Recipe #33 - Italian Easter Egg Wreath

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I needed an Easter recipe, so I posted on my Facebook wall asking my friends for suggestions. It came down to two recipes: Deep Fried Coyote (suggested by my Uncle Mike) and Italian Easter Egg Wreath (suggested by my friend Amanda Loveday). Though I credit my uncle for his ballsy, creative submission, but the decision to make the Italian Easter Egg Wreath was simple.

Seeing as I have never heard of an Italian Easter Egg Wreath, I consulted my best friend: Google. After filtering through quite a few recipes, I decided to pull from a couple different ones, but mainly followed one I found on AllRecipes.com.

In a large bowl, combine 1 cup flour, sugar, salt and yeast; stir well. Combine milk and butter in a small saucepan. Heat until milk is warm and butter is softened but not melted.

Gradually add the milk and butter to the flour mixture; stirring constantly. Add two eggs and 1/2 cup flour; beat well. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.

Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oiil. Cover with a warm, damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until dough doubles in volume. About 1 hour and 20 minutes, depending on how warm the place you set the dough.

Deflate the dough and turn it out on at a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal size rounds; cover and let rest for 20 minutes. Roll each round into a long roll about 36 inches long and 1 inch think. Using the two long pieces of dough, form a loosely braided (twisted) ring. leaving spaces for the five colored eggs. Seal the ends of the ring together and use your fingers to slide the eggs between the braids of dough.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place loaf on a buttered baking sheet and cover loosely with a damp towel. Place loaf in a warm place and let rise until doubled in bulk, about an hour. Brush risen loaf with melted butter.

Bake in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes. (Check every 5 minutes or so, because mine baked a lot faster than time mentioned in the original recipe.)

One thing the recipe didn't mention, but I found on another recipe: Do not cook the eggs before, they will bake along with the bread in the oven. I had already hard boiled and dyed mine when I found this out, so they were double cooked, and discarded after the bread was eaten. Also, you can add sprinkles to the top of the bread to bring more color in as well.

This was my very first bread that I made from scratch. I have seen my mother make them growing up, but never participated in the process. I used to braid bread all the time when I worked at Subway in high school, so that part was very simple.

I had fun making this recipe! It was very festive. I loved the sweet smell of the bread baking that filled the house. I wish they made a "Freshly Baked Bread" scented candle. Bc I'd buy it!

However, I did forget to take off my rings and bracelets while I was kneading the dough and it was almost impossible to get it out of all the crevasses. Lol. Lesson learned.

Happy Easter Everyone!!!

Rating: 6
Time: 4 hours total
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
2/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
5 whole eggs, dyed if desired
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Recipe #32 - White Bean Dip with Pita Chips

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This was another recipe recommended to me by my friend Monica. It was one of the many amazing recipes made for Lynsey's surprise birthday party back in February. I've always wanted to try making a humus and this one was so tasty.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cute each pita half into 8 wedges. Arrange the pita wedges evenly over a large baking sheet. Brush the pita wedges with 2 tablespoons of the oil, then sprinkle with the oregano and 1 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Bake for 8 minutes, then turn the pita wedges over and bake until they are crisp and golden, about 8 minutes longer.

Meanwhile, in the bowl of a food processor, combine the beans, parsley, lemon juice, garlic, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Pulse on and off until the mixture is coarsely chopped. With the machine running, gradually mix in the remaining 1/4 cup of oil until the mixture is creamy. Season the puree with more salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the puree to a small bowl and serve the pita toasts warm or at room temperature alongside.

Side note: The pita wedges and bean puree can be made 1 day ahead. Store the pita wedges airtight at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate the bean puree.

There was a couple things I did differently. I added an extra clove of garlic and a tablespoon more lemon juice. As I was blending the puree, I was tasting it and felt that it didn't need as much oil. So I changed the 1/3 cup to 1/4 cup oil.

I actually had fun making this recipe! I am a huge humus fan and was excited to taste the end result. This one did not disappoint! And surprisingly easy to make. I'd definitely make this one again.

Rating: 10
Time: 30 mins
Serves: 6
Ingredients:
4 pita breads, split horizontally in half
2 tablespoons plus 1/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
1 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup (loosely packed) fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
2 garlic cloves

Recipe #31 - Dominican Chimichurri Burgers

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So my attempt at stepping outside the box and making something a little different didn't turn out the way I'd hoped. I wanted to make a burger with a twist and found this recipe at epicurious.com.

What pairs perfectly with a burger?! Home brewed beer, of course! My dad just finished putting his home brew into a keg that my brothers bought him for Christmas. All day he kept saying, "You know what would fix that? A beer from the keg." or "You know what would go well with that (talking about cereal)? A beer from the keg." So, finally, he got to have his beer from the keg.

Start by mixing together the beef onion, bell pepper, garlic, cilantro, oregano, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, a scant 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Form into 4 (4 1/2-inch-wide) patties. I had a little more beef than the recipe suggested, so I had enough to make one more patty.

Heat on a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until hot, then lightly toast buns. Oil skillet, then cook patties, turning once, about 8 minutes total for medium-rare. Transfer to buns.

Mix together cabbage, carrot and 1/4 teaspoon salt, then cook, turning occasionally, until slightly wilted, about 2 minutes. Divide among burgers.

Oil skillet again, then sear onion and tomato, turning once, until slightly charred, about 2 minutes total. Divide among burgers.

Stir together ketchup, mayonnaise and mustard, then top burgers with sauce.

Looks pretty huh? There was just a lot going on in this recipe. A lot of different flavors and ingredients that seemed to clash rather than blend together like I was anticipating. At least in my opinion. My sister and mother, however, loved this recipe. It really wasn't that bad I guess, but the flavors were very confusing for my father and I.

Time: 45 minutes
Rating: 4
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
1 1/4 pound ground beef chuck
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 large red bell pepper, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
4 hamburger buns, split
2 cups thinly sliced cabbage
1 carrot, coarsely grated
1 small red onion, cut into rings
1 tomato, sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon mustard

Recipe #30 - Lemon Tuscan Chicken

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I think I'm kinda obsessed with lemony recipes.  I'm just subconsciously drawn towards them and end up adding more fresh squeezed lemon then the recipe calls for. I think it's secretly driving my father crazy.

My friend Monica was sweet enough to send me a few of her favorite recipes and this is one of them. When my girlfriends and I get together, Monica always spoils us with her exemplary culinary skills. It's def one of our favorite parts of getting together.

I bought the chicken at the Whole Foods Market. It was extremely frustrating trying to pick one out. There were three different types of "organic" chickens to choose from. The only real difference I could see was the price. I must have stared at the three of them for a good 30 minutes. I ended up picking the middle priced one, still organic and free range.

I asked the butcher, to prepare the chicken as the recipe listed as a suggestion: Stand the chicken upright and cut out the backbone with a large kitchen knife. Spread the chicken open on a board with the skin side down. Cut around and remove the breast-bone with a boning knife.

Sprinkle the chicken with 1 teaspoon of salt on each side. Combine the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a ceramic (or glass) dish just large enough to hold the flattened chicken. Add the chicken, and turn to coat each side of the chicken. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight, turning once or twice.

When ready to grill, turn a gas grill on low heat. Place chicken skin side up and weight it down with the dish you used for marinating. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until the underside is golden brown. Turn the chicken skin side down, weight again with the dish, and cook for another 15-20 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and the chicken is cooked through. Place the lemon halves on the cool side of the grill, cut side down, for the last 10 minutes of cooking. Remove the chicken to a plate or cutting board, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with salt, and serve with the grilled lemon halves.

The chicken took longer to cook then the original recipe stated. I felt like it was because the grill wasn't hot enough. So I ended up having to turn up the heat to medium and leaving them on the grill a bit longer to finish cooking.

It turned out so well! Extremely lemony! I served it with garlic/sour cream mashed potatoes and a mixed green salad with carrots. The grilled lemon is supposed to be for show, but I ended up squeezing some on top about half way through the meal (can't get enough!).

Time: ~1 1/2 hours collectively
Rating: 6.5
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
1 (3 1/2-pound) chicken, flattened
Kosher salt
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon, halved

Recipe #29 - Bird's Nest Breakfast Cups

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I found this one on my friend Clay's Facebook page. Actually it popped up on my News Feed after he liked it. Nevertheless, it looked amazing and had to try it.

This was originally was supposed to be a "healthy" recipe. All the way from turkey bacon to the egg substitutes. Of course I scratched all that and used the good shiz.

So, it's that time of the year again, time to take an extra long time to make egg recipes because I have to tap out the top and shake the heck out of the egg to try and extract the insides. All in the effort to have enough confetti eggs on Easter to turn our back yard into a confetti war zone.

Oh well, it's always worth it in the end... Lol. I digress. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium size bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, parsley, salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat for 2 minutes on each side or until partially set but not crisp. Coat six muffin cups with butter; wrap two bacon strips around the inside of each cup. Fill each with 1/4 cup egg mixture; top with cheese.

Place into the oven for 18-20 minutes or until set. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan. I served with a side of biscuits. Dad presumed to put his whole Bird's Nest inside the biscuit, which actually looked yummy.

However, I think this recipe is all for show. It tasted just like bacon, eggs and cheese in a different form. Maybe if it had a sauce or something to compliment it, then it might have been a little more interesting end result.

Time: 30 minutes
Rating: 6
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
12 pieces of bacon
5 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon parsley
Salt & pepper to taste

Recipe #28 - Chinese Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing

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This was the other recipe I found in the Commercial Appeal. The words "peanut butter" and "salad" jumped out at me. It's def not something I'd ever considered putting in a salad before. So, I gave it a go.

I decided not to buy already cooked shredded chicken. For one thing, I couldn't find it organic. Secondly, every time I've bought it before it tasted so fake and processed and I'd rather of not had it in the recipe at all. So I took the extra 15 mins to prep and cook organic boneless chicken breasts.

Drizzle some olive oil in a skillet. Cook on medium heat until there is no pink in the middle. Set it to the side and let cool before shredding.

For the dressing:
In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar, peanut butter, ginger, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, canola oil and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

For the salad:
Bring salter water to a boil in a medium pot. Add snow peas and cook until vibrant green and crisp tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain the peas and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Then place the peas in a large salad bowl.

Add the salad blend, shredded chicken, carrots, scallions, cilantro, and peanuts (I chopped the peanuts up in a food processor) and toss. Add the dressing to taste and gently toss to coat. Garnish with lime wedges. Serve immediately.

Wow. This was a killer recipe. My father and I fought over the leftovers the next day while waiting for the Tuscan Lemon Chicken to cook. The peanut dressing with the crunch of the lettuce and carrots was something I've never tasted before, yet blended together surprisingly perfect.

I'm glad I made the fresh chicken. If I would have tasted that processed crap with the rest of the ingredients, I think it would have ruined the awesomeness that this recipe was able to produce. It's def in my top 25 at the moment.

Rating: 10
Time: 45 mins
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
For the dressing:
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh peeled ginger
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon taosted sesame oil
1/2 cup canola oil
1 pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

For the salad:
1/2 cup Peanut Dressing (or to taste)
1/2 cup fresh snow peas
1 bag (5 oz.) spring mix salad blend
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
2 carrots, peeled and shredded on the large holes of a traditional grater
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup chopped roasted peanuts
2 limes, quartered for garnish

Recipe #27 - Parmesan-Potato-Crusted Halibut with Roasted Tomato-Zucchini "Salsa"

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I had a guest to cook for this time, which was very refreshing. I'm beginning to be able to read my parents' faces like a book whether they like or dislike the recipe. Probably not a good thing, lol.

So, I had the pleasure of meeting and cooking for the talented John Bukaty. He is a family friend of my third cousin, Billy Hodes and much of the Hodes family.  He generously donated a piece of art to my Silent Art Auction and Wine Tasting for St. Jude back in September.

John was headed through Memphis in the process of relocating in New Orleans and needed a place to stay for the night. Luckily for him, I'm on a cooking roll this year :)

Check out his inspiring story and impressive art work at http://johnbukaty.com.  

I found this recipe in the "Food Features" section of the Wednesday edition of The Commercial Appeal. It was titled "Dinner for Two", but, of course, when I cook it's never just a dinner for two. So, naturally, I doubled the recipe.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread the tomatoes and zucchini out on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 10 minutes. Immediately transfer to a bowl and add the garlic, scallion, Italian seasoning and sherry vinegar. (The heat from the vegetables will soften the garlic, scallion and seasoning.) Set aside.

Reduce oven heat to 375 degrees. Combine the Parmesan, potato flakes, thyme and salt and pepper. Press even amounts onto the top side of the halibut filets. Heat the canola oil over medium-high heat.

Quickly flip each fish fillet, coated side down and cook until golden brown, but not browned. Carefully flip and sear the other side. Transfer to a baking sheet.

Finish cooking in the oven another 10-12 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve over the warm salsa.

I paired the fish with my father's last bottle of his homemade chardonnay that he brewed, bottled and donated to the Silent Art Auction & Wine Tasting event. It was bittersweet to watch it go, but muy tasty.

I paired the halibut with Recipe #26 - Snow Covered Green Beans. The lemon juice in the beans complimented the fish very well. This seems like a complicated recipe, but it went very smoothly, especially if you have a everything cut up and portioned before hand.

Bukaty made a comparison between cooking and painting before he left. He said that before starting a painting, like starting a recipe, you have to have all your "tools" laid out. You have to have your "ingredients" portioned out and you have to be able to visualize the end product.

I thought it was an extremely insightful observation. Being an artist and now becoming a cook, I was able to relate on both levels.

Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Rating: 7
Serves: 2
Ingredients:
For the salsa:
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly pepper, to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
1 scallion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar, or to taste

For the fish:
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup mashed potato flakes
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 (6 to 8-oz.) halibut fillets, skinned

Recipe #26 - Snow Mountain Green Beans

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I needed a side for my Recipe #27- Parmesan-Potato-Crusted Halibut with Roasted Tomato-Zucchini "Salsa". Green beans were my first choice. However, I haven't been having very good luck with the green bean recipes. So, I thought I'd give it another go.

This recipe I found at AllRecipes.com. The name was what caught my attention, yes, I thought it was cute. Yet, it seemed very bland. So I took the concept and added a little twist.

Begin by rinsing and then snapping off the ends of the fresh green beans. Using a steamer, place the beans in a large pot with about an inch of water at the bottom. Bring to boil for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt butter and oil in a pan over medium heat. Once melted, saute garlic and shallots until shallots are transparent.

Drain green beans and add to pan with garlic and shallot mixture. Add salt and pepper. Stir for 3-4 minutes. To serve sprinkle with feta cheese.

Once again, not my favorite, but everyone else loved them. I'm still on the search for the best green bean recipe!

Time: 20 minutes
Rating: 7
Ingredients:
1 pound fresh green beans
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon extra vigin olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 medium sized shallots, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup feta cheese