Grilled Smoked Sausage, Pineapple & Pepper Skewers

“What a long strange trip it’s been” – Grateful Dead

What can I say about 2020 thus far that hasn’t already been said? Surreal. Stressful. Life altering.  All the above?

In the midst of it all, and stuck at home, many turned to cooking and gardening as sources of comfort.  Which honestly, we’ve been doing now for close to 30 years.  Yet I never thought I would see the day when flour was hard to come by and seed catalogs were sold out of inventory!

With a slight return to normalcy now in the Chicagoland area, summer in high gear, and my backyard filled with flowers, buzzing bees and cicadas…almost every night is grill night. Right now, skewers are my go dinner option for busy weeknights and I love love LOVE these smoked sausage, pineapple, pepper skewers basted with a savory pineapple bbq sauce

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These take just minutes to assemble with smoky sausages (if you’re from Chicago, that means smoked Polska Kielbasa)Sweet bell peppers, fresh pineapple and red onions

Glazed with a pineapple bbq sauce and served with additional sauce for dipping. As easy as whisking in some pineapple juice to your favorite bbq sauce. Or, look for tropical bbq sauces at the store, such as Sweet Baby Ray’s Hawaiian BBQ Sauce or if you happen to live in the Chicagoland area, Bartolini’s in Midlothian sells their amazing Pineapple Bourbon Chipotle BBQ Sauce locally.

Perfect for a large gathering…you can easily assemble these ahead of time.  Also consider making a “kid friendly” version with hot dogs!

Until next time, stay cool and most of all, be safe and healthy ❤

Grilled Smoked Sausage, Pineapple and Pepper Skewers

• 14-16 oz Smoked (fully cooked) Sausages (such as Kielbasa)
• 1 each: green, red and orange sweet bell peppers
• 1/2 of a large, fresh pineapple
• 1 small red onion
• 3/4 cup bbq sauce
• 5 TBS pineapple juice (see Note)
• Metal or wooden skewers

Slice sausages about 1-inch thick.  Seed peppers and coarsely dice into approximately 1 1/2-inch squares.  Core pineapple and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces.  Thread onto skewers.

In a small bowl, combine bbq sauce and pineapple juice.  Reserve about 1/3 of a cup for dipping and set aside.  Brush about half of the remaining sauce evenly onto the skewers and place on a hot grill, turning and basting for about 10 minutes, or until slightly charred.

Serve with a side of steamed rice and extra sauce for dipping!

Serves 4

NOTE> If you can find pineapple bbq sauce in your neck of the woods, no need to add additional pineapple juice.  Just use it straight out of the jar.  Happy grilling!

Instant Comfort Beef Stew

My friends, I finally FINALLY jumped on the Instant Pot bandwagon.   Not willingly, I might add.  We recently acquired not just one Instant Pot, but two! Which is a long and silly story so I will spare you the details.  But, here I am, with an appliance I swore on a stack of cookbooks I would never own.

After breezing past every Instant Pot recipe that popped up in my Inbox and graced the pages of Pinterest.  There was no way I was going to get suckered into buying a gadget that I was sure would find its way to the appliance graveyard in my basement, next to the bread machine and ice cream maker.

But curiosity got the best of me, so I decided to give it a go. After carefully considering all the recipes to try for its maiden voyage, I settled on a hearty beef stew figuring I wouldn’t be out all that much if it didn’t turn out. Plus it was a Saturday night and I knew if I blew up my house, we could always just go out to dinner.

I will admit, glancing at the many pages of warning and CAUTION, I was a bit uneasy, as in I thought it might be safer to use a flame thrower to cook dinner.  And the first time I saw steam sputtering out of the valve, I ran for cover.  But with my husband’s assurances, and some Googling to make sure we were doing things the right way, I am pleased to say the outcome was….wonderful!

In just 30 minutes of cooking (plus a little more for the warm up and post cooking pressure release), the darned Instant Pot produced exquisitely tender pieces of beef, carrots, potatoes, along with a rich savory broth.  I tweaked the original recipe a bit to suit my liking and I can state with confidence that this stew is family approved and now blog worthy.

I still think the Instant Pot is more suited to my weekend cooking and I’m trying to figure out where to store it in my tiny kitchen that has no storage space.  But otherwise, I look forward to the many Instant Pot adventures that await!

Until next time, eat well, be well and love lots.

 

1 tsp light or regular olive oil

1 1/2# boneless chuck roast (or 1# beef stew meat) See Note 1>

1 med/small onion, minced (about 1/2 cup)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup dry red wine

3 cups low sodium beef stock (preferably homemade or Swanson’s Artisan Beef Broth)

1 can (14.5 oz.) crushed tomatoes (my fave: Muir Glen Fire Roasted)

1/2 TBS prepared horseradish

1/2 TBS Worcestershire sauce

3 cups baby potatoes or larger red skinned potatoes cut into 1-inch cubes

2 cups carrots, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 bay leaf

About 3 sprigs fresh thyme or fresh rosemary (or 1 tsp dried thyme or rosemary)

Salt and cracked pepper

2 TBS cornstarch

3 TBS water

Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

1. Trim chuck roast of excess fat and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes. You should end up with about 1# of stew meat. Pat dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Brown the stew meat in batches, until well browned on all sides, removing beef to the Instant Pot.
3. Add a little additional oil if needed. Saute the onion for a few minutes until lightly browned. Add minced garlic and continue to saute for about 30 seconds. Remove and add to Instant Pot with beef. (See Note 2> about browning).
4. Add red wine to skillet and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Pour over beef.
5. Add beef stock, potatoes, carrots, crushed tomatoes, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, herbs and additional salt & pepper to taste. Stir to combine.
6. Set to manual pressure cooking for 30 minutes (refer to your owners manual).
7. Once the cooking cycle ends, allow Instant Pot to release pressure naturally for at least 15 minutes.
8. Whisk together cornstarch and water, then whisk into stew, stirring until stew has thickened slightly. Remove fresh herb stems (if using). Adjust seasonings and serve with chopped parsley.

Serves 4-6

Note 1> I’ve mentioned this before but it bears repeating: cutting up your own stew meat takes very little time and allows you to control the amount of fat in the meat and also ensures uniform size.  Precut stew meat is sometimes “mystery meat” and varies in quality.

Note2> You absolutely can brown the meat and onions in your instant pot and save yourself from washing a skillet.  But, I found my meat didn’t brown as nicely as it does on the stove and I wasn’t getting those lovely browned bits (called “fond”) that add such depth to any sauce.

*Recipe adapted from A Mind”Full” Mom food blog

 

 

 

 

Glorious Holiday Ham

My Christmas ham in all it’s sweet maple glazed splendor.  The star of the meal, along with tender, cheesy Potatoes Au Gratin and my holiday green bean, red pepper sauté (which, I will get that recipe out to you at some point).

What makes this ham so glorious? A couple of things worth mentioning.  First and foremost, a top quality ham is a must. Our local butcher carries Winters Deli brand spiral sliced hams.  Delicately smoked…tender and not overly salty.  A special occasion ham for sure but worth it!

Then there is the perfect glaze. I know most spiral hams come with a packet of sugary glaze and while perfectly acceptable, I always prefer to make my own with just enough sweetness from pure maple syrup and brown sugar, balanced with some earthy spices and a touch of tangy Dijon mustard.  Perfection!

And finally, the baking and glazing process.  Even though heating up a ham (which is pretty much all you’re doing) is a simple process, it is important to know when to cover and uncover, etc. so that your ham doesn’t dry out.  For my glorious ham, this involves first bringing the ham closer to room temp, baking covered at 325°, then raising the temp during the last 20 minutes or so, to 425° and brushing with the glaze, uncovered.  This technique works particularly well for spiral sliced hams whose rind has been removed.

As I write this post, the gift of our glorious holiday ham keeps giving.  The bone is currently simmering away, making the base for my husband’s famous ham and bean soup (again, I owe you that recipe at some point too!)

Even though Christmas has passed, I hope you all find that special occasion to gather and feast on this treasure.  Until then, eat well, be well and love lots.

1 bone-in fully cooked spiral cut ham (7-8 pounds for a half a ham)

Glaze

• 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 3 TBS Dijon mustard
• 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves

Let ham sit, wrapped, at room temperature for 1-2 hours before cooking.

Combine ingredients for the glaze and set aside.  Arrange the shelf in your oven to the lower third and preheat to 325°

Place ham in a shallow roasting pan, cut side down.  Brush about 1/3 of the glaze onto ham.  Cover tightly with foil and bake for 10-11 minutes per pound. If you’re using a thermometer, the internal temp should be about 110° (note this will rise with continued baking and resting).

Increase oven temperature to 425°. Uncover and brush another 1/3 of the glaze all over. Return to oven and bake, uncovered, for 10 minutes.  Remove and brush with remaining glaze. Return to oven and bake an additional 10 minutes or until a nice brown crust has formed.  At this point, the internal temperature should reach 130-135°.

Remove from oven and let rest for about 15-20 minutes before carving.  Using a bulb baster or spoon, drizzle some of the pan juices onto the slices.  Enjoy your glorious ham!

Serves 8-10 people with leftovers

 

 

Grilled Parmesan Summer Squash {Master Recipe}

Vegetables and the grill are a match made in heaven. And although grilled summer squash isn’t going to win any beauty awards, from a taste standpoint, it rocks!  With a few very simple techniques, you can use this recipe for all your grill-worthy vegetables. 

If you follow my blog, you know I like to keep things fresh and simple. This recipe is ALL about that.  Just toss sliced summer squash with crushed garlic, Italian herbs, olive oil, salt and pepper.  Easy!

Then grab your handy dandy grill pan if you have one.  If you don’t, you need one!  This round, non stick grill skillet  is available at Bed, Bath & Beyond for a mere $7.99 and worth every penny many times over.

DON’T SKIP THIS NEXT STEP! –>Once you get that beautiful smokey char on your squash, remove and throw it right back into that bowl with the marinade to soak up a little additional garlic and herbs. Flavor intensified and no worries about cross contamination.  Then immediately sprinkle with Parm cheese to melt.  Just a little.

Once you’ve mastered this basic technique, I encourage you to try this with other vegetables as well.  Peppers, eggplant, mushrooms and asparagus and onion wedges are at the top of my grilled veggie list.  And don’t rule out those cool weather vegetables that often get overlooked in the summer, such as cauliflower and Brussels sprouts.  Both delish on the grill.  100% awesome and good for you, too!

Until next time, eat well, be well and love lots.

Grilled Parmesan Summer Squash

{Master Recipe}

• 2 medium summer squash (zucchini, yellow, pattypan, etc.), sliced into 1/3-inch slices
• 1 tsp Italian Herb Seasoning  (preferably salt free)
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, crushed
• 2 TBS olive oil
• Coarse salt and pepper
• 3 TBS shredded or grated Parmesan Cheese (see Note 1>)

Toss squash with Italian Seasoning, garlic, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.  Let sit at room temperature for approximately 30 minutes, or while grill is heating up.

Place grill pan over high heat (see Note 2>) and place slices in a single layer.  DO NOT CLEAN OUT THE BOWL!

Cover and let cook on one side for about 4-5 minutes or until just starting to brown.  Flip and continue cooking for about another 3 minutes. Remove if sufficiently browned or continue cooking and flipping until nicely browned and slightly soft.  Return squash to marinade bowl and toss. Immediately sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and let sit until slightly melted.

Serves 2-3

NOTE 1> You can substitute Romano or a Parmesan/Romano blend, or for a different flavor profile, try crumbled feta or even goat cheese.

NOTE 2> Both charcoal and gas grills work well for vegetables. If you don’t have access to either a sturdy indoor grill pan will yield similar results!

Classic Lemon Butter Sauce

After a prolonged cold and dreary winter, we’re finally seeing some signs of Spring here in the Midwest.  A few days here and there with temperatures in the 50’s.  Chives peaking through the leaves in the garden.  Patio set has been uncovered and cleaned.  And most importantly, the Weber charcoal grill is back in action 🙂

Right now we’re especially loving fresh fish from our local market on the grill with some mesquite chips and served with this classic and delightful Lemon Butter Sauce.  While sauce making may intimidate people, this one is incredibly simple.

Made with ingredients you likely have on hand (and don’t even tell me you don’t have a box of Old Bay® in your spice cabinet!).  We love the extra little kick it imparts along with a few dashes of Worcestershire.  Really makes this sauce stand out from the rest!  Also this is one recipe where it pays to splurge on high quality butter.  I am partial to the European butters like this Lurpak Danish Butter  (Plugrá Butter is another favorite brand).

Serve over any kind of grilled, roasted or poached fish or shellfish.  The cover photo features fresh grouper we grilled last night over mesquite charcoal.  Also a lovely finish for grilled chicken or vegetables.

The addition of the scallions is an ode to our favorite seafood restaurant on the planet: Captain Anderson’s in Panama City Beach, FL.  But other fresh herbs work equally well (parsley, chives, chervil and basil) and it’s fun to experiment.  Just make sure any time you add fresh, green herbs to an acidic sauce, add just before serving to keep them a vibrant green.

Until next time, eat well, be well and love lots

 

• 1 stick unsalted butter
• Juice of one lemon
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 scallion, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated (See Note>)
• 1 tsp Old Bay® seasoning
• Few dashes Lea & Perrins® Worcestershire Sauce
• Freshly ground pepper
• Fine sea salt to taste

In a heavy non-aluminum saucepan, cook the garlic in butter over very low heat for 2 to 3 minutes (do not allow the butter to brown).  Whisk in the lemon juice, Old Bay® and a few dashes of Worcestershire Sauce.  Stir in the sliced white part of the scallion only. Season with a few grinds of pepper and a pinch of sea salt.  Can be made up to an hour before serving. Cover and leave on the stove.  Reheat over very low heat, whisking to combine.

Spoon sauce over seafood, chicken or vegetables.  Garnish with sliced green part of the scallions.

Yields: About 1/2 cup of sauce

Note> Feel free to add or substitute other fresh herbs: parsley, basil, chives, chervil and cilantro are just a few to consider.  Because the acidity of the lemon can turn anything green to a dull drab color, I always recommend adding at the end, just before serving.

 

Simple Skillet Roasted Potatoes

“You learn to cook so that you don’t have to be a slave to recipes. You get what’s in season and you know what to do with it.” – Julia Child

 Truer words have never been spoken, and from none other than the late great Chef and my personal inspiration.   I would like to think that Julia would appreciate this recipe.  As the title indicates, it’s simple.  But more importantly it’s based on technique and open to countless variations.   Just like making an omelette or roasting a chicken, everyone should master the art of roasting potatoes.  Once mastered , you’ll go back to this recipe time and time again, maybe varying the seasoning or garnishing with some different herbs.  The key being you won’t even need to look up the recipe and that…is what learning to cook is all about.

In theory, roasting potatoes should be as easy as boiling an egg or toasting bread, right?  Ironically, I struggled for years to nail down this recipe.  Digging below the surface you find many elements: the perfect size to cut the potatoes, the right amount of olive oil, cooking temp and time.  My goal was always to get them just crispy enough on the outside, tender on the inside.   After much trial and error, I finally got it!  With, of course, a lot of help from  Penzeys Shallot Pepper seasoning and my cast iron skillet.

Three MUST HAVES before we get to the recipe:  I highly recommend the pan of a thousand uses: Lodge 10.25″ Cast Iron Skillet.  A pan that Martha Stewart once proclaimed an “essential kitchen tool”.    You can purchase a new, pre-seasoned skillet on Amazon for a mere $14.88.  Ready to use right out of the box and will just get better with age.  You may certainly roast these on a sheet pan but I find the heat retention of the cast iron makes for the best roasted potatoes.

Along with your cast iron skillet, the second must have is a recent addition to my kitchen :  The Ringer stainless steel cast iron cleaner.  Why did I not know about this sooner?

This super strong, chain mail makes cleaning cast iron a breeze and gets a full 5 stars on Amazon with almost 5,000 reviews and it’s only $13.99!

Last but not least,  the secret ingredient for my perfectly roasted potatoes: Penzeys Shallot Pepper seasoning.

In fact both these seasonings are so wonderful, I am giving them away to one lucky person (see my Dinner Is Served Facebook page) for details.  I use the Shallot Pepper seasoning on everything.  The Mignonette Pepper is a new discovery, and we’re in love with it as well.  A combination of black & white pepper along with some coriander, it’s fabulous on steak and beef roasts.

For my perfect potatoes, though,  the Shallot Pepper is THE way to go.

I think new potatoes work best for this recipe, or Yukon Gold.  Russets have a bit of a drier texture although the outsides tend to get more crispy so if you like your roasted potatoes on the crispy side, then russets are the way to go!

Finally note the recipe as written serves about 2 people but of course can easily be doubled or tripled, etc.  They’re a perfect summer side with grilled steaks or chicken and of course in the fall and winter along side roasted meats and poultry.  Honestly I could probably eat a plate full of them alone for dinner and be perfectly content.

I hope you enjoy these potatoes as much as we do!

Until next time, eat well, be well and love lots

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• 2 cups red or fingerling potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
• ½ to 1 tsp Penzeys Shallot Pepper Seasoning (see NOTE>)
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 ½ TBS olive oil
• 1 TBS chopped fresh parsley or chives

Preheat oven to 420°. Combine potatoes, seasonings and olive oil in an oven proof skillet, preferably cast iron (or a lightly greased 8×8” glass baking dish).  Toss to coat.  Bake in oven for about 20 minutes, then stir.  Bake for another 15-20 minutes until light golden brown on the outside.  Be sure to check on the potatoes at the 35 minute mark!  Give one a taste test and if tender, remove from oven and tent with foil until ready to serve.  Garnish with parsley or chives.

Serves 2

NOTE> If you aren’t using the Shallot Pepper seasoning, you can always season with salt and pepper alone, just keep the pepper to about 1/2 tsp or less, depending on your taste.

Irish Beef Stew with Stout

 

In Chicago, snow shovels, parkas and boots don’t get stored until April.  Make that mid April.  Nor should you put away your soup and stew recipes!  For that reason, I’m totally ok with posting one last cold weather recipe, especially THIS one.  A beautifully rich, stout enhanced sauce surrounding fork tender beef, perfectly cooked potatoes and carrots.  Pub fare, Sunday Supper fare… Whichever way you look at it, a hearty beef stew is a crowd pleaser any time of year.

This is also a recipe that I came perilously close to not making.

Why? Well, Cooks Country (from which I adapted the recipe) told me to cook this stew in the oven uncovered.  UNCOVERED?  No way Cooks!  This violates every rule I learned in cooking school!

As you can see and as my family can attest, Cooks and their unconventional technique were spot on. Mind blown and mea culpe’s for all the recipe developers. The sauce reduced to a perfect consistency with concentrated flavor.  Adding the potatoes and carrots an hour before finishing resulted in perfectly cooked vegetables (not mush). Note I DID opt to cover for the last hour of cooking since the sauce appeared to be perfectly reduced and well…there’s only so much uncovering of stews that I can take.

By all means, use your own favorite brand of stout.  I happened to have some Murphy’s in my basement fridge which honestly I have no idea how it got there, but I do have children “of age” living at home (oy).

Bottom line: you don’t need to be Irish, it doesn’t need to be St. Patrick’s Day OR winter to make a soul warming beef stew.  This one’s a keeper and yes you CAN cook a stew uncovered.  Trust me!

Until next time, eat well, be well and LOVE lots 🙂

Ann @Dinner Is Served

 

Irish Beef Stew with Stout*

• 1 (3 1/2-to 4-pound) boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat, and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• Salt (preferably coarse sea salt) and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/4 cups stout beer
• 1 1/2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Season beef with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large, flameproof Dutch or casserole  oven over medium-high heat until shimmering.  Add onions and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned, 8 to 10 minutes.

2. Add tomato paste and garlic and cook until rust-colored and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in broth, ¾ cup Guinness, sugar, thyme and bay leaf, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir in beef and return to simmer. Transfer to oven and cook, uncovered, for 90 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking.

3. Stir in potatoes and carrots and cover.  Continue cooking until beef and vegetables are tender, about 1 hour, stirring halfway through cooking. Stir in remaining ½ cup Guinness and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste, remove bay leaf and serve.

Serves 6

*Recipe adapted from Cooks Country

Greek Meatballs with Mint, Tomatoes and Yogurt Sauce

I’ve been in this weird food limbo lately. Totally a seasonal thing as we’re beginning to transition from almost the end of winter to almost the beginning of spring.  In Chicago that usually means wild weather and temperature swings that some days feel like summer and 24 hours later we’re back in the deep freeze.

This causes quite a conundrum for those of us who like to cook seasonally.  I’m a little over soups, stews and roasts but not quite ready to brush off the Weber grill.  These savory Greek-style meatballs fill the gap perfectly.  A touch of bright spring with fresh mint and a cooling yogurt sauce.  Simmered in crushed tomatoes and served with egg noodles adds comfort to the dish.

Greek seasoning, fresh mint and the addition of ground lamb bring the Greek elements to the dish, but if lamb isn’t your thing, feel free to reduce or omit all together and just go with beef.  Either way, make sure you’re using the best quality meat, preferably grass fed and/or freshly ground.

The sauce could not be easier to throw together while the meatballs are simmering.  Just one container of good-quality Greek yogurt, fresh parsley and crushed garlic.  Also feel free to toss  a little crumbed feta cheese over everything to complete the meal. 

If you’re looking for a awesome meatball-making-tool, this Medium Scoop from Pampered Chef scoops up a perfect 2 TBS portion of meatball mixture every time.  Also perfect for cookie dough and melon ball scooping.  A “must have” for the well stocked kitchen and only $18!

Until next time, eat well, be well and love lots.  Or, as they say in Greece: Yamas!

• 1 pound ground beef (either 90% or 85% lean)
• 1/2 pound ground lamb
• 1 1/2 TBS finely chopped fresh mint or 2 tsp dried
• 1/2 cup soft bread crumbs (see Note 1>)
• 2 eggs
• 1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 tsp Kosher salt (reduce to 1/2 tsp if using Cavender’s Greek Seasoning)
• 1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp Greek seasoning (either Savory Spice Mt. Olympus Greek Seasoning or Cavender’s All Purpose Greek Seasoning)
• All purpose flour
• 2 TBS vegetable oil
• 1 28-oz can whole, peeled tomatoes, undrained
• 1/2 tsp dried basil

Yogurt Sauce

• 1 carton plain Greek yogurt
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Buttered Egg Noodles for serving (or buttered orzo or pita bread)

Crumbled feta cheese for serving (optional)

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Combine ingredients for yogurt sauce and set aside.

For meatballs, combine beef, lamb, mint, breadcrumbs, eggs, onion and seasonings in a large bowl.  Mix gently until combined. Portion out about 2 TBS sized meatballs, rolling gently and place on a parchment lined sheet pan.  Place flour in second sheet pan or shallow dish.

Heat 2 TBS vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Roll about 10 meatballs in the flour.  Dust off the excess, then brown in the oil, shaking pan and rolling meatballs so that all sides brown.  Adjust heat as necessary to avoid scorching.  When meatballs are evenly browned.  Remove to a paper towel lined plate and repeat with remaining meatballs until they have all been browned.

Wipe out skillet and discard any oil or grease.  Empty can of tomatoes into skillet and using your hands, crush whole tomatoes.  Add in basil, then return meatballs to pan.  Bring to a simmer, then cover, reduce heat and continue cooking until meatballs are cooked through and tender (about 15-20 minutes).

Serve alongside buttered noodles or with pita bread, the yogurt sauce and a Greek salad.

Serves 4

 

Note 1> Food processors do a great job of turning every day bread into fresh bread crumbs.  Just coarsely break apart bread and pulse a few times.

 

 

Super Food for Super Bowl Sunday!

As a born and raised and current resident of the Chicago area,  I technically belong in the “long suffering Chicago Bears Fan” group (1985’s Super Bowl XX aside).  If there is one silver lining to come out of this year, it has to be our hometown hero, Jake Elliott, the Eagle’s kicker who’s rookie season can only be described as a Cinderella Story.  Many of us in our tiny little suburb west of the city will be shouting “Fly Eagles Fly” next Sunday!

Super Bowl Sunday is also a day to celebrate food in the best of American traditions: chili, wings, nachos, beer.  To that end, I’ve assembled some of my favorite recipes on the blog over the years.  All well suited to a football cheering crowd.  Or maybe you’re just in it for the commercials or the Puppy Bowl?  No worries, these dishes go great with those as well.

Until next time…be well, eat well and love lots

1. Weekend Slow Cooker Steak and Bean Chili – Chili and football: probably #1 food and sports pairing.  Using steak instead of ground beef and slow cooking all day takes your chili to the next level.  Just remember to unplug your slow cooker when done! (#ThisIsUs)
2. Ultimate Chicken Enchiladas with Honey and Lime – Wow this dish was immensely popular on the blog and with good reason.  It’s one of our favorites!
3. Emeril’s Andouille and Chicken Jambalaya – my most recent blog post. Great make ahead dish that’s satisfying and economical!
4. Slow Cooker Pot Roast Sandwiches with Swiss Cheese and Thyme Au Jus Absolutely delicious and easier to eat while cheering on your team
5. Sweet Italian Sausage and Tortellini Soup – The first sentence in my post describes this as “guy soup” but for sure this is for EVERYONE soup.  Since this is one of my earlier blog posts, the photo is a bit dicey but trust me this soup is fantastic!
6. Hummus with Parsley Oil and Pine Nuts – Ok, so not quite a traditional Super Bowl Sunday app but it’s such a crowd pleaser, I think it definitely deserves a place alongside your wings and guac 🙂 

 

Emeril’s Andouille and Chicken Jambalaya

With Super Bowl Sunday and Mardi Gras right around the corner, now is the perfect time to offer this soul warming jambalaya which I have been making ever since purchasing Emeril Lagasse’s Louisiana Real & Rustic cookbook about 20 years ago (wow..time sure does fly when you’re cooking a lot).  It’s one of the few recipes I made the first time exactly as written and have not made any alterations since.

The secret to transforming what is a very simple list of ingredients into this richly flavored and complex dish is the technique.  Don’t rush the process and add the ingredients exactly as written.

It’s all about the slow caramelization and layering of flavors and seasonings.  Slow cooked onions and peppers melt into the browned andouille sausage.  By the time the rice is added to saute, you should have beautifully browned bits in the bottom of the pan which, when deglazed with water, add an incredible richness.

A few specifics about the ingredients.  I know 1/2 cup of vegetable oil seems like a lot and honestly the first time I made this dish, I thought it was a typo!  But it does end up getting absorbed by the meat and rice and this makes a generous 8 portions so that amounts to about 1 TBS per serving.  Your choice of course.  If you wanted to reduce it to, say 1/3 cup go for it!

For the rice, I prefer medium grain rice, which will give you a slightly stickier texture reminiscent of risotto.  Long grain is fine too but I would caution against some brown rices that may take longer to cook (check the package to be sure!). 

Finally for the meat, I just LOVE this combination of spicy andouille sausage and tender chicken thighs.  You can also use a combination of chicken breasts and thighs or, just breasts alone.  And if you’re not a huge fan of spice, regular kielbasa or any kind of smoked sausage can be substituted for the andouille.

Jambalaya is perfect “one pot meal” for a group of friends or Sunday supper with the family.  Easy, economical and comforting on a chilly day.  I absolutely LOVE this recipe and have not and probably will not ever change a thing!

Until next time, be well, eat well and love lots.

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3 cups chopped onions
• 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1 pound andouille sausage (or regular kielbasa), sliced 1/4″-thick
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, chicken thighs, cut into 1″ pieces (or a combination of breast and thigh meat)
• 3 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 3 bay leaves
• 3 cups medium-grain white rice
• 6 cups water
• 1 cup chopped green onions

Heat the oil in a large, heavy bottom Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, 2 tsp of salt and 1 tsp of cayenne pepper. Stirring often, brown the vegetables for about 20 minutes or until they are caramelized and dark brown in color (lower heat after first 10 minutes if vegetables start to scorch).

Add the sausage and cook, stirring often for 10-15 minutes, scraping the bottom and sides of the pot to loosen any browned particles.

Season the chicken with the remaining 1 tsp of salt and remaining 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper then add to the pot along with the bay leaves. Brown the chicken for about 8-10 minutes, continuing to scrape the browned particles from the bottom of the pot.

Add the rice and stir for 2 to 3 minutes to coat evenly. Turn up heat and add about a cup of the water and bring to a boil scraping up remaining browned bits.  Add remaining 5 cups of water.  Cover, then reduce heat to medium/medium-low and simmer for about 30 to 35 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid has been absorbed.

Remove the pot from the heat and let stand, covered, for about 5 minutes.  Remove bay leaves.  Stir in chopped green onions and serve.

Serves 8-10

* Recipe adapted from Emeril Lagasse Louisiana Real & Rustic