Crispy Roasted Potatoes

These potatoes are the perfect pairing with any steak and veggie dinner.  I love them served with sour cream, chives, and salt.  DELISH!

24 oz multicolor creamer potatoes sliced in 1/4" slices

1/4 cup olive oil

1 1/2 tsp garlic salt

1 cup sour cream

1/2 tsp salt

1 Tbsp fresh sliced chives

 Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Place 2 sheet pans stacked in the oven and let them heat with the oven.  (Stacking them helps the pans hold the heat.)

Toss the potatoes with the oil and garlic salt in a bowl.   Remove the heated pans from the oven and arrange the potatoes in an even layer, cut side down on the top pan.  Return the pans to the oven and bake for 15 minutes.  Flip the potatoes and bake until both sides are toasted and brown, another 15 minutes. 

Combine the sour cream, salt and chives, and stir well.  Perfect for dipping.  

Buttery Garlic Green Beans

 Tonight's dinner was unbelievably good.   I made Bourbon London Broil with Sweet Heat, but I did it in the crock pot with mushrooms and onions.  It was delicious!!

Add these green beans and oven roasted crispy potatoes and you have a win/win.  

1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed and cut in half
3 Tbsp butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp lemon-pepper seasoning
Salt to taste

Place green beans into a large skillet and cover with water.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until beans just start to soften , about 5 minutes.  

Drain and return to the skillet.  Add butter and stir until melted, about 2 minutes.  

Add garlic, cook until tender and fragrant, about 2 minutes. 

Season with lemon pepper seasoning and salt before serving.  

Mushroom Stock

 I have to admit that I'd never heard of Mushroom Stock.  But, it sounds delicious!  I am 100% going to give this a try.  

2 Tbsp olive oil

4 (8 oz pkg)  sliced fresh cremini mushrooms

1 large white onion

2 large carrot, peeled and chopped

2 medium celery stalks, chopped

2 Tbsp tomato paste

1 cup white cooking wine

12 cups water

1 Tbsp black peppercorns

6 dried bay leaves

8 thyme sprigs

10 parsley sprigs

Heat oil in a large stockpot over high heat until shimmering, 1 - 2 minutes.  Add cremini mushrooms, onion, carrots, and celery.  Cook uncovered stirring occasionally until mushroom mixture is tender and pan is dry, 20 - 25 minutes.

Add tomato paste to mushroom mixture and cook, stirring constantly until fragrant, about 2 minutes.  Add wine and cook, stirring frequently until liquid has almost completely reduced, 3 - 4 minutes.    

Add water, peppercorns, bay leaves, thyme, and parsley; bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to low, and simmer, uncovered and undisturbed until stock is fragrant and flavorful, about 1 hour.  

Remove stockpot from heat and carefully pour mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a medium saucepan; discard solids.  Keep stock warm over low heat, uncovered until ready to use.  Or pour into a heatproof container and let cool at room temp 1 hour.  Transfer to refrigerate and chill completely.  Store, covered in refrigerator up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months.  

Skillet-Braised Chicken and Mushrooms

Are you looking for a recipe for a special event?  This will fit the bill.  It's hearty and flavorful and something almost anyone will like.

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

5 Tbsp olive oil

2 medium onions, halved and sliced

1 lb fresh mushrooms, stems removed and sliced

1/2 cup white cooking wine

2 cups Espagnole Sauce (find recipe on the blog)

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 tsp lemon zest

Season the chicken with 1/2 tsp each of the salt and pepper.  

In an extra-large skillet heat 2 Tbsp of the oil over medium-high heat.  Add chicken; cook 10 - 12 minutes or until browned, turning once.  Transfer to a plate.  

Add 1 Tbsp oil to skillet; reduce heat to medium.  Add onions; cook 4 - 5 minutes or until tender.  Transfer to a bowl.  Heat remaining 2 Tbsp oil over medium-high.  Add mushrooms; cook 4 minutes or until tender.  Add cooking wine; cook 5 minutes or until wine is nearly gone, stirring often.  Season with remaining 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper.  Return onions to skillet.  Stir in Espagnole Sauce.

Nestle chicken into sauce.  Cover; reduce heat to medium-low.  Simmer 14 - 17 minutes or until chicken is done.  Combine parsley and lemon zest.  Sprinkle over top.  

 

Espagnole Sauce

 

This is a classic brown sauce used as a base for any number of recipes.  It's mainly served with meat or poultry.  The key to a good sauce is to slowly cook the roux so it becomes brown without burning.  

8 Tbsp butter

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 small carrot, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 small white onion, chopped

1 Tbsp tomato paste

1/2 cup white cooking wine

8 cups beef broth/stock

1 tsp black peppercorns 

4 sprigs fresh parsley

4 sprigs fresh thyme

2 dried bay leaves

Melt butter in a deep fry pan over medium low heat.  Whisk in the flour to make a smooth paste.  Cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon and lowering the heat as needed to prevent burning, until the roux is several shades darker than peanut butter, 18 - 20 minutes.  

Stir in the carrots, celery and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to soften, about 3 minutes.  Stir in the tomato paste, then whisk in the white wine and cook until the mixture thickens, 1 - 2 minutes.  Don't worry if the veggies stick in the whisk; they will release and combine with the sauce as more liquid is added.  Whisk in the broth/stock 1 cup at a time and lower the heat to a simmer.  

Add the peppercorns, parsley, thyme, and bay leaves.  Simmer the sauce until it reduces by half and has the consistency of gravy, 30 - 45 minutes.  

Remove from the heat and strain the sauce through a fine mesh sieve to remove solids.  Use as desired as a base for sauces in other recipes.

Note:  Don't worry about adding salt to this sauce.  You'll add it to your final dish and the saltiness of the additional ingredients will vary.  

This may be store in the refrigerator for up to three days or frozen in airtight containers for up to six months.  

Honey Garlic Chicken Breasts

Need a sweet and savory weeknight quick and easy dinner?  

Well . . . this is your answer.  It's ready in 30 minutes and it's sure to satisfy.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/4 cup honey

2 Tbsp sou sauce

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp ground pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1 Tbsp fresh parsley (for garnish)

Sesame seeds for garnish

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides.  

Place the chicken in the skillet and cook 6 - 7 minutes on each side until golden brown and fully cooked through.  Remove chicken from pan and set aside.  

In the same skillet, add the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute.  Stir in the honey, soy sauce, and apple cider vinegar.  Allow the mixture to simmer for 2 - 3 minutes, or until it begins to thicken slightly.  

Return the chicken to the pan, turning to coat all sides with the honey garlic sauce.  Let the chicken simmer in the sauce for an additional 2 minutes, spooning the sauce over the chicken for an even coat.   

Remove from heat and garnish with fresh parsley and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.  Serve with steamed vegetables, rice, or a fresh salad. 

I'm Making My Own Homegrown Red Pepper Flakes

 

Those who know me will tell you that I'm an avid gardener.  Not only do I love to cook, I love to grow my own food.  I normally grow jalapeno and chili peppers in my garden.  I don't eat them, but my grown kids do.  

I like to use red chili flakes to liven up recipes, so this year I decided I would use my Ninja Speedi to dehydrate sliced chili peppers to use in place of store-bought red pepper flakes.

The cute little red peppers were plenty this year.  My granddaughter, Abby loved to pick them for me.

I bought a Ninja Speedi a couple of years ago and it has become one of my most used kitchen gadgets.  Not only does it act as an air fryer, slow cooker, sous vide, and steamer, it also dehydrates.  This quickly became an "I can't live without you kitchen gadget"!  One hot July day Abby brought me a handful of chili peppers and I thought maybe I should slice them and dehydrate them and take a swing at making my own red pepper flakes. My "Ah Ha" moment!

I sliced each of the peppers into 1/8 - 1/4" slices.  Be very careful to keep your hands away from your eyes during this process.  These peppers are hot and will burn your eyes if you accidentally rub them before thoroughly washing your hands.  

The crisper tray was placed in the elevated position in the Speedi.  Then I scattered the sliced peppers evenly across the tray.  The temp was set at 135 degrees and the time at six hours.  

Six hours later this is what I found.  About a tablespoon of red pepper flakes.  I've done this multiple times this summer and have plenty of red pepper flakes to make plenty of dishes this coming fall and winter.  I keep them stored in an airtight container that is easily stored with my other spices and seasoning blends.  I find these to be a lot more potent than the store-bought flakes, so use sparingly until you find your own sweet spot.  

Happy cooking!

Bourbon London Broil with Sweet Heat

1 1/2 London Broil steak

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

1/2 cup soy sauce

1 tsp red pepper flakes

2 Tbsp bourbon

2 garlic cloves 

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together brown sugar, honey, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, bourbon, and garlic until sugar has dissolved.  Pour mixture into a zipper-locking plastic bag with beef.  Refrigerate overnight.  

Preheat oven to broil.  Remove the beef from the marinade; reserve remaining marinade.  

Pat dry and place on broiler pan.  Broil for 4 - 5 minutes.  Flip and broil an additional 4 - 5 minutes.

In a small saucepan, over medium-high heat bring reserved marinade to a boil.  Reduce heat to low; simmer 10 minutes while beef rests on a cutting board.  Slice thinly against the grain and serve covered with warm sauce.  

 

Spicy Summer Corn Salad

If you're looking for a tasty summer salad that's packed full of a punch, this is the perfect choice.  It's healthy and delicious at the same time.

4 ears sweet corn, shucked

8 oz fresh green beans trimmed and halved (about 2 cups)

1 pint of cherry tomatoes (halved)

1/2 red onion (thinly sliced)

1/4 cup fish sauce

Juice of two limes (fresh squeezed)

2 Tbsp water

1 1/2 Tbsp sugar

1 garlic clove (minced)

1 Tbsp Thai Chili Sauce

Pinch of red pepper flakes

2 cups of Fresh Spring Mix greens

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add corn and cook until crisp-tender (about 10 minutes).  Transfer to a cutting board and allow to cool.  

Bring your salted water to a boil again.  Add the green beans and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 - 4 minutes.  Transfer beans to a bowl of ice water and let them chill for about 5 minutes.  Drain well.

Halve your cherry tomatoes and thinly slice 1/2 of a red onion and set them aside.  

Slice the kernels from your corn cobs one at a time.  Leave some of the clusters intact.  I like to use my Pampered Chef Corn Kernel Cutter for this, but a large paring knife works well too.  

Add corn, green beans, tomatoes, and onion to a medium serving bowl.  

In a small bowl, stir together fish sauce, lime juice, 2 Tbsp water, sugar, garlic, Chili sauce, and red pepper flakes.  Mix well.  Drizzle over the veggies and tomatoes and then toss to evenly combine.  

I like to let this sit for about 5 minutes for the flavors to incorporate.  Add the spring mix and then stir again and serve.  

This is sure to be a summertime hit!  It's delicious served with Thai Chili sauce marinated chicken breasts sliced and added too. 

 

Steak Burrito Bowl

Looking for a low-calorie, but tasty dinner?  Fix your family a steak burrito bowl.  This is super tasty, but calorie conscious.  Lots of flavor, but no guilt in this recipe.  

4 cups cooked brown rice

12 oz lean beef sirloin steak, trimmed

1 Tbsp chipotle seasoning

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion thinly sliced

1 can black beans (I like Bush's Taco Fiesta Beans)

1/2 cup canned corn (drained)

3 Romaine lettuce hearts, shredded

3/4 cup salsa

3/4 cup guacamole

3/4 cup shredded cheese (your choice)

3/4 cup Ranch salad dressing

Season the steak with salt, pepper and chipotle seasoning.  Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add steak and cook until desired doneness, about 3 - 4 minutes per side.  Transfer steak to a cutting board and cover with foil.   Allow steak to rest 5 minutes before thinly slicing, Wipe pan clean and place back over medium-high heat.   

Add 1 Tbsp oil to pan and add sliced onion.  Saute until softened.  Add beans and corn and stir until warmed, 2 - 5 minutes.  Set aside.

Combine Ranch dressing and salsa.

Divide rice among four bowls and evenly top with lettuce, onions, black beans, corn, tomatoes, steak, and cheese.

Top with Ranch salsa dressing and Guacamole.   

Enjoy!!