Recipe #46 - Italian Meat Gravy

This is a recipe given to my father from one of the Knights in the Knights of Columbus council who was on an award winning team competed at the Annual Italian Festival in Memphis. Dad used it as the basis for making large quantities of spaghetti for Knights' fundraisers. (He always said that there were 2 things the Knights always did well, making spaghetti & setting up and taking down tables and chairs.)

The recipe was originally called "Nina's Meat Gravy" (Apparently Italian cooking purists have an aversion to the term "spaghetti sauce.") And I have left it above in it's original form with the notes at the bottom that Dad got from his Brother Knight.

As is his nature Dad could never leave well enough alone and has always tinkered with this recipe. One thing he loves to do is add Italian sausage from Vanellis Deli in Germantown. Whether he doubles it or not, he adds it. Sometime it just makes a meatier gravy.

Start by getting the freshest Roma tomatoes you can find. Blanch them for a little over a minute or until skin cracks. Let cool.

Then get your mother to peel them for you. It's like mud pies for her. She is such a tomboy which is one the reasons dad said he was so attracted to her. Not only does she peel the skin off the blanched tomatoes she then takes the skin and squeezes off the meat of the tomato left on the the skin. I think that will be the best part of the sauce. Thanks mom :)

Place blanched tomatoes in a blender and run till smooth. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste and diced tomatoes in a large pan. Fold in the oregano, basil, bay leaves, parsley, and garlic. Stir well. Turn heat on to medium-low.

In a large skillet heat 1 tablespoon olive oil, add ground beef, Italian sausage, celery and onions. Cook until meat is browned. Add 1 1/2 teaspoon salt & 1 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Pour finished meat mixture in to the tomato mixture.

Lastly, add the wine and stir well. But I didn't add just any wine. I add one of our home brewed merlots from Peru. Bring to boil, reduce heat and let simmer for up to 2 hours.

Your "Meat Gravy" should look a little like this. AKA a-mazing.

Serve over a bed of noodles and a slice or two of garlic bread.

Rating: 10
Time: 2 hours
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
2 pounds Italian sausage from Vanellis Deli
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 23 ounce diced tomatoes
16 ounces tomato sauce (made from the fresh tomatoes)
6 ounce tomato paste
28 ounce water (thicken with tomato juice)
1 tablespoon parsley
3/4 tablespoon basil
1 tablespoon oregano
4-8 bay leaves
1 cup of Merlot or Cabernet Savignon

Recipe #45 - Seared Asian Steak

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Actual recipe name: Seared Asian Steak and Mushrooms on Mixed Greens with Ginger Dressing

I was so ready for another steak recipe and found this one in a Bon Appetit magazine I was reading. I was instantly sold on the steak and soy sauce combination. They are quickly becoming my two favorite ingredients to pair together. 

Another thing that caught my eye were the mushrooms. I realized that I have never cooked fresh mushrooms before.  Weird, huh? It seems 45 recipes into this I would have made at least one recipe with mushrooms. Granted, I'm not the biggest mushroom fan to begin with (and was probably subconsciously trying to avoid it), but I'm all about trying new things. And honestly, I was curious about how they cooked and the smells that they would put off during the cooking process compared to ordering a dish with them already prepared.  

So start by mixing 2 tablespoons soy sauce, rice vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil, minced ginger, chili-garlic sauce, and 1/8 teaspoon sesame oil in a small bowl. Add cilantro and stir to blend. Set dressing aside.

Run 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil over each side of each rib-eye steak. Sprinkle steaks with salt, pepper, and toasted sesame seeds; press firmly to adhere. 

Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon soy sauce in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; saute until browned, about 8 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer sauteed mushrooms to plate. 

Add 1 teaspoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon sesame oil to skillet; heat over medium-high heat. Add steaks; cook to desired doneness, 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer steaks to a cutting board. Slice steaks. 

To finish it up, toss mixed greens with dressing in a large bowl; divide greens among plates. Top with steak slices and mushrooms and serve. 

Every time I make a recipe with a side salad, it always tells me to buy more greens than any 4 people can eat with the amount of meat served alongside. I had a whole bag of the mixed greens left over with this recipe. I also had a little of the dressing left, but that is to be expected I think. I just dished out what I thought each person would eat and added the dressing a little at a time so that it wouldn't drown the greens. 

Other than that, this recipe was a total success. The flavors worked very well together. Not surprisingly, the mushrooms shrank down to almost half their size (as do most veggies when cooked). I found myself wanting more of them rather than the meet by the last bite - so not like me! 

Not to down play the steak. It was perfectly tender and so very fresh. I bought it from the Whole Foods Market here in town. They only buy their meats from free range farms within 500 miles. So no freezing, no preservatives and no steroids. Only amazingly good products.  Much recommended.

Rating: 9

Time: 35 minutes

Serves: 4 

Nutrition Facts: 508 calories, 33g fat, 3g fiber

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons soy sauce, divided

2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar

4 1/2 teaspoons olive oil, divided

1 tablespoon minced, peeled, fresh ginger

1/2 teaspoon Asian chili-garlic sauce

2 1/8 teaspoon Asian sesame oil, divided 

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 

2 12-ounce rib-eye steaks 

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

8 ounces crimini (baby bella) mushrooms, quartered

4 cups mixed greens (the original recipe called for 8 cups, I cut it in half)

Recipe #44 - Chunky Guacamole with Serrano Peppers

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I was recently getting a mani and pedi and began flipping through a magazine where I came across a recipe from Eva Longoria's "Health Food Tips and Recipes". This literally made me Laugh Out Loud. Though I highly doubt Ms. Longoria came up with this recipe, let alone cooks at all, I thought it looked pretty yummy and yes... healthy. 

She was pictured in in her way too amazingly designed kitchen, wearing her 4 inch high heels. Totally unrealistic - right? Maybe, but I thought I'd give it a go. I just bought a pair of heels that I needed to break in, so what better timeo t do it than cooking an Eva Longoria recipe. I didn't break them in all the way, but I definitely got some laughs from my mother when she popped in the kitchen halfway through the recipe.

Believe it or not, everything pictured is organic. Especially the tomatos. I picked them fresh from my father's garden right before I cut them up. They are ripening faster than I can find recipes to cook them! 

Place all the ingredients except salt in a bowl. Stir very gently until well combined. Add sale to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve. 

Quick. Easy. Healthy. The first night I ate it out of a bowl like a salad. It was good, but a little too (I can't believe I'm about to say this) lemony for me. Today, I tried eating it like a dip and used tortilla chips. The lemon seemed to settle a bit overnight and the chips seemed like the perfect way to go. So I think I would rename this "Chunky Guacamole Dip". Not to down grade to serrano peppers - they definitely added a much needed (yummy) kick to the bland taste of avocados.

Tip: To keep the guacamole from turning brown, press a pit from one of the avocados into the center of the dish. Remove it before serving.  

Rating: 7

Time: 35 minutes 

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

6 avocados, cut into 1/2-inch dice

4 medium ripe tomatos, cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 serrano pepper, finely minced

1 large white onion, finely chopped

1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped

2 teaspoons salt to taste

Recipe #43 - Roasted Chicken Breast with Orange Marmalade

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There are three parts to this recipe: the chicken, the marmalade, and the lettuce.

For the chicken:

Preheat oven to 450ºF. Season chicken breast with salt and pepper to taste. Add olive oil to a large skillet and set to medium-high heat. Once heated, place the chicken breasts in the skillet. Cook on each side for 3-4 minutes or until about half way done.

Remove the chicken from the skillet and place in a 9x12" pan. Cover with aluminum foil and place a glass dish or heavy pan on top. Place into oven. Cook until skin is golden brown - about 5-8 minutes on each side. 

For the marmalade:

Rinse the oranges and scrub off any excesses dirt. Place on a flat surface and slice into thin rounds, discarding the ends. Avoid the center if heavily pitted. 

Measure the honey directly into a heated medium skillet over low heat until the it melts. Add orange rounds and bring mix to a boil. Add and sprinkle of salt and pepper to taste. Add the juice of the lemon and vanilla. Stir to blend. Stir for an additional 2 minutes or until the oranges fall apart, then transfer to a bowl to cool.

For the wilted romaine:

In a large skillet, heat the butter and add the garlic over medium heat. Cook until fragrant and add the romaine one or two pieces at a time. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Use a wooden spoon and stir to blend for an additional minute. Remove from heat and drain any additional liquid. Add a few squirts of lemon and serve with chicken.

Place a leaf or two of the romaine in a plate. Add chicken and top with the orange marmalade.

A couple things I would have done differently:

-Instead of using whole orange wheels, I would cut them up into fourths or smaller. They peels didn't fall apart as I had expected. 

-I would cook the marmalade a little longer until the orange peels became softer.

-I didn't brown the chicken as long as I should have, so I would have cooked them a bit longer.

-I would have cut up the romaine and added a leaf or two more. It looked nice for the presentation, but made it hard to consume.

However, all that aside, the marmalade paired perfectly with the chicken to give it citrusy, fresh, summer taste. It was definitely not something I have every tasted before. The garlic romaine lettuce grounded the chicken so that the citrus wasn't overwhelming. 

Rating: 5

Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

For the chicken:

5 chicken breasts

Salt & pepper

2-3 tablespoons olive oil 

12-16 ounces orange marmalade 

Wilted romaine

For the marmalade:

5 oranges or tangerines, washed and dried

1/2 cup honey

Salt & pepper

1 lemon, juiced

2 tablespoons vanilla extra

For the wilted romaine:

2 tablespoons butter

5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 head of romaine lettuce, wash and dried, leaves picked

Salt & pepper

1 lemon, halved

Recipe #42 - BLT Bites

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The third and final 4th of July recipe - I promise! Someone in our family usually makes a sort of BLT dip, which is delicious. However, I thought I'd put a little spin on it this year. 

In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, sour cream, bacon crumbles and chives. I was running short on time so opted for the pre-cooked crumbles. They were a little chewy for my liking. Next time I'm going to make the bacon myself (in the skillet) so that it will be extra crispy. Ya know, add a little crunch!

Cut a thin slice off of the top of each tomato. Scoop out and discard pulp. Invert the tomatos on a paper towel to drain. You may also take a tiny bit off the bottoms to keep the tomatos from rolling around.

This was taking my a bit longer than I expected. Luckily I had a little helper volunteer to speed up the process. Thanks TJ! 

I topped each one with a thinly sliced green onion to add a little color and crunch. Refrigerate or serve at room temperature.

A close up for your better viewing purposes ;) These turned out to be a refreshing, crisp summer treat! Perfect on a hot day - like it was on the 4th. 

Rating: 7

Time: 1 hour

Serves: 20 

Ingredients: 

20 cherry tomatoes

1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled

1/2 cup mayonnaise 

1/3 cup sour cream

1/4 cup chives, finely chopped

Salt and pepper

Green onions, thinly sliced to top

Recipe # 41 - Cream Stuffed, Bacon Wrapped Jalapenos

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Let's add some spice to this blog! And by spice I mean friggin' hot jalapenos! 

Now I wanted to serve some hor d'oeuvres to my friends and family on the 4th of July. After a little research, I found this recipe. However, it only had three ingredients: jalapenos, cream cheese and bacon. Talk about blah! I took the idea and added a few of my own ingredients. 

If you try making these, one thing I recommend (actually, I insist upon) is using gloves when preparing the jalapenos. I did not. For the rest of the day every time I put a finger up to my mouth it started burning. Then it spread to my upper and lower lips and was amplified by the sun - it was miserable! Thanks to my clever aunts, I learned that if you apply either lemon or lime juice to the jalapeno burn it recedes almost immediately. 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Set out cream cheese and bacon to soften.

Start by rinsing the jalapenos and cutting them in half. Take a spoon or knife and remove all of the white membrane and seeds. Seeing as the seeds are what gives the jalapenos their main punch, you can leave a few inside to spice it up. I wasn't that daring :-/ Seeds be gone!

Mix the cheddar, mozzarella, cream cheese and sour cream in a medium bowl. Then stir in the green onions and chives. 

Next, cut the package of bacon in half. Wrap each jalapeno in a half strip of bacon. You can use more if the pepper is larger. You may also secure the bacon with a toothpick if needed. 

Place the peppers on a grilling rack and pop them into the oven for 20-25 minutes (until the bacon is crispy). They put off a lot of juice so I placed the grilling rack on a cookie sheet pan to catch the juices. Serve immediately or at room temperature.  

When I told people that I was going to be making these, I got a lot of "yucks" and "uh I think I may skip that one". But when these came out of the oven, I literally couldn't stop people from eating them! They smelled and tasted better than any of us had anticipated. I had to smack a few hands to make sure everyone had the chance to try at least one. 

I would definitely recommend these as an easy, tasty and fun to make hor d'oeuvre for any time of the year.

Rating: 10

Time: 40 minutes 

Serves: 20 (you know, unless everyone loves them, then about 10!)

Ingredients:

20 jalapenos

2 - 8 oz. blocks of cream cheese

1-2 pounds bacon (I used a little over 1 pound)

2/3 cup sour cream*

1 1/2 cup cheddar cheese*

1 cup mozzarella cheese*

3/4 cup green onions, diced*

1/3 cup chives*

*You can eye these measurements, if you feel like it needs more or less, then by all means!

Recipe #40 - Buffalo-Ranch Chicken Dip (aka Mich's Dip)

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Every time my girlfriends and I get together Michelle has made it a tradition to make this Buffalo-Ranch Chicken Dip. I'm not sure exactly how she came across the recipe, but I'm sure glad she did. The second it comes out of the oven the nine of us gather around the table, chips already in hand. It literally doesn't last 10 minutes in our midst. It's one of my favorite parts of our reunions. 

So I choose to make it for my family this 4th of July. Mainly because I can't wait till the end of July for our next union to have some of this delicous dip. When I was finished, I posted a picture of the end result on Facebook and it turned out that three of the other girls made this recipe for their friends and family on the 4th of July as well. It really is just too good not to share with everyone!

So, there are two different ways to go about putting together this recipe: some people mix all the ingredient up in a large bowl and let it melt together, others (like myself) prefer to layer.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a 9x12 cooking pan, coat the bottom with the cream cheese. This works best if at room temperature.

Removing the skin in the process, shred the chicken in small bite size pieces. Then place in a medium size bowl.

Mix in the buffalo wing sauce and ranch dressing. Let sit for 10 minutes or so to absorb the flavors.

Spread chicken over the cream cheese.

Finally, sprinkle the cheddar cheese then the mozzarella cheese over the chicken mixture. Then place in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes.

The amazingness is ready for your mouth! Serve out some onto a plate or (like us dainty girls do) eat straight from the dish. Enjoy with some tasty tortilla chips or celery.

This is one of the most addicting dishes you will ever taste. I can promise you that!

Rating: 10

Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

1 traditional rotisserie chicken

1 cup buffalo wing sauce (I use Pete's Buffalo Wing Sauce)

1/2 cup ranch dressing

2 - 8 ounce blocks of cream cheese 

3 cups cheddar cheese

1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese