Halloween Brunch

OK, so it's not Halloween themed, but this was the brunch I made this morning for some friends :)

Smoked Ham and Gruyere Frittata:

• 8 extra-large eggs
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 small onion, diced
• 4 small potatoes, diced
• 1 cup diced smoked ham
• 1 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 bunch chives, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, cream, Gruyere cheese, salt, and pepper until foamy. Melt butter in a cast iron pan over medium heat. Add the onion and potatoes and cook thoroughly. Pour the egg mixture over the top. Pull the edges away from the sides of the pan with a spatula so the eggs flow to the bottom of the pan. When the frittata is half set, add the ham. Transfer the pan to the heated oven. Bake for 10 minutes until puffed and golden. Shower with grated parmesan and serve garnished with sour cream and chives. We served it with bacon and smushed biscuits!

Early Thanksgiving Dinner

There was a defrosted turkey that needed to be cooked (due to Nick's deep fryer missing pieces...long story), so I decided to just roast it. I attempted brining for the first time, and it was definitely worth it! The night before I made the brining solution and then the turkey was roasted the next evening...with assistance from my helpers Nick and Tim ;) Obviously, they also helped in the eating process.

Brine:
Dissolve 1 cup of salt and 1 cup of brown sugar in 2 gallons of water. Once dissolved, add 4 sprigs of rosemary and thyme each, 1 orange cut up in 1/8ths and 1 lemon cut up in 1/8ths. Let the solution cool completely. I ended up refrigerating the brine overnight because I made it late and couldn't stay up to let it cool. Once cool, rinse and dry the turkey completely. Take out the neck, giblets, and liver. Some save that for the gravy or stock, but I do not use them. Submerge the turkey completely in the solution and seal tightly for approximate an hour per pound. I did mine for 12 hours. I used a stockpot which had a lid.

Turkey:
Take the turkey out of the solution, rinse and dry. Place in roasting pan breast side down. Rub the turkey all over with vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper (inside and out). Fill the turkey's cavity with the following: 1 carrot and 1 celery stalk cut into 1 inch pieces, 1 onion cut into 1/8ths, and 2 sprigs of thyme. Preheat oven to 325 and roast for 1 hour. Turn the turkey. Baste with 1/2 cup of turkey stock. Bake another hour and baste with another 1/2 cup of turkey stock. Bake for another 45 minutes. Cook until thermometer reads 165 in the thickest part of the turkey.

Gravy:
Remove turkey onto a cutting board for slicing. Remove rack of roasting pan. Set roasting pan over two burners on medium' to medium-low heat.  Add 3 cups of turkey stock and 1 cup of chicken stock (I approximated this). Add 1 cup dry white wine, 4 tb unsalted butter and 1/4 cup flour. Deglaze pan by scraping up the bits and stirring together. Season with salt and pepper.

Mashed Potatoes:
Cut 4 medium potatoes into chunks (I peeled them, but you don't need to). Place in a pot of salted water and boil until cooked. Drain. Add 1/4 cup chicken broth, 1/4 cup fat free sour cream, 2 tb chives, salt and pepper. Mash together.

Stuffing:
I swear by Pepperidge Farms Herb Stuffing. Everyone always loves it and thinks you've slaved all day, when it's actually out of a package. You simply dice 1 cup each of celery and onion and cook in 3 tb butter in a saucepan.  Add the stuffing and chicken broth (follow measurements on back of package, depending on how much you're making). I made the whole package and added approximately 1 cup of broth.

Italian Chicken Packets

I made dinner for Rachael tonight, and we're both trying to be healthy...so this is what I came up with!

Ingredients:
* 1 zucchini, trimmed and cut in half lengthwise, then into thin half-moons 
* 2 yukon potatoes (or whichever kind you prefer), cut into thin slices
* 1/2 yellow onion, cut into thin strips
* 1 garlic clove, sliced thin
* 1.5 lemon, sliced thin (could get away with 1, I just love lemon)
* Approximately 5 thin sliced chicken breasts (about 1.5 pounds)
* Wild Rice (I love the Fast Cook by Uncle Ben's)
* Aluminum Foil
* Olive oil
* Italian seasoning (fresh or dried, I used a dried Rosemary Herb Mixture)
* Salt and pepper

Cut the aluminum foil so that you can individually wrap each serving. Layer the potatoes, zucchini, onion, garlic, lemon, and chicken. Season with Italian seasoning, drizzle some olive oil and a dash of lemon juice. Wrap the packet to seal it tight. You can also label these with a Sharpie if you're making each package differently -- makes this meal great for those with dietary restrictions/food allergies.

Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes.

While the chicken is cooking, prepare the rice. Serve together. Great for leftovers!

Chicken Divan

I have never made this before, but I knew it was happening as soon as I saw Paula Deen make it on the Food Network! Contrary to her normal recipes, there weren't multiple sticks of butter involved either, so I figured I had to take advantage. Not that I have anything against butter, but my love handles do. It came out pretty well, and made a lot! You'll definitely have a lot of leftovers which are also delicious. I made a few minor adjustments.

Chicken Divan:
2 10 oz. packages of frozen chopped broccoli/baby florets
6 cups shredded cooked chicken (rotisserie chickens from the store work great)
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream (I use light sour cream)
1 cup mayo (I use light mayo)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I use 2%)
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 cup dry white wine
Dash of cumin and cayenne pepper
salt and pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan
1/2 cup bread crumbs (I used 2 slices of stale italian bread)
Italian bread crumbs (optional)
2 tb butter, melted
1 cup of shredded smoked gouda (optional)

Spray the casserole dish with Pam (I used 13x9). Defrost the broccoli in the microwave, drain and layer in the casserole dish. Layer the shredded chicken. In a separate bowl, combine the cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, mayo, shredded cheese, lemon juice, white wine and spices. Mix together and pour over the chicken, mixing it all together. Mix the bread crumbs, butter and parmesan and top the casserole. I then went in with Italian bread crumbs and sprinkled that over the casserole as well. I also topped it with some freshly shredded smoked gouda cheese (can use whichever cheese you prefer). Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes.

Stolen short ribs...

This is just to tease you in a way because a) I did not cook this, Nick did and b) I don't know what he did -- but, it was phenomenal. I just had to post a picture. All I know is he used his cast iron skillet and used a steakhouse marinade. He served it with au gratin potatoes and my mom's canned green beans. Mmmmmm.

Pizza Party

I had a few people over before going out for some homemade pizza (well, I used dough balls from Harris Teeter). I made a BBQ chicken pizza and a pizza split between pepperoni and sausage. I apologize for the half eaten pizza photos :)

BBQ Chicken Pizza:
Chop and saute a shallot, half a green pepper, and 2 cloves of garlic. Set aside. Season and bake two thin chicken breasts on 350 for about 10 minutes. I seasoned the chicken first with Smoky BBQ rub.  Set aside once done. Knead out the pizza dough with flour, poke a few holes with a fork, brush with olive oil and bake at 375 for about 5-10 minutes. Brush the pizza with your favorite BBQ sauce. Top with shredded smoked gouda, sauteed vegetables, and chicken. Bake for approximately 10 minutes to melt everything together.

Traditional Pizza with Pepperoni and Sausage:
Cook half a pound of mild Italian sausage and set aside. Knead out the pizza dough with flour, poke a few holes with a fork, brush with olive oil and bake at 375 for about 5-10 minutes. Brush the pizza with your favorite pizza sauce. Top with shredded mozzarella/Italian cheese blend, pepperoni and sausage. Bake for approximately 10 minutes to melt everything together.

Egg Roll Wrapper Lasagna with Caper Vinegarette Salad

I had leftover egg roll wrappers and had no idea what to do with them -- but, thanks to Google, I found out you could make egg roll wrapper lasagna. I was intrigued. I just kind of threw together some different, random recipes and it turned out very delicious!

Meat Sauce:
Saute a small yellow onion and about 2 cloves of garlic in olive oil. Once soft, add a pound of lean ground beef. Cook the meat until it's done. Season with salt, pepper, and italian seasoning. Add a 28 oz can of San Marzano crushed tomatoes (my favorite anyway) and a 6 oz can of tomato paste. I got both of those flavored with italian seasoning as well. Stir and simmer for a few minutes.

Vegetables:
You can choose whichever vegetables you want to use, but make enough to cover one layer of the lasagna. I chose zucchini, carrots and asparagus. I shred one zucchini and about half a bag of small carrots. I sauteed these with a little vegetable oil and italian seasoning. You don't want to cook them too much, just for a couple of minutes. I cut the asparagus into small pieces but did not cook these quite yet.

Assembly and Cooking the Lasagna:
Spread a layer of the meat sauce in the lasagna dish and then add a layer of the egg roll wrappers to fit the bottom. You may need to cut the wrappers to make them fit. Add a thick layer of meat sauce and sprinkle with italian blend cheese. Add another layer of egg roll wrappers, another layer of sauce, and a layer of all vegetables (I just laid the asparagus on top of the sauteed vegetables. Sprinkle with more cheese. Add another layer of wrappers, sauce and cheese. I added some grated parmesan to the top as well. Bake at 375 for about 40 minutes.

Salad with Caper Vinegarette:
Romaine lettuce & feta are added to a bowl. The dressing is then tossed on top.

1/4  cup  red wine vinegar
1 1/2  tablespoons  fresh lemon juice
1  tablespoon  capers
1  tablespoon  honey mustard
2  teaspoons  extravirgin olive oil
1/2  teaspoon  sugar
1/2  teaspoon  salt
1/8  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper

Lil' wine for cooking, lil' wine for the cook.

Tonight I made one of my favorite dishes -- chicken piccata. It is delicious and makes great leftovers! It calls for white wine and I highly recommend pouring yourself a glass while cooking :)

Chicken Piccata:

• 4  (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1/4  cup  all-purpose flour (about 1 ounce)
• 1  tablespoon  butter
• 1  tablespoon  olive oil
• 1/2  cup  white wine
• 1/4  cup  fresh lemon juice
• 2  tablespoons  capers
• 2  teaspoons  minced fresh garlic
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 4  cups  hot cooked pasta (about 8 ounces uncooked)
• 2  tablespoons  chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)

Place each breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Place flour in a shallow dish, and dredge chicken in flour. Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, and cook for 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm. Add white wine, 1/4 cup lemon juice, capers, and garlic to pan; scrape pan to loosen browned bits. Cook for 2 minutes or until slightly thick. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve chicken over pasta. Top with sauce; sprinkle with parsley.

Spaghetti Squash Carbonara for Sarah!

Sarah was curious about spaghetti squash and I happened to have one, so this is what we came up with!

• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/4 teaspoons fresh cracked black pepper
• 1 large spaghetti squash (about 2 pounds), halved and seeded
• 1/2 pound bacon or pancetta, cut into small strips crosswise
• 1 tablespoon minced shallot
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 2 egg yolks plus 1 whole egg
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves (I left this out)

I actually microwaved the spaghetti squash. Pierce a few holes in it with a fork, place it on two paper towels, and microwave for about 10 minutes, turning every few minutes. It's done when the skin is tender to the touch. Cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds and then take a fork to get the inside out. The inside of the squash is naturally in the form of spaghetti-looking noodles.

In a large saute pan, over medium heat, cook the bacon until it becomes a light brown but is not yet crispy. Pour off most of the fat and then add the shallots and garlic. Saute for 1 minute until the garlic and shallots are fragrant and begin to caramelize. Add the white wine and cook until the liquid has completely evaporated.
In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs together with the cheese and the parsley. Season with the remaining salt and pepper. Combine the eggs with the bacon mixture, warming the eggs in the pan. (Do not let the eggs cook through.) Add the spaghetti squash and toss to thoroughly combine and until squash is heated through. Adjust seasoning, if necessary and serve immediately.

My Version of German Flare

Tonight I made myself dinner with what I consider my favorite "German" ingredients: kielbasa and sauerkraut. I would have never thought to combine that with pasta, but I came across this online and it looked yummy! I decided to add in a small salad with some homemade Caesar dressing.

Rotini with Kielbasa and Sauerkraut:
3 tb olive oil
1 medium chopped onion (I used yellow onion)
1 pound kielbasa or smoked sausage, cut in slices (I used kielbasa)
12 oz. sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
2 tb dijon mustard
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tsp caraway seeds (I left this out)
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tb parsley (also left this out because I was out)
1 pound rotini pasta


Heat olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until almost tender, about 7 minutes. Add sausage and sauté until beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. Mix in sauerkraut, mustard, caraway seeds and cayenne pepper. Sauté until heated through, about 4 minutes. Stir in wine and parsley. Cook mixture 2 minutes longer.  Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta and return to pot.  Add sausage mixture to pasta and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.

Caesar Dressing:
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan (about 2 ounces)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Blend all ingredients in food processor or blender until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.