Zucchini Boats with Pork Sausage - Z - Alphabet Challenge

This is the final post of my alphabet challenge! I'm very proud of myself for sticking with this for 26 weeks. There were some new favorites and some disasters but that's the fun of cooking, even if it tastes awful you learned something for the next time. For anyone who actually read these posts - thanks! I pretty much do this for myself but I hope you were entertained with some of my creative dishes.

Ingredients:

3 Zucchini, ends trimmed and cut in half lengthwise
1 lb pork sausage, casings removed
3 Tbsp. panko bread crumbs
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup marinara sauce
1/4 shredded mozzarella
6 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

 

Directions:

1. Preheat an oven to 350.

2. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise. Gently scoop out the seeds into a bowl making sure the outer skin stay intact. Place empty zucchini boats on a sheet tray.

3. To the bowl with zucchini add the pork sausage, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, and mozzarella. Combine with hands until you have a uniform mixture.

4. Divide the pork mixture into 6 equal sections. Add the pork to the zucchini boats. Top with a spoonful of marinara sauce so the pork is covered.

5. Cover the zucchini with foil and bake about 40 minutes or until the pork is cooked through (about 165 using a thermometer).

6. Once the pork is cooked and the zucchini is slightly softened, top each zucchini boat with a Tbsp. of grated parmesan cheese. Cook uncovered for 5 more minutes until the parmesan is browned on top. Remove from oven and serve warm!

Yogurt Raita and Naan Bread - Y - Alphabet Challange

Thank goodness this Y dish came out better than X. I utilized the yogurt in both the raita sauce and the naan bread. This is a great side dish to any kebab or skewer but I made this with lamb lollipops. There's something special about making bread from scratch and serving it warm that really impresses your eaters. The best part - the raita can be made a day in advance so all you have to do is whip up the bread and you're ready to go!

Ingredients:
Raita Yogurt Sauce
3 cups plain full fat Greek yogurt
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and grated
1/2 cup fresh mint, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

 
Naan Bread
1/2 cup lukewarm water (about 105-110 degrees)
2 tsp. sugar
1 packet active dry yeast
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup plain full fat Greek yogurt
Vegetable oil for cooking

 

Directions: 

Raita Yogurt Sauce:

1. Take grated cucumber and place in a clean linen dish towel. Squeeze out as much moisture from the cucumber as possible.

2. Add all ingredients to a small bowl and stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. If you want the sauce to be spicy you can leave the seeds in the jalapeno. I like to make this ahead of time so all of the flavors can meld, even better if it sits over night.

Naan Bread:

1. In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, combine lukewarm water and sugar. Sprinkle yeast on top and let sit until frothy, about 8 minutes. 

2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Add yeast mixture and yogurt and use a rubber spatula to combine. Once a shaggy dough starts to form, dump onto a clean work surface and knead with your hands until a smooth dough forms. If the dough is sticky, add a bit more flour. Transfer to a clean bowl and cover with a kitchen towel. Let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. 

3. On a floured surface, divide dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each out into a 7” circle. Keep dough covered with a clean kitchen towel so it does not dry out while you are frying the naan.

4.  In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Working one at a time, cook dough until blistered and dark golden in spots, about 3 minutes per side. Adjust heat and add more oil as needed. Store cooked naan in a clean kitchen linen towel to keep warm. Serve warm with the raita sauce!

Wolfgang Puck's Chinois Chicken Salad

I tried this dish recently at the Wolfgang Puck restaurant in the MGM Las Vegas. My husband ordered it and I ended up eating most of it since it was so good! The dish had so many complex flavors and textures that ended up balancing out. Highly recommend this dish.  

Ingredients: 
Dressing:
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/3 cup low sodium sauce
1 egg yolk
2 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. chopped pickled ginger
1 Tbsp. chili oil
1 Tbsp. sesame paste (or tahini)
salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup peanut oil

Salad:
2 lbs chicken breasts, cooked + sliced thin
5 cups Napa cabbage, julienned
4 cups mixed greens
1 head radicchio, julienned
2 carrots, julienned
2 cups wonton strips
1/3 cup toasted cashews, chopped
2 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
 
Directions:

For Dressing:
1. In a blender, combine everything except the peanut oil, until smooth.

2. Slowly drizzle in the peanut oil while the blender is running. Taste and adjust salt and pepper to your palate.

For Salad:
1. Transfer the chicken, cabbage, mixed greens, radicchio, and carrots to a large bowl. Add half of the dressing to the salad and toss to coat. Taste and add more dressing if you like, a little at a time.

2. To plate the salad add the tossed lettuce mix on the plate. Top with the wonton strips, cashews, and sesame seeds.

Xanthan Gum Gluten Free Pizza - X - Alphabet Challenge

X was impossible since so few items start with the letter X. I came up with xanthan gum which is powder used for thickening and emulsifying in purees and sauces. During my research I also found that xanthan gum is used in a lot of gluten free recipes. I thought I'd give this gluten free pizza dough a try. While it looks good in the photo, the crust was terrible! In the future I'll use my standard pizza recipe found here. But this is an alphabet challenge so I must post this recipe I'll never use again. Enjoy! hahah. 

Ingredients:

Dough:
2 cups gluten free all purpose flour
1/2 Tbsp. xanthan gum
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 cup lukewarm water (about 105 degrees)
1 packet active dry yeast (about 2 1/4 tsp)
1 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp. olive oil (plug more for the bowl)

Pizza:
Tomato Sauce
Mozzarella Cheese
Toppings of choice like pepperoni

Directions:

1. In a small measuring cup combine the lukewarm water, yeast, sugar, and 1 Tbsp olive oil. Allow the yeast to bloom for 3-5 minutes. If you don't see any bubbles after this time, your yeast is dead and you'll need to restart this step with new yeast. 

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment combine the flour, xanthan gum, salt, and baking powder. 

3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix on medium speed for 4-5 minutes until a sticky dough is formed. 

4. Add a drizzle of oil to coat a bowl big enough for the dough to rise. Add the dough to the oiled bowl and cover dough all over with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place to rise for 2-3 hours. It will not double in size but will puff up a bit. 

5. Once the dough is risen preheat oven to 450 degrees. 

6. Add a section of the dough into an oil lined baking sheet. Press the dough into the pizza shape of your choice. Top as you would a standard pizza. 

7. Bake pizza for about 10 minutes until the dough is crispy and golden brown and the toppings have melted. 

Wontons - W - Alphabet Challenge

I've always liked pot stickers and wontons. While I've tackled pan fried wontons at home, I wanted to give deep fried pork wontons a chance. The biggest trick to frying them is getting the oil temperature right so the inside filling has enough time to cook but the outside wonton wrapper doesn't get burned. When making this the first time, cut the dumplings in half before eating to make sure the pork filling is completely cooked. 

Ingredients:
1 pound ground pork
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp garlic chili sauce
1/4 tsp ground ginger
6 cloves garlic minced
1/4 cup grated carrots
1 tsp kosher salt
40-50 wonton wrappers

Sweet Thai Chili Sauce or Soy Dipping Sauce if desired

Bowl of water to seal the wrappers
2 cups canola oil for frying

Soy Dipping Sauce:
1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 large clove garlic, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 tsp. grated ginger
1 scallion, thinly sliced

Directions:
1. In a bowl combine all of the ingredients, except the wonton wrappers, and mix until combined.

2. To make the wontons, place a teaspoonful of the pork mixture in the center of the wonton wrapper, dip your finger into the bowl of water and run your finger along the edges of the wrapper. Fold bottom corner of the wrapper over the filling and press all edges to close the wrapper, you'll have a triangle. (Note: When making these use a damp paper towel to cover the wonton wrappers, otherwise they may dry out before you have a chance to fill them).

3. Combine all soy dipping sauce ingredients in a small dish and mix together. Set aside until wontons are complete.

4. In a large pot, preheat the canola oil over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, fry until golden brown. About 3-4 minutes on each side. Sprinkle with salt ,if desired, and serve.

Vanilla Cake with Vanilla Bean Buttercream - V - Alphabet Challenge

I was very excited to use Vanilla for my V dish. While it was super tasty I definitely sawI have a lot to learn about cake decorating lol. I didn't have enough eggs so my cake came out a bit short and squat. My secret to making a great cake - use box cake mix but add a little extra flavoring. Box mix makes it cheaper and easier to make. Whether you use box cake mix or make the cake from scratch, I highly recommend making your own icing. Premade frosting is overly sweet in my opinion. 

Ingredients:
1 box white cake mix
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Buttercream Frosting:
6 Tbsp. butter, melted
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla bean paste (use vanilla extract if you don't have this)
1/2 tsp. salt
3-8 Tbsp. milk

Directions:

1. Make cake according to package directions. Try to make the cake layer height as even as possible for consistent cooking. If you're using multiply pan sizes for a tiered effect make sure to cook the smallest layer a shorter time than the larger layers. 

2. Remove cake from oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove cake from pans and place on a wire rack to cool for at least 30 minutes.

3. To make Frosting: Pour melted butter into a bowl and add powdered sugar. I suggest a stand mixer or hand mixer to make the frosting. Whisk until it resembles chalky beads.

4. Add vanilla bean paste to mixture and slowly add milk 1 Tbsp. at a time whisking well after each addition, until frosting is consistency you like. (make sure it's not to runny or frosting the cake will be difficult)

5. To frost and decorate the cakes I suggest checking out some youtube videos. A lazy susan is also a good investment for this. Place a small amount of frosting on top of a layer of cake, work the frosting from the middle of the cake outward to around the sides. It's best to pour all the frosting on top then ease it over the sides. Then remove excess frosting if needed. Repeat this process for each cake layer. Allow to chill in the fridge for about 15 minutes until the buttercream is a little bit set. This makes it easier to stack the cakes. Decorate as you like with more buttercream frosting, sprinkles, or using different piping tips. 

Udon Noodles with Beef and Broccoli - U - Alphabet Challenge

U was a tough ingredient since there are only so many foods that start with U. I've never tried Udon noodles before and found them to be a bit like an Asian spaghetti. The sauce added a lot of flavor but I felt like the dish needed more texture. When I make it again I'll add some bean sprouts or some crispy garlic for a crunch. 

Ingredients:
Marinade for Steak:
2 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 pound flank steak, sliced across grain 1/4-inch thick
 
Sauce for Noodles:
3 Tbsp. mirin
3 Tbsp. water
4 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. dark soy sauce
1 Tbsp. oyster sauce
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
 
1 head broccoli, broken into bite-sized florets
20 ounces udon noodles
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 (1/2-inch) piece fresh ginger, finely minced
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds
 
Directions:
 
1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat.
 
2. Whisk together sesame oil, cornstarch, 1 Tbsp. soy sauce, salt, and baking soda together in a bowl. Add sliced steak to the bowl and marinate for 10 minutes.
 
3. Meanwhile, whisk mirin, water, 4 Tbsp. soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, and rice vinegar together in a small bowl. Set sauce aside.
 
4. Heat a wok over high heat, and cook and stir steak in the hot wok until steak pieces are caramelized and browned, 3 to 4 minutes. The secret is a high temp and quick cook so the steak does not get tough. Remove steak from wok; set aside to keep warm. 

5. Add broccoli florets to the wok with a small amount of water. Cover with a lid and steam broccoli until bright green, about 5 minutes. Remove from wok; set aside to keep warm. 
 
6. Add udon noodles to boiling water; return water to a boil and cook using package directions until noodles are tender.
 
7. While noodles finish cooking add garlic and ginger to the wok. Return steak and broccoli to wok.

8. Drain noodles; stir noodles and prepared sauce into the wok to combine. Sprinkle with green onions and toasted sesame seeds to serve.

Truffle Tagliatelle - T - Alphabet Challenge

This post is a bit late since my husband Brian and I both got Covid for the first time. I was originally thinking to make a tres leches cake that I could share but since I didn't want to contaminate my friends I decided to change course. 

The secret to this truffle tagliatelle is truffle flavored items. I couldn't find a real fresh truffle so I used truffle butter, truffle oil, and truffle salt to get the truffle flavor into this pasta. I also used a tagliatelle I purchased while visiting my friend Renee in Seattle at the Pike Place Market. (Yes, I also saw the famous fish throwing). 

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. truffle oil
1 Tbsp. truffle butter

1 clove garlic, peeled and left whole
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup grated parmesan, divided
1 tsp. truffle salt
1 tsp. black pepper
8 oz tagliatelle pasta

Directions:

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the tagliatelle and cook according to package directions. 

2. In a separate large sauce pan over low heat add the truffle oil and butter. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add in the heavy cream and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese. Reduce over a low simmer until cream is slightly thickened. 

3. Once pasta is al dente add to the cream sauce. Stir to combine and add 1/4 cup parmesan cheese. Allow to cook over low heat until the pasta is saucy. 

4. To plate add pasta to a bowl. I recommend doing this in a swirling/twirling motion to try to get a nice pasta nest. Garnish with a pinch of parmesan, a drizzle of truffle oil, and a sprig of basil. 

Spam Musubi - S - Alphabet Challenge

For this S dish I wanted to try something I normally never would - Spam. I know it's a product that feeds a lot of people but when I think of salted pork I always lean toward bacon. I'm glad I tried this spam and after marinated and crisped up in a pan it had a ton of flavor! 

Ingredients:

Sushi Rice:
1.5 cups short grain rice, sushi rice or arborio rice preferred
2.25 cups water
2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt

12 oz spam, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1/4 cup low sodium lite soy sauce
1/4 cup oyster sauce
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 sheet, nori seaweed
 
 
Directions:
1. Prepare the sushi rice: Add sushi rice to fine mesh strainer. Run cold water over the rice and stir with your hand until the water runs clear from the rice. Add rice and 2.25 cups water to a rice cooker. Follow rice cooker instructions. 

2. Combine vinegar, salt and sugar in a small bowl. Once rice has finished cooking (and is still warm) drizzle the vinegar mixture and gently fold rice to combine the two. 

3. While sushi rice is cooking, marinate the spam. Combine the soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar in a ziplock bag until sugar is dissolved. Add the spam slices and marinate 15 minutes. 

4. Once marinated heat a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the spam to the preheated pan, removing as much marinade liquid as possible. Cook for 2 minutes on each side until the spam is nice a crispy. Set aside. 

5. Assemble the musubi: toast the nori seaweed by gently waving it over the open flame of the burner. If you touch the flame it will burn but get it close enough to toast the seaweed and make it pliable. Cut seaweed into 1/2 inch wide and 6 inch long slices. Set aside. 

6. Using a musubi mold or the empty spam container, add 1 inch thick layer of rice. Pack until the rice holds it shape. Remove from mold and place over a slice of the seaweed. Top with the sautéed spam. Wrap seaweed around the musubi. Top with toasted sesame seeds and serve warm or at room temp. 

Ramen Shoyu with Chicken - R - Alphabet Challenge

For this R dish I wanted to once again try something I never would - ramen. This was a tough choice for me since I think R and I think rice. The ramen broth ended up being super flavorful for how simple it was to make. With the addition of the quick cooking ramen noodles this would be a great make ahead dish to assemble when ready on a busy weeknight. 

Ingredients:

Chicken Marinade:
2 Tbsp mirin
1 Tbsp dark soy sauce or Tamari, if you don't have this, you can use light soy sauce instead
2 Tbsp light soy sauce
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp brown sugar
2 garlic cloves chopped finely
4 pieces chicken thigh boneless, skinless
 
Shoyu Ramen Broth:
4 – 5 cups good quality chicken stock preferably no sodium or low sodium
4 spring onions / scallions trimmed and cut into 3 inch pieces, or just in half
4 cloves garlic, whole
2 inch piece of ginger peeled and rough diced
1 Tbsp dried chili flakes (crushed red pepper). 
1/4 cup light soy sauce
1/4 cup mirin
2 baby bella mushroom, cleaned and steam removed, roughly diced

12 oz dried ramen noodles or 4 portions (or 4 portions of fresh ramen noodles)

Ramen Toppings:
4 large eggs, soft boiled and peeled (see soft boiled egg directions at end of post)
4 spring onions / scallions finely sliced
Sliced radishes
Bean sprouts
 
Directions:

Caramelized soy chicken:
1. Place all the ingredients for the chicken marinade in a bowl. Mix well to coat the chicken. If time permits, allow the chicken to marinate for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.
 
2. Preheat the oven to 425°F and place an oven rack in the top third of your oven. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place the chicken pieces on the baking sheet and let the chicken roast for 15 minutes or until it reaches 155 degrees internal temp. Remove chicken from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice chicken thighs and set aside.
 
Ramen Broth:
1. While the chicken cooks, start the ramen broth. In a medium size pot over medium high heat add a small drizzle of olive oil. Add the scallions, garlic, ginger and mushrooms to the pan. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until everything is slightly browned, about 3-4 minutes.

2. Add the chicken stock, chili flakes, soy sauce, and mirin to the pot. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to low and allow the stock to simmer about 20 minutes so all of the flavors meld. Strain the stock into another pan to remove the solids. Set stock aside.
 
3. Add water to a second pot and bring it to a boil. Add the dried noodles to the boiling water and cook according to package directions. I prefer to cook the noodles for ONE MINUTE LESS than what's recommended on the package, since the noodles will continue to cook for a bit longer when served with hot broth. Drain the noodles and divide into 4 bowls and set aside. 
 
4. Evenly divide the hot stock between the four bowls with ramen noodles. Top with sliced soy chicken, eggs, spring onions, radishes, bean sprouts and other toppings you like. If you like spice you could add a drizzle of chili oil over top. ENJOY!
 
Soft Boiled Eggs:
1. Bring a pot of water to a bowl. Add 2 Tbsp salt (to make egg easier to peel later). Gently add eggs to the pot and reduce heat so the water is at a simmer. Cook for 7 minutes for a medium set egg that is still a little runny. Remove the eggs to an ice bath and let cool for 5 minutes. Gently peel off shell and set aside.

BBQ Chicken with Corn, Bell Pepper, and Tomato Salad

This BBQ chicken dish is inspired as a healthy meal option. It would be great as a weeknight lunch or dinner. My recommendation to keep this dish simple is to use a store-bought BBQ sauce you love. 

Ingredients:

BBQ Chicken:
1 lb. chicken breast tenders
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. chipotle powder

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup BBQ sauce

Corn Salad:
1 14oz can of corn

1 Tbsp. diced shallot

1 tsp. olive oil

1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 bell pepper, diced to 1/4 inch squares
1/4 cup grape tomatoes, cut into quarters
1 Tbsp. butter

Directions:

BBQ Chicken:

1. Combine salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and chipotle powder in a small bowl. Season chicken breast tenders with the spice mix. 

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. Add chicken and cook on each side for about 2-3 minutes until both sides are browned. 

3. Place browned chicken on a foil lined baking sheet. Brush top of chicken with an even layer of BBQ sauce. Add a probe thermometer and cook chicken in the oven until temperature reaches 155 degrees. Remove from oven to a cutting board and allow to rest for 5 minutes. While chicken rests, make the corn salad.

Corn Salad:

1. In a large saute pan over medium high add the olive oil, shallot, salt and pepper. Saute for 2 minutes until shallots are translucent. 

2. Add canned corn to the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes until corn is warmed through. Add bell pepper, grape tomatoes, and butter. Stir until combined and taste for seasoning. Add more salt and pepper if needed. 

Quinoa Salad Bowl - Q - Alphabet

This Q dish featuring quinoa is an easy to make recipe that is healthy and great for a work lunch. It can be served warm or at room temp depending on your preference. This dish is really versatile since you can add basically any veggies you like. Some suggestions are arugula, mixed greens, carrots, and broccoli. I made this a vegetarian dish but you could any protein you like. Get creative with this one and have fun!
 
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked and fluffed quinoa

1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed
1 cup fresh spinach
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

1/2 cup bell pepper, diced

1 cup sweet potatoes, cubed and roasted
1-2 Tbsp crumbled feta
 
Lemon Dressing:
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 clove garlic, finely minced or grated
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp red chili flakes
 
Directions:
1. Make lemon dressing by combining all ingredients in a small bowl or glass jar. Stir or shake well to combine. Set aside until ready to use.

2. Cook quinoa according to package directions. Once fluffed and cooled slightly add to a bowl.

3. Add beans, spinach, cherry tomatoes, sweet potatoes, bell pepper, and feta to the quinoa mix. Add half of the lemon dressing and gently stir until incorporated.

4. Taste for seasoning and add more lemon dressing if needed. Serve warm or store in an airtight container to serve the next day at room temp.

Potato Pave - P - Alphabet Challenge

The choice for P my alphabet challenge was simple - POTATOES! I've said it before and I'll say it again, I love eating potatoes! You can do so many different things with them (and I already have) but I've never made this pave dish. It's almost like potato au gratin but cooked, cooled, and then sliced and crisped back up. It's a little time consuming to make but once it's cooked you can store it in the fridge for up to a few days for a easy, fancy side dish. 

Ingredients:
4 large russett potatoes
1 cup heavy cream
4 garlic cloves
3 sprigs fresh thyme

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

Butter and olive oil for frying

Directions:

1. Add the heavy cream, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper to a pot over low heat. Allow the flavors to meld, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes. Turn off heat and remove garlic and herbs from mixture. 

2. Peel and thinly slice potatoes. I recommend a mandolin for this so the slices are consistent. You want the slices to be about 1/4 inch thick. 

3. Preheat oven to 320. Butter a baking pan and line with parchment paper. You'll want a little parchment overhang so you can use that as a handle to remove all the potatoes at the end. 

4. Add a single layer of sliced potatoes to the bottom of the parchment lined pan. You want there to be a little overlap but mostly an even layer of potatoes. Add 1-2 Tbsp of the cream mixture until the potatoes are evenly covered. Continue layering potatoes and cream until you reach 3/4 height of the pan. 

5. Cover layered potatoes with a sheet of parchment. Top with another pan or heavy item that can safely be placed in the oven. You want to compress the potatoes while cooking so all of the layers stay together. Bake for about 1.5-2 hours. Every 30 minutes check if the potatoes are tender by sticking a knife in the middle. 

6. Once potatoes are cooked allow to cool at room temp for 30 minutes. Then place potatoes (with pan on top still there for compression) in the fridge. Let sit at least overnight or up to 7 days. 

7. When ready to serve add 1 Tbsp. butter and 3 Tbsp. olive oil to a saute pan over medium high heat. Carefully remove the potatoes from the baking pan in one large piece using the parchment. Slice into 1/2 inch thick sticks. This will expose all of the layers of potato. Once the butter and oil mixture is hot, crisp the potatoes on the large side with the layers of potato. It'll be about 3-4 minutes per side. Once it's golden brown on both sides, transfer to a paper towel to drain off any excess oil. Serve warm with your favorite steak and enjoy! 

Baked Egg Bites - Meal Planning Breakfast

My husband Brian asked me to start doing some meal prep for him so he can have easy breakfast and lunches through out the week. The goal is for it to be easy to reheat and healthy. My first attempt at this are these baked egg bites. They're super simple to make and even easier to reheat. The best part is that the egg bites can be filled with any items you would put into an omelet so feel free to change it up or customize this dish to your tastes. 

Ingredients: 

(This is for a single egg bite so multiple as needed)
1 egg 
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
up to 1 Tbsp of toppings (I did chopped bell pepper, bacon, and cheese)

Directions:

1. Preheat an oven to 375. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. 

2. In a large measuring cup add your eggs and whisk with a fork until well scrambled. Season with salt and pepper. 

3. Evenly pour the egg mix into each cupcake liner. You want it to come up about 1/2 to 2/3 of the way up the liner. 

4. Add toppings to each egg cup and then top with a sprinkle of cheese. (If you're making these for a family with different flavor desires, you can mix and match your toppings as you like.)

5. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the eggs are just set. I start checking on them at about 10 minutes and look every 3 minutes after. You can give the pan a small jiggle to see if the eggs are cooked through. 

You can eat as is right from the oven. If you're doing meal prep - allow to cool on the counter for about 30 minutes until eggs are room temp. Place them in a ziplock bag or air tight container. 

To reheat: microwave on high for 15 seconds. If it's not hot enough microwave an extra 15 seconds. Try to not microwave it too much as it may explode in the microwave. 

Onion Tart - O - Alphabet Challenge

For O   

            For O this week I wanted to feature the humble onion. It's such a cheap and diverse ingredient it was hard to come up with a single dish. I've seen the upside down tart on social media and thought this would be the perfect time to try it. 

I tried regular and red onion for this dish. The red onion was a bit sweeter. You could also use a bunch of thinly sliced cippolini onions as well for a more decorative tart. These are best served warm, right out of the oven. If you make them in advance, plan to reheat them in the oven for 2-3 minutes to warm them up.  

Ingredients:
 
1 sheet of puff pastry
1 red onion, thinly sliced about ¼ inch thick
Balsamic glaze
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
2 tablespoons of fresh thyme
1 5 oz containter Boursin Cheese (garlic and fine herbs)
Egg wash: 1 egg whisked together with 1 tablespoon of water
 
Directions:
 
1. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. On a floured surface, roll out the puff pastry so that it’s a couple inches larger on each side. Cut the pastry into 6 even rectangles. Top each pastry with 1-2 Tbsp of boursin cheese. Set aside.

3. On the parchment paper, drizzle ½ tsp olive oil and ½ tsp balsamic glaze in a rectangle a little smaller than the puff pastry. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and fresh thyme.

4. Place onion slices on top of the oil mixture. Place a rectangle of the puff pastry cheese side down on top of the onion and gently press the edges to kind of seal it to the parchment paper. Use a fork to crimp the edges if desired for presentation. Repeat with the rest of the pastry.

5. Brush the tops of the pastry with the egg wash. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the pastry is puffed up and a deep golden color on top. ENJOY!

Nutella Frosted Cupcakes - N - Alphabet Challenge

For the letter N I had a few ideas but the one that I kept coming back to was Nutella. I like this chocolate and hazelnut spread. It's great on a piece of toasted brioche or even just eating it with a spoon straight from the container. I wanted the ultimate chocolate experience so I made it into frosting for chocolate cupcakes. 

When I make cupcakes or cakes I like to use store bought mix like Pillsbury or Betty Crocker. It saves a lot of time and almost always comes out perfectly done. I do like to add a few ingredients to the cake mix to make it more flavorful. For chocolate cake mix I'll add 1 tsp. vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp. salt. You could also add 1 tsp of espresso powder if you like chocolate. This steps aren't necessary but I find it adds a little extra flavor to the finished cupcakes. 

One note for the frosting recipe below - you can adjust the texture of the frosting to make it to your liking. After combining all the ingredients you can fix the texture if needed. To make it more stiff you can add 1 Tbsp of powdered sugar at a time until it thickens. To make it more liquid you can add 1 tsp heavy cream at a time until it's the right consistency. 

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, (2 sticks) room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cup Nutella spread
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
 
Directions:
1. Bake your cupcakes according to the box directions. While the cupcakes cool from the oven, make the frosting.

2. In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer, beat the butter for 2 minutes until smooth.

3. Add the powdered sugar, Nutella, heavy cream, vanilla extract and salt to the bowl with the butter. Mix on low speed so the powdered sugar doesn’t go everywhere. Once combined turn up the speed to medium and whip the mixture until it is slightly lighter in color and the frosting is nice and fluffy. 

4. Using a piping bag with a baking tip or an offset spatula spread the frosting on the cooled cupcakes. You can decorate with sprinkles or candy if desired.

Manicotti with Meatballs and Marinara - M - Alphabet Challenge

For the letter M I went with some of my favorites – manicotti, meatballs, and marinara! I had a lot of time over the labor day weekend so I made every element from scratch. If you’re in a hurry or not a food nerd like me, you can use store bought manicotti shells and marinara. If you don’t want to make meatballs you can brown some ground beef in a pan and once cooled, at it directly to the ricotta mixture. You could also omit the meatballs entirely and make this a vegetarian dish.

Since there are a few steps to the homemade pasta for the manicotti you can check out my marinara and meatball recipe here - https://kleinanddine.blogspot.com/2014/08/spaghetti-and-meatballs-from-scratch.html

After a Sur La Table cooking class to learn more about pasta I've changed my pasta recipe. I highly recommend watching a youtube video about making homemade pasta dough as it's usually easier to see how someone makes something. 
 
Ingredients:
Pasta:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp salt
4 large eggs
1 Tbsp olive oil
 
Manicotti Filling:
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp. chopped herbs (chives and basil recommended)
 
1 cup grated parmesan, for garnish.
 
Pasta Directions:

1. Make a mound of flour on a clean surface like a wooden cutting board. Make a large well in the center.

2. In a bowl whisk together the eggs, salt, and olive oil. Add the egg mixture to the well in the flour. Gently combine flour and eggs together stirring from the middle toward the outside until a dough forms.

3. Knead the dough for 10 minutes until a fingerprint pushed into dough bounces back. Once the dough is complete, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in the fridge for at least 1 hour, up to 6 hours.

Manicotti Filling Directions:
1. Add the ricotta, mozzarella, salt, pepper, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and herbs to a small bowl until mixture is evenly combined. Set aside until ready to fill manicotti.

 
Filling and Cooking the Manicotti
1. When ready to roll pasta place a large pot of salted water over high heat until it comes to a boil. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees.

2. Roll pasta using a kitchen aid mixer pasta rolling attachment. Start at the largest setting (1 on the dial) and run the pasta through. Continue to roll pasta, moving the dial to higher numbers each pass until you get the thickness of 5 on the dial. If pasta starts to stick or get tacky, sprinkle it with a pinch of flour. Allow pasta sheets to rest for 5 minutes.

3. Cut the pasta sheets about 6 inches by 6 inches in size. Boil pasta sheets a few at a time for 4 minutes. Remove the pasta sheets with a spider strainer and allow to cool down a bit so you can roll them into manicotti shapes.

4. Add a layer of marinara sauce to the bottom of the pan you plan to bake the manicotti in. I suggest a 9x13 glass pan or nice baking dish that you can use for presentation. You want the sauce to completely cover the bottom of the pan but not be too much.

5. Place a sheet of pasta on a cutting board. Pipe in a 1 inch tube of the ricotta filling on one end of the pasta sheet. Add small meatballs (if using) on top of the cheese mix. Add another 1 inch tube of ricotta filling to cover the meatballs. Roll the cheese mix up in the pasta sheet starting at one end and rolling until you’ve created a tube of pasta around the cheese. Place the completed manicotti in the pan with marinara sauce on one end. Continue this step until the baking pan is full of manicotti.

6. Top the manicotti with a few spoonful’s of marinara sauce until all of the pasta is covered. Top with grated parmesan cheese. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes until the cheese on top is slightly browned. Serve warm!

Lobster Bisque - L - Alphabet Challenge

For L I wanted to feature one of my favorite ingredients - Lobster! I don't normally cook with it since it can be expensive and hard to find but it's such a treat when I get to use it. This dish is a bit time intensive so if you're serving this for a party I recommend making it the day before. Just store it overnight in an air tight container and reheat on the stove over low heat when ready to serve. 

Ingredients: 
4 lobster tails
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh chopped thyme
1 tsp fresh chopped tarragon, plus more to serve
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp tomato paste
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour, (or plain flour)
1 1/4 cup dry white wine, or sherry
4 cups seafood or fish stock
3/4 - 1 cup heavy cream

 

Directions:

To cook the lobster:

1. Fill a large pot with 5 cups of water. Stir in 1 teaspoon sea salt and bring to a boil. Add the lobster tails, cover with lid and let boil for 5 minutes, or until bright red.

2. Remove lobster tails, reserving the liquid stock. When the lobsters have cooled slightly, remove the meat from the shells, reserving the meat and any liquid that comes out of the shells.

3. Return lobster shells back to the water in the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for a further 15 minutes to draw as much flavour out of the shells as possible.

4. While stock is simmering, chop the lobster meat into bite-sized pieces and refrigerate.

 

To make the bisque:

1. Heat butter and oil in a large, heavy-based pot over medium heat, Sweat the onions, carrots, celery salt, pepper, and fresh herbs. Cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in 4 cloves of minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

2. Mix in tomato paste, cook for a further minute to coat vegetables. Sprinkle over flour and cook, while stirring occasionally for another 2 minutes.

3. Pour in wine, simmer and let reduce to half.

4. Stir in strained lobster stock, reduce heat and gently simmer while stirring occasionally, until liquid has thickened slightly and flavors have blended, about 30 minutes.

5. Take off the heat, transfer mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. Alternatively, purée with an immersion blender until very smooth. Pour this mixture through a sieve lined with cheesecloth to get out any shells that may remain. Return to medium-low heat and stir in heavy cream.

6. To serve place some of the cooked lobster meat in a soup bowl. Drizzle the soup over the lobster to warm it. I suggest some toasted bread for dipping.

Kofta Kebabs - K - Alphabet Challenge

K was a tough dish to decide on. I wanted to make my Czech bread dumplings (knedlicky) but since I've made that dish many times I wanted to try something new. I found this Mediterranean Kofta Kebab dish and was excited to try it. I don't typically use cinnamon, coriander, or nutmeg in my meat dishes but it added such an exotic earthy flavor I can't wait to use them again. 

I made some tzatziki sauce, tomato feta salad, and cous cous to serve with it. I also used some store bought pita bread and hummus. Feel free to mix/match your Mediterranean sides to make the dish what you love. 

Ingredients:
1 lb ground lamb
1/2 small onion, grated
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
2 Tbsp chives
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:

1. Combine all of the spices into a spice mix (cinnamon, oregano, cumin, coriander, nutmeg, paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper). Set spice mix aside. 

2. In a large bowl add the ground lamb, grated onion, garlic, chives and spice mix. Gently combine using your hands until everything is mixed together. You don't want to over mix or the meat will get tough so be gentle. 

3. Take the ground meat and make into a "meat stick" on a foil lined sheet pan. This will be about 1 inch wide and 3-4 inches long. You're basically making a rectangle that we will skewer later. Cover the "meat sticks" with plastic wrap and allow them to sit in the fridge for 1 hour. While meat chills, take wooden skewers and soak them in water so they don't burn on the grill.

4. After an hour, gently skewer the meat sticks with the water soaked skewers. Try your best to put the skewers directly in the center, all the way through the rectangle long ways so the skewer doesn't fall out during cooking. 

5. Preheat a pan or grill to medium high heat. Cook the kebabs (meat skewers) about 2-3 minutes per side until it's browned, about 8-10 minutes total. Remove skewers from the heat to a plate and let them rest for 2-3 minutes. 

6. When all side dishes are ready you can add the skewers to the plate and serve! They are best served warm. 

Tomato and Feta Salad

This is a side dish for my K dish of Kofta. I wanted to give it it's own recipe because it ended up turning out amazing, especially with the summer tomatoes. You could serve this as a first course or side dish. It's easy to make and I recommend making it in advance so the flavors have more time to meld and marinate. 

Ingredients:
2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
4 oz feta, cut into small chunks or crumbled
1 Tbsp fresh chives or parsley, finely diced
1 tsp fresh mint, finely diced
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest

1/2 tsp hot honey
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Directions:

1. Add the red wine vinegar, lemon juice, lemon zest, hot honey, olive oil, salt, and pepper to a bowl. Stir until dressing is combined. 

2. Add the cherry tomatoes, feta, chives, and mint to the dressing mixture. Gently fold to combine all ingredients. Allow it to marinate at room temp for 1 hour. If making in advance allow to marinate in the fridge up to overnight. 

3. Serve the tomatoes and feta with a spoonful of dressing over the top. 

Jerky - J - Alphabet Challenge

J was a tough one to come up with. At first I was thinking a Jalapeno dish but my husband and I don't really enjoy spicy food. I have to credit Brian with this idea for the Jerky. Since I wanted to make a small batch I used a piece of filet mignon. This lead to a super tender beef jerky. If you're looking to make a lot or are on a budget, use the suggest eye of round roast. Whichever meat you decide to pick, make sure it is a lean cut since a the fat in the meat doesn't dry the same way. 

Ingredients: 
One 3-pound eye of round roast, trimmed of fat and silver skin (You could use filet mignon if you’re feeling fancy)
1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1 cup soy sauce
3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp smoked paprika
1 tsp unseasoned meat tenderizer (see note)
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder

Directions:

1. Slice the meat between ⅛ and ¼ inch thick with the grain. If it’s hard to cut into thin even slices, you can put it in the freezer for a few minutes to make it easier to cut.

2. Make the marinade: In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, meat tenderizer, black pepper, red pepper flakes, onion powder, and garlic powder. Whisk until evenly combined and the sugar is dissolved.

3. Add the meat to the marinade and toss until all of the pieces are evenly coated. Cover with plastic wrap or transfer to a large ziplock bag and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours or overnight. Toss the meat (or flip the bag) once or twice to be sure the meat marinates evenly.

4. Line two baking sheets with aluminum foil for easy clean-up. Place a wire rack over each pan. Preheat the oven to 175°F and set two oven racks in the centermost positions.

5. Arrange the marinated meat on the wire racks in a single layer, hanging the meat so it does not touch the foil. Bake, rotating the pans from front to back and top to bottom midway through, until the meat is dried out, 3 to 4 hours. To determine if the jerky is thoroughly dried out, take a piece out of the oven and let it cool to room temperature. It should be dry to the touch, leather-like in appearance, and chewy but still somewhat tender.

6. Store the jerky inside an airtight plastic container, Ziploc bag, or airtight glass jars. Properly dried jerky will keep at room temperature for about one week. Refrigerate or freeze for longer storage.