Eating Dinner With My Family

I guess I had something to prove, because I set out to make meatless Monday's dinner another soufflé. Making this so close to the quasi failure of my last one can only be attributed to my wanting redemption.  The original recipe called for cheddar, but I had swiss on hand and it was great.  I'm sure any cheese would be good so long as you like it.   I still don't know why (well except the last tasty mess, I guess I kind of know) soufflés are considered so difficult to make.  They are not that hard, they are economical and they are good!  I also don't consider this a repeat even though  I have made a cheese soufflé before.  (4 I think) Each one was different, different cheeses and one even had a slightly different technique.  Cheese Souffle Butter room temperature, for greasing the souffe pan 2 Tbl grated Parmesan 1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) butter 3 Tbl flour 1 Tsp dry mustard 1/2 Tsp garlic powder 1/8 Tsp kosher salt 1 1/3 Cup milk, hot 4 large egg yolks

I wanted to clean up a bit and I had been wanting papusas, and since papusas are one of those dishes that are perfect for leftovers, it was perfect timing.  Yes you need a "specality" ingredient.  I put that in quotes because it is available at my local supermarket, but I still consider it a specality ingredient since it is not a staple in most homes.  It keeps and isn't expensive so you shouldn't worry about adding it to your pantry.  (besides it makes more than just papusas;)  I based the papusa off a food and wine recipe, but everything else was just lying around the kitchen waiting to go bad ;).  Pantry Papusas 2 Cup masa harina (see Note) 1 3/4 Cup very warm tap water Kosher salt vegetable oil for frying 1 c finely shredded jack and a bit of cheddar. 5 cloves of roasted garlic minced  In a medium bowl, using your hands, mix the masa harina with the water and 1/2 teaspoon salt until a soft dough forms. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the d

My husband loved it! (he said was a five, he ate 3rds and he wasn't even that hungry.  It was super easy too.  I have a texture problem with ground beef in crumbles, but this didn't bother me.  I didn't love it quite as much as my husband did, but still really enjoyed it.  The best thing about this recipe is how fast it came together.  Even grating the cheese myself and taking time to seed the jalapenos, the meal was on the table in just about 30 minutes.  This is one of several green enchilada type sauce/salsa I have made and I see no reason to buy a can, ever. especially now that I have made this one.  Boiling the salsa rather than roasting it, still makes a pretty fine salsa.  (roasting still does ultimately taste better)  If I were to pick any nits, it would be I would have liked more cheese, but was still great without it and lets face it, healthier with the amount here;). Quick Beef Enchiladas With Salsa Verde 1 Lb tomatillos (about 15 medium) husked and rinsed

My husband picked tonight's throwback meal.  It was never a super favorite of mine, but I do like it.  Ok, it's my issue with chicken, I admit it.  Everyone loved it, I am the only particular one that had an issue.  It isn't hard to make and the lemon sauce is really great.   Get a baguette and a salad and you are done. Chicken Saltimbocca With Lemon Sauce 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves 8 large fresh sage leaves 8 Slice prosciutto (about 3 ounces thinly sliced) 1/2 Cup all-purpose flour plus 2 Tsp all-purpose flour 1 Tbl butter 1 1/2 Tbl olive oil 2 Tbl dry white wine 1/2 Cup low sodium chicken broth 2 Tbl fresh lemon juice Place chicken between 2 sheets of plastic wrap on work surface. Using mallet, pound chicken to 1/3-inch thickness. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Place 2 sage leaves atop each chicken breast half. Top each chicken breast with 2 prosciutto slices, pressing to adhere. Spread 1/2 cup flour on plate. Turn chicken in f

I did change the recipe a bit in that I used a scant teaspoon of rosemary.  (I had been to the garden once and I wasn't going back:)  It was good.  My husband wanted more rosemary, but I was happy with the lesser amount.  It does take sometime to get this done, but a good bit of it is inactive time, so it isn't a really busy recipe.  The overall dish was really great.  I loved the pancetta/squash combo.  It is similar to a butternut squash recipe I have for pasta, but it is with sage.  I would be hard pressed to pick one over the other.  I am totally behind on posts; I only have recipes and dates in posts, so these next few ones are going to be short.  :) Penne With Acorn Squash And Pancetta 1 acorn squash 1 small head of garlic 1/2 Lb penne 2 Tsp olive oil plus more for coating squash and garlic 1/2 Lb pancetta sliced 1/4-inch thick and diced 1/4 Cup chicken or vegetable stock 1 Tsp chopped fresh rosemary 1/4 Cup grated Parmesan Preheat the oven to 400 F. Slice

Well I have good news and bad news. Let's start with the bad. I have had my first soufflé disaster. (This is the 4th one I have made). The picture I'm displaying is pre removal from the pan. We turned it out and it was not nearly done. So it went back in the pan and cooked for about 20 more minutes at 350. In the end it was the consistency of fluffy scrambled eggs. The good news?  It was still fantastic. My husband still rated it a five with the consistency issues. I also didn't spring for the fancier versions if the cheese. Plain ole Publix blue cheese and deli cheddar, so it wasn't that pricey, and not hard to procure any ingredients. It was fine with thses "lesser" ingredients.  Perhaps next time  try it, I will not try to follow the adding the "dollop" of cream.  I fear that may have fooled with the consistency and perhaps it was done just wet??  It will be made again, and we will love it, even if I mess it up again:). Double Baked Stilton And

I have been seeing that Chuys fan's are truly fanatics.  I first noticed it on pinterest, and after that, it seemed to be every where.  (it is a valid psychological phenomenon)  A few weekends back, when were in Orlando for the Party for the Senses, I took the kids to dinner at Chuys, just to see what the fuss was all about.  I did really enjoy my meal, which was this recipe.  The star of the meal was the creamy jalapeno sauce, we had with the chips, I will be trying that one soon.  I didn't start with it because looking for that recipe, I found many versions, and this recipe is supposed to be from the restaurant itself.  If you click on the title and go to the original post, there is a video too.  I did like this.  It wasn't just like the restaurant because it was nowhere as hot, but I seeded my peppers and bought mild roasted green chiles.  I figured erring on the side of caution was better.  I was a little aghast to see so much processed cheese in it, but usually America

I love miso, and this miso butter is really wonderful.  If I were using it for anything but seafood, I think I would leave out the lemon.  It was perfect with the shrimp, but it was very strongly lemony for other things.  I did make one mistake, I put the mustard seeds in with the "marinade" and it was still wonderful, but I'm sure they lost their crunch..  I didn't use all the butter, as the recipe seemed to suggest, but I made corn on the cob instead of rice, and maybe with a good bit of rice, all that butter would have been ok.  As it was, using about half on the shrimp and on the corn was plenty.  If you make the butter ahead of time, this recipe is minutes from start to finish. Grilled Shrimp With Miso Butter 1 Stick unsalted butter softened 2 Tbl white miso 1/2 Tsp finely grated lemon zest 1 Tbl fresh lemon juice 1 Tbl thinly sliced scallion plus more for garnish 1 Lb shelled and deveined large shrimp 2 Tbl canola oil 1 large garlic clove minced 1

This is one of our favorite recipes. We used to have it every soccer practice night. While I did "create" it, it is based loosely on a steak salad at a local restaurant. Since the T-bones were in sale I got that instead if the usual New York Strip.  I need to apologize for the lighting on the picture, I was at a wine tasting and not there to add my meager photography skills. However, my husband was perfect were it counts, the cooking part.  I am putting the recipe I have in my computer here.  You can see the original post on how to make the steak, balsamic reduction etc.. or you can use your own recipes and just try the combo.  We love this salad! If you want a more detailed recipe, you can see the original post .  (I'm feeling lazy sorry) Steak Salad Arugula (and Other Greens If You Wish) Tomatoes Scallions Bleu Cheese Balsamic Reduction Extra Virgin Olive Oil Salt Pepper Steak Cooked Medium Rare mix the arugula, tomatoes and scallions.  sprinkle with salt and

I do like Bobby Flay recipes and this looked really good despite my less than enthusiastic feelings towards BBQ. We all enjoyed it too, but we realized we have had so many wonderful burgers, it's hard to be wowed any more. Still really tasty and the best part is the BBQ sauce. I love it!  Go figure:).  The recipe for this was mostly the sauce and then how to make your burger and toppings as "suggestions".  I followed all the steps.  The most difficult part of the whole process was the grinding of the chiles to make the powder, but it wasn't that bad.  The sauce was totally worth it.  I'm salivating just thinking about it.  (and have I mentioned I don't care for BBQ:)  Dallas Burger Bobby's BBQ Sauce : 2 Tbl canola oil 1 Spanish onion chopped 3 Clove garlic chopped 1 Cup ketchup 2 Tbl ancho chile powder 1 Tbl paprika 1 heaping tablespoon dijon mustard 1 Tbl red wine vinegar 1 Tbl Worcestershire sauce 1 chipotle chile in adobo chopped 2 Tbl da

I have one pork chop leftover and some veggies I could use up, so I decided to make fried rice. I didn't measure but I took pictures so you and I would know the general amounts. I did do something a little different, I added a good dose of turmeric. Now not exactly traditional, and it turned it a funky shade of yellow, but I had just read an article on all the things turmeric was good for and I figured it wouldn't alter the flavor too much. The husband loved it!  He ate thirds;). And it was a simple fast dinner. In addition to the ingredients pictured here, the turmeric, I used some vegetable oil, 2 eggs, soy sauce and a splash of sriracha.  I started stir frying the onions, carrots and celery, added the green peppers after a few minutes, add the kale and cook until wilted, then the garlic and cook a about a minute.  Throw in the rice and the soy.  (you can add a splash of stock if the rice seems really dry) and cook until the  rice has softened.  Add the corn, and cook a minu

I have improvised a white pizza before, but I thought I would follow an actual recipe this time for Meatless Monday.  It was pretty good!.  I think I would have liked some greens in there somewhere.  Adding cooked spinach to the white sauce, or finely shredding some for on top to just wilt with the heat of the pizza would make it more to my liking, but the boys liked it as is, and so to did the baby girl.  I didn't bother with making the dough, and I didn't go to the local NY style pizza place to get their dough, I went to the Publix bakery because it is the easiest for me.  If you are feeling like making the effort, please do make your dough from scratch! New York-Style White Pizza   1 New York-Style Pizza Dough ball 12 ounces (recipe follows, or buy one) Unbleached high-gluten or bread flour cornmeal, or semolina flour for dusting 1 1/2 Cup ricotta cheese 1/4 Tsp salt 1/4 Tsp dried or chopped fresh thyme 1/8 Tsp coarsely ground black pepper 1/2 Cup White Sauce (r

My husband's and my mother were in town for my daughter's birthday party.   I still made them guinea pigs with an untested recipe.  Thankfully it turned out alright;).  I used the applesauce, as I knew the kids would eat it and apple butter might got to waste.  It was a bit unusual and you really needed to go light on the sauce, as it was very intense, but still a great dish.  My husband particularly liked it.  We had it with steamed bok choy, rice, the rest of the kimchi (just to clean up) and a salad with miso dressing.  It came together pretty quick too.  The most labor intensive part was the breading and frying.  (which made this dinner easy for me as I let the fry daddy do it;) Pork Tonkatsu 1/4 Cup ketchup 1/4 Cup apple butter or applesauce 1 Tbl Worcestershire sauce 1 Tbl low-sodium soy sauce 1 Tsp Dijon mustard 1 Tsp unseasoned rice vinegar 1/4 Cup all-purpose flour 2 egg whites beaten 1 Cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs) Two 8-ounce pork tenderloins cut in

This throwback meal is arguably one of my husbands favorites.  Whenever he thinks of it, gets this kind of dreamy look in his eyes and says something along the lines of "oooh that is a good one!"  We all like it, but it holds a special place in his heart.  It is also one of the easiest meals ever.  It takes less than 10 minutes start to finish.  (If you can cook all sandwiches at once otherwise you will need about 5 minutes more)  I cooked two sandwiches at a time and I spent about 15 minutes.  The pickles are not optional for us but I left that in the instructions in case it was a deal breaker for some of you.  You need to try this sandwich!  Serve it with a salad and you have a great meal!  Cut it in to small wedges and you have an excellent appetizer.  It is fast enough for any meal, with any time constraints, but delicious enough to be a wonderful dinner. Inside-Out Grilled Ham-And-Cheese Sandwiches 4 Tbl unsalted butter softened 8 Slices bread 1/2 Cup freshly gra

After enjoying the kimchi quesadillas, I thought kimchi Mac & cheese would be fantastic. I did really like it too, but I made a few adjustments that I think really improved the recipe over the one printed below. First of all, I needed a bit more milk to turn the roux in to a sauce creamy enough for the pasta. I also added a bit more cheese but only because I had grated a little over the cup called for. But by far the most important change I made was I minced up some kimchi (raw) and garnished the pasta with about 1/2-1 tbsp. if not for that, I think the kimchi flavor would have been mostly lost. The raw garnish took it from a meh, to good!  I do think there are still some tweaks I would make next time I make this. It is bland without the garnish, good with, and could be great.  I am not sure just what other tweaks I would make, but I still think of this as fixable since I needed to make some adjustments in the original recipe. Kimchi Mac N’ Cheese   1 1/4 Cup kimchi chopped

I had a huge bag of tortilla chips leftover from our trip to Orlando this weekend.  They were stale, as freshly made tortilla chips from Mexican resturants tend to be after a day, but I can't stand to waste anything but especially food, so I planned on making chilaquiles with them.  I have made a couple of chilaquiles recipes before, but his one, from Rick Bayless on F & W, looked great and was pretty different from the other ones I had made.  I didn't have any leftover chicken, so I simmered 2 breasts for a couple of hours earlier in the day.  I had way more chicken than I needed.  Next time, one should be sufficient.  Like all leftover dishes, this was fast and easy.  Whenever I open a can of chipotles, I freeze the chiles I don't use in a freezer bag, and I had the tortilla chips, so other than the chicken, I had everything on hand.  I love that it was using up stuff I had because it cleans clutter and makes it very economical.   I had just enough leftover to make a

I had been wanting to try this dish for a while now.  I have seen it show up several times on various food articles I had been reading.  I think this particular recipe was off of pinterest.  It was quick and easy, and my only complaint, which we all shared, was there was too much sauce to egg.  I would add at least 2 more eggs to the amount of sauce.  We all had too much sauce to egg ratio and we didn't even use all the sauce.  I cooked the eggs at a little lower temperature and covered them to prevent spattering.  I also splurged and bought the Muir Glen tomatoes that rated the best taste from the Splendid Table and are BPA free!  They were worth it.  (for BPA free alone) I also thought they weren't too fiery so I added some hot sauce.  They yogurt was great in it and really made the dish.  Harissa is a Tuninsan hot sauce.  It really is unique and I suggest you don't substitute another hot sauce.  I can be made or bought from speciality stores an off the Internet. Shaks

Last year's party was so amazing, we splurged again and went. As far as date nights go, it's an excellent one. The husband and I actually had some fun at Disney before the Party enjoying things we normally don't do with the kiddies.  I loved the dinner and had a great time.  I thought, on the whole, the food was better last year, but still totally worth it.  This year's headlining chef was Robert Irvine and he was super nice and really friendly.  (much more than last year's chef!)  Like last year, I didn't bother to really set up the pictures, but I wanted a record of them so forgive the blurry, poorly lighted pictures;  it is really just about being able to share our evening. From Christine Weissman & Christopher Maggetti of the Disneyland Resort had this Grilled Buffalo Flank Steak with Mine Shaft Blue Cheese Polenta Cake, Wild Mushroom Saute, Citrus Teriyaki Sauce and Tangerine Micro Lace, but apparently we didn't get to them as I don't ha