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Category Archives: Cookin’

Recipe: Homemade Tomato Sauce

23 Jan
Tomatoes for Tomato Sauce

Tomatoes for Tomato Sauce

Mark the day and time because this will probably one of the only tomato-centric recipes I ever post. I don’t like tomatoes. But, oddly enough, I like ketchup, tomato sauce and most form of tomatoes that have been pummeled, pureed or simmered. Maybe tomatoes just taste better after they’re destroyed.

Tomato sauce is on my approved tomato dish list and is one of those simple sauces that can be used in thousands of ways. I enjoy making my own rather than buying it from a can, jar, bottle, etc. The ingredient list is short, but the cook time is high. You really only need tomatoes, basil, garlic, olive oil, salt and patience.

Ingredients:

  • 12 fresh tomatoes, halved and clean (squeeze out juice and set aside)
  • 3 cloves fresh garlic
  • 3 springs fresh basil
  • 2 TBSP salt
  • Olive oil

*This will make a pot big enough for a lasagna or a spaghetti dish to serve 4-6 people. Multiply the ingredients based on the amount of people you plan on feeding.

Directions:

  1. Prep a large sauce pot by placing it on the stove and adding a thin layer of olive oil.
    2. Tomato Sauce in the Pot

    Tomato Sauce in the Pot

  2. Fill a food processor (or blender) with tomato halves that are cleaned to remove spots. Make sure to save the juice and set aside in another bowl.
  3. Add garlic, salt and basil and blend until the mixture is frothy.
  4. Add the tomato mixture to the sauce pot.
  5. If necessary, repeat step 2-4 with remaining tomatoes. (You may have to blend more than one batch depending on the size of your appliance.)
  6. Simmer (uncovered) over low heat for hours. Yes, hours. You want to reduce the mixture until it was half the size of what it initially was. However, you can keep simmering for even longer if you want. The longer you simmer, the more flavorful the mixture becomes.
  7. Adjust seasoning while the sauce is simmering to your liking.
  8. Once it’s cooked to your satisfaction, serve with pasta or any other ingredient you have in mind.

If you don’t planning on using the sauce right away, you can jar it and refrigerate or freeze the tomato sauce until you’re ready to use it.

I’m not Italian so I’m sure many people have more/better ways of making a basic tomato sauce, but I can attest that this is a good one that will serve you well with your everyday cooking.

 
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Posted by on January 23, 2012 in Cookin', Recipes, Sauces

 

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Recipe: Pomegranate-Glazed Pork Roast

22 Jan
Pomegranate-Glazed Pork Crown Roast Slice

Pomegranate-Glazed Pork Crown Roast Slice

The team at POM was generous enough to send me some of the new POM Wonderful POM POMs Fresh Arils to try out. What’s great about this POM product is that it saves you the hassle of having to seed a pomegranate yourself.

The POM POMs can be used on yogurt, granola, a salad. There are many ways to use the arils, but I chose to use them to make a Pomegranate-Glazed Pork Roast. The acidity of the pomegranate juice and arils really went well with the fattiness of the pork.

Ingredients:

  • 6-8 pound pork roast (tenderloin or crown roast)
  • 1 cup POM POMs Fresh Arils
  • 2 cups POM pomegranate juice
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 TBSP Creole (or dijon) mustard
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375F.
    2. Pomegranate Glazed Pork Crown Roast

    Pomegranate Glazed Pork Crown Roast

  2. Prep the pork roast by seasoning with salt and pepper and placing in a roasting pan.
  3. To make pomegranate glaze, combine pomegranate juice, sugar and mustard in a sauce pan over medium heat. Whisk together all ingredients. Boil until roughly 1/2 cup of liquid remains. Then set aside to cool and thicken.
  4. Drizzle 1/4 of the glaze over the pork roast and place the roast in the oven. Glaze the roast two more times during roasting. Make sure some glaze remains.
  5. Cook until pork temperature registers between 145F to 160F. Remove from oven to rest.
  6. After resting, cut roast into slices, drizzle with remaining glaze and garnish each portion with POM POMs arils.

This was a dish I made for Christmas, but it’s a great meal for a dinner party. The pomegranate and pork work really well together, especially with the added kick of the Creole mustard.

Using the POM POMs arils will give the dish a little crunch and another nice pop of flavor. For more POM product recipes, you can visit the POM recipes page. To learn more about POM POMS Fresh Arils, visit the POM product page.

 
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Posted by on January 22, 2012 in Cookin', Entrees, Recipes

 

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Recipe: Rainbow-Stuffed Chicken

18 Jan
Rainbow-Stuffed Chicken

Rainbow-Stuffed Chicken

No, it’s not chicken stuffed with Skittles. Bell peppers are the inspiration and filling in Rainbow-Stuffed Chicken. Bell peppers are awesome to cook with since they virtually come in all colors of the rainbow (except maybe blue).

I also add red onion (which is, let’s face it, really purple), mushrooms and cheese to the multicolor bell pepper blend. The whole blend is really versatile and can be used to complement any dish.

Ingredients:

  • 4 chicken breast, split or boneless
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
    • Bell Pepper Blend

    Multicolored Bell Peppers, Mushrooms and Red Onions

  • 1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2 orange bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2 red onion, diced
  • 1 1/2 cup button mushrooms, diced
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400F and grease a large baking sheet or pan.
  2. In a large bowl, combine bell peppers, mushrooms, onion and cheese.
  3. Half the chicken breasts horizontally, but don’t cut all the way through, making a envelope for the bell pepper blend. Season chicken with salt and pepper or seasonings of your choice.
  4. Stuff the chicken breasts with bell pepper blend. And press down to seal in stuffing. You can also tie with twine if you have any handy.
    5. Prepped Rainbow-Stuffed Chicken

    Prepped Rainbow-Stuffed Chicken

  5. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until chicken temperature registers between 170F and 180F.
  6. Remove chicken from oven, let cool for a couple minutes, then serve.

Not only is this a colorful dish, it’s full of flavor and healthy nutrients from the veggies in the bell pepper blend. I don’t have a kid, but I imagine this is a fairly kid-friendly recipe.

Feel free to add any other veggies you have on hand to the bell pepper blend. If you have any of the bell pepper blend left over, it goes great with eggs to make a quiche or quick scramble.

 
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Posted by on January 18, 2012 in Cookin', Entrees, Recipes

 

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Recipe: Boudin Cornbread Dressing

12 Jan
Boudin Cornbread Dressing

Boudin Cornbread Dressing

I’ve been making this dressing recipe for years and it’s always been a hit. However, in the past, I made it without meat. This year, I added boudin and it made it even better.

That said, a meatless version is just as solid of a holiday side. Sometimes I add in some jalapeños, too.

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups cornbread, crumbled
  • 10 slices of bread of your choice, dried and cubed
  • 2 boudin links, casing removed
  • 1 1/2 cup celery, diced
  • 1/2 cup red pepper, diced
  • 1/2 cup green pepper, diced
  • 1 cup onion, diced
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp Cajun seasoning
  • 1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten

Directions:

    Boudin Cornbread Dressing

    Boudin Cornbread Dressing

  1. Preheat oven to 325F.
  2. In a large bowl, combine cornbread and bread cubes.
  3. In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, saute boudin, celery, onion and peppers until vegetables are tender. Combine with bread mixture.
  4. Add seasoning, egg and chicken broth.
  5. Spoon dressing into a lightly greased 3-quart baking dish. Bake, covered, for 45 to 50 minutes.
  6. Cut and serve.

When choosing a bread to complement the cornbread, it’s probably best to use white, but wheat will work. Just make sure it’s pretty dry. If you don’t have time to dry the slices, just toast them until well done.

In place of boudin, you can also use sausage in patty form. Just make sure it’s cooked fairly thoroughly while it’s in the skillet.

 
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Posted by on January 12, 2012 in Cookin', Recipes, Sides

 

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Recipe: Wild Rice, Fruit and Pecan Stuffing

04 Jan

Sides usually offer up a lot of calories, and if they don’t, they lack on flavor. Not this recipe. To cut down on the calories, it only adds dried fruit and pecans to get a nice burst of flavor.

You can experiment with what dried fruits to use, but I’m posting what I used on my first attempt.

Ingredients:

  • 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
  • 1 cup onion, finely chopped
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
    • Sauteeing the Rice and Trinity

    Sauteeing the Rice and Trinity

  • 1 1/2 TBSP olive oil
  • 1 1/2 cups wild rice-brown rice mix
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3/4 cup pecans
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/4 cup golden raisins
  • 1/4 cup dried apricots, chopped
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 325F.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the celery, onion and bell pepper (trinity), stirring occasionally until softened (about 8 minutes).
  3. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant (about 2 minutes).
    4. Wild Rice, Fruit and Pecan Stuffing

    Wild Rice, Fruit and Pecan Stuffing

  4. Add rice, stirring to toast, for about 1 minute.
  5. Add the chicken broth, bay leaf, salt and pepper and 1 1/2 cups water. Increase the heat and bring to a boil.
  6. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Uncover, stir, and continue cooking, uncovered, until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender (about another 20 to 40 minutes).
  7. Meanwhile, spread pecans on a baking sheet and toast 5 to 7 minutes (until fragrant). Once toasted, remove from oven and set aside.
  8. Now, discard bay leaf from rice and stir in pecans and dried fruit. Let sit, covered, for about 5 minutes.
  9. Season stuffing to taste and fold in dried fruit and pecans.

No butter, no fat (maybe a minute amount from the broth), but a lot of flavor.

This dish goes well with anything and you can really use it as a stuffing if you’re cooking a turkey or other bird that can be stuffed.

 
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Posted by on January 4, 2012 in Cookin', Recipes, Sides

 

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Recipe: Pumpkin-Kahlua Bread Pudding

02 Jan
Pumpkin-Kahlua Bread Pudding

Pumpkin-Kahlua Bread Pudding

This is a pretty rich dessert recipe, but it’s worth every calorie. Since most people are probably following through with New Year’s resolutions right now, you may want to file it away for a special occasion.

I would have never guessed that pumpkin and Kahlua go well together, but luckily they do. You can pretty much use a liquor of your choice for this. I think Bailey’s would make a nice alternative, or maybe even whiskey.

Ingredients:

  • 6 large croissants, torn into pieces and left to dry out overnight
  • 1 can of pumpkin pie filling
  • 3/4 cup Kahlua
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
    • Croissants

    The Prepped Croissants

  • 1 cup milk
  • 7 eggs
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • Butter, for greasing the dish

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350F.
  2. Grease a 9×13 baking dish with butter.
    3. Croissants in the Pumpkin-Kahlua Custard

    Croissants in the Pumpkin-Kahlua Custard

  3. In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin pie filling, heavy cream, eggs, milk, sugar, salt and Kahlua.
  4. In the greased baking dish, place in the croissants then pour in the pumpkin mixture. Press with the back of a spoon until the croissants are moistened.
  5. Bake for 40 minutes or until the center is set.
  6. Remove from oven, let cool and serve.

One of the keys is to let the croissants dry out over night. They will maintain their butteriness, but will absorb more liquid if you do so.

This is a simple recipe that will disappear very quickly. It’s also kid-friendly (despite the Kahlua) since the alcohol cooks out while it’s baking. Of course, you can drizzle with some extra Kahlua to give it an adult kick.

 
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Posted by on January 2, 2012 in Cookin', Desserts, Recipes

 

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Recipe: Prosciutto-Wrapped Pears

28 Dec
Prosciutto-Wrapped Pears

Prosciutto-Wrapped Pears

Honestly, I’m not sure I’ll ever post a recipe easier than this one. If you can’t make it, there may be no hope left for you in the culinary arena.

Regardless of the difficulty (or lack thereof), this appetizer goes great with the bubbly which is a huge plus around New Year’s. Give it a try before 2012 gets here.

Ingredients:

  • 2 pears, quartered (cut into a total of 8 slices)
  • 4 slices of prosciutto, halved
  • 2 TBSP olive oil
  • 1 TBSP sugar cane vinegar (or other sweet vinegar)
  • 1/4 cup walnuts, for garnish (optional)/li>
  • 1/4 cup blue cheese, for garnish (optional)

Prosciutto-Wrapped Pears

Prosciutto-Wrapped Pears


Directions:

  1. Wrap prosciutto around pear slices and place on a serving plate.
  2. Drizzle with olive oil and sugar cane vinegar.
  3. Serve.

Aside from being super easy to make, these Prosciutto-Wrapped Pears have a nice savory/sweet combo working. They are appropriate for nearly any party.

And like I mentioned earlier, they go really well with champagne. Cheers.

 
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Posted by on December 28, 2011 in Appetizers, Cookin', Recipes

 

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Recipe: Whole Wheat Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

19 Dec
Milk and Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

What Santa Really Wants for Christmas

Mint and chocolate make an awesome team. Probably only second to chocolate and peanut butter in my book. These Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies are made with whole wheat flour. Trust me when I tell you, you won’t miss the white flour.

The green mint chips pack a lot of minty flavor, but it’s balanced out well by the semisweet chocolate morsels. I happened to find the mint chips at World Market by accident, but I’m sure chopped Andes Mints will work just fine.

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
    • Mint Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

    Mint Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup mint chips

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 325F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cocoa in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk or mix together the eggs, butter, sugars and vanilla extract.
  4. Add the flour mixture into the butter mixture in two batches, adding in the milk between batches.
    5. Whole Wheat Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Whole Wheat Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

  5. Use a flat wooden spoon to work in the mint and chocolate chips.
  6. Scoop the batter onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheet in about 1-inch rounds. Pat down gently then bake for 15 minutes.
  7. Remove cookies from oven to cool for approximately 3 minutes. Serve.

You can make the batter in advance and store in the refrigerator for up to two days before baking. Just make sure to wrap it in parchment paper so it doesn’t dry out.

Even though I’m not a big chocolate fan, these cookies are great for the holidays and the green in the mint chips give them a nice pop of color. If mint’s not your thing, you can substitute any flavor of chip you can get your hands on. I’m thinking peanut butter chips would go well with this batter.

 
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Posted by on December 19, 2011 in Cookin', Desserts, Recipes

 

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Recipe: Avocado, Cinnamon, Chocolate Chip and Pecan Cookies

17 Dec
Avocado, Cinnamon, Chocolate Chip and Pecan Cookies

Avocado, Cinnamon, Chocolate Chip and Pecan Cookies

This cookie recipe uses a ripe avocado to take the place of some of the butter found in most cookie recipes.

The avocado gives the cookies a smoother texture without contributing too much to the flavor profile. And no, the cookies won’t come out green.

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/4 cup flour (I used a mix of what and white)
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup oatmeal
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 ripe avocado
    • Avocado, Cinnamon, Chocolate Chip and Pecan Cookie Dough

    Avocado, Cinnamon, Chocolate Chip and Pecan Cookie Dough

  • 5 TBSP unsalted butter
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 cup milk chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup cinnamon chips
  • 1 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350F.
    2. Avocado, Cinnamon, Chocolate Chip and Pecan Cookies in the Oven

    Avocado, Cinnamon, Chocolate Chip and Pecan Cookies in the Oven

  2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl except pecans, chocolate chips and cinnamon chips. Stir until smooth.
  3. Fold in remaining ingredients.
  4. Use a spoon to scoop batter into 1/2-inch rounds on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  5. Bake 20 minutes or until golden-brown around the edges. Let cool for a few minutes and serve.

These cookies are very simple and can go from mixing bowl to oven to plate in about 30 minutes.

Enjoy them with a big glass of milk.

 
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Posted by on December 17, 2011 in Cookin', Desserts, Recipes

 

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Recipe: Bacon Cheddar Biscuits

14 Dec
Bacon Cheddar Biscuit Dough

Bacon Cheddar Biscuit Dough

Biscuits from scratch can seem like a fairly daunting task. But don’t worry, this Bacon Cheddar Biscuit recipe is simple and you can go from step 1 to a finished batch in 45 minutes (cooking time included).

Rather than making plain biscuits, I added some bacon and cheddar to make this extra tasty. Feel free to add more cheese or more bacon if you so desire.

Ingredients

  • 6 slices bacon, diced
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 3/4 cup flour
  • 2 TBSP cornmeal
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 1 cup milk (I used 2%)
    • Frying Bacon

    Frying Bacon

  • 1 TBSP salt
  • 1 TBSP pepper
  • 1/4 cup chives, minced
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, frozen

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 450F.
  2. In a cast iron skillet, fry bacon until just crispy. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Discard or reserve all of bacon grease except for 1 tablespoon and set the skillet aside.
    3. Bacon Cheddar Biscuits

    Bacon Cheddar Biscuits

  3. Whisk all the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Use a grater to shred butter and toss in with dry ingredients. Using a fork, cut the butter into the flour until pea-sized crumbs form.
  4. Stir in the bacon, cheese, chives and milk. Using a fork, mix until no dry flour remains.
  5. Sprinkle some flour on a clean counter and dump the dough on it. Sprinkle some more flour on top and using your hands, pat the dough into a circle about 1/2- to 1-inch thick. Use a biscuit cutter or other round item (such as a jar or glass) to cut out biscuit shapes. Transfer cut dough to the skillet. Reform remaining dough and cut more biscuits until no dough remains.
  6. Bake the biscuits for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
  7. Let biscuits cool for 5 minutes, then serve.

These biscuits go great with most meals. They’re especially an awesome way to make a breakfast biscuit sandwich.

No matter how you consume them, you can store them in a sealed container for several days. If you have any left over, that is.

 
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Posted by on December 14, 2011 in Cookin', Recipes, Sides

 

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