my childhood. I also think I can safely say that her roast pork was my favorite. Hmmm... come to think of it, I guess it would be a tie between the roast pork and chicken and biscuits. <i>(and if all goes well, that'll be another post one of these days.)</i> But, seeing as the title of <b>this</b> post is Old Fashioned Roast Pork Dinner, let's get on with it, shall we?<br />
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<b><u>Old Fashioned Roast Pork Dinner</u></b><br />
<i>Serves 4 (with plenty of leftovers)</i><br />
<ul>
<li>5 Lb to 6 Lb Bone-In Pork Shoulder/Butt Roast</li>
<li>4 to 6 Cloves Garlic, thinly sliced</li>
<li>Light Soy Sauce (as needed)</li>
<li>Light Olive or Vegetable Oil (as needed)</li>
<li>2 Lg Yellow Onions, sliced into eighths</li>
<li>4 Lg Carrots, washed and cut into two-inch lengths</li>
<li>2 to 4 Lg Parsnips, washed and cut into two-inch lengths</li>
<li>4 Stalks Celery, washed and cut into two-inch lengths</li>
<li>Kosher Salt</li>
<li>Fresh Ground Black Pepper</li>
<li>Favorite Seasoning Blend (optional)</li>
<li>4 Tbls Butter, softened to room temperature (for gravy)</li>
<li>4 Tbls All Purpose Flour (for gravy)</li>
<li>2 Cups Chicken Stock (for gravy)</li>
</ul>
Preheat the oven to 375°F If using convection, set the temperature at 350°F<br />
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In the '80s (when I first began to cook meals on a daily basis), the news media and the magazines, the cooking shows on TV and the pork industry itself, were all proclaiming pork as "the other white meat", so what you'd find highlighted or on sale in the pork section of the meat department, were mostly pork loin roasts, tenderloins and loin chops. The loin is a much more lean cut of pork and while it might be a bit more healthy, it lacks the rich flavor and the tender juicy meat that I remembered as a child at Sunday dinner.<br />
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So, when I started trying to replicate those memorable Sunday dinners for my own family, I'd pick up a pork loin roast at the store and roast it up quite nicely, but while those dinners weren't bad I could never quite understand why it was that my roast pork dinners just didn't come close to the flavor or the tenderness of Nana's. I don't know why or when it was exactly, but it finally dawned on me one day, that for all those years I'd been cooking the wrong cut of pork. That single revelation changed my roast pork dinners forever after.<br />
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You see, the cut that Nana had used for her roasts back in the day, was actually a bone-in pork shoulder or "butt" and that's a cut that is so much more tender and succulent - when it's been prepared the correct way. Now, when I want to take my taste buds for a stroll down memory lane, back to those Sunday dinners at Nana's house, I pick up a pork shoulder roast - and I've never looked back.<br />
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Start your prep work by peeling the garlic cloves. Depending on the sizes of the individual cloves, for this size roast, it took me about three medium and three of the small cloves. If there are any left when you're done, don't worry. As long as they haven't come in contact with the meat or your fingers after touching them, they can be used elsewhere in the recipe or sealed up in an airtight zip-top bag, with a pinch of salt and a touch of light olive oil and kept in the refrigerator for up to a week.<br />
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Next, slice each clove lengthwise, so that you have several little garlic "spears". You'll need these shortly, but you can set them aside for a minute.<br />
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As I always say, preparation is key when it comes to putting any good meal together, so you want to start prepping the roast by trimming a <i><b>little bit</b></i> of the fat from the top. Now that doesn't mean you should go overboard.<br />
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Fat equals flavor, my friends and we don't ever want to remove that flavor when we have the choice not to. It helps if your butcher at the grocery store is kind enough to leave a decent amount of the fat cap on the roast so that you can decide for yourself just how much you want to keep or remove. Just look or ask for a roast that hasn't been trimmed within an inch of its life - like the one in the photo above and then do your own "clean up" work at home. You'll find that with a nice sharp paring knife, this job is a breeze.<br />
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As you can see, there wasn't a super thick fat cap on this roast, so I was careful not to take too much off. If you're very ambitious, you can have a deep frying pan filled with 375° F oil ready to drop the trimmings into for a little chef's treat - pork rinds! Now, I'm not a huge fan of this snack and frankly, I'm also not that ambitious, so I just discarded mine. 🐖<br />
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I'm a bit obsessive when it comes to cross contamination - especially when dealing with pork (and poultry) products. I don't even like to use my plastic cutting boards, so I just lay out a few sheets of waxed or parchment paper to prep my roast.<br />
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Once you have that bit of fat removed, take that same knife and using its tip, make several small slits all over the roast, including the sides and bottom.<br />
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Be sure to make those slits in the areas where there's still fat left on the meat as well.<br />
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Now, start pressing one (or 2 if they're super thin) of the garlic spears into each of the slits in the meat.<br />
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Push them as far into the meat as you can because if there's a chunk of garlic that sticks too far out, it will burn during the roasting process and become bitter. That would transfer to the drippings and make a bitter garlicky gravy. A hint of it will show, as you'll see in the upcoming photos, but for the most part, it should lay as flat as possible. If any of them pop out quite a bit as you're handling the roast, just push them back in before putting the roast in the pan and in the oven.<br />
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We buy the "Light" or less sodium version of soy sauce because as I'm sure most of you know, the darker soy sauce not only has more salt, but it usually has a higher sugar content as well. Just by its nature, it's the type of product that will caramelize and/or reduce as long as a heat source is introduced, so I like to play it safe and not risk it burning during roasting.<br />
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The soy sauce helps to aid in the browning of the meat and it also adds flavor to both the roast and the pan drippings.<br />
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I didn't put a specific amount for the soy sauce in the ingredient list, because it's something you really have to eyeball based on the size of the roast. If I really had to put a quantity on it, I'd say I used about an eighth of a cup (2 tablespoons).<br />
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Gently massage the soy sauce all over the roast, turning it often to pick up any liquid that has run down onto your prep surface. Once you have it all rubbed in, set the roast aside, wash your hands and get ready to prep your vegetables.<br />
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I used onions, carrots, parsnips and celery the I just washed and cut up into large pieces. I make sure to keep them in large pieces so that they can be eaten as a side vegetable with the meal. You can eliminate the parsnips and double the carrots if you really want to, but I recommend trying them, even if you're not familiar with them because they add a very subtle bit of tanginess to perfectly balance out the sweetness of the carrots and onions.<br />
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Add two-thirds of the chopped vegetables to the bottom of the pot and drizzle on just enough light olive oil or vegetable oil to barely coat them.<br />
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Add a generous teaspoon of Kosher salt...<br />
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and about the same amount of freshly ground black pepper.<br />
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Give the vegetables a quick toss to incorporate the seasonings and coat the pieces with the oil.<br />
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Place the pork roast, fat side up, directly on top of the vegetables because they'll serve two purposes. They provide added flavor to the pan drippings and they act as a natural "rack" for the meat.<br />
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If there is any of the soy sauce left on your prep surface pour that right in with everything. Want not, waste not. (Or is it the other way around? I never remember how that goes. lol)<br />
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Now sprinkle a bit more Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper onto the meat.<br />
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I know that the soy sauce has some sodium in it, but it really is a good sized piece of meat we're seasoning here and it can take the little bit of extra salt.<br />
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This last seasoning is optional, simply because it's not available just anyplace. It's a local product that I've shown here in my recipe posts <b>many</b> times. I use it in all sorts of dishes, from marinara sauce to soups and stews, in casseroles and on all types of meats. I even season my long cooking Jasmati rice with it. I'm obsessed with the flavor it provides to anything I put it in/on. You can certainly omit it, but if you want to try this amazing stuff out for yourself, you can <span style="color: red;"><b>**</b></span>order it <a href="http://northeastcornerherbs.com/online-store/" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<br />
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(<span style="color: red;"><b>**</b></span>I am not affiliated with, or sponsored by, Northeast Corner Herb Farm. I just happen to love their products and I feel that it never hurts to throw a little love in the direction of some of my area's local businesses. <i>Plus, it really is <b>that</b> good!</i>)<br />
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Add the final third of the veggies into the pot, letting some fall on top of the meat. This step might seem a bit strange, but I've found over time that it has its merits. The breakdown of the vegetables as they cook, provide liquid and that liquid acts as a kind of super flavored basting sauce for the meat.<br />
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Add a bit more light oil. (a teaspoon or two)<br />
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Then drizzle the same amount of soy sauce over the top. Adding flavors in stages is a good thing, my friends!<br />
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Place the uncovered pan/pot in the lower third of your preheated oven and roast it for 30 minutes at 375°F. Then turn the temperature down to 325°F and continue to roast for another 2 and one-half hours. (you'll want an internal temperature of 155° to 160° using an instant-read thermometer)<br />
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Remove the roast from the pan and place it on a cutting board or serving platter. Cover the meat loosely with foil and allow it to rest for about 15 minutes while you make the gravy. Remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon to a bowl or serving plate and cover them tightly to keep warm.<br />
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<b><u>For The Gravy</u></b><br />
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I'm sorry that I don't have photos of the beginning of the gravy process, but the Hubbs made the gravy this particular night and he started when I was in another room. (You'd think by now, he'd know to wait for the photos, right? HaHa!)<br />
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There should be a fair amount of pan drippings/liquid left in the bottom of the pan when you're roasting a cut of meat like this. Some of it will be a bit of the fat that rendered out of the roast while cooking. The rest will be the natural juices from the meat and the vegetables. If it looks like there's more fat than pan juices, you'll want to skim off the excess fat. It will usually separate by itself as the pan sits for a few minutes and the drippings cool ever so slightly. You'll be able to see the difference.<br />
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If you have a handy dandy fat separator like the one above (this is what we have) you can use that. If using the fat separator, you'll get better results if you pour half of your chicken broth/stock into the pan and stir it well first. Then, pour all of the liquid into the separator and allow it to do its magic.<br />
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I just happened to find a short video using our exact separator that shows you what I mean.<br />
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Once you have the pan juices separated, pour them back into the roasting pan leaving the fat behind, add in your stock/remaining stock and place the pan onto the stovetop over medium-high heat. Bring to a gentle boil while gently scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen up any brown bits (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deglazing_(cooking)" target="_blank">fond</a>). Any larger pieces can be strained and removed later if you like, but I find that most all of the fond melts right down and what is left over doesn't hurt the gravy at all.</div>
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In a separate bowl, add in your four tablespoons of softened butter and four tablespoons of all-purpose flour. Using a fork or a small sturdy whisk, combine the butter and flour thoroughly to form a thick paste. This is called a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beurre_mani%C3%A9" target="_blank">beurre manie</a> in culinary terms and we've used it as one of our go-to methods for making gravy for years. (the other method is to make a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roux" target="_blank">roux</a> in the pan with the butter - or some of the fat from the pan drippings - and flour)</div>
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As the liquid in the pan simmers, slowly whisk in small amounts of the butter/flour paste until your mixture is smooth. </div>
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Continue adding small amounts and stirring, until you've reached the desired consistency. Any leftover butter and flour mixture can be placed onto some waxed paper, rolled up tightly and put into a zip-top bag and kept in the freezer for use another time. As long as it's kept airtight, it should last in the freezer for up to three months.</div>
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You want the gravy to leave a clean trail across the back of a spoon when you swipe your finger across/through it.</div>
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Uncover the meat and with a sharp chef's knife or meat carving knife, slice the pork into approximately 1/4 inch slices working around the bone when you get to those areas. You can put the slices directly on each person's plate or onto a serving platter with the pan vegetables placed around it for presentation.</div>
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Serve along with your vegetables from the pan, potatoes of your choice (in our house, it has to be mashed) and the delicious pork gravy and you have an amazing old fashioned roast pork dinner for your family, or even for a dinner party with friends.</div>
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And don't toss that bone out! Believe it or not, you can make an excellent stock with these bones and it can be used in several recipes, like baked beans, Southern-style greens, chili and a whole host of other dishes. It can even be saved for the next roast pork dinner and used for the gravy in place of the chicken stock. Just place it in airtight containers and freeze. It should keep for up to six months.</div>
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<br /><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>Enjoy!</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Mary</i></b></span><br />
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Mary Sullivan Frasierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10796241299065062308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8595626797911453964.post-28992445153624646152016-12-02T19:53:00.001-05:002018-03-16T14:27:25.471-04:00Creamy New England Clam Chowder<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Who doesn't love a good hearty soup when the colder temperatures in the Fall and Winter months set in? In my opinion, there's nothing like it to warm you up inside, when the damp and the cold are chilling you right through to the bone. When you live in some Northern areas of the country, even Spring can be a very unpredictable season and we certainly have our share rainy periods where the dampness can make a 55 degree (Fahrenheit) day seem bone chilling as well.<br />
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Being from the Northeastern part of New York State and only a 30 minute drive from the Vermont border, the folks here in <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/marymags/my-neck-of-the-woods-glens-falls-ny/" target="_blank">my neck of the woods</a> have always considered ourselves to be <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/marymags/howdy-neighbor-vermont/" target="_blank">New Englanders</a>, so it just stands to reason that one of our family's favorite soups has always been New England Clam Chowder. And why not? It has everything you could want in a 'warm your belly <i>and</i> your soul' kind of way. It has butter, rich cream, potatoes, onions and just the right amount of savory herbs, like thyme. And let's not forget the true stars of the show - those sweet, tender clams. Oh, and around here, it just wouldn't be complete without a generous sprinkling of crispy, smokey, crumbled bacon to top it all off.<br />
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Even after years of eating (and thoroughly enjoying) the clam chowder at home and at restaurants all over the Northeastern coast, I realized on a weekend trip to Boston - way back in the early eighties, that I hadn't really ever had the pleasure of what I believe to be the ultimate "chowdah" experience.<br />
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I refer to it as an experience because, well... that's the best way that I can think of to describe the unique and somewhat quirky atmosphere at the famous (or maybe I should say "infamous") <a href="http://www.faneuilhallmarketplace.com/restaurant/durgin-park-restaurant-oyster-bar-at-durgin-park/9864/36665" target="_blank">Durgin Park Restaurant in the Faneuil Hall Marketplace</a> in Boston, Massachusetts.<br />
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To this day, I stand firm in my belief that it is <b>the best</b> clam chowder <i>(<b>yes</b>, that includes my own)</i> that I have ever eaten. Now, I feel that it's important for me to explain that the chowder is not the menu item that the restaurant is most famous for, (that would be their "Boston Baked Beans") <b>but,</b> that being said and based on who you happen to ask, the answer to <i>that</i> question could be as varied as the the snowflakes that fall all around me each Winter. And now, after dozens of tweaks to my own recipe over the years, I feel like this is as close as it gets to Durgin Park's famous New England Clam Chowder.<br />
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This rich, creamy chowder can be made on a weeknight because the ingredients are simple and if you're an enthusiastic home cook or "foodie", you'll most likely already have the majority of what you need in your pantry and fridge. <i>(</i><i>IMHO </i><i>if they're not - they should be</i>) At the very least, they're all ingredients that you can easily find at most grocery chains across the country - <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b>so go on out and get you some,'K</b></i>?</span> 😉<br />
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<b><u>Creamy New England Clam Chowder</u></b><br />
(<i>Serves a crowd. Approx 3 & 1/2 Quarts/18 Cups</i>)<br />
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<li>3 8oz Bottles Clam Juice <i>+ Juice From The Canned Clams</i></li>
<li>1 8oz Bottle of Clam Juice (<i>optional/if needed</i>) </li>
<li>4 6.5oz to 7oz Cans Chopped Clams, liquid reserved</li>
<li>1 Qt Half & Half</li>
<li>1 Pint Heavy Cream</li>
<li>2 8oz Bricks Cream Cheese</li>
<li>1 12oz Pkg Center Cut Bacon, chopped</li>
<li>2 Lg Russet Potatoes, peeled and cubed</li>
<li>1 Lg Yellow Onion, peeled and diced</li>
<li>1 Tsp Thyme Leaves (<i>heaping</i>)</li>
<li>1 & 1/2 Tsp Onion Powder</li>
<li>1 Tsp Celery Salt</li>
<li>2 Tsp Kosher Salt</li>
<li>1 Tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper</li>
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First, dice your onion, peel and cube your potatoes and chop your bacon. Set these all aside in separate bowls.<br />
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As anyone who's been cooking for a long time will tell you... Always do your "prep work" first and things will go a heck of a lot faster when it's time to put it all together!<br />
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A good sharp peeler, just like a good sharp knife, can save you time <i>and</i> save you from having to raid your band-aid stash. If yours is old and dull, toss it into the trash and pick up a new one. They're generally not very expensive and a decently made peeler can easily be found in any large grocery store these days.<br />
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Try to keep the size of your potato cubes relatively the same. They don't have to be perfect, but you want them to be close so they'll cook as evenly as possible. You can keep your cubed potatoes in a bowl of very cold water, while waiting to add them to the pot. This will keep hem from oxidizing and turning brown. Just drain them well and blot them a bit with clean paper towels before adding them.<br />
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Bacon will slice much more easily if it's really cold, or even better yet, a little bit frozen. A really sharp knife is essential too, of course.<br />
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Speaking of that... I know that I mention this pretty frequently, but I can't stress enough how important it is to keep your knives as sharp as you can. Just like the vegetable peeler mentioned above, a dull knife is much more dangerous than a sharp one. It's so worth the initial investment to purchase a decent 10" Chef's knife, a 7" or 8" Santuko blade and at least one 4" to 5" paring knife. Also, look for knife blades that are made from carbon steel, since they hold an edge better and can be sharpened and honed easily at home in order to keep that edge.<br />
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Pre-heat a heavy bottomed large stock or pasta pot over medium to medium high, for roughly 60 to 90 seconds. You don't ever want to heat a dry metal pan to the point where it's literally "smoking" hot, but you do want it to be hot enough to hear that lovely sizzling sound as soon as the bacon hits the pan. <i>(If you don't have a pot that has a solid heavy bottom, you might want to add a teaspoon of a light olive, or vegetable oil to the cold pan and swirl it around enough to coat the bottom in order to prevent sticking)</i><br />
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Add the chopped bacon to the pot and cook until it's nice and crispy, stirring or turning the pieces frequently. (approx 4 to 6 minutes)<br />
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Once the bacon is all golden brown and crispy, remove it with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with a couple of sheets of paper towel to drain. Set it aside.<br />
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If there's more than a healthy tablespoon <i>(give or take)</i> of bacon grease left in the pan, remove any excess and dispose of it - OR - store it for future use.<br />
<i><br /></i> <i>(I strain mine into - and save it in - a Ball pint jar in the fridge, to use when I'm making homefries, frying eggs, sweating a <a href="http://beh%2C%20che%20dire/?" target="_blank">mirepoix</a> for stocks, soups & sauces, etc. Let's just say that bacon grease has a plethora of other uses where it can add amazing flavor to a finished dish!)</i><br />
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Add the onions to the reserved bacon grease and turn the heat down to medium (if it isn't there already). Cook them, stirring often, until they begin to soften and are pretty much translucent. They'll probably take on a browned or caramelized appearance pretty quickly if there's a fair amount of browned bits (fond) left in the bottom of the pan from cooking the bacon - and that's a very good thing.<br />
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Once the onions are softened, add in the cubed potatoes and give it all a good stir to incorporate everything. If, at this point, your mixture seems like it's starting to stick to the bottom of the pan, you can add a little bit of vegetable or light olive oil - or that bacon grease, if you've saved it!<br />
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You only need to saute the potatoes and onions for about 5 minutes, because they're going to cook through completely in the liquids that will be added.<br />
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I usually won't shake bottled clam juice if I see what looks like darker or sand-like deposits that have settled at the bottom. There will almost always be at least <b><i>some </i></b>amount of sediment in bottled clam juice. As long as the residue is a white-ish gray color and isn't gritty or sandy looking, then go ahead a give it a shake. That is just an accumulation of fine particulates from the meat of the clam, left over from the shucking process.<br />
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Even if you make it a point to buy only the most expensive brand(s) of bottled clam juice, you're going to get a bottle here and there that has some amount of sediment in the bottom. It's just the nature of the beast, if you will. Clams spend the majority of their lives buried in the sand and it just stands to reason that at least some of that sand is going to stick around, even after they've been through the processing plant.<br />
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Of course, you could be <b>really</b> ambitious by going out to your local fishmonger, buying a bushel of whole clams and shucking them yourself. (<i>being careful to save all of the liquor that comes out during the process</i>) But keep in mind that even those clams will need to be soaked and rinsed, to make sure the majority of the sand is expelled. Then you'll need to make clam stock or broth, to take the place of the bottled clam juice.<br />
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As you know, I'm all for cooking from scratch... but this is meant to be an easy, pot of hearty soup that you can throw together on a weeknight. So let's get back to it, shall we?<br />
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Next, pour in the three bottles of clam juice, being careful to pour slowly and making sure to try and leave any of the sandy looking residue in the bottle. If a tiny bit gets into the pot, it's not the end of the world. As my dear old mother used to say, "You've gotta eat a peck of dirt before you die." I'm not really sure who came up with that quote, but I don't know if I want to learn the reasoning behind it. LOL<br />
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If you don't have enough to cover the potatoes, add a fourth bottle of clam juice (mentioned above as optional in the ingredient list). If you don't need it and you haven't opened it, you can store it in your pantry or cupboard until the "sell by" or "best by" date on the bottle.<br />
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Allow the broth to come up to a simmer.<br />
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I was at my daughter's house when I made this particular batch of chowder and she has a glass topped stove, so I didn't worry much about the heat. But, if I'm making this (or any other "dairy heavy" soup) on my gas cook top at home, I'll use one of those metal ring diffusers once the dairy has been added.<br />
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Once the soup has simmered for a minute or two, add your quart of half & half...<br />
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Your seasonings...<br />
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And your reserved clam "liquor" from the cans, *after straining if necessary.<br />
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<span style="color: red;"><b>*</b></span>I find that the "Snow's/Bumblebee" brand is usually pretty good about making sure that there's not much sediment (if any) in their canned clams, but I have used other brands in the past when I couldn't find these and found that there was a fair amount of grit in each can. If you do happen to find a bit of sand or grit, you don't have to worry. As I mentioned re: the bottled juice, it's a perfectly natural thing for clams to have a bit of sand or grit in the shells. Some companies just do a better job at straining them before packaging than others. <b>Just use a fine mesh strainer, lined with a bit of cheesecloth, if needed.</b><br />
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<b><i>(I do not work for Snow's/Bumblebee and this is not a sponsored post. Any thoughts or comments about the quality of their products, are my personal opinion.)</i></b><br />
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Bring the chowder back up to a low simmer and continue to cook it at that same low temperature until the potatoes are just fork tender, stirring occasionally.<br />
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You want the potatoes to be tender, but be careful not to overcook them. You can see in the photo above that the potato cubes are still intact at this point and that is important because there's still a little bit more cooking time ahead.<br />
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Once the potatoes are just tender, add in your softened cream cheese, one brick at a time, stirring until the first one has melted before adding the second. You can cut the cream cheese up into cubes, but to be honest, I've found that as long as it's at room temperature, it will blend in just as quickly either way.<br />
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At first, it's probably going to look a bit lumpy and separated and you're going to wonder if you've made a mistake along the way, but trust me... every bit of it will dissolve and the soup will become a nice cohesive mixture.<br />
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The only "lumps" at this point, should be the potatoes.<br />
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Once all of the cream cheese has melted, add in your heavy cream and stir well.<br />
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Bring the chowder back up to a simmer and once you've reached that point, you can add in the drained clams. Again, you don't want cream soups to come up to a full boil. This can cause them to separate and become a bit of a mess. It can also cause the dairy products to scorch and that will definitely give it a "burnt" flavor.<br />
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When the chowder has simmered for another 5 or 10 minutes, it's time to serve! Remember - the clams don't really need to cook. You're just making sure that they're heated through. I always use chopped or minced clams in my chowder, but you could use the whole baby clams if you'd like to. I just find that there are fewer clams in the cans, ounce for ounce, and you tend to get more bang for your buck with the chopped/minced variety.<br />
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Make sure to give it a taste to check for seasoning before serving and if needed, add a bit more salt & pepper to taste. It's best to turn the stove off before serving because you don't want what's left in the pot to reduce too much further, or for the clams to get tough. Just slap the lid on the pot to keep it warm for anyone who might come back for seconds. (Around our house, they usually do!)<br />
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All you really need to make this creamy chowder a meal (at least in our house) is a big tossed green salad and a loaf of crusty bread and everyone will be as happy as a clam. (I know.... that really was pretty lame, but sometimes, I just can't help myself. I'm a total cornball! LOL) Oh, and don't forget to serve the crispy bacon, for folks to sprinkle on top of the chowder and/or the salad!<br />
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When I'm keeping things super casual, I just lay everything out buffet style and let people serve themselves. But if you're using this soup as a starter for a nice dinner party, you can certainly dish it up into smaller bowls and serve it to each person at the table. Just add a sprinkling of fresh parsley and a few pieces of the crumbled bacon on top of each bowl to make it look a bit more "up-scale". :)<br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Enjoy!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>Mary</i></span><br />
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Mary Sullivan Frasierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10796241299065062308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8595626797911453964.post-23544994028544583192016-10-29T17:04:00.001-04:002017-10-24T10:01:31.817-04:00Women In Food ~ Anne Burrell's Bolognese<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Welcome to the 2nd installment of Women In Food! Back in the early days of this blog, I'd planned on doing a monthly feature that would showcase one of the incredibly talented women, who are boldly and deliciously paving the way for new generations of female chefs, food writers and industry entrepreneurs.<br />
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My plan was (and still is) to provide you with a little background, some video and loads of delicious recipes from some of the best and brightest female chefs in the world. I really wanted to make Women In Food a regular feature, but as my 1st (and only other) installment would indicate, life (and Lupus) got in the way and that never really happened.<br />
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As you'll see by the date on my first post showcasing <b>Chef Alex Guarnaschelli</b>, <a href="http://www.goaheadtakeabite.com/2012/01/alex-guarnaschellis-pork-meatballs.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>, it's been a very long time since I hatched this little plan. But...<br />
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In the future, I really do hope to do better when it comes to paying homage to these incredible female chefs, who are making their mark in what is still a mostly male dominated field. (<i>If you'd like to know a little bit more about why it is that I admire these ladies so much, just click <a href="http://www.goaheadtakeabite.com/p/women-in-food.html" target="_blank">HERE</a></i>)<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span> So, without further ado, this installment's <b><span style="font-size: large;">Woman In Food</span></b> is...<br />
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<b><i><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">Chef Anne Burrell</span></i></b><br />
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<b>Host of the Food Network & Cooking Channel shows</b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/secrets-of-a-restaurant-chef.html" target="_blank">Secrets Of a Restaurant Chef</a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/worst-cooks-in-america.html" target="_blank">Worst Cooks in America</a></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large; text-align: start;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Anne-Burrell/e/B006N1JVBY/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1" style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;" target="_blank">Anne's Books</a></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large; text-align: start;"><a href="http://www.anneburrell.com/" style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;" target="_blank">Anne's Website</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Anne</u></b><b><u>'s Bolognese</u></b></span><br />
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<li>1 large onion or 2 small, cut into 1-inch dice</li>
<li>2 large carrots, cut into 1/2-inch dice</li>
<li>3 ribs celery, cut into 1-inch dice</li>
<li>4 cloves garlic</li>
<li>Extra-virgin olive oil, for the pan</li>
<li>Kosher salt</li>
<li>3 pounds ground chuck, brisket or round or combination</li>
<li>2 cups tomato paste</li>
<li>3 cups hearty red wine</li>
<li>Water</li>
<li>3 bay leaves</li>
<li>1 bunch thyme, tied in a bundle</li>
<li>1 pound spaghetti</li>
<li>1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano</li>
<li>High quality extra-virgin olive oil, for finishing</li>
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In a food processor, puree onion, carrots, celery, and garlic into a coarse paste. In a large pan over medium heat, coat pan with oil. Add the pureed veggies and season generously with salt. Bring the pan to a medium-high heat and cook until all the water has evaporated and they become nice and brown, stirring frequently, about 15 to 20 minutes. Be patient, this is where the big flavors develop.<br />
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Add the ground beef and season again generously with salt. BROWN THE BEEF! Brown food tastes good. Don't rush this step. Cook another 15 to 20 minutes.<br />
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Add the tomato paste and cook until brown about 4 to 5 minutes.<br />
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Add the red wine. Cook until the wine has reduced by half, another 4 to 5 minutes.<br />
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Add water to the pan until the water is about 1 inch above the meat.<br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(At this point in the video Anne tastes the sauce and adds more salt to the pan. As I say ~ in just about every recipe that I post on this blog ~ tasting the food and adding seasoning, if needed, is an integral part of cooking because each step or addition to a recipe can completely alter it's flavor profile as you add more ingredients, or as the different flavors begin to concentrate.)</span></i><br />
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Stir and TASTE frequently. Season with salt, if needed (you probably will).<br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(I love Anne's personality. She's bright, funny and she truly loves what she does for a living. Not all of us can say that, can we?)</span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">"Superstar"</span></td></tr>
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Toss in the bay leaves and the bundle of thyme and stir to combine everything.<br />
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Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally. As the water evaporates you will gradually need to add more, about 2 to 3 cups at a time.<br />
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<b>Don't be shy about adding water during the cooking process</b>, you can always cook it out. This is a game of reduce and add more water. This is where big rich flavors develop. If you try to add all the water in the beginning you will have boiled meat sauce rather than a rich, thick meaty sauce.<br />
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Simmer for 3 1/2 to 4 hours.<br />
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During the last 30 minutes of cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat to cook the spaghetti. Pasta water should ALWAYS be well salted. Salty as the ocean! TASTE IT! If your pasta water is under seasoned it doesn't matter how good your sauce is, your complete dish will always taste under seasoned.<br />
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When the water is at a rolling boil add the spaghetti and cook for 1 minute less than it calls for on the package.<br />
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While the pasta is cooking remove 1/2 of the ragu from the pot and reserve.<br />
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Drain the pasta and add to the pot with the remaining ragu. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.<br />
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Stir or toss the pasta to coat with the sauce. Add some of the reserved sauce, if needed, to make it about an even ratio between pasta and sauce. Add the reserved pasta cooking water and cook the pasta and sauce together over a medium heat until the water has reduced.<br />
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Turn off the heat and give a big sprinkle of Parmigiano and a generous drizzle of the high quality finishing olive oil. Toss or stir vigorously.<br />
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Divide the pasta and sauce into serving bowls or 1 big pasta bowl.<br />
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Top with remaining grated Parmigiano. Serve immediately.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Here's a short video of Chef Anne making this version of bolognese. I get such a kick out of her fun, slightly quirky personality and I find that watching her actually prrepare her recipes, just adds to the overall experience. <b><i>Enjoy!</i></b></span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pW2AcF4xZAk?rel=0" width="560"></iframe>
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<b><u><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">A Short Bio from the Food Network</span></u></b></div>
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"With her trademark spiky blond hair and pumped-up personality, Anne Burrell has worked at some of the top restaurants in New York, studied the culinary landscape and traditions of Italy, and battled alongside Mario Batali as his sous chef on Food Network’s Iron Chef America. Anne makes restaurant dishes accessible and reveals concise, easy-to-master techniques for the at-home cook on her Food Network series Secrets of a Restaurant Chef. On her show Chef Wanted, Anne helps top restaurateurs find candidates with the right experience and creativity to become executive chefs. On Worst Cooks in America, Anne joins Tyler Florence in mentoring teams of hopeless home cooks from around the country, putting them through culinary boot camp.<br />
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In 2011, Anne published her first cookbook, Cook Like a Rock Star, which gives home cooks the confidence and support to be rock stars in their own kitchens. Her cookbook earned a place on the New York Times Best Seller list. In fall 2011 Anne starred in her own right on Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs.<br />
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Growing up in upstate New York, Anne developed a passion for food and cooking at an early age. After obtaining an English and communications degree from Canisius College in Buffalo, she pursued her interest in the restaurant business by enrolling in the Culinary Institute of America. Following graduation, she spent a year in Italy attending the Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners while working at La Taverna del Lupo in Umbria and La Bottega del' 30, a Michelin one-star restaurant in Tuscany. During this year, Anne grew to truly appreciate and understand the philosophy of Italian cuisine and culture, which left a lasting impact on her culinary point of view.<br />
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Upon her arrival in New York City, Anne was hired as a sous chef at Felidia, working with Lidia Bastianich. She then served as a chef at Savoy, where she cooked over an open wood fire and created flavorful menus inspired by Mediterranean countries. Here Anne developed her personal culinary style: rustic food made with pure and simple ingredients with intense flavors.<br />
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Anne then took the opportunity to spread her culinary knowledge and passion as a teacher at the Institute of Culinary Education. After three years, Anne went back to the restaurant business, serving as the executive chef at Lumi. Shortly after, she joined the Batali-Bastianich empire by accepting a job at Italian Wine Merchants. The job also included salumi production and traveling to off-site events with Mario Batali. When Mario became one of Food Network’s esteemed Iron Chefs, he knew exactly who to enlist as his sous chef: the talented and dynamic Anne Burrell.<br />
<br style="background-color: #efece3; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: "Lucida Grande", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16.25px;" />
As the executive chef at New York hot spot Centro Vinoteca from its opening in July 2007 through September 2008, Anne served up her "creative-authentic" Italian menu of small plates (piccolini), antipasti, pastas and main courses accented by her trademark bold, pure flavors."<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Enjoy!</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>Mary</i></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #38761d;">Don't Forget To Follow Me On Social Media! I Post Blog Updates, Ideas For Kitchen "How To's", Restaurant Recommendations And Reviews And Always Lots Of Photos!</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="color: orange;">Don't forget that you can print this (or any) recipe using the</span></i> </span><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;">"Print Friendly"</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <i><span style="color: orange;">button at the foot of each post. It's a great little feature that </span><span style="color: #cc0000;">allows you to remove any pictures</span><span style="color: orange;"> (or </span><span style="color: #cc0000;">any text</span><span style="color: orange;"> that isn't relevant to the recipe) </span><span style="color: #cc0000;">before printing</span><span style="color: orange;">. That can save on ink and paper & in today's economy, who doesn't want to save a little cash when you can?!</span></i></span></b><br />
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Mary Sullivan Frasierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10796241299065062308noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8595626797911453964.post-50587468622235522542016-09-28T10:04:00.000-04:002017-10-24T10:03:16.074-04:00Budget Friendly Beef Stroganoff<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My mother used to call this "Poor Man's Stroganoff", but with the cost of food these days, I don't think there are too many types of meat that I'd call a bargain anymore. I swear that even though it's just the two of us now, our grocery budget climbs higher every week! That being said, this dish is quite a bit more budget friendly than the original 1950's Russian dish that it's derived from. The classic version was usually made with more expensive cuts of beef, like tenderloin and top sirloin.<br />
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As is usually the case with so many of my mom's recipes, I do make this a bit differently than she did. She never used any of the extra seasonings that I do and the mushrooms were a definite no-go for this (or any other) dish. Now, it wasn't in any way because the majority of our family wouldn't have liked it that way. But as I've noted quite often before, when I've shared <i>my</i> versions of my mother's recipes, my wonderful, yet oh SO picky Daddy never cared for "extras" like the ingredients that I tend to add to dishes like this one.<br />
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No matter what little extras I might add to it, or how differently I season it, this is one of those true comfort food style meals, that's easy to prepare and to have on the dinner table in a hurry if needed. And the icing on the proverbial cake, is that this is exactly the type of food that always brings back happy and comforting childhood memories for me. And you know what we call a recipe that does all of that around here, right? Yup... We call that, a Win/Win!!<br />
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<b><u>Budget Friendly Beef Stroganoff</u></b><br />
<i>(aka Poor Man's Stroganoff)</i><br />
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<li>1 & 1/2 Lbs Lean Ground Beef</li>
<li>8 oz Button Mushrooms, thickly sliced or quartered</li>
<li>1 Envelope Onion Soup Mix</li>
<li>1 Cup Water</li>
<li>1 10.5oz Can Cream of Mushroom Soup</li>
<li>1/4 Cup Dry White Wine or Vermouth</li>
<li>1 Tbls Worcestershire Sauce</li>
<li>1/2 Cup Half & Half (possibly more)</li>
<li>1/2 Tbls Beef Base (*<i>Better Than Bouillon</i>)</li>
<li>6 Tbls Butter, melted</li>
<li>2 Tbls Balsamic Vinegar</li>
<li>1 Tsp Onion Powder</li>
<li>1 Tsp Garlic Powder</li>
<li>1 Tsp Kosher Salt</li>
<li>1 Tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper (or to taste)</li>
<li>1-2 Cups Sour Cream</li>
<li>1 12oz to 14oz Pkg Extra Wide Egg Noodles</li>
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In a heavy skillet over medium high heat, add the ground beef, a bit of salt and pepper and cook the meat until it's nicely browned, breaking it up a bit with a spatula or a spoon as it cooks.<br />
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Getting some nice brown color on the beef, will give the dish added richness and flavor, too.<br />
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Sprinkle in the package of French onion soup mix.<br />
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<i><b>Unless you end up with a whole lot of grease left in the pan after browning, you shouldn't need to drain it. A bit of juice/fat from browned meats </b></i><i><b>like ground beef or pork sausage, </b></i><i><b>will add to the flavor of the finished dish. I had almost zero fat left behind using what turned out to be a very lean ground beef, so I didn't drain mine, but I'll leave that choice up to you.</b></i><br />
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Pour in the cup of water and stir it well to incorporate.<br />
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If you have an open bottle of dry white wine, by all means, use it in place of the vermouth. But just as an FYI, you'll almost always see me using dry vermouth in place of white wine in pretty much any recipe that calls for it. It is THE perfect substitute, because it's actually white wine that's been fortified and will keep ten times longer sitting on the kitchen counter, than any white drinking wine would after it's been opened - and do it without turning into vinegar. Any unfortified wine, <b><i>will go sour, eventually, </i></b>even if it's been in the refrigerator. Plus, dry vermouth is just plain old good to have around, for use in the occasional (not so dry) martini.<br />
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Add the vermouth/wine to the pan and turn the burner up a squidge, so that it will reduce to a slightly syrupy consistency. This will 1) burn off (evaporate) the alcohol and 2) in this more concentrated form, give a subtle yet important depth to the finished dish, that wouldn't be there without it.<br />
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Obviously, if you just don't want to use any alcohol, or if you prefer not to go out and purchase a bottle of something that you'll probably never use again, you can leave it out entirely.<br />
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Once the vermouth has reduced, add in the mushrooms and stir well to distribute them in the pan.<br />
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At this point, I add a pinch more salt and pepper. If you've been around here for a while and are at all familiar with my recipes, you'll know that I always season in layers, or during intervals of the cooking process. Remember: each ingredient deserves to get it's own fair share of these staple flavor enhancers too!<br />
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Now, it's time to add the balsamic vinegar. Two tablespoons might not seem like much but trust me... this sweet and tangy delight is already highly concentrated and it will add just the right touch to compliment and balance out the tang of the sour cream that we're going to be adding later.<br />
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Give the meat another stir to distribute the vinegar, but there's no need to do any more reducing at this point. As I stated above, Balsamic Vinegar is already reduced quite a bit during the aging process.<br />
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Once you have all of those savory seasonings in the pan, it's time to start adding the ingredients that will make this rich and creamy.<br />
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In a small bowl, add the cream of mushroom soup, Worcestershire and the half & half and use a whisk or a large fork to incorporate them thoroughly.<br />
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Add all of the remaining seasonings to the soup mixture and stir it all up with your whisk.<br />
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If this combination of meat and sauce is a bit too thick at this stage, you can thin it out a bit with a little more half & half or milk.<br />
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<i>(I'd forgotten to add in the beef base earlier, so I stirred it right into the 2/3 cup of half & half before pouring it in. If you've read through this recipe before starting to cook, you can add it into the meat mixture at the same time you add in your balsamic vinegar.)</i><br />
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It turned out that my sauce was a bit too thick at this stage, so I went with 2/3 Cup of additional half & half to thin it out a bit. I did this by eyeballing it. I've been cooking this dish for so long now, that type of thing just comes naturally. If you're more of a newbie to the process, never fear. You can start out with smaller amounts of liquid and add it in a bit at a time, until you feel like the sauce is at a "pourable" consistency. If you end up adding a bit too much, it's not a big deal either... it will reduce or evaporate on it's own with just a bit more cooking time.<br />
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These "soup base" versions of bouillon will dissolve quite easily, even in liquid that isn't very hot. I prefer this style so much more over those old crumbly, uber salty cubes and packets of powder and I honestly don't know how I lived without it in the past! There are a few of these paste style bases on the market now, so I'm sure you can find one pretty easily in most grocery stores.<br />
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The reason I felt that my sauce needed to be a bit thinner, was because I wanted it to pour/ladle nicely over the cooked, buttered noodles. It's just not the same if the sauce mixture just sits on top of your noodles. You really want to be able to mix it all up together as you eat and if it's too thick, that just doesn't happen as easily.<br />
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When you're done mixing the soup and other ingredients, put on a big pot of water and bring it to a boil for your noodles. I think that most people have cooked a pot of some type of pasta or noodles by the time they try out a more complex cooking experience, but just in case you haven't done it before, all you have to do is to follow the directions on the package and you're good to go. I start testing my noodles about 2 minutes before the instructions say that they should be done, because mushy pasta (of any kind) is a major no-no in our house! The Hubbs does <b>not</b> like even slightly overdone pasta! LOL<br />
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I like the "no yolk" extra wide egg noodles for their firm texture, but you can use your favorite brand.<br />
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I know I say this all the time, but whenever you are cooking pasta of ANY kind, whether it's spaghetti, egg noodles, macaroni, etc. ALWAYS make sure that your water is properly (which in this case means liberally) salted. As any true Italian chef will tell you, it should taste like <b>sea water</b>. OK. Don't be scared. I'll explain.<br />
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<i>You see, pasta on it's own (especially dried, store bought pasta) is very bland and the <b>only</b> opportunity that you're gonna have to add flavor to it, is during the cooking process. We're working with very bland ingredients when we make pasta dough, so even if it seems like a lot of salt, the pasta is <b>not</b> going to absorb the salt to a point where it will taste overly salty or do you any harm. <b>I promise.</b> This is also one of the reasons why you should never rinse pasta after draining it. Believe it or not, by rinsing, you'll actually remove a fair amount of the flavor that you just infused with the salted water... not to mention you'll be <b>removing all of the starch</b>, which is what helps any sauce that you are using, cling to your pasta, instead of sliding off and being left behind on the plate.</i><br />
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What I do to keep my noodles from sticking together, is to toss in a little butter. OK... So it's more like a <b><i>lot</i></b> of butter. I mean... what's a li'l ole stick of butter between friends anyway? Besides, this IS for an <b>entire</b> bag of noodles ya know... Plus, it's gonna feed a whole bunch of people! Hmm, I hope that was convincing enough. Uh... it was? Phew! That's a relief! ;)<br />
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In all seriousness, I like to toss about half of the butter right into the empty pot because the residual heat left over from the cooking process helps to melt it more quickly and that way, it doesn't cool the noodles down as fast either! (So, have I justified it enough yet? LOL)<br />
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I add in the rest of the butter in tablespoons, as I add the drained noodles back to the pot, giving it all a good stir as I go. This way, all of the noodles are coated well and nothing sticks together.<br />
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Now comes decision making time...<br />
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You can do a couple of things here, depending on your personal preference or needs. You can either:<br />
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1) Dump all of the sauce right into the the noodle pot, add in a heaping cup (or two) of sour cream, mix it all together and serve it immediately in a lovely bowl, garnished with a bit of fresh chopped parsley. Or,<br />
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2) Put your hot buttered noodles in a pretty serving dish with a cover, (to keep them hot) place the meat and sauce mixture in another covered serving bowl and place that on the table as well, then pass a pretty little condiment bowl filled with sour cream at the table so that people can add what they want to the food on their plates. (This is what we do, as you can see in the photos below)<br />
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As you can see, we use option number two in our house, but my methods might not be what work best for you. Only you know the taste and preferences of your own families, so that's why I try to give <b>you</b> the option to choose for yourselves in the recipes I post here. You might even have a third or fourth option that you'd prefer to use. If so, <b><i>please do share</i></b> your ideas in the comments, because I know that I'd love to hear them and I'm sure that other readers would as well!<br />
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Just as an FYI, there are specific reasons that I serve this dish in the manner that I do. They are:<br />
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1) The sauce reheats much better when the sour cream has <b>not</b> been added to it. I've found that sour cream tends to create a sauce that in the reheating of any leftovers, will separate and turn a bit oily or greasy in the microwave. Uh, yeah. Yuck!<br />
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2) My family members all have different preferences when it comes to the sour cream itself and also to the proportion of "sauce to noodles" on their plate. Some like a bit more sour cream than others and some prefer to have fewer noodles and more sauce mixed together. This way, everyone at the table can "customize" their own Stroganoff! And the best reason of them all... I don't get any complaints! Now that's certainly reason enough for me!<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Enjoy!</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>Mary</i></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="color: orange;">Don't forget that you can print this (or any) recipe using the</span></i> </span><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;">"Print Friendly"</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <i><span style="color: orange;">button at the foot of each post. It's a great little feature that </span><span style="color: #cc0000;">allows you to remove any pictures</span><span style="color: orange;"> (or </span><span style="color: #cc0000;">any text</span><span style="color: orange;"> that isn't relevant to the recipe) </span><span style="color: #cc0000;">before printing</span><span style="color: orange;">. That can save on ink and paper & in today's economy, who doesn't want to save a little cash when you can?!</span></i></span></b><br />
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Mary Sullivan Frasierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10796241299065062308noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8595626797911453964.post-32980938874264231992016-05-07T11:29:00.003-04:002017-10-24T10:04:19.694-04:00I'm Baaack!<br />
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Howdy foodie friends!<br />
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Long time no see, right? Well, it wasn't an easy beginning to 2016 for us, but Spring has sprung (for the most part) in our neck of the woods and I'm finally beginning to feel a bit more like a human being. That being said and nasty old Lupus flares aside, I <i>have</i> been working on a few posts during my time away from the blog, so I thought I'd give you all a little sneak peek at what's ahead! Lupus might knock me out hard at times, but I refuse to let it keep this warrior down for good!<br />
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That being said... I hope you're all having a fantastic Spring so far and I thank you from the bottom of my heart, for hangin' in there with me! Let's get on with it shall we!? <i>(and yes.... I have changed up the look of the blog. Again. A fresh start should be a fresh start all the way, amIright?) </i><br />
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So... I hope you're looking forward to these upcoming recipes! I'm not sure right now, just what order I'll be posting them in, but you can expect to start seeing them in the next couple of days. And just so that you know, I'm working on <b><i>even more</i></b> yummy recipe posts than the ones you're seeing here, as you read this!<br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i><b>"Chow" For Now!</b></i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>Mary</i></span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #38761d;">Don't Forget To Follow Me On Social Media! I Post Blog Updates, Ideas For Kitchen "How To's", Restaurant Recommendations And Reviews And Always Lots Of Photos!</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="color: orange;">Don't forget that you can print this (or any) recipe using the</span></i> </span><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;">"Print Friendly"</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <i><span style="color: orange;">button at the foot of each post. It's a great little feature that </span><span style="color: #cc0000;">allows you to remove any pictures</span><span style="color: orange;"> (or </span><span style="color: #cc0000;">any text</span><span style="color: orange;"> that isn't relevant to the recipe) </span><span style="color: #cc0000;">before printing</span><span style="color: orange;">. That can save on ink and paper & in today's economy, who doesn't want to save a little cash when you can?!</span></i></span></b><br />
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Mary Sullivan Frasierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10796241299065062308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8595626797911453964.post-73304118648024806802015-12-20T12:45:00.001-05:002018-12-25T16:35:43.210-05:00Filet Mignon with (homemade) Bernaise Sauce<br />
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If you're a true-blue red meat eater, then you'll probably agree that the very best cut in the butcher's case, is the Filet - or as it's also known - the Filet Mignon. When you find it on the menu in restaurants that tend to be known for their rendition of this delectable piece of beef, there can be some confusion about the name they use. Because the filet comes from what's referred to as the tenderloin section of the cow, the name given to the cut is usually determined by either the weight/size of the cut and/or the area of the tenderloin that the steak happens to be cut from. This can also vary from one country to another, but since I'm located in the US, I'll go with that one for demonstration purposes.<br />
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<i><b><span style="color: red;">*Tip:</span></b></i> <i>If you do a search on the web for "beef cuts diagram (insert your country of choice)" you can easily find a diagram and an explanation of how beef cuts are determined in that particular country.</i><br />
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You can find a detailed explanation of the different cuts used in the US, <a href="http://culinaryarts.about.com/od/beefporkothermeats/ss/cutsofbeef.htm#step-heading" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Jb6roJsY1oU/VNwZgPRhw8I/AAAAAAAALFo/yXDsKm528D0/s1600/beef%2Btenderloin%2Bdiagram%2Bwith%2Bits%2Bdifferent%2Bcuts.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="390" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Jb6roJsY1oU/VNwZgPRhw8I/AAAAAAAALFo/yXDsKm528D0/s1600/beef%2Btenderloin%2Bdiagram%2Bwith%2Bits%2Bdifferent%2Bcuts.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://www.askthemeatman.com/filet_mignon_recipes.htm" target="_blank">Ask The Meatman</a></td></tr>
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The above diagram shows how a whole tenderloin of beef is generally cut into different usable portions. (well... it's all usable, of course) So, this should help to explain why some menus might offer up a tournado, as opposed to a filet or a filet mignon, or why there might be a dish that highlights just the tenderloin tips. In the end, they are all parts of the same main cut of beef. (and of course, they're all delicious!) Now let's get on with the recipes, shall we?<br />
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This recipe is for 2 people, but it's the same method of prep and cooking if you're feeding 8. In all honesty, if the Hubbs and I are going to be doing that, we'll roast the whole tenderloin. The next time we do, I'll be sure to post it here on the blog.<br />
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The recipe for the <b><a href="http://www.goaheadtakeabite.com/2013/03/lyonnaise-potatoes-great-for-easter.html" target="_blank">Lyonnaise Potatoes</a></b> that I served with this meal can be found <a href="http://www.goaheadtakeabite.com/2013/03/lyonnaise-potatoes-great-for-easter.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>. I'll also include how I prepare the green beans at the end of this post.<br />
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<b><u>Pan Seared or Grilled Filet Mignon</u></b><br />
<i>(Sauce Bearnaise Recipe To Follow)</i><br />
<ul>
<li>2 Filets, cut 1 & 3/4 to 2 inches thick, or approx 8 oz each</li>
<li>Kosher Salt</li>
<li>Fresh Ground Black Pepper</li>
<li>Vegetable or Light Olive Oil</li>
</ul>
<b>1.</b> Remove the filets from the refrigerator about 20 to 30 minutes before cooking, in order to bring it closer to room temperature. Throwing an ice-cold piece of any kind of meat onto a hot cooking surface will cause the meat to seize up from the shock of the transition and this will significantly reduce the overall tenderness of the finished product.<br />
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<b>2.</b> Once the filet has reached room temperature, season it liberally on all sides with the kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Now, you might be tempted to add some kind of steak seasoning or marinade at this point. <b>Please don't!</b> Why is that, you ask?<br />
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Well, if we were cooking a less expensive cut of beef, like say... london broil, then that would be just fine. In fact, it would actually be a good idea. But, in all seriousness, <b><i>why</i></b> would you ever want to add a bunch of different flavors, that are only going to compete or (even worse) mask the true flavor of a glorious piece of beef like filet mignon? Besides, we'll have the luscious bearnaise to "complement" the beef when it's served and that's all you could possibly want or need in this situation.<br />
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<b>3.</b> If you are going to grill this outside on your gas or charcoal grill, you'll want to start the heating method, around the same time that you take the beef out of the fridge. With either type of grill, you'll want to have one area where you can use direct heat and another that you can move the meat to an indirect cooking space.<br />
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<b>3b.</b> In our case, we cooked this in the house, because it was the dead of Winter here in the Northeast. We're just not that big on cooking outdoors in 10° F temperatures on a deck that we'd have to shovel a path through knee-deep snow, just to get to the grill. Ha!<br />
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<b>4.</b> When cooking the filet indoors, the first thing you need to do is to preheat your oven to 400° F. Once the oven is preheated, place a heavy skillet or grill pan on your cooktop and heat it up to just below the smoking point. (That's pretty hot, but it's necessary to sear the meat well.) It helps to have an outside vented fan, or to at least be close to a window or door that you can open a crack to keep any smoke due to searing the meat, from setting off your smoke detector. (If you can reach it easily enough, you might want to <b><i>temporarily</i></b> disconnect it, if possible. Just <b><i>don't forget</i></b> to reconnect it, <b><i>as soon as you're done searing!!</i></b>)<br />
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<b>5.</b> (Only after it's heated) Brush a thin layer of vegetable or light olive oil over the surface of your pan. Filet is basically a very lean cut of beef and while you don't want to add a lot of fat to it, you do want to put just a thin barrier of oil between the meat and the very hot pan in order to keep it from charring too much or too quickly. The searing process is going to form a lovely brown crust on the meat as the juices caramelize while it cooks.<br />
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<b>5b.</b> So... that being said, using a pair of tongs, place the steaks in the pan. Even though you'll be tempted to turn the steaks in just a minute or two, allow them to cook on the first side for about 3 minutes, before touching them again. This is the start to that lovely brown crust that you know and love, on the steaks that you get at the high-end steakhouses. You'll find that this crust will allow the meat to release effortlessly from the pan. If it's stuck, it's not quite ready to turn. Repeat this process for about 30 seconds on all sides.<br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">*Tip:</span></b> (<b><i>never</i></b> use a fork when cooking meat, because piercing it will let all of the wonderful juices run out into the pan and not stay inside the meat where we want them.)<br />
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<b>6.</b> Once the steaks are all seared, place the pan in your preheated oven for about 5 minutes for medium rare (130° F to 135° F) or 6 minutes for medium (135° F to 140° F degrees).<br />
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Now, the last thing I want to do is offend any of my wonderful friends and readers, but if you want your steaks any more well done than that, you're on you're own. My whole life, I've been a medium rare kinda gal and the Hubbs is the same. The only time you'll ever see either of us order our beef cooked medium, is when we are ordering a hamburger. Medium well or (heaven forbid!) well done, especially when you're dealing with an amazing cut of beef like this, is pure sacrilege! Since it is Valentines Day weekend, for those who insist on cooking the meat further, I will at least give you <a href="http://www.omahasteaks.com/servlet/OnlineShopping?Dsp=32&FID=recipe_cookchart" target="_blank">THIS LINK</a>, so that you can gauge the proper time and temperature.<br />
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<b>7.</b> When your particular cooking time is up, remove the pan from the oven and cover the steaks loosely with some aluminum foil. As is true with all meats, there will be a bit of carryover cooking during this time, so if you <i><b>really</b></i> like your steaks more on the rare side, you might want to take them out a minute or two earlier.<br />
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You can use an instant read thermometer <i>if you wish</i>, but we don't like piercing the meat at this point, because we want to keep every bit of juice in there that we can. Using one of those on a whole roast beef or chicken is one thing, but on a delicate steak like this... we'd just as soon go by our gut. (and past experience!)<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Now... On to the sauce!</span></b><br />
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Sauce Bearnaise is our favorite of all of the classic French sauces ever created! I used to think it was something that only a classically trained chef could possibly achieve. That is until one night several years ago when I finally gathered up the nerve to ask the owner (and wife to the chef) of our most favorite of restaurants, if her husband could possibly share his recipe with us. In her lovely French accent, she asked me to wait just a moment and she would go ask. The sheer anticipation had me both giddy and terrified at the same time. After all, we'd been celebrating our most special occasions at this restaurant for many, many years and I certainly didn't want to anger the chef!<br />
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Luckily, my fears were completely abated, when she appeared back at our table with a small piece of paper in her hand. Yes, you guessed correctly! It was his recipe for Sauce Bearnaise! And I've been happily and proudly making it ever since! This wonderful man has since passed away, but his wife and children continue to run this amazing French bistro style restaurant that has served it's delectable food to many a celebrity, après races at the Saratoga Thoroughbred Race Course over the years. And I am now about to share one of my most very prized culinary possessions with all of you!<br />
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<b><u>Sauce Bearnaise</u></b><br />
<i>(Serves 4 to 6 people)</i><br />
<ul>
<li>1 Lg Shallot, finely minced (or 2 small)</li>
<li>3 Tbls Fresh Tarragon, chopped (heaping)</li>
<li>1/4 Cup Champagne or Tarragon Vinegar</li>
<li>3 Lg Egg Yolks</li>
<li>2 Sticks (8oz each) Butter, cut into 5 pieces each</li>
</ul>
OK... So, this is <b>not</b> a low fat sauce, but remember that each person is only going to be using a couple of tablespoons in total. It's not something that you're going to eat every day of the week. (although once you've tasted it, you might <i>want to</i>. lol)<br />
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<b>1.</b> Finely mince the shallot(s) and chop the tarragon. I recommend that you do your best to get your hands on some fresh tarragon because in this recipe I truly believe that it does make a difference, but you can use dried tarragon if that's all you can find or have on hand. Just be sure to use only half of the amount that you would use of the fresh herb. As a rule, dried herbs are generally about twice as potent as fresh.<br />
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Most of the major chain supermarkets and stores like Walmart Super Centers carry these small packets of fresh herbs in their produce departments.<br />
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<b>2.</b> In a small heavy bottomed saucepan, add your vinegar and shallots and bring them up to a simmer. Reduce by about half. You don't want it to boil too rapidly, because the reduction could happen very quickly and that could easily leave you with less liquid than you need. The mixture should be slightly thicker, or maybe a better description would be a little bit syrupy.<br />
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<b>3.</b> Once this is reduced, add in your tarragon and stir well to combine.<br />
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<b>4.</b> Separate your three eggs and place the yolks in a small bowl.<br />
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<b>5.</b> Taking the pot off the heat for a moment and with a wire whisk in your hand, carefully add one egg yolk at a time to the mixture and whisk it in completely before adding the next one.<br />
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<b>6.</b> You'll notice that the mixture is getting a little thicker with each addition. Once all three are whisked in, turn the heat down as low as it can go and place the pot back on the burner.<br />
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<b>7.</b> Begin adding the butter, one pat or piece at a time, whisking the entire time, until both sticks are fully incorporated. You'll notice that the sauce is going to keep getting creamier and a lighter yellow color as you go along.<br />
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<b>8.</b> Once you've finished adding the butter, season the sauce with about 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of fresh black pepper and serve right away.<br />
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If you can't serve the sauce immediately, it's important to keep it warm, while not scorching it, drying it out, or having it separate on you. This is the part about making homemade Bearnaise that used to make me all anxious and spazzy - especially if I was serving it to company. But, I've learned a few little tricks over the years that have taken all of the anxiety out of it.<br />
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<b>Tip #1</b> Keep the pan covered tightly after removing it from the heat. Just before serving, preheat a burner to low (or turn on a very low flame, if you have a gas stove). Once the burner is ready, remove the lid, place the pan on the heat and begin whisking rapidly. If the sauce looks like it's about to separate, add a tiny amount (1/2 tsp) of very hot tap water and keep whisking. Repeat adding the tiny bit of hot water until the sauce is smooth and creamy.<br />
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<b>Tip #2</b> As soon as the sauce is done, pour it into a thermos. This should keep it warm for about 30 minutes, without it separating.<br />
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<b>Tip #3</b> When all else fails, give your guests a fresh (and very large) glass of wine, quietly dump out the separated sauce and start all over again. It helps to have a spare shallot already minced, some extra tarragon that's already chopped and a couple of sticks of butter already cut into pieces. It really only takes a few minutes to make and if your guests are within sight of the stove, they'll be pretty impressed that you're just whipping up an uber fancy gourmet sauce, right in front of them!<br />
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<b><u>The Sauteed Garlic Green Beans</u></b><br />
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<i>In case you'd like to duplicate this meal exactly, I included the link to the recipe for the potatoes just prior to the filet instructions and here's a quick explanation of how I prepare the beans. I swear I could make these in my sleep, because they just happen to be one of my family's favorite vegetable sides. :)</i><br />
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These beans couldn't be more simple. They are washed, trimmed and blanched for 2 - 3 minutes in a large pot of liberally salted water, brought up just barely to a boil. They're removed from the pot with a large slotted spoon or strainer and immediately shocked in a large bowl filled with ice and water, in order to stop the cooking process. (<i>This part can be done ahead and the blanched and shocked beans set aside at room temperature until you're ready to finish cooking them</i>)<br />
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When the rest of the meal is just about ready, I place a heavy non-stick pan over medium-high heat, add a tablespoon or two of butter and 1 large clove of garlic that's been finely minced. (If you aren't a garlic fan, you can substitute about a tablespoon of finely minced shallots instead) The garlic is sauteed for just a minute, then I add the drained beans that have been patted dry with some clean paper towels to the pan and season them with 1 to 1 & 1/2 teaspoons of kosher or fine sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. I then saute them for roughly 4 minutes, or until they are heated all the way through and are just barely tender, stirring frequently. Serve them immediately with your meat and potatoes.<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>Enjoy!</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>Mary</i></span><br />
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Mary Sullivan Frasierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10796241299065062308noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8595626797911453964.post-42644637341225767292015-10-27T12:54:00.002-04:002017-10-24T10:07:37.197-04:00Nana's Apple Pie (The Last Apple Pie Recipe You'll Ever Need!)<br />
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There's a bit of a story behind the title of this post. You certainly don't have to read it. You can skip on ahead to the recipe instead and that's perfectly fine with me. You see, the "recipe" for this pie is not <i>technically</i> my own. It <b>is</b> my tried and tested interpretation of how I believe my grandmother (aka, Nana) made her apple pies. So, if you've decided that you want to learn the "behind the scenes" about the title of this post, then please read on.<br />
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My Nana (my dad's mom) made the best apple pie I've ever tasted. Honestly, there wasn't much that I can recall, that she didn't cook well. Her chicken and biscuits was to die for and her roast pork dinner with all of the "fixins", was just heavenly. Sadly, she was already quite elderly and had pretty much stopped making that type of "Sunday dinner" style food, by the time I was old enough to really take an interest in cooking. Although I never had the opportunity to sit in her kitchen and watch as she prepared those incredible meals, I did learn quite a bit from listening to my mother, aunts and cousins through the years, when they'd talk about what <i>they</i> had learned from her.<br />
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For instance... when I make chicken and dumplings, I cook my chicken the same way that Nana did when she made chicken and biscuits. I "fricassee" it, which is really just a fancy way of saying that I cook it low and slow. Instead of boiling it in water or broth, I pan fry or saute it over a medium low flame, until it's a rich (and tender) deep golden brown. Now, this method might take a little longer, but believe me... it's worth every second of any extra time that it takes and I honestly couldn't imagine cooking it any other way.<br />
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OK, what does chicken fricassee have to do with apple pie, you ask? Well, it's not so much about the dishes... it's about the woman who prepared them and it's about her cooking philosophy. She didn't use recipes and she didn't follow trends. She was the wife and mother of hard working, dairy farming men and she cooked the food that she knew would make her husband and three sons happy. Food that would keep them nourished and their stomachs full, as they worked all day and well into the night, to keep the family farm running. She cooked what they loved ...with love.<br />
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Her apple pie was no exception. My grandfather, my dad and his brothers liked their pie sweet and with <b>lots</b> of cinnamon and spices. Now, my Mom - God rest her - wasn't much of a baker, so she usually bought the "par-baked" Mrs. Smith's pies from the grocery store that you finished baking before serving. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with doing that.<br />
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But... (you knew that but was coming, right?) My Dad was a very picky eater. He was very much used to the way his mother cooked and I know he would have liked to see my mother follow in her mother-in-law's footsteps. He never <i>openly</i> shared his opinion about the store bought pies. He loved my mom and always appreciated what she did to keep the household running. He just wasn't one to openly criticize anyone. He did, however, have a, ahem... <i><b>subtle</b></i> way of making his feelings known about the pie.<br />
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He'd quietly go to the cupboard and get the sugar bowl and the cinnamon shaker. Then, when he got back to the table, he'd gently lift the top crust on the slice of pie on his plate and he'd sprinkle liberal amounts of both, all over the filling inside. When he was satisfied with the amount that he'd "enhanced" the pie's sweetness and the cinnamon content, he'd place the crust back on top and start eating his dessert. Of course my mother saw it, but she never got angry or upset about it. She never said a word at all. She knew that the last thing my Dad ever wanted to do was hurt her feelings. So, she'd just turn a blind eye and act as if nothing had happened and we'd all go on, happily eating our pie.<br />
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Anyone who knows me well, is aware that I was and always will be a bona fide, card carrying member of the DGS (Daddy's Girl Society). My Dad was (and still is) my hero, so when I started cooking in my early teens, the person who's praise I sought out the most and who I tried my hardest to make happy with the food that I cooked, was my Dad. So naturally, when I took on the challenge of making my first apple pie, I remembered that sugar bowl and cinnamon shaker and I set out to make an apple pie that my Dad would never need to quietly "doctor" up... ever again. What follows is the result of that mission - <span style="color: red;">**</span>with one little change.<br />
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I hope that you enjoy it, as much as he always did. :)<br />
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<b><u>Nana's Apple Pie</u></b><br />
(makes two 9 inch pies)<br />
<ul>
<li>10 Large Cortland, McIntosh or Empire Apples (I use a mixture)</li>
<li>1 & 1/2 Cups Granulated Sugar (yes, that's the right amount)</li>
<li>1 & 1/2 Tbls Ground Cinnamon (yes, that's right too!)</li>
<li>1/2 Tsp Ground Allspice</li>
<li>1/4 Tsp Ground Ginger</li>
<li>1/4 Tsp Grated Nutmeg (fresh, if you have it)</li>
<li>1/8 Tsp Ground Cloves</li>
<li>4 Tbls Butter, (one half stick - sliced/cubed into eighths)</li>
<li>2 Pkgs of 2-count refrigerated pie crusts<span style="color: red;">**</span> (or your own homemade)</li>
</ul>
<span style="color: red;">**</span> When I have the time, I will make my own pie crust dough. But let's face it... at Thanksgiving time, I have <b>so</b> many other dishes to prepare, that I need every extra second I can spare. And after several years of stressing over it, I eventually turned to the refrigerated pie crusts. (sorry, Nana!) I always use the brand shown in the ingredients photo above, so I can't vouch for any of the others out there. But I can say that this one comes pretty darned close to the real deal and to be honest, I've <b>never</b> had a single complaint. Not even from my very picky, very vocal husband!<br />
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If you'd like to make your own pie crust, I use (and highly recommend) Martha Stewart's Pate Brisee recipe. It's tender and flaky and it's easy to make! You can find it by clicking <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/317858/pate-brisee-pie-dough" target="_blank">HERE</a>! <b><i>Just remember that you'll need to double the recipe for two 9" double crust pies.</i></b><br />
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Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.<br />
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OK, let's begin! Wash and peel your apples and set them aside. I always peel all of the apples first and then core and slice them. Once I get started, I'm pretty quick with this part of the process, but if you end up with a bit of oxidation (the browning that occurs when peeled apples are exposed to the air) it won't matter in the finished pies. You'll never see it once the cinnamon and other spices are added to the filling and the apples cook down in the pie.<br />
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<i>I can't recall ever making apple pies with a single type of apple. I like to use a mixture of two, or even three, different apple varieties. We have dozens and dozens of wonderful orchards here in the Northeast and the predominant apple varieties that you'll find at roadside stands and in grocery stores here in upstate NY are generally Cortland, McIntosh and Empire, so it's usually a combination of those apples.</i><br />
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What you want are apples that are sweet, juicy and will cook down easily. Now, you don't want to end up with applesauce in your pie, (there is actually such a thing though) but if there's anything that drives me nuts, it's an apple pie with undercooked or chewy apples in it. I understand that this is a personal preference and you might like to have a bit of bite left to the apples in your finished pie, <b>but</b> if you want to recreate this exact recipe, I'd recommend you use a combination of the apple varieties that I mentioned in this post.<br />
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If you can't find these particular varieties where you live, just ask a local produce professional which apple varieties are native to your area and would be best for making pies and they'll let you know just what to look for.<br />
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I start by making four cuts around the perimeter of the apple, getting as close as I can to the core, without picking up bits of the seeds or hard membrane that exists around it. You'll know if you've cut too close to the core because you'll see and feel the rigid membrane when you lightly run your finger over the cut side. If you do feel it, just take a very sharp knife and scrape the area, until you no longer feel it there. It shouldn't take much.<br />
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After you have the "meat" of the apple off, you can either toss the cores in your compost pile or give them to someone who has one. <b>Or</b>, you can put them in your freezer in zip-top bags to be used at a later time to make fragrant "simmer-pots" that will make your house smell like you've been baking, even when you don't have time! The aroma of apples, mixed with whole spices and maybe a bit of citrus peel, placed in a pot of barely simmering water on your stove top, can be a lovely thing to experience throughout the Fall and Winter seasons! Ahhhh...<br />
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When the apple is peeled and the larger pieces removed, lay those pieces, cut side down, on your cutting board and slice them into 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices. They don't have to match exactly. You just want to keep them all relatively close to the same thickness.<br />
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Once all of the apples are sliced, place them in a large mixing bowl that has plenty of room to stir them without the apples flying out of the bowl. lol<br />
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<b>*<i>Before</i> adding the sugar and spices to your apples, prepare your pie plates by adding the bottom crusts to each one, so they'll be all ready for the filling and the top crusts.*</b><br />
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Add your sugar, cinnamon, allspice, ginger and cloves and give it all a good toss, making sure that all of the apple slices are well coated with the mixture.<br />
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Yes... I really do use that much cinnamon! Trust me.... it makes a wonderful pie!<br />
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When the spices are stirred in, sprinkle your AP flour over the top as evenly as you can. I don't add the flour with the sugar and spices because I find it has a tendency to clump up that way. Trust me... you do <b>not</b> want any big chunks of dry flour in your pies.<br />
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Add the pinch of salt (1/4 tsp?) and stir it all again to incorporate the flour and salt evenly. You'll find as you're stirring, that the apples will begin to exude some of their juice. This is a good thing. A small amount of juice, mixed with the sugar and spices and the flour, will help the apples cook down and will create a nice thick coating of sweet, cinnamon-y goodness throughout your pies.<br />
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On the flip-side, too much juice can result in a very thin runny filling that will pool up in the pan when you cut it later for serving - plus it can make the crust soggy. Now, that just <b><i>isn't good pie</i></b>. The key to making sure this doesn't happen, is to not let the mixture sit for too long before adding the filling to the pans. Not more than a couple of minutes, really.<br />
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Quickly (and as evenly as possible) pour your apples into your two prepared pie plates, mounding the filling ever so slightly, then dot the tops of each pie with 1/2 each of the butter slices/cubes.<br />
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With the refrigerated crusts, there's usually just enough extra that hangs over a 9" pie plate for me to tuck the top crust underneath the bottom and then pinch them gently together to seal it all up.<br />
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I then use my left thumb, placed in between my right thumb and index finger to flute the edges.<br />
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(I couldn't hold a camera and do this at the same time, so in case you've never done this before, I found the photo below at Eating Well's website. It's a single crust pie, but it's the same technique. Mine <i>never</i> looks quite this perfect, but remember... practice doesn't always make perfect and that's OK! Hope it helps!)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RZNDs4wwB8U/Vio_JHmKwnI/AAAAAAAASr8/zF_YvSa_sc0/s1600/pie_crust_flute_310.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RZNDs4wwB8U/Vio_JHmKwnI/AAAAAAAASr8/zF_YvSa_sc0/s640/pie_crust_flute_310.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.eatingwell.com/healthy_cooking/healthy_cooking_101/kitchen_tips_techniques/how_to_flute_or_crimp_pie_crust" target="_blank">Photo Source: Eating Well</a></td></tr>
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Then, using a sharp knife, I poke a hole in the center and make 4 slices at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o'clock, starting about 1/2 inch from the center hole and ending about 1/2 inch from the fluted edge. I then sometimes make shorter slits in between those. This is functional (by letting excess steam escape from the filling) and it's also decorative.<br />
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Place the pies in your 425 degree preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes. I always put a sheet pan lined with foil on the bottom rack, to catch any juices that bubble over. Trust me... apple pie spillover is full of sugar and can be pretty nasty!<br />
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<i><b>(Please excuse my very dirty oven - these photos were from last Thanksgiving and there had been 2 massive & very spattery - is that a word? - turkeys cooked in them just a short time before.)</b></i><br />
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Allow the pies to cool for at least 15 to 20 minutes before serving. This will allow the filling to set up a bit so that it doesn't run out all over the place when you cut a slice.<br />
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Slice up your pie as needed and serve on it's own - or with your favorite apple pie topping. Some like whipped cream, some like a big slice of cheddar cheese. Our absolute <b>must</b> around here is, hands down, a big scoop of vanilla ice cream!<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>Enjoy!</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>Mary</i></span><br />
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Mary Sullivan Frasierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10796241299065062308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8595626797911453964.post-49050670392378877582015-10-06T13:32:00.001-04:002017-10-24T10:09:02.318-04:00Baked Ricotta Meatballs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Let's talk about meatballs for a moment, shall we?<br />
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I am a MAJOR meatball fanatic! So much so, that when we make up our huge batches of Sunday Gravy, I could easily skip the pasta altogether and just have a ginormous bowl of meatballs with sauce and some fresh, crusty Italian bread.<br />
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Mmmmm..... heavenly.<br />
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Well, until recently, if I was making any kind of meatballs, they were generally going into a big pot of red sauce, <a href="http://www.goaheadtakeabite.com/2012/05/sunday-gravy.html" target="_blank">(Sunday Gravy)</a> or I was making them as an appetizer... usually something like Swedish Meatballs, or what's referred to around here as "Jelly Meatballs". If you're over 30, I'm sure you've likely made these, or at least eaten them, at some point. It's a recipe that was popular waaay back in the late 80's, (I think) that uses a simple, yet addictively delicious sauce comprised of equal parts bottled chili sauce (my favorite is Heinz Chili Sauce) and grape jelly. I've heard them called many names. Some people refer to them as "sweet and sour meatballs", while others call them "barbecue meatballs" and I've also heard many people refer to them simply as "cocktail meatballs".<br />
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<i>(Hmmm.... I don't think I've ever typed the word "meatballs" that many times in a row in my life! lol)</i><br />
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I've made ricotta meatballs in the past, but I'd never made them before this, with the sole intention of using them as a stand-alone dish. But, man oh man, am I ever happy that I did! Just seeing these photos again, is making my mouth water and has me seriously wishing that I wasn't still recuperating from a recent trip South to spend time with our new grandson.<br />
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Honestly... if I wasn't feeling so completely wiped out right now, I'd probably be in the kitchen, making a huge batch - and it's not even noon. Ha!<br />
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But, that's not why you're here right now, is it? You're reading this post to find out how to prepare ricotta meatballs. And right now, because I love you all <b>so</b> very much, I'm going to oblige.<br />
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Baked Ricotta Meatballs are basically regular meatballs, but with a little extra "sumpthin' sumpthin' "in the mix plus they're baked in separate individual portions. Or, if you wanted to, you could certainly make them in a large family sized casserole as a main dish. You can also add these to your Sunday Gravy for a traditional Spaghetti & Meatballs dinner. Either way, (obviously, this goes without saying) they both start with the recipe for the Ricotta Meatballs!<br />
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<i>This might look a bit complex to those of you who are beginning cooks, but it's really not. Even though the ingredient list is a bit on the long side, I promise that once you have everything you need laid out, you can easily throw the ingredients together in about 15 minutes and have your meatballs ready to cook.</i><br />
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<b><u>Baked Ricotta Meatballs</u></b><br />
<i>(makes about 2 dozen large meatballs)</i><br />
<ul>
<li>2 Lbs Meatloaf Mix (<span style="color: red;">**</span>see note)</li>
<li>1 Lg Yellow Onion, very finely minced</li>
<li>1/4 Cup Seasoned Dry Breadcrumbs</li>
<li>3 Lg Eggs</li>
<li>1 Cup Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese</li>
<li>1/4 Cup Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese (<span style="color: blue;">**</span>see note)</li>
<li>1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley, chopped</li>
<li>1 Tsp Garlic and Herb or Italian Seasoning</li>
<li>1 Tsp Dried Oregano</li>
<li>1 Tsp Dried Basil</li>
<li>1 Tsp Onion Powder</li>
<li>1 Tsp Garlic Powder</li>
<li>2 Tsps Salt</li>
<li>1 Tsp Black Pepper</li>
<li>Extra Light Olive Oil (for frying)</li>
<li>4 Cups Marinara Sauce</li>
<li>1/2 Lb Mozzarella Cheese, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces</li>
</ul>
<span style="color: red;">**</span> If you can't find meatloaf mix in your local grocery store, you can create your own by combining 1/3 lb each of ground beef, ground veal and ground pork for every pound of meatloaf mix that the recipe calls for. If you have cultural, religious or dietary issues or restrictions regarding one or more of these meats, you can certainly use any combination of the other two, or all one meat.<br />
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Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the 2 lbs of meat in a large mixing bowl.<br />
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Peel and quarter the onion and then mince it <b>very</b> finely. ( I would highly recommend using a food processor or a blender to do this) Add this to the mixing bowl. <i>You want the onion to be as fine as you can get it, because it's raw going into the mix and big chunks of onion 1) make it more difficult to roll into a firm ball shape and 2) may not soften completely during the cooking process. I don't know about you, but I prefer not to bite into big chunks of semi-cooked onion in my meatballs.</i><br />
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Add the bread crumbs, eggs, onion and garlic powders, salt and the ricotta cheese to the bowl.<br />
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Mix these ingredients together loosely with a large heavy spoon or spatula. (Or you can always use your very clean hands)<br />
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If you don't have a garlic and herb seasoning blend like the one shown above, you can use any Italian seasoning blend combined 50/50 with a bit of extra garlic powder.<br />
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Add in your dried basil and oregano and your freshly chopped parsley.<br />
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Finely grate your Pecorino Romano and add it to the bowl.<br />
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<span style="color: blue;">**</span>You <i>can</i> use Parmesan cheese if you don't have Romano on hand, but because a good <a href="http://www.cheese.com/pecorino-romano/" target="_blank">Pecorino RRomano</a> is made with sheep's milk, there's a subtle warm nuttiness that it brings to the overall flavor of the finished meatball. So, if you can get your hands on some good pecorino romano, I really do recommend it over the parm.<br />
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Mix all of the ingredients together well, making sure that you don't have any big "pockets" of one ingredient or another. Because meatloaf mix contains both veal and pork and also because the ricotta cheese is creamy and white, the overall mixture might look a bit more light in color than what you're used to seeing when using 100% ground beef. This is perfectly normal when using a soft (or fresh) cheese like ricotta. You can mix meat a little too much but you can also not mix it enough. You want a nice cohesive mix that holds together whe you roll them.<br />
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Cover the meat with a bit of cling film and put it in the refrigerator for about 15 to 20 minutes to firm up. (make sure to push the plastic wrap right down on top of the meat mixture, to prevent air getting to it - which can dry it out - while it's in the fridge chilling.)<br />
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Prepare a cookie sheet of large plastic cutting board by placing a big sheet of parchment or waxed paper on top. This will be the "landing pad" for your rough scoops of meat mixture before rolling the meatballs. It then becomes a good place to keep them "holding" as you're frying up each batch of meatballs.<br />
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Start by scooping them all roughly onto the parchment or waxed paper lined baking sheet. Once the sheet is full, roll each one into a classic meatball size and shape. I prefer to use an ice cream scoop to make more uniform sized meatballs. They cook more evenly in the same amount of time and are more aesthetically pleasing to the eye in the final dish. I use a #20 scoop, which holds a little over 2 ounces and I scrape it off flat on the edge of the bowl each time to keep them as uniform in size as possible. This ensures even cooking.<br />
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If you're making a double batch, you might need two cookie sheets, or you can fill the one sheet up, fry them all and then start the next wave of scooping and rolling once you've finished the first batch. If you are using the latter method, cover the mixture just as described above and put it in the fridge between uses.<br />
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If I'm making these specifically to add to my <a href="http://www.goaheadtakeabite.com/2012/05/sunday-gravy.html" target="_blank">Sunday Gravy</a>, I bake them in a 375 degree oven for about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on their size. I do try to check and turn them once, right around the halfway mark. I then drop them into the sauce and even though they're cooked through at that point, they do cook a bit more in the sauce and become more tender in the process. But, when I'm making the individual meatball casseroles, I usually don't have as many to deal with, so I fry them in a pan with a little bit of light olive oil.<br />
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Since we are making these today as individual casseroles (or maybe putting them in a large baking dish for a buffet) and serving them as a hearty first course or as a main meal, we'll be frying them.<br />
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Pour about 2 tablespoons of a light or extra light olive oil (you can also use a vegetable, peanut or coconut oil) into a large heavy skillet, over a medium to medium high heat.<br />
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Fry the meatballs, turning every few minutes with a pair of tongs or a large spoon for a total of about 12 to 15 minutes. Make sure not to crowd the pan or they won't brown properly and will basically "stew" in their own natural juices. That would make them a bit tougher.<br />
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If you notice them getting brown too quickly, turn your heat down just a tiny bit and keep turning them to an uncooked, or less cooked side. You can usually tell how done they are, by the "feel" when you put light pressure on the top with your finger or with the utensil you're using to turn them. If there's no resistance at all, they're likely still raw in the center. If there is a firm, yet very slightly bouncy feel to them, they're pretty much cooked through.<br />
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Since they're going in the oven for about 20 to 30 minutes before serving, it's OK if they're a tiny bit uncooked in the center.<br />
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As they come out of the pan, place them on a large platter or clean cookie sheet, lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil or grease.<br />
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When all of the meatballs are finished, begin placing your desired amount in either individual serving dishes (like the one above) or into a large baking dish -I'm pretty sure that most people have a basic 13"x9"x2" Pyrex type of baking dish in their kitchen coffers, but if you don't, you can also use two pans. As long as they're oven proof, you're good to go. The important thing is to keep them in a single layer, since you're going to top each dish with yummy marinara sauce and slices of ooey-gooey mozzarella cheese.<br />
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For this specific dish, I prefer to buy the large balls of fresh mozzarella and slice it up myself, but if you're making a large casserole dish as a family serving, you can certainly buy the shredded style that's commonly used for pizza. A blend of shredded Italian cheeses would also work fine. It's really a personal taste thing.<br />
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You want to keep your mozzarella slices about 1/4 inch thick. If you slice it much more than that, they won't melt as nicely.<br />
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You can use your favorite store bought marinara sauce, or of course, if you have homemade sauce on hand, that's all the better! I had some in the freezer, so I just thawed it out by putting it in the fridge the night before.<br />
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Spoon enough marinara sauce over the top of the meatballs to cover them and also cover the bottom of the baking dish(es) that you're using.<br />
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I like to cut the slices into smaller pieces when I'm using the individual casserole dishes. It could just be my imagination, but I really feel like it melts more evenly and it doesn't hurt that each tender, juicy meatball gets it's own little "blanket" of gooey, melted cheese. What the heck... whether it's my imagination, or it actually makes sense scientifically, it works for me!<br />
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Cover each of the meatballs with the mozzarella slices and...<br />
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place the casserole dishes (or single pan, if that's what you're using) on a sheet pan lined with aluminum foil, a silicone mat or parchment paper. You can use the pre-shredded mozzarella for this, but you won't get the creaminess that you do with this style. Think about your standard pizza, for instance. Shredded cheese gives you that great <i><b>stringy</b></i>, gooey effect that we all ooh and ahh over when we pull a slice from the pie... but for this kind of preparation, it's <b>so</b> much better to have a more <b style="font-style: italic;">creamy</b>, gooey texture when you dig in with your fork.<br />
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Bake the casseroles in your preheated 350 degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes, depending on whether your oven runs hotter or colder. If you've prepared these earlier in the day and refrigerated them, remove them from the fridge about half an hour before you plan to cook them. This will give them time to come up to room temperature.<br />
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Allow the meatballs to rest for about five minutes before serving. They can be served as an appetizer, a side dish with pasta, or as a main course. I like to serve them with a nice tossed green salad for a light, yet filling lunch or dinner. And they also make a great side dish alongside spaghetti (or any other kind of pasta) with marinara sauce!<br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Enjoy!</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>Mary</i></span><br />
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Mary Sullivan Frasierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10796241299065062308noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8595626797911453964.post-28588231968063443972015-06-27T13:41:00.001-04:002017-10-24T10:12:14.049-04:0010 Awesome Summer Cocktails!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's <span style="color: magenta;">Summer</span> <span style="color: purple;">Cocktail</span> Time at Go Ahead... Take A Bite!!<br />
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So pull up a stool, grab a notepad and a pen (or use the "print friendly" feature that's at the bottom of each post) and jot down a recipe or two. Heck, why not get 'em all down on paper so you can be ready to rock like a pro mixologist with this whole line-up of awesome cocktails at your next summer gathering!!<br />
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I'm going to include the brand names of <em>some</em> liquors or get specific about other ingredients in the cocktails listed here today, but please note that <strong>I have not been compensated for mentioning or sharing my opinion about these products. They are simply just my preferences</strong>.<br />
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All amounts are for <em><strong>one</strong></em> cocktail, unless <span style="color: magenta;"><b>**</b></span>otherwise specified. I've made sure to include tips for making the best cocktails that you can. <u><em><strong><span style="color: #cc0000;">Of course, here at GATAB, we always drink responsibly. </span><span style="color: #20124d;">Please don't ever drink and drive!</span></strong></em></u><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>1)</strong></span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BZDdWRwIFd4/TfFK7jyQ6rI/AAAAAAAAAZg/EGxpA9SGk34/s620/blood+orange+martini.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="620" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BZDdWRwIFd4/TfFK7jyQ6rI/AAAAAAAAAZg/EGxpA9SGk34/s620/blood+orange+martini.jpg" width="475" /></a></div>
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<strong><span style="color: orange; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Blood Orange Martini</span></strong><br />
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I discovered this cocktail at a very nice restaurant that Hubbs and I visited while on vacation. I only had a tiny sip, since I already had my cocktail of choice in front of me. (that would be recipe number 3, in case you were wondering.) If I hadn't, or if I was a two cocktail kind of gal these days, I'd have ordered one of these in a heartbeat!</div>
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<ul>
<li>4 Oz Vodka</li>
<li>1/2 Oz Triple Sec or other Orange flavored Liqueur</li>
<li>2 Oz Blood Orange Juice</li>
<li>Slice of Orange for garnish</li>
</ul>
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Combine all ingredients (except the orange slice), with a generous amount of ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously for a few seconds. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with the orange slice.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>2)</strong></span></div>
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<strong><span style="color: lime; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Tom Collins</span></strong></div>
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This cocktail (or technically "highball") can be made with either Gin or Vodka (Vodka Collins) which is my personal preference. It's a light and refreshing summer thirst quencher that goes down smooth and easy on a hot summer day, so try not to get too carried away!<br />
<ul>
<li>2 Oz Gin</li>
<li>1 Oz Lemon Juice</li>
<li>1 Tsp Superfine Sugar (or 1 Tbls Simple Syrup)</li>
<li>3 Oz Club Soda or Collins Mix</li>
<li>1 Maraschino Cherry</li>
<li>1 Orange or Lemon Slice</li>
</ul>
In a shaker that is half-filled with ice cubes, combine the gin or vodka, lemon juice, and sugar. Shake well. Strain into a tall glass filled with more ice. Add the club soda. Stir gently and garnish with the cherry and orange or lemon slice.<br />
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<strong style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3)</strong>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>The</b></span> <strong><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Dirty Martini</span></strong></div>
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This is one of <b>my</b> favorites, on the rare occasions that I treat myself to a cocktail. I don't drink much alcohol these days, because of some of the medications I take, but when I do.... well, let's just say that I like my Dirty Martini's <i><b>extra dirty</b></i>. ;~) If you like (<i><b>or love, as is the case with moi</b></i>) green olives, then you'll go bonkers for this smooth and savory libation! <br />
<ul>
<li>2 Oz Grey Goose (unflavored) Vodka</li>
<li>1 Oz Brine from the Olive Jar</li>
<li>Splash of Dry Vermouth</li>
<li>Olives for garnish</li>
</ul>
Pour just a bit of Dry Vermouth into a chilled martini glass and swirl it around a couple of times. Pour it out. (yes, I said pour it out - it should just be a whisper) Pour the rest of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker full of ice. Shake well and strain into the chilled martini glass. Garnish with as many olives as you can fit on a toothpick or one of those cute cocktail spears.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>4)</strong></span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4VGJSOGOH-U/TfFLNQIvl5I/AAAAAAAAAZs/jkEpPHcEwOA/s620/gin+and+tonic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="620" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4VGJSOGOH-U/TfFLNQIvl5I/AAAAAAAAAZs/jkEpPHcEwOA/s1600/gin+and+tonic.jpg" width="475" /></a></div>
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<strong><span style="color: red; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Gin and Tonic</span></strong></div>
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This is another well know, established cocktail in the "highball" category. According to what I've always been told, it's considered the "official" cocktail of Great Britain. I found this recipe in magazine article interviewing an American ex-pat who'd been living in England for several years and what follows is <i>his</i> recipe for "THE Perfect Gin and Tonic". I do like to try and defer to the experts when it comes to such classic food and libation, so cheerio, let's go! </div>
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<ul>
<li>3 Oz Bombay Sapphire Gin (or "Mother's Ruin")</li>
<li>4 Oz Schweppes's Tonic Water (the use of any other brand of tonic is likened to treason - or so I've heard)</li>
<li>1 Tbls Lime Juice (fresh... <em>never</em> bottled, also as per above mentioned reason, but I do agree)</li>
<li>Lime Wedge for garnish</li>
</ul>
Pour the Gin over ice in a tall glass. Add the Tonic and the Lime Juice and stir gently. Garnish with the Lime Wedge. Now, I've also been told that one should make a batch of ice cubes out of the tonic water, specifically for these beloved G&T's, but it isn't mandatory. I'll leave that up to you. <br />
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The use of Bombay Sapphire gin is also highly recommended by many Brits, but since I despise all things Gin, I'll leave that up to you. I must admit that the idea of rimming the glass with the wedge of lime before adding it as a garnish, is a great one and I actually recommend it highly for just about any highball recipe. </div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">5)</span></strong></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uOUs7U7zJfA/TfFLWh1gyMI/AAAAAAAAAZw/uJK0NRXoy8c/s620/limoncello+spritzer.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="620" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uOUs7U7zJfA/TfFLWh1gyMI/AAAAAAAAAZw/uJK0NRXoy8c/s620/limoncello+spritzer.png" width="475" /></a></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #45818e; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Limoncello Spritzer</span></strong></div>
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Limoncello is an Italian Lemon Liqueur made by simply taking handfuls of fresh lemon rind and soaking it in grain alcohol (Vodka works perfectly) for a couple of weeks. It can be as smooth or as hearty as you like it to be, depending on the amount of lemon rind you use and the length of time that you allow it to steep.<br />
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It's great on it's own as an aperitif or even better in this luscious summer cooler. Just be sure to take only the yellow skin from the lemons, leaving as much of the white pith behind. It's the most bitter part of the rind.<br />
<ul>
<li>3 Oz Limoncello</li>
<li>1 Oz Frozen Lemonade Concentrate</li>
<li>4 Oz Sparkling Water</li>
<li>Lemon Wedge for garnish</li>
</ul>
Pour the Limoncello over a glass filled with ice. Add the Frozen Lemonade Concentrate (in a small amount first and then taste for desired sweetness) and top it off with the Sparkling Water. Stir gently and garnish with a Lemon Wedge.<br />
(I also recommend rimming the glass with a bit of lemon juice and sugar! Yum!)<br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>6)</strong></span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YUQDs8-oG6Q/TfFLfvWMoeI/AAAAAAAAAZ0/1GJn8Hm1t2I/s620/pink+see+thru.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="620" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YUQDs8-oG6Q/TfFLfvWMoeI/AAAAAAAAAZ0/1GJn8Hm1t2I/s620/pink+see+thru.jpg" width="475" /></a></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #ea9999; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Cosmopolitan (or Pink See-Thru)</span></strong></div>
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Here's another favorite of mine that I tend to gravitate toward in the warmer months. It's best known as the drink of choice for four very famous (although fictitious) New York City ladies named Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte & Samantha!<br />
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Some recipes I've seen call for a full ounce (or more) of Cranberry Juice, but the majority of bartenders that I've asked, say to use "just a splash" to give it color. The splash is my preference, but if you like more Cranberry, by all means, be my guest!<br />
<ul>
<li>2 Oz Gray Goose L'Orange Vodka (or unflavored)</li>
<li>1 Oz Cointreau</li>
<li>1 Oz Fresh Lime Juice</li>
<li>1/2 Oz (splash) Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice</li>
<li>Slice of Lime for garnish</li>
</ul>
Pour all ingredients into a shaker filled with ice. Shake well. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a wedge or a slice of lime.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>7)</strong></span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xBa_JGnRdB4/UCjnnQh7_hI/AAAAAAAADKo/FgTjtkDiAqM/s1600/Watermelon+Martini.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="475" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xBa_JGnRdB4/UCjnnQh7_hI/AAAAAAAADKo/FgTjtkDiAqM/s620/Watermelon+Martini.jpeg" width="620" /></a></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Watermelon Martini</span></strong></div>
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I've never made this yummy drink myself because well... frankly, I'm a bit too lazy to make the Watermelon puree/juice. It really isn't that difficult to do, but it's a few more steps than I usually feel like taking when I'm in the mood for a cocktail! The best way to remove my laziness from the equation of course, is to make the puree a day ahead so that it's right there in your fridge, ready to build a delicious fruity summer treat. (a treat that's just for the adults, though!) <span style="color: magenta;">**</span>This recipe makes <em><strong>two</strong></em> drinks.</div>
<div class="ingredient">
<ul>
<li>1 Cup Watermelon Juice (press fresh watermelon chunks through a sieve or cheesecloth)</li>
<li>1/2 Cup (4 oz) Vodka</li>
<li>1/4 Cup Simple Syrup (we've done that a couple of times... check <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-1USJM_Bl4">here</a> for the recipe)</li>
<li>Juice of 1 Lime</li>
<li>Ice</li>
<li>Watermelon Slices, for garnish</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="ingredient">
In a shaker that's half filled with ice, add the Watermelon Juice/Puree, Lime Juice, Vodka and Simple Syrup. Shake vigorously. Strain into chilled martini glasses and garnish with fresh watermelon slices. Now, that's refreshing!</div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>8)</strong></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bD0PxEzCPxU/TfFM6MB0vvI/AAAAAAAAAZ8/sEm0CJcSnXE/s620/margarita7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="620" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bD0PxEzCPxU/TfFM6MB0vvI/AAAAAAAAAZ8/sEm0CJcSnXE/s620/margarita7.jpg" width="475" /></a></div>
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<strong><span style="color: lime; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Margarita</span></strong></div>
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Ahhhh! The ubiquitous, yet always festive Margarita! Now, I must confess that I simply cannot drink a Margarita made with "bar mix". Bar mix is that pre-made lemon-lime mixture that some bars use for cocktails requiring a citrus base. Not only do I not care for the taste that this concoction lends to a drink, but it gives me horrific heartburn too. So.... why use the stuff? Especially when it's just as easy and quick to do it the right way? You can certainly make your drink the way that you want to, but I really think if you try it my way, you'll <i>never</i> go back to a mix!<br />
<ul>
<li>1 1/2 OZ Tequila (100% agave is what we prefer)</li>
<li>1 1/2 OZ Triple Sec or Cointreau (for this basic version I use Triple Sec)</li>
<li>1 to 1 1/4 OZ of Fresh Lime Juice</li>
<li>Salt for the rim of the glass</li>
<li>Wedge of Lime for garnish</li>
</ul>
Pour all ingredients (except lime wedge and salt) into a shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into a well chilled margarita or martini glass that has been "rimmed" with the lime wedge and dipped in salt. I use coarse Kosher Salt, but if you like, you can use Sea Salt, regular Table Salt or <em>no</em> salt at all.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>9)</strong></span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/---3UzK0ay6s/UCjlv5iTK4I/AAAAAAAADKg/ARMbb4lQeJk/s620/Orange_Creamsicle+Martini.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="620" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/---3UzK0ay6s/UCjlv5iTK4I/AAAAAAAADKg/ARMbb4lQeJk/s620/Orange_Creamsicle+Martini.jpg" width="475" /></a></div>
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<strong><span style="color: orange; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Creamsicle Martini</span></strong></div>
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This cocktail is one that I consider to be more of an after dinner drink. You could call it, <em>dessert in a glass</em>, really. It's rich, creamy and icy cold. What better way to end the perfect Summer meal? Or, maybe just to have as a treat after a long day of work?</div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="text-align: center;">2 Oz Vodka</span></li>
<li><span style="text-align: center;">1 Oz Triple Sec</span></li>
<li><span style="text-align: center;">1 Oz Orange Juice</span></li>
<li><span style="text-align: center;">1 Oz Heavy Cream</span></li>
<li><span style="text-align: center;">2 Tbls Sugar, mixed with the zest of 1/2 an Orange</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled martini glass, rimmed with the Orange and Sugar.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">10)</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eZBbo26jBR0/VYZPgVc-gNI/AAAAAAAAPoo/zk3dTG6zt94/s1600/Mojito.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="475" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eZBbo26jBR0/VYZPgVc-gNI/AAAAAAAAPoo/zk3dTG6zt94/s1600/Mojito.jpeg" width="620" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Classic Mojito</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">What would a list of Summer cocktails be without the classic Mojito! This drink has been around for many years, but has regained it's popularity within the last decade or so. It's often referred to as Earnest Hemingway's favorite drink, during his years spent living & writing in Key West Florida, but that's not </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">exactly</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> true. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The drink that "Papa" Hemingway made famous, (first in Cuba and then in the Keys) is actually called a "Hemingway Daiquiri" and while the ingredients are somewhat similar to a Mojito, it's flavor is different. And quite tasty, at that!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>(I'm feeling pretty generous today, so as a bonus, I'll include the recipe for this lovely concoction as well. Consider it my little gift to you! But first, let's get on with the Mojito, shall we?)</i></span></div>
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<ul>
<li>8 fresh Mint Leaves, stems removed</li>
<li>1/2 Lime, cut into fourths</li>
<li>1 to 2 tablespoons Superfine (or "bar") Sugar</li>
<li>1 cup crushed ice</li>
<li>2 OZ Cruzan or Bacardi White Rum</li>
<li>4 OZ Club Soda</li>
</ul>
Place the mint leaves and 2 wedges of lime into a rocks or highball glass. Crush the lime and mint leaves with a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Oenophilia-900429-Wooden-Muddler/dp/B003Z9HTP2" target="_blank">muddler</a> to release the oils from the mint and the juice and oils from the lime. Add a third lime wedge and the bar sugar, and muddle a little bit more, until you've released as much lime juice as possible and the mint leaves are in tiny pieces.<br />
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Here's the part where you might want to, <b>but please don't</b>, strain the drink. Fill your glass 3/4 full with ice. Pour in the rum, then top it off with the club soda. Give it a stir, then give it a sip. If it's a little too bitter for your tastes, just add another 1/2 to 1 tsp. of sugar and stir it in. Garnish the glass with the last of your lime wedges and enjoy!<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>11)</b></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <i><b><span style="color: red;">Bonus!!</span></b></i></span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-if1KfwFn5Gg/VYZeDsPAjmI/AAAAAAAAPo8/b695SDhTVtM/s1600/hemingway-daiquiri.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="488" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-if1KfwFn5Gg/VYZeDsPAjmI/AAAAAAAAPo8/b695SDhTVtM/s320/hemingway-daiquiri.jpg" width="620" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>The Hemingway Daiquiri</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
So, here it is... The little bonus cocktail that I promised to share! (see above) My first experience with this drink was at an awesome restaurant in Jensen Beach Florida, called <a href="http://conchyjoes.com/" target="_blank">Conchy Joe's</a>. They serve the "HD" in icy cold <a href="http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11415038&camp=CSE:GooglePLA:11415038:9911263:CORE%20CAMPING&CAGPSPN=pla&CAWELAID=120138600001071757&catargetid=120138600002989959&cadevice=c" target="_blank">metal mugs</a> with a piece of sugar cane to use as a stirring stick. Talk about refreshing!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you've never tried this cocktail before, I highly recommend that you give it a go! If you have the opportunity to experience one (or three) of them at Conchy's, all the better!</span> </div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>2 & 1/2 ounces White Rum, like Bambu (or Bacardi)</li>
<li>1 ounce fresh Lime Juice</li>
<li>1 ounce fresh Grapefruit Juice (please don't use the concentrated stuff)</li>
<li>1/2 ounce of a good Croatian <a href="http://www.webtender.com/db/ingred/176" target="_blank">Maraschino Liqueur</a>, like Maraska</li>
</ul>
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Combine all of the ingredients in a cocktail shaker full of ice and shake it up vigorously. Strain the drink into a large rocks glass (or a <a href="http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Steelii-Stainless-Steel-16-ounce-Moscow-Mule-Mug-Set-of-4/8643203/product.html?refccid=POFFZ46BX7X34XSBTPMS3ADNJ4&searchidx=39&option=12205839" target="_blank">metal mug</a>, if you've got one) add a wheel of lime to the rim and if you just happen to have one on hand, a short stalk of sugar cane... and enjoy!</div>
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Earnest "Papa" Hemingway</b></span></div>
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<em><u><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><strong>Enjoy! And please remember to drink responsibly... Please don't drink and drive!</strong></span></u></em></div>
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<i style="background-color: #f1c232;">(This Post Was Formerly Titled Seasonal Food Friday: Week Seven)</i><br />
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Mary Sullivan Frasierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10796241299065062308noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8595626797911453964.post-74143789298463143042015-06-04T02:18:00.001-04:002019-06-30T12:01:17.727-04:00Caprese Paninis With Prosciutto and Garlic Basil Aioli<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l7WdOLFx02I/VNLCJ_mAT_I/AAAAAAAAK3o/te6IBDdHwrQ/s1600/Caprese%2BPanini%2B2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="620" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l7WdOLFx02I/VNLCJ_mAT_I/AAAAAAAAK3o/te6IBDdHwrQ/s1600/Caprese%2BPanini%2B2.png" width="595" /></a></div>
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Have I ever mentioned that we're a family of lovers? Lovers of pretty much all food that the Italian people have graciously introduced to the rest of the world, that is. When it comes to tomatoes, basil and mozzarella, we love it in every form that we know of. Whether it's on a crispy thin crusted Pizza Margarita, a stacked (or layered) salad and now, or technically since last Summer, in the form of a toasty, golden brown and buttery grilled sandwich.<br />
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I'd seen similar sandwiches before, but you know me, right? I couldn't just "let it be". Nope. I had to add just a little more to the "classic" ingredients to make the sandwich even more decadent. Trust me. It might not be quite the time for those juicy garden ripe tomatoes from the back yard, patio or local Farmer's Market... But, if you can get your hands on a few good organic vine ripened tomatoes at your local grocery store, I wouldn't hold off on making this sandwich. Although I try not to be so bold as to toot my own horn, I can't help but have the feeling that you'll come back here later and thank me for my inability to leave well enough alone. :)<br />
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You don't have to have a fancy panini press to make these. You'll find a video from Howcast that shows a couple of different methods, at the bottom of this post and you'll see in the photos I've posted, how we do it sometimes too!<br />
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<i>Oh...and please excuse the photo quality in this post. I hadn't planned to put this recipe on the blog at first, but at the last minute I had a feeling it might be a good one, so I grabbed my phone and snapped a few shots here and there.</i><br />
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<b><u>Caprese Paninis With Prosciutto</u></b><br />
<i>Serves 4</i><br />
<ul>
<li>8 Slices Rustic Peasant, Tuscan or Sourdough Bread</li>
<li>2 to 3 Lg Ripe Tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick</li>
<li>16 oz Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, sliced 1/8 inch thick</li>
<li>1/2 Lb Prosciutto, sliced paper thin</li>
<li>Balsamic Vinegar</li>
<li>Butter for Pan Grilling</li>
</ul>
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<b><u>Garlic Basil Aioli (Mayo)</u></b> <i><span style="color: red;">***see note below</span></i><br />
<ul>
<li>1 Cup Real Mayonnaise (no "sandwich spread" please!)</li>
<li>2 Lg Cloves Garlic, finely minced</li>
<li>5 or 6 Lg Basil Leaves, finely chopped</li>
</ul>
1. Start by making the garlic basil aioli. I didn't take photos of the process because, well... I wasn't really thinking about posting this until I had all of the ingredients ready to go. Not to worry, though... It's not like it's rocket science. lol<br />
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<span style="color: red;">***</span>Just put all of the ingredients in a small mixing bowl and combine thoroughly with a fork or a whisk. Set aside while you prep your other ingredients.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VfEC497IJ7I/VMjFRQEH0SI/AAAAAAAAKuU/BbXZ6NES4i0/s1600/2014-09-26%2B13.23.37.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="620" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VfEC497IJ7I/VMjFRQEH0SI/AAAAAAAAKuU/BbXZ6NES4i0/s1600/2014-09-26%2B13.23.37.jpg" width="475" /></a></div>
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2. Lay out all of your slices of bread on a large cutting board or any surface where it's easy to assemble the sandwiches.<br />
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3. Spread a generous amount of the Garlic Basil Aioli onto each slice.<br />
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4. Lay down enough tomato slices to cover from end to end, on 4 of the slices of bread, trying not to overlap them too much.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SN1twurOuc4/VMjFRq7W7vI/AAAAAAAAKuQ/LEi4r4L0Pdk/s1600/2014-09-26%2B13.23.46.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="620" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SN1twurOuc4/VMjFRq7W7vI/AAAAAAAAKuQ/LEi4r4L0Pdk/s1600/2014-09-26%2B13.23.46.jpg" width="475" /></a></div>
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4. Drizzle a little good Balsamic Vinegar over each layer of tomatoes. It doesn't have to be a top-shelf $30/bottle Balsamic, but you can get pretty good brands of imported vinegar these days in your grocery stores that don't cost a fortune. Just make sure to look for the words "Product of Modena" on the bottle.<br />
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If you want to learn more about Balsamic Vinegars, they have a fantastic post over on Serious Eats that will tell you just about anything that you'd want or need to know. You can check that out by clicking <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/05/everything-you-need-to-know-guide-to-balsamic-vinegar.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6jRLZdhN9_U/VMjFRadONmI/AAAAAAAAKuM/Fre1_hk2XwY/s1600/2014-09-26%2B13.24.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="620" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6jRLZdhN9_U/VMjFRadONmI/AAAAAAAAKuM/Fre1_hk2XwY/s1600/2014-09-26%2B13.24.13.jpg" width="475" /></a></div>
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5. Place enough of the sliced Mozzarella on top of the tomatoes, to cover end to end. Again, no matter how tempted you are to add more cheese, try not to overlap the cheese too much, because you don't want the ingredients to slide all over the place or fall out of the sandwich while grilling or pressing.<br />
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Besides, I can tell you from experience that this sandwich is as just as gooey and cheesy as anyone could want, just the way you see it here!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4lVw3Rs3TwA/VMjFSAO9FKI/AAAAAAAAKuY/9bmA9hb2aUY/s1600/2014-09-26%2B13.24.50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="620" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4lVw3Rs3TwA/VMjFSAO9FKI/AAAAAAAAKuY/9bmA9hb2aUY/s1600/2014-09-26%2B13.24.50.jpg" width="475" /></a></div>
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6. Sprinkle each sandwich half with a bit of kosher or Himalayan pink salt. (you can also add a bit of fresh ground black pepper if you like, but I didn't feel like this particular sandwich needed it. The fresh basil in the aioli already adds a bit of a peppery note)<br />
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7. Take 3 or 4 slices of the Prosciutto and pile them up loosely along the length of the sandwich.<br />
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As with the vinegar, you don't have to buy the most expensive Prosciutto out there for a sandwich like this. Our local grocery store carries a brand of Italian deli meats called Corando and they make a lovely Prosciutto that costs about 1/4 of the price of Prosciutto di Parma. I know that I've seen the Corando brand in other chains located in other states.<br />
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<b>Do</b> have your deli counter person slice the prosciutto as thinly as possible. It is a dry cured or aged meat and can be a bit chewy when it's sliced too thickly. If you've never purchased prosciutto from the deli before, it helps to know that there is a right way and a wrong way for it to be packaged. Because it's sliced so thinly, it's done a bit differently than other deli meats.<br />
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So, don't be surprised if the deli person rolls his/her eyes at you when you order it. I'm sure they already know that the proper way to slice and pack up prosciutto, is to separate each piece with a sheet of deli paper and that takes a bit more time and effort on their part. I've had my fair share of "eye daggers" thrown at me by new deli workers in training.<br />
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Now, if I'm just ordering 8 to 10 slices, I'll often give my deli person a break and tell them to just pack it like any other meat. You could let it slide even if you're ordering more than that, <b><i>but</i></b> be prepared to have it take a bit more effort to get the slices apart when it's time to make your sandwiches.<br />
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8. Place the top slice of bread on each bottom slice and liberally butter both sides of each sandwich.<br />
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9. Place a large non-stick or cast iron skillet on your stove over medium-high heat. If using a large griddle or grill pan that fits over two burners, obviously heat both of them equally.<br />
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10. Add your sandwiches (as many as will fit) to the pan and cook for about 3 or 4 minutes, then flip them over and place whatever kind of weight you're using on top and press down a bit. The key is to keep the pressure heavy enough to press the sandwich together a bit, but not so hard that it causes any of the ingredients to squeeze out the sides<br />
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11. When you're really "pressed" for time (hee hee - pun definitely intended!) you can also use a good sturdy spatula and a husband with some awesome sandwich squishing skills <i>(<b>that's a professional culinary term, right there</b>)</i> and just press the sandwiches down as they're cooking.<br />
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OK, So they might not get quite as flat using this method as a bona fide panini, straight out of a fancy press. But the true goal here is for the bread to get all nice and golden brown and crispy - which it certainly will - and for the mozzarella to get all gooey and melted - yup... mission accomplished!<br />
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12. Once the sandwiches are done, cut them in half on the diagonal, place them on some pretty plates (or on paper plates - if it's just the two of you and it's too danged hot to even load the dishes in the dishwasher) and serve!<br />
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I promise you... if you love Caprese salads <i><b>and</b></i> you adore prosciutto, then you'll be making these sandwiches all Summer long! They're an easy, delicious supper on a hot muggy night, a lovely luncheon to serve to the gals in the book club, or a great snack for the guys when they come over to have a few pops and maybe play a little poker. And the kiddies will love them too! Just tell them that they're like "pizza sandwiches" and they'll dive right in!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Not the best photo, I know. But in my defense, I really hadn't planned to photograph the making of these sandwiches and I just grabbed my phone at random intervals and snapped a pic here & there.</span></td></tr>
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Mary Sullivan Frasierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10796241299065062308noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8595626797911453964.post-56215744040001384582015-04-30T16:45:00.000-04:002018-05-05T10:20:18.514-04:00Creamy Chicken Enchiladas<br />
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<b><u>Creamy Chicken Enchiladas</u></b><br />
<i>(serves 8)</i><br />
<ul>
<li>4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, cooked and shredded</li>
<li>2 8oz Bricks Cream Cheese, softened</li>
<li>1 Cup Half & Half or Full Fat/Whole Milk</li>
<li>2 7.5oz Cans Chopped Mild Green Chilies</li>
<li>2 Tsp Garlic Powder, divided</li>
<li>2 Tsp Ground Cumin, divided</li>
<li>1 Tsp Mild Chili Powder</li>
<li>2 Tsp Kosher Salt, divided</li>
<li>1/2 Tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper</li>
<li>1 8 Count Pkg Large Flour Tortillas (often labeled Burrito Size)</li>
<li>3-4 Cups Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese (or Mexican Blend)</li>
<li>1 Tbls Butter, Vegetable Oil or Cooking Spray</li>
<li>Salsa & Sour Cream for serving</li>
</ul>
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Pre-heat your oven to 350°F<span style="color: inherit; font-size: inherit;">.</span><br />
<b>1.</b> Cook and shred your chicken and set it aside in a large mixing bowl. You can poach, bake or pan saute it, which is my preferred method. Just make sure that it's cooked all the way through, but don't overcook them either. It will be cooking a bit more in the oven when you bake the dish.<br />
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<i>The chicken can be cooked a day ahead and placed in an air-tight container in the fridge. Or you can purchase a rotisserie chicken from the store and shred that. Just bring the meat up closer to room temperature before rolling the enchiladas.</i><br />
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So how <i><b>do</b></i> you know when your chicken is done, but not <i><b>over</b></i>done? (<i>See</i> <span style="color: red;">Tip #1</span> <i>at the end of this post</i>)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><i>I wasn't cooking in my own kitchen on this occasion, so things were a bit discombobulated and I didn't get a picture of the shredded chicken before adding the sauce to it. I think you can still tell from the photos what the shreds look like.</i></span></td></tr>
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<b>2.</b> Place the two bricks of cream cheese, the two cans of green chilies, 1/4 cup of the half & half, the black pepper and 1/2 of your other seasonings, <i>except the chili powder</i>, in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook the mixture slowly, stirring often, until the cream cheese has melted and the mixture is combined and heated through, but not bubbling.<br />
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<i>This step might take a little while, <b>but</b> no matter how tempted you are to speed things up, <b>do not</b> turn the heat up any higher. Cream cheese can scorch very easily and if that happens, the sauce will be ruined and you'll have to start over. This is why you want to have the cream cheese softened before you begin.</i><br />
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<b>3.</b> Take approximately 1 cup (maybe a bit more, if needed) of the cream cheese mixture and add it to the cooked chicken. You might need a little less or a little more, depending on how much meat the chicken breasts you've used actually yields. Mix well with a heavy large spoon. You want to coat all of the meat and bind it together a bit, but you don't want the chicken swimming in the sauce.</div>
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<b>4.</b> Line a 13x9x2 baking dish with aluminum foil. This isn't mandatory, but it helps a lot with clean-up.<br />
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<b>5.</b> Lightly grease the bottom and sides of the dish with a bit of butter or cooking spray. (You want to do this even if you're using foil, so the enchiladas don't stick to anything when it's time to serve them.)<br />
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<b>6.</b> Open your package of flour tortillas and place it at one end of a fairly long expanse of countertop, or on your kitchen table. The best way to put this dish together is to lay all of the components out in an assembly line fashion.<br />
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<b>7.</b> Add the remaining cream cheese mixture to another mixing bowl.<br />
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<b>8.</b> Pour the half & half, the second teaspoon of each of your seasonings and all of the chili powder, into the mixture and stir very well to combine.<br />
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<b>9.</b> I pretty much just eyeball it at this point because I've made this recipe so many times, but what you're looking for is a relatively loose consistency that will flow easily across a flat dinner plate when you tip and turn it slightly from side to side. Start with 1/2 cup of half & half and stir it in slowly, so as not to splash it all over yourself or the kitchen.<br />
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<b>10.</b> Gradually add the rest, as needed. The one cup should easily do it, but if you do need a bit more (or a bit less) to get it to the right consistency, it's best to add it only a tablespoon or two at a time. I find that a whisk works best for this part. The only lumps you should see are maybe a few bits of the chopped green chili. If you have quite a lot of those pieces, remove them with a teaspoon and add them back into the bowl with the bulk of the thicker cream cheese mixture in it.<br />
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<b>11.</b> Pour or ladle out some of this liquid-y mixture onto a large flat dinner plate that has a slight lip on it and is large enough in circumference to fit your tortilla. If you don't have a dinner plate that's large enough, you can use any good sized shallow dish. What you need is a vessel that will keep the liquid inside and is big enough to hold the tortilla, without having to bend or fold it. A 9" or 10" pie plate or tart pan works very well, too. You also want to use tortillas that are very fresh because they are the most pliable.<br />
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<b>12.</b> Once you have each of these components ready, line the various plates and bowls up on your countertop. (**See <span style="color: red;">Tip # 2</span> at the bottom of this post for the best working order in which to line them up)<br />
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<b>13.</b> Take your first tortilla out of the package and lay it flat in the dish with the thin liquid. Leave it there for just a couple of seconds and then using tongs or your fingers, turn it over in the plate and leave it for another couple of seconds. You want the tortilla to be lightly coated with the liquid on both sides, but you don't want it to become too soggy. The liquid will slowly dissipate with each of the tortillas, so just add a little bit more and continue.<br />
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<b>14.</b> Place the dipped tortilla on the clean "rolling" plate (you could also use a large sheet of parchment paper, a plastic cutting board or a cookie sheet for this part) and with a spoon, scoop out about 1/3 cup of the shredded chicken and place it in the center, but slightly closer to the end nearest to you. Sprinkle a handful of the shredded cheese on top of the chicken mixture and roll up the enchilada. (if you've never done this before, you can watch the short video below to learn the best way to roll and wrap)<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="460" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/sdfSycxT5qQ?rel=0" width="620"></iframe>
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This is a very short video, just to give you an idea about how to wrap an enchilada, burrito or a sandwich wrap. For enchiladas, the flour tortilla will need to be pretty pliable, but that shouldn't be an issue because it will (hopefully) be fresh and it will be dipped into the half & half mixture before rolling.<br />
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<i>Yes, I know. Your hands do get a bit messy by dipping the tortilla first, but trust me... it really does make a difference in the texture of the finished enchilada and you'll be glad that you took this extra, but pretty easy step. If you're just not a big fan of even temporarily messy fingers, just keep a large damp tea towel or paper towel on the counter next to you and you can wipe your fingers clean in between rolls.</i><br />
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<b>15.</b> As I mentioned before, since I wasn't in my own kitchen when I made these, I missed photographing a couple of the steps here and there. But, I think it goes without saying that as you finish rolling each enchilada, you want to place it in your prepared baking dish. I'm usually able to easily fit all eight enchiladas in a 9"x13"x2" pan. (see the photo below to get examples of how to place them in two different ways)<br />
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<b>16.</b> Once you have all of your enchiladas in the baking dish, pour the remaining cream cheese and half & half mixture over the top and sprinkle on the remaining (about 2 cups) of shredded cheese.<br />
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<i>If you don't have much of the liquid left over mix about 1/4 cup of sour cream with 1/4 cup of half & half, season it with a half teaspoon of each of your seasonings and mix well. Then pour that over the top before adding the cheese. It's not that you want the enchiladas swimming in liquid, but you do want them to have some moisture.</i><br />
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<b>17.</b> Bake, uncovered, at 350°F for approximately 30 minutes or until the enchiladas are heated all the way through and the cheese is bubbly and lightly golden brown in color.<br />
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<b>18.</b> After removing the pan from the oven, allow the enchiladas to rest for about 5 minutes, so they can set up a little. You should be able to see the outline pretty clearly of where each of the enchiladas ends and the next one begins, to provide you with a guideline for cutting and serving, nice equal portions. In a buffet setting where there will likely be several other dishes for your guest to choose from, you can even cut each enchilada in half to make them go twice as far.<br />
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If you're not making these for a group, the leftovers freeze quite nicely. I just cut the remaining pieces into full or half-sized portions, wrap each one in plastic wrap and store all of them in a large covered plastic container or a large tightly sealed zip-top freezer bag.<br />
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I serve these with lots of fresh salsa and sour cream on the side and make at least a tossed green salad to go along with them. A little bit of chopped fresh scallion sprinkled on top makes a nice garnish and adds a bit of freshness to the finished dish as well.<br />
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If I'm making these for a Cinco De Mayo party, I'll also cook up some refried or ham hocks & pinto beans and some Mexican rice, as well as several of our other favorite Mexican themed appetizers and sides. I serve it all buffet style.<br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">*Tip # 1:</span></b> <i>When you're cooking boneless, skinless chicken breasts, (no matter which method you decide to use) one of the best tips that I can give you is to make sure that the pieces of chicken are of an even thickness and size. You can actually reduce the overall cooking time and make it easier to tell when or if your meat is done, in a couple of ways....</i><br />
<i><br /></i> <i>A) You can always pierce cooked meats with an instant read meat thermometer to test them for doneness, but although I think it's a great method for large pieces or whole roasted meats, I don't really like doing this with smaller cuts. It can allow too much of the natural juices inside of the meat to seep out of the holes that are left behind when the thermometer is removed.</i><br />
<i><br /></i> <i>B) My preferred method of checking for doneness with smaller cuts of meat, is to use the "touch test". When touching the thickest part of the meat with your index finger, it should just barely bounce back from a bit of light pressure. A good way to simulate this, is to use your hand as a guide. (below is a diagram that shows how to do this)</i><br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">*Tip # 2:</span></b> <i>I line up my plates and bowls in the following order, to make the process go as smoothly as possible (the order is from left to right):</i><br />
<i></i><br />
<ol>
<li><i><i>The tortillas</i></i></li>
<li><i><i>Flat plate with thin liquid</i></i></li>
<li><i><i>Bowl of shredded chicken that is coated with sauce</i></i></li>
<li><i><i>Another plate (of equal size or larger) for rolling</i></i></li>
<li><i><i>The shredded cheese</i></i></li>
<li><i><i>Prepared baking dish</i></i></li>
</ol>
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Mary Sullivan Frasierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10796241299065062308noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8595626797911453964.post-27124045922649739212015-04-01T15:58:00.001-04:002018-03-28T19:53:10.546-04:00Easter Feasting Favorites!<br />
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I've compiled a list of some of my most popular breakfast, brunch and dinner dishes, along with some tasty desserts for Easter, but they'd all be just as delish for any other Holiday, or even your "every day" tables.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">You can find the list, complete with photos of each dish and a link to the page here on the blog where the recipe is posted, by clicking right <a href="http://goaheadtakeabite.blogspot.com/2013/03/last-minute-easter-favorites.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> !!</span><br />
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Unfortunately, I didn't have a chance to add my most recent brunch recipes ~My Bacon, Mushroom and Cheddar Strata and my "Lighter" Sausage Gravy with Biscuits to the list. But you can get those recipes by just clicking the links under each of the photos below!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G3btVabFQ4k/VRxJMB3iRgI/AAAAAAAAMfs/dsFgHtk_WTc/s1600/Bacon%2BMushroom%2BCheddar%2BStrata.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="489" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G3btVabFQ4k/VRxJMB3iRgI/AAAAAAAAMfs/dsFgHtk_WTc/s640/Bacon%2BMushroom%2BCheddar%2BStrata.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Recipe <a href="http://goaheadtakeabite.blogspot.com/2015/03/bacon-mushroom-cheddar-strata.html" target="_blank">HERE</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vDZruJtoigc/VRxO5ExIC5I/AAAAAAAAMf8/Vn4Z_aQ4ixw/s1600/Biscuits%2Band%2BGravy%2Bpic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="489" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vDZruJtoigc/VRxO5ExIC5I/AAAAAAAAMf8/Vn4Z_aQ4ixw/s640/Biscuits%2Band%2BGravy%2Bpic.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Recipe <a href="http://goaheadtakeabite.blogspot.com/2014/06/lighter-sausage-gravy-and-biscuits.html" target="_blank">HERE</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><i>(Yes, my recipe REALLY is lower in fat and calories than your average sausage gravy, but I promise you that it's just as rich and full of flavor ~ or dare I say, even better?!)</i></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Enjoy!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">and...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Happy Easter!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Mary</i></b></span>
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Mary Sullivan Frasierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10796241299065062308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8595626797911453964.post-33232708128315233242015-03-31T07:18:00.002-04:002018-03-28T20:05:42.285-04:00Bacon Mushroom & Cheddar Strata<br />
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Strata is one of those brunch dishes that's a no-brainer, for several reasons... You can make it vegetarian, or not. You can add bacon or ham or sausage. (or all of the above and then some, if you have a family full of meat lovers!) And you can saute up just about any kind of aromatics or vegetables that you have on hand or shred up any type of cheese (or cheeses) that you like. Best of all, you can have it all prepared the night before and just pop it in the oven the next day so that it's just out of the oven, all brown and bubbly right on time as your guests are arriving.<br />
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I make some version or other of Strata for my brunch buffet every Easter because I know from experience that it's a sure bet. How is that, you ask? Well, I think the fact that there's never any of it left in the pan when the last of my guests are heading for home, makes it a winner - for sure!<br />
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On this particular Easter, I just happened to have bacon, mushrooms and cheddar cheese on hand. I also always have milk and eggs in my fridge, so all I had to do was pop out to the store the day before to pick up the bread and I was good to go. You can use just about any dense type of bread for a strata, but I tend to prefer challa (an egg and butter based bread, or brioche if you're in Paris) It soaks up the egg and milk mixture (custard) perfectly and it also lends just a tiny hint of a sweet and buttery flavor to the finished dish.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Bacon Mushroom & Cheddar Strata</u></b></span><br />
<b>Serves 4 to 10</b><br />
<b><i>(4 as a main dish or 10 as part of a buffet)</i></b><br />
<ul>
<li>1 Lg or 2 Small Loaves Challa Bread</li>
<li>1 Lb Bacon</li>
<li>12oz Crimini or Button Mushrooms</li>
<li>8 Lg Eggs</li>
<li>2 Cups Milk</li>
<li>2 Cups Cheddar Cheese, shredded</li>
<li>2 Tbls Butter</li>
<li>Kosher Salt</li>
<li>Fresh Ground Black Pepper</li>
</ul>
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<i><b>(If you are preparing this and baking it the same day, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.)</b></i><br />
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<b>1.</b> Remove the crust, cut the bread into 1 and 1/2 to 2-inch cubes and place them in a large bowl. Set aside.<br />
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<b>2.</b> Wipe away any excess dirt from the mushrooms with a damp paper towel and slice them into 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces.<br />
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<b>3.</b> Melt 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms to the pan. Once they're all coated well with the butter, turn up the burner to medium-high.<br />
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<b>4.</b> Cook the mushrooms, stirring often, until they begin to exude some of their juices. Turn the burner to high, season with a little salt and pepper and stir continually until the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are a rich golden brown. Remove them from the pan and set them aside.<br />
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<b>5.</b> Slice the bacon into 1 to 1 and 1/2 inch pieces. Pre-heat a dry, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is good and hot (but not smoking) add the bacon and stir it around well with a spatula, to separate the pieces.<br />
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<b>6.</b> Cook the bacon, stirring frequently, until it begins to get crispy and browned. Watch it closely once it gets to this stage because it can go from golden brown to burned very quickly. (I remove mine just as soon as the edges begin to darken slightly because it will continue to cook/crisp up as it cools)<br />
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<b>7.</b> Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon to a plate covered with 2 or 3 layers of paper towel to absorb any excess grease. Set aside to cool.<br />
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<b>8.</b> Place the bread cubes, mushrooms and bacon into a lightly greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish. (a 10 x 10 inch square dish like the one I used will work, too)<br />
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<b>9.</b> Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl and beat them with a whisk or a fork, until well blended.<br />
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<b>10.</b> Pour in the 2 cups of milk and continue to whisk it all together.<br />
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<b>11.</b> Season the mixture well with salt and pepper and if you want a little extra zing, you can add a pinch or two of some dried herbs, a dash of cayenne pepper or a few drops of your favorite hot sauce.<br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">**Tip:</span></b> <i>I'd say that the best herbs to use with this combination would be either thyme, marjoram or a tiny bit of sage. A pinch of dry mustard powder will also add a little zest and a mild warmth to the dish. Just make sure to mix any of these seasonings into the eggs and milk very thoroughly. You wouldn't want anyone getting a bite that had a big clump of herbs or especially dry mustard in it. LOL</i><br />
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<b>12.</b> Add about 2/3 of the shredded cheese. (I used a mix of both sharp and mild Cheddars on this occasion, but you can use whatever type of cheese you like. Just make sure that it's a cheese that melts well and that won't overpower the other flavors in the strata)<br />
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<b>13.</b> Gently fold all of the ingredients together in the pan, making sure that the ingredients are equally distributed. You want each bite that your guests take, to contain a nice blend of all of the flavors in the dish.<br />
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<b>14.</b> Pour your egg and milk mixture over the top and once it's all in there, use a spatula or the back of a spoon to gently press the bread down in the pan a bit. This will help all of that liquid absorb into the bread so there won't be any pieces of dried out bread once it's been baked.<br />
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<b><i>14a.</i></b> If you are making and baking the strata the same day, once the egg and milk mixture has been poured over the top, take a sheet of waxed or parchment paper as close to the size of your pan as possible and lay it directly on top of the strata. Using your hands or another pan that has a bottom that sits evenly on the paper, press down gently and slowly on the mixture. This will help the bread absorb the liquid more thoroughly and rapidly so that you don't have dry portions after it's finished baking. Sprinkle the remaining 1/3 of the shredded cheese over the top and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the egg/custard mixture is fully set and a sharp knife inserted into the center comes out clean and hot to the touch.<br />
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<i><b>14b.</b></i> If you are making this the day (or night) before serving, do not sprinkle the additional 1/3 of the cheese on the top. Just cover the pan tightly with cling wrap and place it in the fridge overnight. It also wouldn't be a bad idea to put a sheet or two of aluminum foil over the top of the plastic wrap, so that the strata doesn't get dried out. The next morning, remove it from the fridge about 15 minutes before baking to allow it to come up to room temperature. Then uncover it and sprinkle the remaining 1/3 of the cheese over the top. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the egg/custard mixture is set and a sharp knife inserted into the center comes out clean and hot to the touch.<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>Enjoy!</i></span><br />
<i><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">(And Happy Easter!)</span></i><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>Mary</i></span><br />
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Mary Sullivan Frasierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10796241299065062308noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8595626797911453964.post-16396888192095203242015-03-19T09:35:00.004-04:002015-03-19T09:35:52.287-04:00Ooops! Spoke Too Soon...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FuV7Si5pdYU/VQrOtYe2WrI/AAAAAAAALx8/bfduZRnuyOo/s1600/keep-calm-and-better-luck-next-time-4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FuV7Si5pdYU/VQrOtYe2WrI/AAAAAAAALx8/bfduZRnuyOo/s1600/keep-calm-and-better-luck-next-time-4.png" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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You'd think that by the ripe old age of 53, I'd have learned not to rush things when there's even the slightest chance that something could go wrong. Yeah, well....<br />
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Nope. Apparently not. At some point during the wee hours of the morning, something caused bit of a hiccup in my subscription feeds and everything reverted back to the original "blogspot" web address.<br />
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Facebook and all of my other social media networks have been updated (again) to reflect this (hopefully) very temporary glitch. Thank you all so much for being so kind as to bear with me while I straighten this out!<br />
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I'll let you know when things are once again up and running the way they should be with the new domain! Fingers crossed!<br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Mary</i></b></span><br />
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<br />Mary Sullivan Frasierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10796241299065062308noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8595626797911453964.post-90644849584285064222015-03-18T23:28:00.003-04:002015-03-18T23:28:35.905-04:00Big News! We've Moved! (The blog, that is!)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Go Ahead... Take A Bite! has a new web address! I've purchased my own domain and the new address is not very different from the old one. I've just dropped the "blogspot" part of the URL and it is now...<br />
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http://www(dot)goaheadtakeabite(dot)com<br />
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<i>(Of course the dots aren't spelled out in the actual web URL. I just didn't want to turn it into a clickable link when I wrote it out.)</i><br />
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And there's no need to be concerned about security or service with this change of domains, because it is a Google domain and is as safe as ever. Google is actually the "parent" of my old "blogspot" domain as it is for all "Blogger" blogs.<br />
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Now, I have to ask a very big favor! If you came here by way of the old link in your email or reader subscription and got a "redirect" notice; First, let me say Thank You for reading it thoroughly, trusting that I would never misdirect you and clicking "Yes" to be redirected. And second, I might need to ask you to re-subscribe under the new address/feed.<br />
<br />
I use the word might, because I'm still trying to find out of my subscription service can/will move all of my RSS and email readers over to the new address for me. I should have an answer soon and will post it here and on Facebook as soon as I do.<br />
<br />
Knowing all of you for as long as I have, I already know the answer to this one final request... but I very humbly and gratefully ask for your patience while I get all of the bits and pieces, like social media, updated. I'm about half way there already, so it shouldn't take long.<br />
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Well, I'm off to get it all set up, so I'll be seeing you soon!<br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Mary</i></b></span><br />
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<br />Mary Sullivan Frasierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10796241299065062308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8595626797911453964.post-715303785293823912015-03-15T23:03:00.002-04:002021-03-11T20:09:17.138-05:00Top Saint Patrick's Day Recipes!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm not quite up to whipping up anything special this year, but in case you need a few last minute ideas for St. Patrick's Day feasting, I thought I'd re-post a few favorites from past years!<br />
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Just click on the numbered titles below for the full recipes and directions!<br />
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1) <a href="http://goaheadtakeabite.blogspot.com/2012/03/guinness-baileys-ice-cream-float.html" target="_blank">Guinness Float with homemade Bailey's Ice Cream</a><br />
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2) <a href="https://www.goaheadtakeabite.com/2012/03/traditional-irish-colcannon.html" target="_blank">Traditional Colcannon</a><br />
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3) <a href="http://goaheadtakeabite.blogspot.com/2012/03/ale-braised-beef-brisket.html" target="_blank">Ale Braised Beef Brisket</a><br />
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4) <a href="http://goaheadtakeabite.blogspot.com/2013/03/guinness-braised-beef-short-ribs.html" target="_blank">Guinness Braised Short Ribs</a><br />
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5) <a href="http://goaheadtakeabite.blogspot.com/2012/03/fried-cabbage-with-bacon-onions.html" target="_blank">Fried Cabbage with Bacon and Onions</a><br />
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6) <a href="http://goaheadtakeabite.blogspot.com/2013/03/guinness-braised-beef-short-ribs.html" target="_blank">Pan Sauteed Baby Turnips and Carrots</a><br />
<i><span style="color: #38761d;">(at the end of the post)</span></i><br />
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7) <a href="http://goaheadtakeabite.blogspot.com/2013/03/mashed-potatoes-with-parsnips-and-leeks.html" target="_blank">Mashed Potatoes and Parsnips</a>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #38761d;">☘</span><span style="color: #38761d;">☘</span><span style="color: #38761d;">☘</span><span style="color: #38761d;">☘</span><span style="color: #38761d;">☘</span><span style="color: #38761d;">☘</span><span style="color: #38761d;">☘</span><span style="color: #38761d;">☘</span><span style="color: #38761d;">☘</span><span style="color: #38761d;">☘</span><span style="color: #38761d;">☘</span><span style="color: #38761d;">☘</span><span style="color: #38761d;">☘</span><span style="color: #38761d;">☘</span><span style="color: #38761d;">☘</span><span style="color: #38761d;">☘</span><span style="color: #38761d;">☘</span><span style="color: #38761d;">☘</span><span style="color: #38761d;">☘</span><span style="color: #38761d;">☘</span><span style="color: #38761d;">☘</span><span style="color: #38761d;">☘</span><span style="color: #38761d;">☘</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"><b>Or,</b></span></div>
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If you're more of a traditionalist, click <a href="http://goaheadtakeabite.blogspot.com/2011/03/corned-beef-cabbage-my-way.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> for the recipe for Corned Beef and Cabbage, done my way.<br />
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"><b><i>Slainte! </i></b></span><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">☘</span><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">☘</span><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">☘</span><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">☘</span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b><i>Mary </i></b></span>🍀<br />
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Mary Sullivan Frasierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10796241299065062308noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8595626797911453964.post-51535589948049260672015-03-13T12:51:00.000-04:002015-03-13T12:51:08.613-04:00Update! (And A Sneak Peek!)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Howdy folks!<br />
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I'm back! And as the statement above clearly indicates, I have an update and a sneak peek at some tasty new recipes that I'll be sharing in the days and weeks ahead!<br />
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First, the update! I won't go into the major details about what the past couple of months has been like in my world. I'm in the process of writing a post for my other blog (Spilled On The Kitchen Table) called "Living With Lupus - The Crash". If you'd like to know more about my trip and my recovery from it, I'll be adding the link to the title here once it's live on the blog and you'll be magically whisked from this blog to the other, where you can catch up with my life and learn a bit more about it/me. (Should be up in a few days)<br />
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For now, I <i>will</i> say that I've been down for the count since the first part of the year and that I'm finally working my way back toward being a more functional, more involved with the world, Me. I <i><b>have</b></i> to throw in one little spoiler, though...<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UXeTW0M4Ye0/VQHpow9UptI/AAAAAAAALmw/GLzc1L4s-I4/s1600/I%2Bbecame%2Ba%2Bgrandparent.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UXeTW0M4Ye0/VQHpow9UptI/AAAAAAAALmw/GLzc1L4s-I4/s1600/I%2Bbecame%2Ba%2Bgrandparent.png" height="586" width="620" /></a></div>
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As of December 11, 2015 we are the very proud, over the moon, head over heels in love grandparents, of a beautiful, 3 month old, baby boy! He is our first grandchild and he arrived at 8:34 PM after 13 hours of very intense and very painful labor for my daughter. He weighed 8lbs 4oz and was 21.5" long, with a very full head of dark brown hair. And he is THE most beautiful child on the planet! (of course, I might just be a tad biased, but he really is gorgeous! lol)<br />
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Part of the reason that I've been gone so long, is that I was blessed beyond all blessings, to have been right there in the room, the moment that he entered the world. I went down early so that I could also be around to help the new little family settle in. Then the Hubbs drove down a couple of weeks later, to spend a love filled, truly joyous first Christmas with the newest member of our family!<br />
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We drove back up North, shortly after New Year's week and as I suspected, I've been recuperating ever since. Yup. It sounds like a long time to recover from a "holiday trip", but when you live with an autoimmune disease like Lupus, that's just how it is. Lupus has been a part of my life long enough to know before I left, that it was going to kick my behind and then some, but I wouldn't trade the joy of being there when our grandson was born and for his first few weeks on this earth for <b><i>anything</i></b> in this world! (Even with Face Time and phone calls, etc. I miss him like crazy, though)<br />
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So, let's take a little peek at what I'm working on for all of you at the moment, shall we?<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f_cf_tQnnlE/VQBpzlouZCI/AAAAAAAALlQ/JwFv0uaMSUA/s1600/2014-06-01%2B21.19.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f_cf_tQnnlE/VQBpzlouZCI/AAAAAAAALlQ/JwFv0uaMSUA/s1600/2014-06-01%2B21.19.13.jpg" height="475" width="620" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">How To Perfectly Saute Mushrooms</span></b></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rMQ1HX-NUfE/VQBsYbgGfEI/AAAAAAAALlk/4BlitZRHuKk/s1600/100_9260.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rMQ1HX-NUfE/VQBsYbgGfEI/AAAAAAAALlk/4BlitZRHuKk/s1600/100_9260.JPG" height="475" width="620" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Pan Sauted Broccoli With Garlic</span></b></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ce9qLMgGksY/VQBtdMc5ypI/AAAAAAAALls/SQh9k2PnsLQ/s1600/103_0823.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ce9qLMgGksY/VQBtdMc5ypI/AAAAAAAALls/SQh9k2PnsLQ/s1600/103_0823.JPG" height="475" width="620" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Easy Homemade Fettucine Alfredo</span></b></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wOCb0miv16s/VQCmQrDIWNI/AAAAAAAALl8/-b1JBjdlhSk/s1600/2014-11-19%2B21.31.30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wOCb0miv16s/VQCmQrDIWNI/AAAAAAAALl8/-b1JBjdlhSk/s1600/2014-11-19%2B21.31.30.jpg" height="475" width="620" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Baked Ricotta Meatballs</span></b></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UDPhzKzqbss/VQHWeB72WTI/AAAAAAAALmg/-DskWyl3Kj8/s1600/103_1043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UDPhzKzqbss/VQHWeB72WTI/AAAAAAAALmg/-DskWyl3Kj8/s1600/103_1043.JPG" height="475" width="620" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Creamy Cheddar Dijon Brussels Sprouts</span></b></td></tr>
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And believe it or not, there are even more yummy posts in the works! But, I'll stop here for now. After all.. a girl likes to leave a little bit to the imagination. Even when it comes to what she's been cooking! LOL<br />
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See you all again, very soon!<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Mary</i></b></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="color: orange;">Don't forget that you can print this (or any) recipe using the</span></i> </span><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;">"Print Friendly"</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <i><span style="color: orange;">button at the foot of each post. It's a great little feature that </span><span style="color: #cc0000;">allows you to remove any pictures</span><span style="color: orange;"> (or </span><span style="color: #cc0000;">any text</span><span style="color: orange;"> that isn't relevant to the recipe) </span><span style="color: #cc0000;">before printing</span><span style="color: orange;">. That can save on ink and paper & in today's economy, who doesn't want to save a little cash when you can?!</span></i></span></span></b><br />
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<br />Mary Sullivan Frasierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10796241299065062308noreply@blogger.com0