Gulf Coast Living

The last few years living on the oceanside in the southern outer banks has given me such an appreciation for seafood.Tilapia, mahi, flounder, grouper - fish was certainly plentiful in our area. Now we've moved to another coast and a quite different one at that. My obsession with Bravo's Top Chef has taught me that the gulf coast, too, is renowned for its seafood. Amberjack, mackerel, trout and most notably - shrimp. Seriously, the term jumbo shrimp has new meaning here in the Houston-Galveston area. Jumbo shrimp at home were the size of your thumb. Jumbo shrimp here are the size of your hand. And the color. The color is so pink and gorgeous.I had to search out a recipe that would allow me to try these gargantuan crustaceans. Brett and I were thoroughly impressed. Ironically enough I'm writing this post during another one of the gulf phenomenons: the random-I-put-out-your-power-flood-your-street-with-no-warning-pseudo-hurricane storm. Either way, I'm happy to be experiencing new, fresh ingredients. The recipe below I found in a Rachel Ray mag and was absolutely floored at how delicious it turned out. The shrimp and watermelon were so fresh and juicy this was sure to be a success.

Prosciutto Wrapped Shrimp with Watermelon Tomato Saladadapted from Every Day with Rachael Ray

12 jumbo shrimp, shelled, deveined & tails left on
12 thin slices prosciutto
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 lemons, juiced & zested
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp - 1 tbl crushed red pepper (depending on your taste)
1/2 small watermelon, cubed (about 3 cups)
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 small onion, chopped
3/4 lb feta, cubed
1/4 fresh parsley, rough chopped
6 tblsp olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

1. Combine garlic, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, 3 tblsp olive oil, oregano, and crushed red pepper. Add shrimp, a little salt and pepper and turn to coat. Allow to marinade for 30 minutes - hour.
2. Wrap each shrimp with one slice of prosciutto. Brush remaining marinade on each shrimp.
3. Heat a grill pan or grill to medium heat (a grill pan works best here so the prosciutto stays nice & snug on the shrimp). Place shrimp on grill and cook, turning once after 3-4 minutes each side. Shrimp will be opaque and prosciutto should be crisp.
4. Combine feta, watermelon, tomato, onion, parsley, remaining olive oil and salt and pepper.
5. Serve 4-6 shrimp on top of watermelon salad.

Serves 2.

Summery Sides

I know. I know. It's been entirely too long since I've posted and there are a million different reasons I can cite. Family and friend visits, trips to tube down the Guadelope River, the ceaseless attempts to turn this house into a home with cans of paint and trips to TJ Maxx Home Goods, fence staining, and the continual struggle of lawn maintenance for grass that curses every day in Houston and oh, wait - gainful employment. I figured that my dead "air time" would go unnoticed but surprisingly I've many requests to return to the computer. Even though my blogs have been infrequent we've been having more dinner parties than ever and I've been whipping up countless experimental recipes.
Summer is such a wonderful time when dishes can be as simple as a salt and peppered seasoned steak or chicken marinated in Italian dressing, all cooked on the grill with liberal amounts of Summer Ale and Shiner Bock. However, as you may know from here, I think that side dishes are often forgotten and difficult to reinvent. The first dish I'll mention is Brett's absolute favorite side dish of all time. He's truly giddy with delight every time I make it. We're all familiar with the caprese salad and the beauty in its simplicity. This was a huge hit at our first get together. As an anti-mayonnaise girl, I'm frequently disapointed at cookouts when the potato salad is drowning in some sort of white goo reminiscent of Elmer's so I created a version here that eliminates said coagulant and uses the grill to add smoky flavor, texture and warmth. I hope you enjoy both of these sides and that they bring a little life to your next summer meal.

Caprese Salad2 large tomatoes
1 12-16 oz ball mozzarella
1/4-1/2 cup basil, chiffonade or rough chopped
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
salt & pepper to taste

1. Heat a small sauce pan over medium-low heat and add vinegar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until balsamic has been reduce to 3 tablespoons, about 15 minutes. Keep watch over this. Trust me - burned vinegar = nasty smell & pan disasters.
2.Slice tomatoes 1/4 in thick. Slice mozzarella using a cheese cutter or dental floss. Strange, I know but knives & mozz do not a match make.
3. Layer mozzarella and tomatoes. Top with basil and drizzle with balsamic reduction.
4. Salt & pepper to taste.

Serves 4.

Grilled Potato Salad1.5-2 lbs baby yukon gold potatoes, halved
1 red bell pepper
1 red onion, quartered
2 tblsp grainy mustard
2 tblsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil plus 2-3 tblsp
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tblsp brown sugar
1 lemon, zested & juiced
1 tblsp Canadian Steak seasoning or other mixed spice of choice

1. Heat a grill or grill pan to medium heat. Brush potatoes and onion quarters with olive oil. Grill for ~7 minutes on each side until nice char marks appear and potatoes soften.
2. Brush red pepper with olive and grill, turning ever 3 minutes until each side has nice char marks.
3. Remove all veggies from grill and let cool. Meanwhile, whisk together the olive oil and the following 4 ingredients.

4. After veggies have cooled slightly, slice the red pepper and toss all veggies with the vinaigrette. Serve warm.

Serves 4-6

Anniversary Spread




White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

Gorgonzola & Honey Crostini

Filet with Red Wine Sauce & White Asparagus

2002 Tannat & Filet

Piece de resistance!



This past Tuesday marked two wonderful years with my amazing husband. We had a swelteringly hot but perfect wedding at Autumn Creek Vineyards near my home town of Eden, NC. McDorman photography chronicled our perfect day with a fabulous video.  We decided to travel to Texas wine country this coming weekend to celebrate our anniversary and take part in our favorite libation; however, I still wanted to make the actual date special so I decided to prepare a special dinner to thank my husband for everything he continually does for me! I went with an easy four course meal with wine pairings for each course.

First course was an easy appetizer that I beg ALL of you to try. Seriously, if you can't even make toast you can make these crostini. I paired these fantastically easy bites of heaven with a 2009 Bogle Chardonnay. The rich oaky flavor and butter undertones paired nicely with the rich Gorgonzola and honey. We moved on to a spinach salad (not pictured) with candied walnuts, cranberries, and bacon vinaigrette. We were still working on the chardonnay at this point and it actually paired nicely with the crisp spinach and rich bacon vinaigrette. The third course was a filet mignon with red wine sauce and braised white asparagus that I paired with a really special purchase. When Brett came home from Afghanistan we visited the heart of Virginia wine country and purchased a 2002 Tannat from Horton Vineyards.With rich berry flavors and hints of smoke and tobacco, this red stood up to the hearty sauce and flavorful meat. To finish the evening we had a light moscato di asti and a raspberry white chocolate cheesecake.

Besides needing to be rolled out of my chair the dinner was a success. I do have a few criticisms of the recipes I used. First, Giada - I know your beloved Italian culture cherishes tomatoes but tomato paste has no place in a red wine sauce. I couldn't shake the flavor and wanted more red wine, butter and shallot flavor and less tomato. Secondly, while I appreciate many aspects of German culture, the blandness of their "traditional white asparagus" is not one of them. I need more salt, fat, oil, acid, something. I would recommend a roast or saute for sure. Not withstanding, the night was still a success and I'm excited to restock our wine stores with some selections from the heart of Texas.

Gorgonzola & Honey Crostini
1 french baguette, slice diagonally into 1 inch slices
4-6 oz crumbled gorganzola
2 tblsp butter
2 tblsp honey

1. Spread a thin layer of butter on each baguette slice
2. Add the Gorgonzola to the baguette slices and drizzle honey on top of each.
3. Broil on high for ~5 minutes until edges are slightly dark and cheese is melting.

Filet with Red Wine Sauce
recipe courtesy of Food Network: Giada de Laurentis

6 (4 to 6-ounce) filet mignons

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter

1 onion, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 cup tomato paste

2 1/2 cups dry red wine

Preheat grill to medium-high heat.Generously season the steaks with salt and pepper and drizzle with the 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Grill to desired doneness, about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer the steaks to a cutting board. Tent with foil and let stand 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt. Add the garlic and oregano and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Whisk in the wine. Simmer until the sauce reduces by half, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat. Strain the sauce into a small bowl, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids in the strainer and return the sauce to the saucepan and bring back to a slow simmer. Cut the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter into small 1/2-inch chunks and whisk in the sauce a little at a time. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Place filets on each of 6 dinner plates. Drizzle the sauce over the filets and serve.

German White Asparagus
recipe courtesy of Saveur

16 cups water
2 tblsp salt
4 tblsp fresh lemon juice
3 tblsp butter
1-2 lbs fresh white asparagus

1. Bring water, salt, lemon juice, and butter to a simmer in a large pot over medium heat.

2. Meanwhile, trim about 1/2'' from the ends of white asparagus. Lay spears on a work surface, then peel thin skin from each with a sharp swivel-blade vegetable peeler, starting 1 1/2'' from the top and running the length of the spear. (Spears are brittle and can snap when peeled in midair.)

3. Gather spears into 2-4 bundles, tie loosely with kitchen string, and lower into simmering water. Cook, increasing heat to medium-high to maintain a simmer if necessary, until tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, 8-30 minutes, depending on thickness of asparagus. Lift bundles from simmering water with kitchen tongs and drain on paper towels.

White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

recipe courtesy of allrecipes.com

1 cup chocolate cookie crumbs

3 tablespoons white sugar

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 (10 ounce) package frozen raspberries

2 tablespoons white sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/2 cup water

2 cups white chocolate chips

1/2 cup half-and-half cream

3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup white sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extra

1. In a medium bowl, mix together cookie crumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar, and melted butter. Press mixture into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.
2. In a saucepan, combine raspberries, 2 tablespoons sugar, cornstarch, and water. Bring to boil, and continue boiling 5 minutes, or until sauce is thick. Strain sauce through a mesh strainer to remove seeds.
3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). In a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water, melt white chocolate chips with half-and-half, stirring occasionally until smooth.
4. In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. Blend in vanilla and melted white chocolate. Pour half of batter over crust. Spoon 3 tablespoons raspberry sauce over batter. Pour remaining cheesecake batter into pan, and again spoon 3 tablespoons raspberry sauce over the top. Swirl batter with the tip of a knife to create a marbled effect.
5. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until filling is set. Cool, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 8 hours before removing from pan. Serve with remaining raspberry sauce.

Date Night Take Two

If you're familiar with The Sculls' Spread then you know that my weightlifting-Arnoldesque husband really likes his red meat. We are on a new kick in the Scull household - trying to limit as many carbs as possible which can make a romantic night at home slightly more difficult. No garlic bread? No smashed potatoes? No pasta? The one exception to our new diet is cheese. I just can't seem to give up my beloved dairy products regardless of the fact that it may help me tighten something before the already-upon-us-Texas-swimsuit-season. I think the answer to our date night dilemma is finding places to replace fat or calories with flavor! While I love a good plate of lasagna or pasta bolognose on a special Friday night just as much as the next girl, sometimes I'd rather those extra calories go towards, oh-say, a nice pinot noir? Another key that helps boost flavor and helps the price tag of our usuals is to look for what's in season and fresh.
I have been in asparagus heaven here in Texas. Grown locally or in close-by Mexico, asparagus is fresher, greener, and cheaper this time of year. This asparagus stuffed steak takes full advantage of that and the zucchini "pasta" is a creative veggie solution that you'll literally crave. So the next time you want to plan a date night at home this is sure to please.

                                            

Beef & Asparagus Roll Upsadapted from Everday with Rachel Ray

1 lb asparagus, ends trimmed
2 tblsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic chopped
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
salt & pepper
2 lbs steak Milanese ( very thinly pounded steak) cut into four long pieces
6 oz goat cheese
1 package McCormick grill-mates, flavor of your choice.

1. Prepare marinade packet according to packet directions. Marinade steak for 1-4 hours in fridge. If your market doesn't have steak Milanese you can use thin flank steak, skirt steak or ask your butcher to pound some for you!
2. In a large pot, fill half way with water and salt to taste. Bring to a boil. Add asparagus and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Rinse with cold water to maintain color.
3. After marinating, lay each steak out flat. Starting at about 1/4-1/2 inch from edge sprinkle goat cheese on each steak. Lay 5-6 pieces of asparagus on top of each and roll up. Secure closed with tooth picks.
4. In a small pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and saute until golden, about 2 minutes.
5. Add mushrooms and season with salt & pepper and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Cover & keep warm.
6. Heat a grill or grill pan to medium heat and cook steak roll ups until medium-medium/rare and cheese is melted, about 10 minutes.
11. Serve a steak roll-up over top of mushrooms.

Serves 4

Zucchini Linguine with Almonds

4 oz hard Parmesan cheese
2 lemons, zested & juiced
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
3 tblsp prepared pesto
3 medium zucchini
1 cup slivered almonds

1. Using a mandolin with a julienne blade or a food processor attachment slice the zucchini into strands. This can be done by hand by first slicing thin slices lengthwise then further slicing each into spaghetti sized strands.
2. Mix lemon juice, pesto & mustard.
3. Combine pesto mix, almonds, lemon zest & zucchini.
4. Use a vegetable peeler to add Parmesan curls to top of "pasta."

Serves 4-6

Veggie Rut

Moroccan Carrot Salad



Grilled Squash & Zucchini Salad



Spring Vegetable Salad

   Apologies for the month-long hiatus! It's not as if I have a cooking blog to keep up with, right? I thought that after our move things would settle but it's been a flurry of unpacking, decorating and most importantly: job hunting. Now that I've secured gainful employment for the 2012-2013 school year (watch out CE King Panthers, your worst Physics nightmare is soon upon you ...) I am back and ready to share more of my culinary prowess.
One of the biggest problems I've been tackling recently is vegetables. Let's be honest, there's only so many ways that one can cook broccoli, green beans or squash before getting tired of them. After alternating between sauteing (can that be a gerund?), grilling, steaming and roasting with various spices I had fallen into a serious vegetable rut. Obviously, veggies are packed full of fiber and vitamins so they're absolutely necessary in a meal; I just needed to reinvent some ways to prepare them to get me excited again. Many people's first instinct in a veggie salad is to coat it in mayonnaise. I'm terrified of mayonnaise and avoid it at all cost for a myriad of reasons including but not limited to an egg allergy and the nagging intuition that I'm directly negating the positive effects of veggies by covering them in some sort of oil based lubricant I'm sure works better than WD40. Ergo, I've developed some healthier, lighter and fresher options for fresh vegetable salads and hope they help get you out of a rut as well!

Moroccan Carrot Salad
1 bag carrots (about 1 1/2 lbs), grated
1/2 cup roasted salted cashews
1 lemon, zested & juiced
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/4-1/2 cup olive oil

splash apple cider vinegar
salt & pepper to taste

1. Grate carrots (use a food processer if possible - this takes a LONG TIME by hand - trust me!)
2. Whisk vinegar, olive oil, salt pepper, curry, lemon juice and zest together in a small bowl.
3. Combine carrots, cilantro, cashews & vinegarette. Toss well & chill for 30 minutes - 1 hour before serving.

Serves 6

Grilled Squash & Zucchini Salad

2 zucchini, halved
2 squash, halved
1 onion, sliced razor thin
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1/2 tsp dried dill, or 1-2 tsp fresh dill
splash apple cider vinegar
salt & pepper to taste

1. Heat grill pan or grill to medium heat and spray with nonstick spray. Place squash and zucchini halves on grill cut side down.
2. Grill for 10 minutes until nice char marks appear on veggies. Turn and grill for an additional 10 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and let cool for 15 minutes. Slice zucchini and squash into 1/4 inch slices.
4. Using a mandolin or food processor on the thinnest setting slice onion. Add to zucchini.
5. Whisk remaining ingredients together and pour over top of veggies. Toss to coat and serve room temperature.

Serves 6

Spring Vegetable Salad
1 lb green beans, ends trimmed
1 1/2 cups fresh peas or 1 small bag frozen peas, thawed
4 oz parmesan cheese, shaved
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4  cup olive oil plus 1 tsp
3 tblsp red wine vinegar
1/2 cup italian parsely, rough chopped
salt & pepper to taste

1. Fill a large pot half way with water and heat until boiling. Blanche green beans by adding to boiling water and cooking for ~5 minutes until crisp-tender. Drain beans and add to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking process (if you're less picky about losing color you can skip this step!).
2. Meanwhile, heat a pan over medium heat with 1 tsp olive oil. Add peas and saute for 3-4 minutes until also crisp tender.
3. Chop cloves of garlic and whisk with oil, vinegar, salt and pepper until smooth.
4. Combine beans, peas, parsely and vinegarette. Top with parmesan shavings.
5. Serve room temperature or slightly chilled.

Serves 6

We're Back!

Wow! If I thought my life was hectic last post the weeks following proved that just when you think it couldn't get busier .... it can.
Since my last post my husband accepted a position at Shell, we flew to Houston, purchased a home, flew back to North Carolina, packed and moved to Emeral Isle, re packed and removed to Houston over a 4 day drive, closed on our home, moved into our home and Brett began work. WHEW! I'm exhausted simply typing that. The movers finally arrived this past Saturday and I was once again reunited with the alternate love of my life: cookware. I have barely been able to assemble meals this past month due to our nomadic nature but alas: reunited and it feels so good.
I've already taken full advantage of my beloved pots and pans since then and developed a few recipes I can't wait to share. In the mean time here is a pictoral montage of the few meals I was able to assemble in the Hubert-Emerald Isle-Houston transition. Unfortunately the scraps of paper I zipped my recipes down on has been lost in translation but I hope you enjoy the descriptions and photos none-the-less.

From Above:
Pan-fried Chicken with Buffalo Sauce and Blue Cheese
Crispy Pork Chops with Honey Soy Glaze
Broccoli and Cheese Soup
Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Chicken Roll Ups

Vegetarian Delight

Wow. What a whirlwind our life has become. Two weeks ago we flew to Austin, had 5 grueling days of 13 interviews eating only hotel food and granola bars for every meal . My husband has since flown to Houston, Syracuse, Charlotte, back to Houston, and Atlanta. We still have Kansas City & Denver to go. While he is has been wining and dining with CEOs and oil company execs, I have been presiding over state play-off basketball games and trying to subdue my daddy-gone deranged dog into submission all the while completing a resignation from my current job, house hunting in 5 different cities and explaining to people for the millionth time that YES. I DID QUIT MY JOB PRIOR TO MY HUSBAND LINING ONE UP. Less than a month from now we will be located somewhere new with a fantastic job away from military life but boy, is this difficult to fathom at this point.
In the middle of all this chaos I still try to maintain sanity via cooking a fresh and comforting meal. Even if my job, house, friends, location, and coworkers are changing my dinner habits don't have to. From previous posts you may realize that my husband aspires to be muscle-clad like Arnold so vegetarian meals are often ruled out. I have finally stumbled upon a recipe that is as satisfying and filling as it is delicious. This Eggplant Parmesan Stacks are packed full of flavor in every single bite. They are an absolute must try. Eggplant Parmesan Stacks
adapted from Rachel Ray's 30 Minute Meals

1 can (16 oz) roasted tomatoes
2 medium eggplants, sliced into 1/2 inch thick slices
Salt
2 tblsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tblsp prepared pesto
1 cup all purpose flour
2 large eggs, beaten
2 cups Italian breadcrumbs
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
Salt & pepper to taste


1. Salt eggplant and drain in a colander for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile heat roasted tomatoes and garlic over medium heat, breaking up with a spoon until a "sauce" consistency is reached (about 10-15 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in pesto, salt & pepper.
3. While the sauce is cooking prepare a 3 step battering station. Step 1: Dredge in flour. Step 2: Dip in eggs. Step 3 dip in breadcrumbs.
4. Heat 2 tblsp of olive oil in a large skillet. Cook eggplant for 3-4 minutes each side. Drain the eggplant on a cooling rack and repeat until all eggplant is cooked. Sprinkle cooked eggplant with a little salt.
5. Assemble your stacks: Place a layer of eggplant, a spoonful of sauce and a small spoonful of each mozzarella and parmesan. Repeat until each stack has 2-3 eggplant slices.
6. Bake at 400 degrees for 5 minutes until cheese is melted.


Serves 4

Peculiar Pairings

I tend to follow certain trends when searching for recipes. If it contains garlic, sun dried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, basil, pesto, sauteed onions and chicken breasts or pork chops then I've most likely found it, tried it, tweaked it and remade it. I love those ingredients and don't stray from them often enough. When I first came upon the recipe below of course it sounded like something I'd try. Chicken breasts- check. Cipollini onions- check. But two other ingredients seemed perplexing - apricots and white grape juice? I've braised meats in wine and stock but never white grape juice and certainly not with apricots. The combination proved to be one of the most fantastic meals I've ever had! The fresh herbs and squeeze of lemon nicely cut the butteriness of the onions while the grape juice and apricots add the most delicious flavor to the chicken. While the combination was peculiar it turned out, in fact, to be perfect.
Another unusual pairing that I encountered lately was not necessarily conflicting ingredients but rather an unexpected wine and food combination I'll enjoy much more of in the future. My other blogs recount love affair with guacamole. In the same cook book (a thoughtful birthday gift from my sweet husband) that I found the aforementioned apricot delicacy I also found a recipe for something called "Pico-Guac." Now that is a perfect pair. Pico-de-gallo & guacamole. However, upon making it I realized that what others call Pico-Guac is actually my rather hefty and packing-a-punch, regular guacamole. All the while, the other perfect pair in this instance was the wine. We had plenty of leftover prosecco from our New Year's Bash and while taking on the task of finishing said prosecco, I discovered that the tart, yet slightly-sweet nature of the bubbly libation compliments the spicy and rich nature in guacamole. So go ahead, next time you're treating yourself to Mexican stray from the usual Corona and pop a bottle of the bubbly. Peculiar or not, this pair is indeed perfect, too. Apricot & Cipollini Braised Chicken
Adapted from Rachael Ray's "Big Orange Book"

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 packet garlic & herb marinade
20 cipollini onions, ends trimmed and skins removed
20 apricots, cut into slivers or halves
2.5 cups white grape juice
1 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 handful parsley, rough chopped
Lemon wedges for garnish

1. Heat oil in a dutch oven or large deep dish over medium heat. Brown chicken breasts in olive oil, about 2-3 minutes per side.
2. Remove chicken and cover with foil to keep warm and juicy.
3 Add cipollini onions and cook 5-7 minutes until slightly soft in chicken drippings adding more olive oil if necessary.
4. After onions are softened, turn heat to medium-high and deglaze the pan using a large wooden spoon to scrape up drippings. Add white grape juice and apricots.
5. Cook until liquid has reduced in half.
6. Add chicken back into the pan and cover. Cook for an additional 10 minutes until liquid as reduced in half again and chicken is cooked through.


To serve spoon sauce, onions and apricots over the chicken breasts and top with parsley and a squeeze of lemon. Serves 4.

"Pico-Guac"
Adapted from Rachael Ray's "Big Orange Book"

3 avocados, skins removed and rough chopped
1 handful of cilantro, finely chopped
1/2 large red onion, finely chopped
2 jalapenos, seeds removed, finely chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
Pinch of salt & pepper
Pinch of cumin

1. Mash all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.

Cooking with Beer

Tradition in my household is that on new year's day we eat a pork roast and sauerkraut. Now my mother never described to us the history, instead claiming that we're Polish and that was sufficient for me. A little research this year indicated that this tradition was actually brought over by various Austrians, Swedes and Germans as they settled in America. Wild boars were hunted and killed on the first day of January so in hopes of fat feasts for the rest of the year the tradition of pork and sauerkraut was born. Obviously I know that whatever I choose to eat in my cocktail-induced sluggishness will probably have no effect on my year what-so-ever, but why take the chance?
Now my mother's recipe calls for a slowly roasted pork with hours upon hours in the oven, being lovingly basted with sauce and homemade sauerkraut. Due to the aforementioned condition I could barely bring myself off of the couch until 4 pm. Instead, I settled for a quick version of this meal. My parents travel to Pittsburgh a few times a year to enjoy their "homeland" and all of its treasures. They recently brought back a craft brew magazine that has a section each month entitled "Cooking with Beer." In true new year's spirit the authors were giving a recipe for pork and sauerkraut but with an interesting twist. Per usual I tweaked the recipe according to what I had on hand to increase flavor and for ease purposes. This dish would be delicious on any cold day or anytime that you just want to feel a bit more, well, ... lucky.

Cider Brined Pork Chops with Apple Sauerkraut
Adapted from Mindy Johnson of Pittsburgh Craft

Hard Cider Brine
1 bottle hard apple cider
1/2 apple cider vinegar
3 tblsp kosher salt
2 tblsp grainy mustard
1 tblsp sugar
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
1/2 tsp mustard powder
4 pork chops

Apple Sauerkraut
4 slices of bacon
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 gala apple, diced
32 oz prepared sauerkraut
12 oz beer
2 bay leaves
1 tblsp dried thyme

1. Combine all brining ingredients in a bowl. Salt may be dissolved in 1-2 tblsp of hot water first if preferred. Add pork chops and make sure they are completely submerged. I only allowed to brine for 2 hours but they can brine up to 24 in the refrigerator.
2. Heat a grill or grill pan to medium heat and grill chops 5-10 minutes per side or until pork is not longer pink in the center (cooking times vary greatly depending on thickness of chops). Use a thermometer to ensure pork reaches a minimum of 145 degrees.

3. Meanwhile, render the bacon over medium heat in a large, deep pan until crisp and remove from pan leaving drippings.
4. Add in garlic and apples and cook until soft.
5. Deglaze the pan with the beer and add sauerkraut, spices and bring to a simmer. Cook over medium heat, stirring periodically until liquid is reduced in half.
6. Remove from heat and stir in bacon.

To serve, place chops on a bed of sauerkraut and spoon over any liquid from the sauerkraut.

Serves 4.

New Year's Eve

Brett and I have come a long way from our cocktail induced slumber/black out/ dance parties on New Year's Eve in college... or so we thought. Last NYE, Brett was deployed and rang in the new year sleeping in Afghani dirt in sub-zero temperatures eating cold MREs so anything we did this year would have been an improvement. We decided to forgo the lofty bar bill and gather all of our families in our home for a nice meal. Now if you've read my previous blogs then you're probably expecting some variation of chicken and lemons but I decided to make use of the fact that I had very capable grill masters at my disposal in my brother, dad, father-in-law and husband. I also wanted something that could be easily eaten on small plates and carried around the party to play darts, relax on our porch or watch the count down. For cocktails I made a citrus red sangria, mimosas, and assorted wines. I decided on a number of appetizers including a strawberry cheese ball that was to die for, a cheese plate, and chips and salsa; none of which I captured on film. Per usual. For the main course I decided on flank steak with a tomato olive chutney I created which was fabulous. I served it alongside a blue cheese salad and the entire platter was devoured in approximately 5 minutes. I'd say this was quite the hit.
What we'd expected was a rather tame of night of prosecco and sangria toasts with everyone gathered around watching the ball drop. What occurred was significantly more interesting. After our table was cleared of goodies we discovered my sister-in-law's talents of bouncing plastic balls into red solo cups, my brother's ability to mix a mean shot and my dad's unforeseen art of flip cup. Even though our night ended up more frat party then dinner party we had a wonderful time and wonderful meal to welcome 2012.

Marinated Flank Steak with Tomato & Olive Chutney

For the steak:
1 cup red wine
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup red wine or balsamic vinegar
2 sprigs rosemary
2 tblsp worchestire sauce

2 large flank steaks thoroughly salted and peppered on both sides

For the "chutney":
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
12 - 16 oz kalmata olives, halved
2 tblsp butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup parsley, rough chopped
Pinch brown sugar
Pinch salt

1. Combine all marinade ingredients in a large dish. Thoroughly salt and pepper flank steaks on both sides and add to marinade, turning to coat. Marinade refrigerated ~1-4 hours turning occasionally.
2. Preheat grill to high heat.
3. Grill steaks over high heat for 2 minutes per side to achieve a nice crust on the meat. Turn grill heat down to low and grill for 10-15 more minutes depending on type of steak you prefer. (My family likes well so we grilled for 20 more minutes)
4. Meanwhile in a large skillet melt the butter over low-medium heat. Add minced garlic and saute until soft. Turn heat up to medium and add tomatoes, olives, sugar, and salt. Cook until olives are "crushed," about 7 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and stir in parsley.

To serve, remove steak from grill and let rest for 10 minutes, covered. Slice steak diagonally and spoon on sauce

Serves 8

Barbecue Shortcut

I was exceptionally close to naming this blog "Try This Now" because seriously: try this now. Being an eastern North Carolinian I have a soft spot in my heart for barbecue, specifically vinegar-based pulled pork barbecue but I don't have the time nor the equipment for the real deal. I certainly don't own a smoker that is capable of holding an entire pig nor do I have the 24 hours or more to cook it. I went to a Tastefully Simple party last year and purchased a "slow cooker pork sauce" which informed me that all I needed was pork butt and this sauce to create delicious pulled pork. They were absolutely correct. However, I couldn't buy the slow cooker sauce in stores so I've played around with a few variations to create some delicious home cooked barbecue.
I love my slow cooker but unfortunately I'm gone from my house for over 12 hours between the commute, school and of course my daily favorite: cheer leading practice. NOT. Most slow cooker recipes only cook for between 4-8 hours so this has to be a weekend recipe for me or in this came the ten days that under divine inspiration the great state gives me for Christmas break. I've also found that I had to stray from the original pork butt recipe because it was difficult to find. Instead I've substituted pork shoulder because its readily available and still cooks nicely. Also, because I couldn't find the sauce I used another brand. Williams & Sonoma has started carrying products from The Pit, a perennial favorite of us Raleigh natives, including their barbecue sauce. Make sure that you choose a sauce with vinegar content so it does not burn in the slow cooker like heavier tomato sauces or add a dash of apple cider vinegar to your favorite.
If you don't eat pork -use beef. And if you don't eat meat period at least try this pepper and onion slaw - whichever you choose relish every bite.

Barbecue Flatbread Sandwiches with Pepper & Onion Slaw

For the Sandwich
1 pork shoulder ( about 3lbs)
1 bottle barbecue sauce
1 package naan or flatbread
1 oz provolone or mozzarella cheese, finely grated

For the Slaw
1/4 cup banana peppers, rough chopped
1/8 cup onions, thinly sliced or shaved
1/4 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp dried cilantro or 1 tblsp rough chopped fresh
dash red wine or apple cider vinegar
Pinch of sugar
drizzle of olive oil

1. Combine pork shoulder and barbecue sauce in a crock pot. Cook on low for 6-7 hours until meat is tender and falling apart or high for 4 hours. Stir/turn every hour.
2. Meanwhile, combine all slaw ingredients and let sit, refrigerated, to develop flavors.
3. Once meat is through cooking heat a grill or grill pan over medium high heat. Grill naan over grill for 1 minute per side until lightly charred.

To serve cut naan into horizontal slices. Add pork to naan and top with cheese and slaw.

Serves 6.

Holiday Feasts

This Christmas was one for the record books. Not only did we cook an entire Christmas meal complete with thrice glazed ham, scalloped potatoes and crescent rolls, my parents were so distraught they weren't able to share Thanksgiving with us that we recreated the entire meal. Again. I mean everything. Turkey. Stuffing. Gravy. Green bean casserole. Of course in our rush to finish two entire feasts I did not take many photos but here is small pictorial montage of my wonderful Christmas meal(s).

From Top to Bottom:
Becca's Puff Pastry Wrapped Brie with Syrup & Preserves
Brined Herb Crusted Gravy with Apple Cider Gravy
Mixed Vegetables
Not Your Mama's Green Bean Casserole Sauce
Savory Puff Pastry Brie with Sun-dried Tomato Tapenade and Balsamic Glaze