Rosemary Potato "Chops"

I love the taste of rosemary and potatoes.  I created this recipe as a cross between a potato chip and potato wedges.  I call it a potato "chop."  You could make it a "chip" if you cut them thinner!

Rosemary Potato "Chops"

3 medium sized potatoes (I use red unpeeled or Yukon gold peeled)

generous pinch of salt

pepper to taste

1/4 tsp rosemary

1 Tbsp olive oil

1.  Cut up potatoes into 1/8 inch slices.  If the potato is large, cut it in half first and make "half moon" shaped slices.

2.  Place potatoes in a large zip-lock bag.  Add oil and spices.  Shake to coat completely, being sure to separate any slices that stick together.

3.  Spread potatoes in a single layer on a greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes.  Flip potatoes over and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown.  Cooking time will be less if you cut the potatoes very thin.

Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon

If you're feeling adventurous, Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon is de-lish. 

It takes the better part of a day to make it, so this isn't the type of food you can make on Tuesday night for dinner when you get home from work.

When I made it, my only complaint was my own fault.  I wish I had purchased a better cut of beef.  You should go straight to the meat counter and tell them what you're planning to make, and pay a little more to make sure all your effort is worth it!

I even purchased a stove-to-oven Dutch oven to make this, since my pots and pans set is not ovenproof.  A word to the wise: use a potholder when touching the handles of the pot after it has been in the oven!!  It sounds like a no-brainer, but you'll be amazed how you'll reach for that handle anyway.  Not necessarily when you take it out of the oven, but later when you're using it on the stovetop and the handle is still HOT.

Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon

1 6-ounce piece of chunk bacon (I just bought thick cut bacon)
3 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
3 pounds lean stewing beef, cut into 2-inch cubes
1 carrot, sliced
1 onion, sliced
Salt and pepper
2 Tbspsbflour
3 cups red wine, young and full-bodied (like Beaujolais, Cotes du Rhone or Burgundy)
2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups brown beef stock
1 Tbsp tomato paste
2 cloves mashed garlic
1/2 teaspoon thyme
A crumbled bay leaf
18 to 24 white onions, small
3 1/2 Tbsp butter
Herb bouquet (4 parsley sprigs, one-half bay leaf, one-quarter teaspoon thyme, tied in cheesecloth) (I skipped this part because I didn't have cheesecloth)
1 pound fresh mushrooms, quartered

Remove bacon rind and cut into lardons (sticks 1/4-inch thick and 1 1/2 inches long). Simmer rind and lardons for 10 minutes in 1 1/2 quarts water. Drain and dry.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Sauté lardons in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in an ovenproof casserole over moderate heat for 2 to 3 minutes to brown lightly. Remove to a side dish with a slotted spoon.

Dry beef in paper towels; it will not brown if it is damp. Heat fat in casserole until almost smoking. Add beef, a few pieces at a time, and sauté until nicely browned on all sides. Add it to the lardons.

In the same fat, brown the sliced vegetables. Pour out the excess fat.

Return the beef and bacon to the casserole and toss with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Then sprinkle on the flour and toss again to coat the beef lightly. Set casserole uncovered in middle position of preheated oven for 4 minutes.

Toss the meat again and return to oven for 4 minutes (this browns the flour and covers the meat with a light crust).

Remove casserole and turn oven down to 325 degrees.

Stir in wine and 2 to 3 cups stock, just enough so that the meat is barely covered.

Add the tomato paste, garlic, herbs and bacon rind. Bring to a simmer on top of the stove.

Cover casserole and set in lower third of oven. Regulate heat so that liquid simmers very slowly for 3 to 4 hours. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.

While the beef is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms.

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons butter with one and one-half tablespoons of the oil until bubbling in a skillet.

Add onions and sauté over moderate heat for about 10 minutes, rolling them so they will brown as evenly as possible. Be careful not to break their skins. You cannot expect them to brown uniformly.

Add 1/2 cup of the stock, salt and pepper to taste and the herb bouquet.

Cover and simmer slowly for 40 to 50 minutes until the onions are perfectly tender but hold their shape, and the liquid has evaporated. Remove herb bouquet and set onions aside.

Wipe out skillet and heat remaining oil and butter over high heat. As soon as you see butter has begun to subside, indicating it is hot enough, add mushrooms.

Toss and shake pan for 4 to 5 minutes. As soon as they have begun to brown lightly, remove from heat.

When the meat is tender, pour the contents of the casserole into a sieve set over a saucepan.

Wash out the casserole and return the beef and lardons to it. Distribute the cooked onions and mushrooms on top.

Skim fat off sauce in saucepan. Simmer sauce for a minute or 2, skimming off additional fat as it rises. You should have about 2 1/2 cups of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly.

If too thin, boil it down rapidly. If too thick, mix in a few tablespoons stock. Taste carefully for seasoning.

Pour sauce over meat and vegetables. Cover and simmer 2 to 3 minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce several times.

Serve in casserole, or arrange stew on a platter surrounded with potatoes, noodles or rice, and decorated with parsley.

Puff Pastry Chicken Bundles

This recipe comes from the June/July 2010 issue of Taste of Home Simple & Delicious magazine.  It is a perfect example of why I needed to start this blog.  I forgot all about it and found the magazine open to this page when I was looking for something else a few days ago!

I made this over the summer when my family came to visit.  It is quick and easy but looks and tastes difficult!  It would make a lovely Valentine's Day dinner at home, or a wonderful main dish for a dinner party.

The recipe is pictured with Rosemary Potato "Chops" and Broccoli with Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce.

Puff Pastry Chicken Bundles

4 chicken tenderloins (I use thin cut chicken breasts)

1/8 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

1/2 cup spinach and artichoke cream cheese spread (I use chive and onion)

4 slices Muenster cheese, halved

1 egg

1 Tbsp water

1.  Sprinkle both sides of chicken with salt and pepper.  Roll puff pastry out into a 14 inch square on a floured surface.  Cut into four squares.  Spoon 2 Tbsp of cream cheese into the center of each square, top wiht cheese and chicken.

2.  Whisk egg and water together and brush lightly over edges of pastry.  Bring opposite corners over each bundle and pinch seams to seal.  Place seam side down on a greased baking sheet.  Brush remaining egg mixture over the top.  Bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Smores Dessert

Last year for my birthday, Chris took me to 91 in North Canton for dinner.  I ordered this dessert and it was fabulous!

It was simple to replicate and tastes just as good as the real thing, especially when it's cold outside and there is no way you're going to be able to toast marshmallows!

The recipe is listed for one individual dessert -- multiply as needed.  You could easily make this in a casserole dish for a crowd.

Make adjustments if you like more or less chocolate or marshmallows.  The first time I tried this I didn't make the graham cracker crumbs into a crust, and it was like eating sand!  The butter will create a nice texture -- it should be looser, lighter and fluffier than a graham cracker crust though.

Smores Dessert

1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 to 2 Tbsp butter, melted
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup mini marshmallows

1.  Preheat oven or toaster oven to 350.  Combine graham cracker crumbs and melted butter until the consistency is moist but not soggy, adding more or less butter and crumbs as necessary.  Do not pack down into a crust -- leave it fluffy.  Bake for about 6-8 minutes or until crumbs are lightly browned.

2. Add chocolate chips and top with marshmallows.  Turn oven or toaster oven to broil.  Heat until marshmallows begin to turn brown, approximately 2 minutes or so.  WATCH CLOSELY because once they start to brown they can burn very easily.

Alberta's Casserole

This recipe came from a family friend named Alberta. She's since passed away and I don't know where she found the recipe or if it's her own creation. I'll try to get a picture next time I make it. This is one of those recipes you can fiddle with, add more meat, add more rice, add another can of mushrooms... it'll still taste good.

3/4 lb. Sweet or Hot Sausage
3/4 lb. hamburg
2 c. chopped celery
1 c. chopped pepper
1 c. chopped onion
1 can mushrooms & juice
1 package Lipton's Chicken Noodle Soup
1 c. rice
4 c. boiling water


Fry sausage & hamburg together, add vegetables, steam for a few minutes.
Add mushrooms & soup. Put rice in bottom of 13" x 9" pan, Add cooked mixture.
Pour boiling water over all and mix. Bake for 1 hour at 350.

Corn Chowder

My sister gave me this recipe.  She got it from a friend whose grandmother used to make it.  It is FANTASTIC.  Just a little bit sweet.  It makes a great first course, side dish or even the main meal, served with cheddar biscuits or crusty bread and butter.

Since it is an "heirloom" recipe, it is a little vague.  Cut up a small onion to begin with.  If you want more, add some more next time you make it.  I confess, I made this back in November and I don't remember how much onion I used!  (It freezes very well!)

The only thing I would do differently next time is drain the canned corn (not the creamed corn) to make it thicker and more "chowder like."


Corn Chowder

½ stick butter
1 pint of half-and-half or heavy cream4 big potatoes cut up
onions
2 cans creamed corn
1 can regular corn (drained)
Salt & pepper to taste
chicken broth (optional instead of water)

Put butter, half-and-half or cream, potatoes and onions in pan with enough water (I used chicken broth to add a little flavor) to cover, add corn when potatoes are soft.

Fruit Cream Cheese Crepes

I got a crepe pan for Christmas.  So much fun!!

I found a wonderful resource for crepe recipes called World of Crepes.  You can also sign up for their newsletter "The Crepe Vine" to get exclusive crepe recipes in your inbox.

The following recipe called for cherry pie filling, but I used fresh blueberries instead.  It seems like any fruit filling would be delicious!  The basic cream cheese filling would also be good by itself, and maybe topped with fruit or syrup.

Dessert Crepe Batter

1 1/2 cups flour
4 Tbsp melted butter
1 3/4 cups skim milk (I used 1%)
3 eggs

1 Tbsp sugar

3 Tbsp orange liquor (I used Triple Sec, you could probably skip this or use OJ instead)

pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients except melted butter in blender and mix until blended. OR mix by hand -- combine the milk and eggs and pour slowly into dry ingredients.  (I mixed it by hand -- I hate using a blender)  Add melted butter last.  Refrigerate batter for at least 30 minutes.

To make the crepes, visit How to Make Crepes in 6 Easy Steps.

This recipe says it makes 24 6-inch crepes, but I got a lot less than that!  If you're new at making crepes, the extra batter comes in handy because you WILL screw some up!!

Cherry Cream Cheese Filling

1 21oz can cherry pie filling (I used about 1 1/2 cups of fresh blueberries)
2 8oz blocks softened cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp sour cream
2 tsp vanilla

Mix all ingredients except fruit with mixer or by hand until combined.  Fill each crepe with cream cheese mixture and top with fruit.  Roll up and transfer to serving plate.  Garnish with whipped cream.  You can serve them immediately or chilled.