Brilliantly Garlicy Guac

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I love making guacamole. I really do not like buying it pre-made because it just does not compare to homemade guac. And it is really easy. The name is inspired by my Sarah after I made semi-homemade guac (in the interest of time and money) to compliment my enchilada calzone creation. Note – if you do choose to buy guac buy Central Market pre-made guac in the chef-prepared bar and then add tomatoes, cilantro, jalapeno, and garlic to it — see why it is almost easier to make it yourself?

Brilliantly Garlicy Guac

Serves about Six

5 Large Hass Avocados- halved, cut into four sections, removed from skin with pit reserved
10 cloves garlic – minced (see instructions below)
2 jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped
1 white or red onion – fine dice
1-2 tomatoes (dependent on taste preferences and size of tomato), seeded and juices drained
One bunch cilantro chopped (try to avoid stems)
Pinch of adobo spice (optional)
Pinch of garlic salt (optional)
Pinch of Salt – to taste
Black Pepper – to taste
Lime juice – squeeze from a half lime (to taste with lemon)
lemon juice – squeeze from a half lemon (to taste with lime)

Put minced garlic on a cutting board, sprinkle with a half tablespoon of Kosher salt, mash with a knife running the knife over garlic, then repeating. This will eventually form a loose paste of garlic. Add to bowl.

Combine garlic, avocados, jalapenos, tomatoes, cilantro, and onion in a large bowl. Mash with a potato masher (or large spoon). Once you have acquired the desired consistency (I like mine to have lumps of intact avocado in it but you can make it as smooth as you like – just keep mashing and occasionally stirring), sprinkle mixture with salt, pepper, adobo, garlic salt if using, and squeeze the citrus to taste. Stir mixture to incorporate the additional seasonings. Place pits in the guac to keep it green (can be removed during serving if you like).

Momma Joy’s Quiche

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So I have never made a quiche, but my Auntie Joy – who is an amazing cook – made quiches over Christmas that D loved. She was nice enough to share it with me and this morning I thought I would try my hand at it because I wanted to feed six people and it seemed like an easy, satisfying, and cost effective solution. Everyone seemed pleased with it=) I cannot eat eggs so of course could not participate. I made a couple of changes  – I used mozzarella cheese because I did not have gruyere. I also considered adding bacon, but ultimately did not feel like frying it. Additionally, I omitted the butter and used 1/3 whole milk and 3/4 cream because I had some whole milk that I needed to use up.

Serves 6-10

Tbs. butter
2 Tbs. olive oil
5 large mushrooms – sliced
4-5 large sliced shallots
1 bag baby spinach
2 Tbs. sherry
Sliced mozzarella, jack, gruyere, brie, fontina or cheddar
10 large eggs
1 cup whipping cream
1 pkg. Pillsbury ready made pie crusts

Makes 2 quiches
Prebake pie crusts per pkg instructions. (You will need to bring them to room temperature, pre-bake, then cool).
Heat oil and butter if using. Saute shallots (properly seasoned) in large frying pan approx. 10 mins .  Add mushrooms…..saute but donʼt overcook.  Add spinach and cook until just wilted.  Drain off any excess moisture.
Add sherry and heat to just cook off alcohol.
In a large bowl, beat together the eggs and cream.  Add salt and pepper.
Once pie crust is cooled, layer slices of cheese in the bottom of pastry, overlapping.  Divide spinach mixture
between the two and pour the egg mixture over the tops.  Bake uncovered at 375 for
about 35-40 mins.  Check with toothpick in center.
Let cool 10 mins before cutting.

Stir Fry

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If you like measurements and good instruction STOP READING NOW. This is going to be one of those recipes I warned you about. I am not entirely sure that I should even post a stir fry recipe – the whole point is to use up whatever needs to be used in the fridge and supplement that with pantry items. I doubt I can even make the same stir fry twice because the ingredients will always be changing. So this recipe will, I fear, be a bit lacking. I am not going to add measurements as I have absolutely no idea what they are – I did everything to taste adding more of what I like (sriracha, hoison, eel sauce, and coconut milk to name a few). That said, I made this stir fry to use up a bunch of stuff and these are the ingredients – end result was awesome!

  • Minced Ginger (either fresh or Ginger People minced or both) to taste
  • Sriracha to taste
  • Sugar – a few fingerfuls
  • Sesame Oil (can sub peanut oil)
  • Flour (or cornstarch if that is all you have)
  • Hoisin (more than a dab)
  • Oyster Sauce (a dab)
  • Coconut milk (about a half can
  • Lime
  • Eel Sauce
  • Chicken – tenders work well, cut into pieces as desired but make sure they are all relatively the same size so that they cook evenly
  • Broccoli – cut to bite sized pieces
  • Carrots – sliced
  • Asparagus – cut into one inch pieces
  • Green Onion – chopped used for garnish
  • White Onion – slivered or diced
  • Garlic – minced
  • Cilantro – roughly chopped, for garnish
  • Rice or Udon Noodles

Marinade:

  • Soy sauce (about a fourth of a cup)
  • tempura sauce (just a tad)
  • eel sauce (to taste – optional)
  • honey about a tablespoon
  • minced ginger – at least a tablespoon
  • rice wine (about a tablespoon)
  • hoisin sauce (to taste, probably around a tablespoon)

Mix marinade and then add chicken. Marinate for 30 minutes to an hour (or longer if you prefer) keep about half of the marinade to reuse in the stir-fry sauce.

In the last ten minutes of the marinating time, stream carrots, then broccoli, and asparagus (I do this carrots first for a few minutes since they take the longest to cook, I then add broccoli for a few minutes, then lastly add asparagus until all three veggies are cooked.

In a wok (or large skillet) heat oil then fry chicken (adding a bit of the reserved marinade) until almost done. Remove chicken and add onion, garlic, flour, ginger and stir fry until onions are glassy. Return chicken to pan and add elements to the sauce (sriracha, sugar, coconut milk, hoisin, oyster sauce, lime juice, etc.). Stir in veggies and remove from heat.

Either combine with udon noodles or serve on top of rice (brown or white).

*This can be gluten free if you use rice and have gluten free elements (aka soy sauce and such) on hand.

Chicken meatballs with the best Pasta ever

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So D’s brother asked for a meatball recipe last week at dinner…I did not have one as I had never made meatballs before. Ergo, a search was conducted (he had chicken sausage so I devised based on that plan) and then decided that I needed to try my hand at meatballs. I diverged from my original recipe and was pleased with the outcome. You can use any sausage that you want – I just bought ready made CM sausage hoping they had basil, garlic, chicken sausage but settling for Roma Sausage plus one link of Italian Turkey sausage for contrast.

The pasta is a variation of one of my absolute favorites (which – just because I love it so much – will be added at a  later date). It was different than the one I usually make but was still excellent and actually a little lighter. My only suggestion after eating (technically I wanted to make it this way but forgot to purchase the ingredient…sort of essential when cooking) is to add sun dried tomato (either reconstituted or paste) for a little but of a kick. I plan to next time.

Chicken meatballs with the best Pasta ever

3 slices Italian or other white bread, torn into small bits (1 cup) – I used Ciabatta this time around
1/3 cup milk (whole)
3 ounces sliced pancetta, finely chopped (you can swap in Bacon or prosciutto if you can’t find pancetta – I used prosciutto because CM was out of pancetta)
1 small onion, finely chopped (can also use shallot but double amount) – I used yellow because I had it and needed to use it up – white is fine as well
3 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 large egg
1 pound chicken sausage removed from casing (I used 2 links Central Market Chicken Roma Sausage and One link Medium Italian sausage also Central market)
2 tablespoons tomato paste, divided*
Sriracha to taste
Parmesan Cheese shredded (or grated)
Garlic Powder
Fresh Ground Pepper
3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 400°F with a rack in the upper third of the oven. Soak bread in milk in a small bowl until softened, about four minutes.

Cook pancetta in a dab of oil rendering the fat. Add onion and garlic with salt and pepper in a large skillet over medium heat until onion is softened, about 6 minutes. Reserve.

Squeeze bread to remove excess milk, then discard milk. Lightly beat egg in a large bowl, then combine with chicken, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, pancetta mixture, bread, parmesan, black pepper, and parsley. Be gentle when mixing. Form meatballs and place on greased baking sheet.

Stir together remaining tablespoons of tomato paste and sriracha and brush over meatballs, sprinkle garlic powder and fresh ground black pepper, then bake in upper third of oven until meatballs are just cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.

Arrange with pasta. Recipe as follows:

Little Ears, One Version

Rustichella d’abruzzo Orecchiette (YES IT MATTERS)
One pint cherry tomatoes, halved and seeded
Pecorino Romano cheese grated
1 cup chopped fresh basil
Fresh ground pepper 
Salt to taste
One Shallot-White Wine Sauce Recipe + some flour to thicken (add flour in with the shallots at the beginning so that the flour taste cooks out) 

Boil salted water and cook pasta to instructions. 

Begin making shallot white wine sauce (make enough for the amount of sauce that you want). After reducing add halved tomatoes and cook until the skins loosen and tomatoes lose their shape slightly. Combine with pasta and allow to cook a few more minutes. Add half of the basil, salt to taste, add pepper and cheese and stir gently but well. Garnish with remaining basil and some shaved Parmesan cheese then arrange meatballs as desired and EAT!





Scallop-Pesto Pasta

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Maybe this deserves a better name, but ever since I have started making it this, it’s been called Scallop-Pesto Pasta. It is pretty straight forward and makes me happy when I say it. I dare say this is one of my signatures…it is wonderful and incredibly easy for a weeknight. This can also be a cupboard meal fairly easily. I buy scallops by the pound when they are on sale and throw them in the freezer. Pesto can be bought up to a week in advance and everything else is pretty much in my pantry or fridge at all times. Ergo, as long as you take the scallops out of the freezer you can whip this up without going to the store! FYI, in case you are budget shopping, Whole foods (even though I don’t love their fish) has scallops that are cheaper than Central Market’s. They should be $7.99 per pound at WF and Central Market is at least $9.99 (the price changes with the type of scallops being offered at that time).

This should serve four with leftovers adjust amounts to taste or quantity needed.

Approx. a cup of Central Market Basil Pesto
One pound bay scallops
one pound mushrooms
3-4 garlic cloves
3 medium shallots
about a tablespoon of cream or half and half (full fat or fat free) mixed with about a tablespoon of regular milk (if you do not care about fat content feel free to double up on the cream) – if you would like a thinner sauce feel free to add more cream or milk
Pepper/Salt
Pecorino or Parmesan Cheese (grated) to taste
One package linguine or fettuccine (whole wheat, regular, fresh or dried – go crazy)

Scallops can be fairly watery if they are frozen – to reduce this I put mine in between paper towels for about 20 minutes before I cook them and throw them in a strainer after I sear them.

Boil pasta water, cook about ten minutes (to package instructions – if using fresh pasta cook 3-6 minutes).

Whilst waiting for the pasta water to boil, saute shallots and garlic – in oil or butter – (with pinch of salt) until glassy. Add mushrooms and saute until brown (if the pan gets dry feel free to add a cap full of white wine). Remove mushroom mixture to a strainer. Heat a bit of oil in the same pan and once hot, sear scallops (about three minutes) and remove to same strainer as mushrooms. Return the pan to the stove and heat the pesto and cream together, salt and pepper to taste. Add mushroom mix and scallops to the warm pesto and simmer. Strain pasta and return to pan. Combine Scallop Pesto with Pasta, fresh ground black pepper and cheese and proceed to eat entirely too much (expect to sneak to the fridge for a midnight snack)!

Shallot-White Wine Sauce

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This is just the creation of stuff I had in the fridge and has become ubiquitous in my kitchen. You can adjust it however you need and it is absolutely perfect with a myriad of dishes from pasta sauce, sauce bases, to spooning over baked chicken or fish.

Five large Shallots, sliced (to taste – I like a lot of shallots)
Five cloves Garlic, minced
1 cup White wine
1/4 cup Chicken broth
One tablespoon Butter (or more if desired)
Squeeze Lemon Juice (optional)

Saute shallots and garlic in a butter (season properly) until glassy. Add in wine and broth and reduce to desired thickness.  Simmer until ready to use. Squeeze lemon juice and add fresh ground pepper as taste prefers.

To thicken this sauce you can add flour when sauteing the shallots and garlic. You can also add red pepper flakes for some heat if you like. If you need more liquid and are making pasta you can reserve some of the starchy pasta water after straining.

Butternut Squash Ravioli

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Butternut Squash Ravioli is not a new concept, but it is a good one. There are lots of versions that you can make. You can make a cream sauce to toss the ravioli with if you prefer. I prefer a white wine sauce fortified by a dab of cream and butter. These can be made ahead or frozen.
Filling

Butternut Squash, at least a pound cubed (I like to buy butternut squash already cut up and cubed – it really makes life so much easier, you can also buy frozen if you choose).
3 large Shallots, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
Herbs de Provence or other herb combination
Either fresh homemade pasta dough (in ravioli shapes) or store-bought ravioli pasta wrappers – you can also use Gyoza wrappers (in frozen Asian section at Central Market).
One egg and pastry brush for binding
Parmesan, Pecorino, Fontina, or Goat Cheese
Cream
Ground white pepper

Toss butternut squash with about 2 or the shallots sliced and 2 garlic cloves minced, herbs de provence, salt, pepper, and basil/garlic/olive oil. Place on a baking sheet and bake until fork tender. Bake until fork tender. Once done, remove from baking sheet and toss in a bowl with cheese, dab of cream, and [optional] ground sage. Puree (using a bit of chicken broth if necessary for texture).
WITH DOUGH: Line up on a floured surface. Place a spoonful of filling inside every other round. Brush the edges of the ravioli with egg and secure top piece of dough pressing together gently with a fork. Boil in salted water for a few minutes, strain and reserve.
Sauce – choose from either Brown Butter – Sage Sauce or Shallot-White Wine

Shaved Parmesan
Ground Black Pepper

If using Brown Butter-Sage Sauce: melt 7-8 tablespoons of butter in a pan, adding to it 10-15 fresh sage leaves, sauté with sliced shallots until brown. Remove sage leave before serving and toss with ravioli, dried cranberries, shaved Parmesan Cheese, and ground black pepper. Grated nutmeg optional. If using Shallot-White Wine sauce, add in a dash of cream and make sure to use flour to thicken the sauce, top with some freshly grated cheese and black pepper and parsley if you desire. This can also be made with a cream-based sauce and is excellent but is a bit to heavy for me.

Butternut Squash and Melted Leek Risotto

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>This risotto came about because JMac needed a Halloween-themed pot luck dish, so I promptly got to work trying out recipes. I am so happy I did. Ironically enough I saw a version of this in  Bon Appetit in November of last year, naturally I decided that I had to make my version to compete. I prefer mine=) This dish has several different cooking components but once you get them started you can pretty much do everything simultaneously. This is much better as a Sunday dinner dish because of the amount of time it takes to cook risotto (completely worth it though).

Makes about 4 large servings, plus leftovers

  • Butternut Squash, at least a pound cubed (I like to buy butternut squash already cut up and cubed – it really makes life so much easier, you can also buy frozen if you choose).
  • 4-6+ large Shallots, thinly sliced
  • 4-5 garlic cloves, minced
  • Herbs de Provence
  • 1-2 bunches of leeks – white part only, sliced into rings and throughout cleaned of dirt (it is easiest to clean them after slicing by placing the rings into a strainer and running water over them – dry and reserve)
  • 7 tablespoons butter
  • white cooking wine (about a half cup for leeks and between 1 -2 cups for risotto depending on taste
  • 1 cup Arborio rice
  • at least 3 cups of chicken broth – probably more – warm on low heat throughout
  • Parmesan or Pecorino Cheese – to taste – about a half cup shredded
  • Fresh torn basil

Preheat oven to 400

Toss butternut squash with about 2 or the shallots sliced and 2 garlic cloves minced, herbs de provence, salt, pepper, and basil/garlic/olive oil. Place on a baking sheet and bake until fork tender.

In a small saucepan, combine 5.5 tablespoons butter and about a half cup of wine over a medium heat. Add leeks and simmer for about an hour (the longer the better). Season as appropriate.

In a large skillet prepare the risotto. Melt remaining butter and a little olive oil in pan add in remaining shallots and garlic. Sprinkle with a touch of salt and cook until glassy.  Add the rice and toast, stirring until it is translucent.  Add about a cup and a half of the wine and stir until absorbed.  Then add the simmering chicken broth in half cup portions, stirring until absorbed, then adding more.  Once it gets a little more done I usually taste it and add more wine or chicken broth accordingly.Once the risotto has reached the desired texture – add salt and pepper to taste and add cheese. Add butternut squash (I usually add it whole but you can puree it with a little bit of broth if you prefer) and leek mixture and mix well. Garnish with basil and pepper to taste.