Tag Archives: Recipe

December 15, 2011

Christmas Crown Pork Roast

By 5iveDollarFeasts

Americans don’t seem to have one traditional dish that they prepare for Christmas dinner. From Goose to Prime Rib most of them are rather hard to fit into our “under five dollar per person” budget here at Five Dollar Feasts. A lot of people do another Turkey, but not everyone wants a repeat of Thanksgiving, only a month removed. If you do want to do a Turkey, though, you can try my Bourbon Brined Grilled Turkey recipe.

Last year, however, my Mom and I had an army of mouths to feed for Christmas dinner in Olympia, Washington. My Mom had already bought a Prime Rib roast, but it wasn’t going to be enough to feed everyone and she just couldn’t afford another roast that expensive. We thought about a turkey, but decided it would take up too much precious oven time that we would need for the Prime Rib.

Still, my mother, who grew up eating turkey for Christmas, was disappointed that we wouldn’t have stuffing for the holiday meal. That’s when we came up with the idea of a Crown Pork Roast. It was perfect. It was affordable, it could fit in the oven with the Prime Rib, AND you can stuff the center of it with your favorite stuffing recipe. At her local Top Foods in Washington, we had to ask the butcher to make one up for us, but in Southern California I see them ready to go at the store every holiday season.

And you know what? It was a huge hit. People enjoyed it as much or more than the Prime Rib at a fraction of the cost. (Not that I am saying there is anything wrong with Prime Rib, if you can afford it.) Plus, you get all that wonderful stuffing as a side. It’s also a great time to try out any apple or pear dressing recipes you may have, because, as I have said before, apple and pork is a match made in heaven!

The one trick: take it out when the meat thermometer reaches 155 degrees. It will cook to 165 degrees on it’s own while it rests, and you do not want to overcook pork.

So, if you don’t want to break the bank this holiday season, (and let’s face it, in this economy, who does?) go out and grab a Crown Pork Roast, stuff it, and enjoy, knowing that no one will be missing a thing this Christmas dinner.

Oh, and after you finish roasting it up, decorate it with some extra rosemary sprigs, tied to the ribs with Christmas ribbon for a festive feast!

Crown Pork Roast

1 crown pork roast, around 7 pounds (you usually order this by the amount of ribs. 16 is pretty standard)

2 Tablespoons fresh rosemary (plus extra sprigs for garnish) (or 2 teaspoons dried)

2 Tablesoons fresh sage, chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried) 

2 Tablespoons fresh thyme (or 2 teaspoons dried) 

Salt and Pepper to taste

¼ olive oil

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Mix the olive oil, rosemary, sage, thyme, salt and pepper together. Rub the meat of the roast with this wet rub. (By “meat” I mean that there is no need to rub the ribs as well.)
  3. Fill the center of the roast with you favorite stuffing or dressing. (Or you can use the recipe below)
  4. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes per pound (normally about 2 to 3 hours) until a meat thermometer reads 155 degrees in the thickest part of the meat. Do not hit the bone when testing the temperature.
  5. Let sit for 20 minutes before carving.

Dressing (or Stuffing)

4 cups of stale bread, cubed into 1/2″ thick pieces

1/2 cup butter

6 to 7 celery stalks, chopped

2 large onions, chopped

3 to 4 cloves garlic, chopped

12 to 16 button mushrooms, chopped

approximately 1/2 cup of chicken broth

1 teaspoon dried sage

1 teaspoon dried majoram (or thyme)

3 to 4 apples or pears, chopped (optional)

1 cup crushed walnuts or sliced almonds (optional)

  1. Sautee the celery and onion in the butter over medium heat until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the mushrooms, garlic and optional apples or pears and brown for about another 5 minutes.
  2. Combine the sauteed vegetable mixture with the bread, and optional nuts and chicken broth. Mix well. The dressing should be moist from the butter and broth, but not gummy. Add more chicken broth if needed. Stuff into your bird or roast before baking. Bake any additional dressing at 425 degrees for 30 minutes.

2 comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | posted in American, Pork, Recipes

November 24, 2011

Traveling Thanksgiving Leftovers: Turkey, Cream Cheese and Cranberry Sandwiches

By 5iveDollarFeasts

It’s a couple days after Thanksgiving. You’ve had a great time with your family and it is time to get on that plane, in that car, or whatever mode of transportation you are using to get back home. Your family or friends are pushing leftover turkey (hopefully Grilled Bourbon Turkey) on you, but you just don’t have a place to pack it.

I’m here to tell you, not to turn down that leftover turkey!

You need to eat on the plane, car, or just simply when you get back home, so make sure you accept at least enough turkey to make yourself this wonderful sandwich for the road. All you need is some cream cheese, lettuce, and some of the leftover cranberry sauce from Turkey Day.

This is the perfect post-holiday sandwich, but don’t feel like you always have to wait for the days after Thanksgiving for this treat, you can make this sandwich any time of the year. Just grab some deli turkey from you local deli counter. (That’s actually what’s pictured.)

Turkey, Cream Cheese, and Cranberry Sandwiches

1/3 pound turkey (either leftover from a roast turkey or deli sliced turkey will do)

Whipped Cream Cheese (you can use regular cream cheese too, but be sure to soften it. I prefer the whipped cream because it’s not too dense)

Cranberry sauce (homemade or canned will do)

1 leaf of lettuce

1 croissant, halved or 2 slices of bread

  1. Spread cream cheese on the bottom side of a croissant or one piece of bread, and cranberry sauce on the top side or slice.
  2. Layer the turkey on top of the cream cheese, top with lettuce, and finally with the top of the croissant or the other slice of bread that has been slathered with cranberry sauce. Eat and enjoy!

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , | posted in American, Holidays, Recipes, Sandwiches

November 17, 2011

Thanksgiving in Warm Weather- Grilled Bourbon Turkey with Bourbon Gravy, Green Bean Casserole, Stuffed Pumpkin, and Bourbon Pumpkin Tarts

By 5iveDollarFeasts

When I was planning the compulsory Food Blog Thanksgiving post, I originally thought that I would just post recipes for a bunch of delicious side dish choices. I mean, I figured everyone would already have their turkey technique decided over years of tradition. But I found a way to cook your bird that is incredible. If you’re open to it, I have found a way to cook your bird that gets the best of both the roasting world and the smoking world, and if you try it, I don’t think you’ll go back to your old method again.

I had recently heard about two friends who were going to brine their bird in Bourbon and then smoke it, which sounded amazing. I mean what better flavor to infuse your bird with than Bourbon for Thanksgiving? I can’t think of another popular liquor that was invented in America other than Bourbon. Sure, we do wine well, but Europe was doing that long before us; beer was invented by Franciscan monks in what is now Belgium; obviously scotch, tequila, and vodka were invented elsewhere. Bourbon, however, is ours. It was invented in Old Bourbon in Kentucky, and that area of America is still where most of the Bourbon in the world is made. And what better holiday to feature American’s spirit than the day we celebrate the Spirit of the New World: Thanksgiving?

There was one problem with recreating my friends’ Thanksgiving Day Turkey idea: I don’t have a smoker. I do have a grill, I thought to myself. There must be some way to grill a turkey, right? And, if there is, what a great way for those of us who live in warm weather cities to celebrate the holiday? If you live in any Southern or Tropical American climates, or if you are celebrating Christmas in Australia, there is no better way to make a Turkey. (Of course any warm weather climate will do. I am just making the silly assumption that I don’t have many South America, African, Asian or Middle Eastern readers, as my blog is not widely translated, but I suppose I could be wrong.)

There are a few guidelines to ensure a perfectly grilled bird, however:

1. Use a roasting pan with a rack. This will allow the hot air to get all the way around the bird, but still leave you pan dripping for a delicious Bourbon gravy. (If you don’t own one, Smart & Final sells cheap disposable roasting pans with racks.)

2. Brine the bird. Basting the bird on the grill will be too disruptive of the heat, and will not get you the delicious crisp skin you want.

3. Cover the top of the wings and the end of the legs with tin foil for the first hour of cooking to keep them from burning.

4. Do NOT start the bird breast down as can be en vogue these days. It cooks just fine breast up, and you will just ruin your turkey’s skin.

5. Do NOT tuck the wings back or truss the bird. This just messes with the cooking on the grill. The wings will over cook and the drumsticks will under cook.

6. Do NOT stuff the bird. (To me, this is the only drawback of a grilled bird. I like a stuffing flavored by the bird. This is why I recommend Stuffed Pumpkins for a side, to get a pumpkin flavored stuffing instead.)

7. Do NOT cover the bird in foil as it sits for the final 15 minutes before serving. The bird will stay plenty warm, and all you are doing is trapping moisture in the skin you took all that care crisping.

8. Pour a little Bourbon (or water) in the bottom of the roasting pan at the beginning of cooking to keep the bird moist.

9. Use soaked wood chips in a pie tin on the grill for a delicious smoke flavor.

10. Rub herbs and oil UNDER the skin as well as over the skin to make it penetrate the meat.

If you follow these 10 rules you are on your way to a very impressive Thanksgiving. And, trust me, guests will be ooo-ing and aah-ing seeing your bird on the grill. Grilling the bird works best for a smaller bird. Mine was 12 pounds. If you need to make a 20 pound monster to feed a crowd, grilling may not be the best method for you.

I also have great recipe for a Green Bean Casserole. I think Green Bean Casserole has a bad connotation now, because it brings to mind soggycasseroles of mushy canned beans in a mushy canned soup paste. If you use fresh Green Beans, shallots, and mushrooms, you can still use some cream of mushroom soup and some fried onion topping for a delicious side that pairs well with the Bourbon flavors.

I made a Stuffed Pumpkin as well. Just follow the link to my Halloween blog, but use one medium sized pumpkin and cook it for 2 hours rather than the small pumpkins cooked for 90 minutes. (I made the rice stuffed pumpkin this time, but use what you like. This can also be a good vegetarian option. Just eliminate any meat products. Or you can add soyrizo or any other vegetarian sausage.)

Jodie made little Pumpkin Tarts in a filo dough cups (that we got on sale at Fresh and Easy.) She topped them with a home-made Bourbon Whipped Cream and a little candied ginger. These flavors worked so well together, we had guests tell us that they loved them even though they didn’t normally like pumpkin or candied ginger. This is a great alternative to pumpkin pie.

Last but not least, shop around for your bird. All of your local stores will have their Turkey sales listed on their weekly ads. Just search the internet for the store’s name and find the weekly ad page link on their home page. This year, I found Vons (Pavillions / Safeway) selling 12 pound frozen birds for eight dollars. I also saw Ralph’s selling birds 2 for 1, which is great if you can find a friend to buy their bird with you, but doesn’t seem likely. Frozen birds are often cheaper, and I  don’t find any significant difference in flavor. Just allow it 2 days to defrost in your brine.

Grilled Bourbon Turkey

1 10 to 16 pound Turkey (I recommend about 12 pounds.)

1 onion, quartered

4-6 garlic cloves

½ cup Bourbon

1 bag wood chips (hickory, mesquite, etc.)

tin foil

Brine:

1 cup Bourbon

1 cup Maple Syrup

¾ cup whole crystal sea salt or 1 ½ cups table salt

1 quart water

Wet Rub:

1 Tablespoon dried thyme (or your other favorite herb)

1 Tablespoon dried parsley

½ cup olive oil

  1. Mix the brine ingredients together in your largest pot or Dutch oven. Unwrap your Turkey and submerge in the brine. If your bird is frozen, brine for 36 to 48 hours, if fresh, brine for 12 to 24 hours. Remove the bird at least 1 hour before ready to cook to allow it to come to room temperature. (If your turkey doesn’t totally submerge, flip the bird every 12 hours.)
  2. Prepare the grill. You need to cook the Turkey over indirect heat. Make sure you have plenty of propane. Begin by preheating your grill by turning the burners to high and covering the grill. Then set up your grill for indirect grilling. Hopefully, you have burners that will allow heat from 2 sides of the Turkey. If so leave the middle burners off, and the side burners at medium. If you have only 2 burners, leave one burner off, and turn the other to high. If you are using a 2 burner grill, be aware you will have to turn you roasting pan every hour for equal roasting. If using charcoal, you are a brave soul, and make sure your coals and wood chips are spread to two sides, with no coals directly in the center.
  3. Soak wood chips for ½ hour. (Unless using charcoals, then add the chips directly to the coals.)
  4. Mix the herbs in the oil to create the wet rub. Let this sit while you prepare the turkey, to let the flavors meld together. Do not use any salt, the turkey is salted enough from the brine.
  5. Remove the giblets from the center of the turkey and rinse the bird. It is important to rinse the salty brine off of your turkey. Pat dry thoroughly with paper towels.
  6. Using your fingers loosen the skin of the turkey from the flesh. You fingers will have to poke through some membranous tissue, but be careful not to poke through the actual skin. Rub the bird with the wet rub over and under the skin. Poke the skin with a fork or bamboo skewer 5 to 6 times to help the oils escape during cooking to crisp the skin.
  7. Place the onion quarters and garlic in the cavity of the turkey. These should fit in loosely as aromatics, not as a stuffing. A few sprigs of fresh herbs can be added here as well.
  8. Place the turkey in a roasting pan with a V-shaped rack, breast side up. Pour ½ cup of bourbon in the roasting pan. Cover the tops of the wings (do NOT tuck these back) with foil, as well as the extremities of the drumsticks to prevent burning.
  9. Place the turkey on indirect heat on the grill and the half of the wood chips in a pie tin over the direct heat.
  10. Roast the turkey for 15 to 20 minutes per pound. (My 12 pound bird took 2 and ¾ hours.)
  11. Check on the bird every half hour very briefly. (Do not keep the grill open too long to let the heat escape.) During the first hour add more bourbon or water to the bottom of the roasting pan if necessary. After an hour, remove foil from the wings and legs. After the first hour, keep an eye on the wood chips. You’ll need to replace them with the second half of the soaking cips when they get too blackened. You do not want your turkey to taste of burnt wood.
  12. When the bird reads an internal temperature of 165 (NOT 180!) in several places, the juices are running clear, and the wings and legs move freely when wiggled, the turkey is done. Remove it from the grill and let it sit for 15 minutes before carving (use this time to finish you sides, make gravy and get everything to the table.) Do NOT tent the bird with foil.
  13. Carve and serve, passing Bourbon gravy (Directions below)

Bourbon Gravy

Pan Drippings from Grilled or Roasted Turkey

1 cup flour (approximately)

4 cups Turkey or Chicken Broth (approximately)

4 Tablespoons butter

½ cup Bourbon

  1. If possible place your roasting pan directly on your stove’s burners. Otherwise scrape the pan drippings into a large pan. Over low heat, add flour and butter to the pan dripping to make a roux. The roux should be thick and not watery, but the flour should be completely dissolved.
  2. Once the flour is once mixed thoroughly with the fats of the turkey drippings and butter, Turn the heat to high, and pour the bourbon and half the broth into the pan while whisking vigorously. (This is the tricky part. If a friend is available, have them pour the whiskey and broth, while you whisk your heart out for the roux to dissolve.)
  3. When the gravy thickens, add more broth. Continue to do this until the gravy is at your desired consistency while also at a rolling boil. (If you do not boil the gravy, it will retain a floury taste.) Let it boil for a few minutes, then remove and serve immediately.

Green Bean Casserole

2 cups (16 ounces) fresh green beans, rinsed and the ends removed

3 to 4 shallots, minced

6 to 8 white button mushrooms, sliced

1 Tablespoon olive oil

2 cups cream of mushroom soup (I prefer Trader Joe’s Cream of Portabello mushroom soup)

½ cup shredded cheddar or swiss cheese

2 cups crispy onion topping

  1. Preheat the oven to 350.
  2. Parboil the green beans, by cooking them 5 to 6 minutes in boiling water, and then immediately drain them and rinse with cold water. Transfer the beans to a casserole dish.
  3. Saute the shallots in the olive oil. Once softened, brown the mushrooms in the shallots and oil until shimmering.
  4. Mix the shallot mushroom mixture with the mushroom soup, and green beans in the casserole dish.
  5. Top the mixed beans with cheese. Then top the cheese with a thick layer of crispy onions.
  6. Bake at 350 for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Pumpkin Tarts 

12 mini filo dough tart cups

1 16oz package of cream cheese, softened

1 can of pumpkin

1 cup sour cream

1 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves or allspice, ginger)

Candied ginger, cut into small pieces

  1. Using an electric mixer, combine sour cream, cream cheese, and brown sugar until smooth.
  2. Add pumpkin and spices, beat until smooth.
  3. It is a little slow but you can use a turkey baster to suck up the pudding and squeeze into the filo cups, or spoon a cup or two into a freezer bag and cut a small piece of one of the corners off and squeeze like a pastry bag.
  4. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
  5. Remove from refrigerator, top with Bourbon Whipped Cream (below) and a small piece of candied ginger.

Bourbon Whipped Cream

1 small (1/2 pint) carton heavy whipping cream

2 Tablespoons powdered sugar

1 ½ Tablespoons Bourbon

1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract

  1. Combine ingredients and the beat, using an electric mixer, on high heat with whisk attachments until the cream has stiff peaks.

5 comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | posted in American, Casseroles, Chicken & Poultry, Desserts, Holidays, Recipes, Vegetables

November 10, 2011

Harvest Pasta for the Fall – Butternut Squash Ravioli in a Cider Broth

By 5iveDollarFeasts

Cuisine has seasons just as the weather does. Autumn is here and it is getting cold. There is that crispness in the air that smells of the Holidays. Our palates turn to thoughts of pumpkin pie, mulled cider, and spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Is your mouth watering yet?

Well, what if I could tell you that you could get all of that…out of a pasta dish? It’s actually quite simple, and as always cheap!

First, run out and buy some butternut squash raviolis (I bought some particularly pretty ones on sale from Ralph’s, but you don’t need the fancy stripes for good butternut squash ravioli. I just wanted them to make our photo super nice.) These are cheap at stores like Trader Joe’s or Fresh and Easy, but your local grocery store probably has some store-brand butternut squash pasta. While five years ago, butternut squash raviolis may have been only found in trendy restaurants, now they are easy to find in the fresh pasta section.

Butternut squash (don’t be turned off by the squash name, this is not your usual squash) is popular because it has the same flavor as pumpkin (which is also a squash,) but is much cheaper.

Secondly, while we tend to think of sauces to serve our ravioli in, a light but flavorful broth can be a delicious alternative. I don’t mean to make it a soup. You just need enough broth to flavor the ravioli and keep it tender, not so much that the raviolis float in the broth. Use half chicken or vegetable stock, and half pear or apple cider, flavored with shallots, thyme, and extra ginger. The extra ginger is the secret to add enough bite to make this dish feel savory instead of cloyingly sweet, which can happen if you use too much cider. My favorite choice is Pear Cider that can be found at Trader Joe’s, but any good cider will do. It can be found affordably in the juice aisle.

Cook the pasta, pour the broth over the top, and you have all the flavors of fall in a beautiful light (and vegetarian!) dish. Top it all with shaved parmesan, and be sure to serve bread to sop up the last of the delicious broth. Enjoy with a crisp Chardonnay (not too typically “Californian” with a lot of oak and butter flavors. Australian Chards have a lot more citrus flavors and will pair well with this meal.) If you prefer beer, pair this with a Hefewiezen.

Butternut Squash Ravioli in a Cider Broth

1 package of Butternut Squash Ravioli

3 to 4 shallots, diced

1 cup chicken or vegetable stock

1 cup pear or apple cider (I like Trader Joe’s Pear Cider)

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon ginger powder (or 1 Tablespoon minced fresh ginger)

Salt & Pepper to taste

1 Tablespoon olive oil

  1. Heat the olive oil in a sauce pan over medium low heat. Before it begins to smoke, add shallots and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add thym, ginger, salt and pepper halfway through.
  2. Add stock and cider, bring the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the broth has reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Taste as you go, and adjust the flavors until you have a savory broth with hints of cinnamon, ginger, and pear or apple.
  3. Meanwhile, cook the ravioli according to the directions on the package.
  4. Ladle steaming broth over the cooked Ravioli. Shave parmesan over the top and serve immediately with croissants or other bread.

3 comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | posted in Italian, Pasta, Recipes, Vegetarian

November 3, 2011

Garlic Shrimp 3 Ways – Sizzling, Scampi, or over Cous Cous

By 5iveDollarFeasts

Mother Nature has provided us with a few perfect pairings. Pork and apples, lemon and fish, and rosemary and lamb are all examples of foods that grow apart on Earth but are combined in the kitchen.  These flavors aren’t combined on accident. They compliment each other like the perfect old married couple (and not the bickering kind. The sitting on a porch swing holding hands, watching the sunset kind.) Chefs like to get creative and find new ways to pair flavors, but ultimately these perfect pairings (as I call them) need no help. That’s why we cook them over and over again. Because the flavors may not taste great alone (who wants to eat raw rosemary?) but together, they are perfect.

Garlic and shrimp is one of these perfect pairings. Shrimp is such a great protein. It’s great for us, and it tastes amazing. While shrimp can be made many different ways, few of those don’t include garlic. And the sweet, pungent, but still mellow flavor of garlic can be everything you need for the perfect shrimp. One note: please buy North American shrimp only. Imported shrimp, as of now (2011) is not fished sustainably and can ruin our oceans.

No matter what style of cuisine you are preparing (Mediterranean, Italian, or Asian inspired) there is a technique to get you the perfect garlic flavor infused into your shrimp. The trick is to get all three of the garlic flavors into your shrimp: The raw & pungent, the roasted & sweet, and the smooth & mellow.

First, you marinate the shrimp in chopped raw garlic. Then, you roast crushed garlic in oil to a nice dark brown, and finally, you poach (lightly cook) thinly sliced garlic into it’s nice mellow tones. Then, when you finally pop that succulent cooked shrimp in your mouth and it bursts on your tongue, it will release the full spectrum of garlic flavors all at once, leaving your palate tingling and wondering what exactly happened to it. (The flavors will be so satisfying, it will leave your tongue hoping that the shrimp will call the next day.)

This technique can be used to make a wonderful Sizzling Garlic Shrimp appetizer, a full meal when served over cous cous, or a wonderfully rich shrimp scampi over angel hair pasta (or cappellini as the Italians say. There must be some relation to capillaries here.  One is the thinnest pasta, the other the thinnest veins, but I don’t know for sure. Anyhow, I digress, as usual…)

This may all seem like a lot to do, but it takes only a half-hour, and you will leave your guests scratching their heads, wondering why it never tastes this good when they cook with garlic at home.

Regardless of which variant you make below (I like to switch it up and make ‘em all. I’ll also keep trying new ways to make this technique work as well) serve it with a good rose wine. Believe it or not, some rose wines are good, you don’t always have to turn your nose up at them. Menage a Trois make a great rose with a blend of Syrah, Merlot and Gewurztraminer (No Zin to be found) and is very affordable.

Sizzling Garlic Shrimp

16 medium garlic cloves, peeled

1 pound medium to large shrimp, peeled and deveined, with tails removed

8 Tbsp olive oil

½ tsp salt

1 bay leaf

2 tsp dry sherry or sake

1 tsp rice wine or white vinegar

1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (otional)

1 tsp cayenne pepper or other chile powder (optional, but recommended.  Can also use 1 dried chile, roughly broken. Also not to be mistaken for chili powder, you don’t want your garlic shrimp to taste of Texas chili. We’re looking for powdered chiles here.)

  1. Marinate shrimp in 2 Tbsp of olive oil, along with the salt and 4 minced or pressed garlic cloves for 30 minutes. This will give the shrimp a raw pungent garlicky flavor.
  2. Meanwhile, smash 4 more garlic cloves with the flat side of a chef’s knife. Heat the smashed garlic in remaining 6 Tbsp of olive oil over medium heat until darkly golden brown, 4 to 7 minutes. Remove pan from flame and allow oil to cool. Remove the browned garlic with a slotted spoon. This browned garlic will add the sweet garlic flavor.
  3. Thinly slice the remaining 8 garlic cloves. Return the pan to low heat and add sliced garlic, bay leaf, and optional cayenne or dried chili. Cook, stirring occasionally 4 to 7 minutes, or until garlic is poached, which means tender but not yet browned. (If the garlic has not begun to sizzle slightly after 3 minutes, increase heat slightly to medium-low heat.) This adds the final mellow garlic notes to the dish.
  4. Increase heat to medium-low and add shrimp, with the marinade, to the pan in a single layer. Cook shrimp, undisturbed, until oil starts to gently bubble, about 2 minutes. Using tongs, flip shrimp and continue to cook through about 2 minutes longer.
  5. Mix vinegar and sherry or sake together.  Increase heat to high, and add sherry or sake mixture along with parsley.  Cook 15 to 20 seconds until shrimp is pink and cooked through. Serve to guests sizzling.

Mediterranean Variant

Simply serve the garlic shrimp and it’s oils over your favorite cous cous.

Garlicky Shrimp Scampi Variant

Add 2 teaspoons of dried oregano to the oil in step three with the bay leaf in place of the cayenne, chile or chile powder. Serve over cappellini (angel hair pasta)

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | posted in Appetizers, Fish, Italian, Mediterranean, Pasta, Recipes

October 27, 2011

Fun Halloween Dinner Idea – Stuffed Personal Pumpkins

By 5iveDollarFeasts

Six years ago now, my wife, Jodie (she shoots all the wonderful food photos on this blog) started listening to NPR. She kept telling me how great it was with shows like Marketplace, All Things Considered, and Splendid Table. I scoffed at her. I regularly made fun of her for turning into an old lady in her mid-twenties. (I mean, Marketplace? Really? How boring does that sound?)

Then, one day, while driving Jodie’s car, she had left the station on our local NPR station (KPCC.) My reaction was to immediately turn it off, but as I reached for the dial, the story fascinated me. (I think it was about the sale of AC-DC’s new album despite the economic downturn, but I don’t remember for sure.) I listened to that story, determined to change the station right afterward and listen to some tunes. But, then, the next story was great too, and the one after that. Before I knew it they were reading off the stock market numbers and Kai Ryssdal signed off his show called Marketplace. I had just listened to an entire episode of Marketplace and loved it. Crap. Since then, I have been hooked to NPR. (I still listen to Kevin & Bean in the morning, and listen to my iPod on long road trips, so I am not completely an old man yet, right?)

I know, “Why is he talking about NPR? This is a food blog, right?” Hold your horses, I am getting there.

About a year ago, I heard Lynne Rossetto Kasper of The Splendid Table describe a recipe from Dorie Greenspan’s book, Around My French Table, called Pumpkin Stuffed with Everything Good and I was intrigued. Basically it is a whole pumpkin, scooped out like you plan to carve it, and then stuffed with bacon, cheese, bread, cream and other goodness.

Now, for Halloween, I finally have a chance to make it. This may not be blood and guts spaghetti or gummy worms in dirt pudding, but I wanted to make something delicious for Halloween that was less gimmicky than those types of recipes.

I modified Dorie Greenspan’s recipe so that I could throw in whatever I had lying around my kitchen (she says that you can throw anything you want into the pumpkin without really screwing it up). I also thought it would be fun to use the small “pie” pumpkins that all the grocery stores sell around Halloween. That way everyone got their own individual pumpkin on their plate. And the pie pumpkins are so cheap, I could stuff ‘em with leftovers, fill ‘em with cream, and still serve each person a five dollar feast served with a flavorful Chardonnay from Grocery Outlet.

This recipe can be made with bacon or sausage, bread or rice, and nuts, pears, or apples, or even all of the above. I used Bacon Ends & Pieces from Trader Joe’s or Fresh and Easy to get a smokey bacon-y goodness without spending the money on whole slices of bacon, and I threw in stale bread, pears, and walnuts, and Emmentaler (fancy name for aged swiss cheese; it’s not as expensive as it sounds) that I had lying around the house, but you are welcome to experiment with your favorite ingredients.

This is a great meal to make with your kids. They will love scooping out the pumpkins and helping stuff them. Then they can have their very own pumpkin they helped make for dinner! Although, don’t serve this too often as it certainly isn’t health food.

 

Modified Pumpkin Stuffed With Everything Good

You can see Dorie Greenspan’s original recipe here.

1 “pie” or small pumpkin per person

Salt and pepper

2 or 3 slices of stale bread per pumpkin, cut into 1/2-inch chunks (alternatively you can use rice for a risotto-like interior)

1/8 pound cheese per pumpkin, cut into 1/2-inch chunks (Gruyere, Emmentaler, cheddar, or a combination of all three are all good choices. Buy what’s cheap)

1-2 garlic cloves per pumpkin, coarsely chopped

1 strip of bacon per pumpkin or ½ package of Bacon Ends & Pieces from Trader Joe’s or Fresh & Easy (or perhaps from your local butcher. Sausage meat, removed from its casing, also works well.)

½ pear per pumpkin (or apple)

1 Tablespoon walnut pieces per pumpkin

About 1/4 cup snipped fresh chives or sliced scallions

1 teaspoon dried thyme (use what herbs you have on hand, no need to buy anything you don’t normally have in your spice rack)

About ¼ cup heavy cream per pumpkin

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg for every pumpkin

  1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat, wax or parchment paper.
  2. Just like making a Jack-O-Lantern, cut a cap out of the top of the pumpkin. Cut off enough of the top to make it easy for you to stuff it. Scoop out the seeds and pulp, then season the inside of the pumpkin generously with salt and pepper.
  3. Make the stuffing by tossing the bread, cheese, garlic, bacon, pears, walnuts herbs, and other dry ingredients together.
  4. Fill the pumpkins with this stuffing and pack the mix into the pumpkin. The pumpkin should be well filled.
  5. Stir the cream with the nutmeg together and pour it over the stuffing in each pumpkin. Adjust the level of cream to taste. Should get all the stuffing wet, but not make it swimming in cream either. (As Dorie states, it’s hard to go wrong here.)
  6. Put the cap in place, place the filled pumpkins on the baking sheet and bake the pumpkin for 70 minutes. Then remove the cap and continue roasting for 20 more minutes (90 minutes total) or until everything inside the pumpkin is bubbling and the flesh of the pumpkin is tender enough to be pierced easily with the tip of a knife.
  7. When the pumpkins are ready, carefully transfer them to each plate. Guests may choose to eat from the center of the pumpkin or take large slices out of the roasted pumpkin. It is all edible.

4 comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | posted in American, Casseroles, Recipes, Vegetables

October 6, 2011

Stout Braised Lamb Shanks – French Cooking with a Twist

By 5iveDollarFeasts

As I noticed recently while writing my weblog on Chicken Marsala, I have written 6 Italian recipes and 0 French recipes. While, I’ve tried defending myself by pointing out that this is a budget blog specializing in cooking meals for under 5 dollars a head, not all of French cuisine is foie gras and escargot. In fact, I think most of the really great French cuisine is elevated peasant food: Coq au Vin, Beef Bourguignon, ratatouille, and crepes.

So, it is a bit of a travesty that I have been blogging for a half a year now, and not posted one French dish. I mean, let’s face it, France really is the father of modern dining. With that in mind I have decided to post a French-inspired recipe of my favorite meat of all time: lamb. (Say it with me now, with your best Homer Simpson impression, mmm…Lamb.)

Lamb is a lovely meat. Depending on the cut it can be seared rare, roasted, or slow cooked. I love them all. It’s not the cheapest meat of all time, though unless you live in Australia (where it is cheaper than chicken, I swear.) The shanks (the leg meat) is affordable when you are lucky enough to find it. I am not sure why most grocery stores only carry it about half of the time, but whenever you do find it, is one of the cheapest cuts of lamb.

I remember the first time I bought lamb shanks, I had no idea what I was buying. I was living in Australia with Jodie at the time, and, like I said, lamb was dirt cheap. I had made lamb many ways while we were there. This was when I was very young and had very little experience cooking, mind you. So, I bought two lamb shanks took them home, and promptly seared them rare in a skillet. If you know anything about shank meat, it takes hours for the connective tissue to break down and become the tender amazing flesh we are used to having. Otherwise you are trying to chew on what amounts to gristle. Let’s just say that pizzas were ordered that night.

This is why the French invented braising. Braising is when you take a tough piece of meat full of fat and connective tissues and cook it long and slow until it melts into the meat and creates a tender, buttery sensation in your mouth that English doesn’t have proper words to describe. Peasants often used this method because these cuts of the meat were not considered as desirable to the upper class (who were clearly lazy and dumb.)

Now, if you have been reading my blog, I hope you have noticed that I like to take very traditional foods of any culture and give them my own modern  twist. The same is true with my lamb shank.

In France it is traditional to braise your shank with Burgandy wine. (That is there way of saying Pinot Noir, basically…more on that another time.) While I like cooking in wine…I love cooking in beer. So, I replaced the wine with a dark porter or stout. (Such as Guinness or Murphy’s.) Don’t worry, wine fanatics, the resulting shanks will still pair very well with a Pinot Noir. I would recommend Cambria if you can spring for it. Of course, it also pairs perfectly well with whatever beer you cooked it in. I like to serve it with the coarsely chopped vegetables I cooked the lamb in over cous cous. One of my favorite meals I know how to make. Divine. (While I travelled in Europe, my favorite food was Italian in general, but the best meal I had was in France. It is similar in my own kitchen. I prefer Italian, but some of my absolute favorite recipes are French.)

Stout Braised Lamb Shanks

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

4 lamb shanks

flour for dredging

2 leeks, halved lengthwise and chopped 1/4” thick

6 cloves garlic, halved or quartered

2 carrots, chopped ½“ thick

2 celery ribs, chopped coarsely

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 (12 fluid ounce) bottle stout (such as Guinness®) or porter

1 ¾ cup beef broth

8 to 10 mushrooms, halved or quartered

3 sprigs fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

1 sprig fresh rosemary

2 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

  1. Dredge lamb shanks in flour.
  2. Heat oil in a dutch oven or large, wide pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sear the lamb shanks in the hot oil on all sides until well browned, about 10 minutes. This can be done 2 lamb shanks at a time, if all 4 do not fit in your pot at the same time.  After browning, remove lamb shanks and set aside.
  3. Pour the excess grease from the Dutch oven, if necessary, reduce heat to medium, and stir in the onions and garlic. Cook and stir until the onions have softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes.
  4. Stir in the carrots, celery, and tomato paste; continue cooking 5 minutes more.
  5. Return the lamb shanks to the dutch oven, and pour in the stout beer and beef broth. Add thyme and bay leaf and bring to a simmer over high heat.
  6. Once the lamb shanks begin to simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the lamb is very tender and nearly falling off of the bone, 2 to 3 hours. Stir the lamb occasionally as it cooks, and add water if needed to keep the cooking liquid from becoming too thick (I rarely find this needed.) You want the cooking liquid to have reduced into a nice sauce by the time the lamb shanks are done. Stir in the mushrooms, rosemary sprig, and salt and pepper to taste during the last 10 minutes of cooking. Remove rosemary, thyme sprigs and bay leaf before serving. Serve shanks and vegetables over cous cous or orzo pasta immediately, passing the remaining sauce.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | posted in French, Lamb, Recipes

September 22, 2011

The Ultimate Oktoberfest Feast at Home – Schnitzel, Spaetzle, and Bread Pudding

By 5iveDollarFeasts

2 years ago Jodie and I spent a month backpacking through Europe. We timed it so that we would be in Munich at the end of September for the ironically named Oktoberfest. (While the original festival that started Oktoberfest took place over 3 weeks of horse races in October as a celebration of some noble wedding or another, the Munich people decided it was so much fun that they should do it every year! But, they decided, “Well, why not move it forward a couple weeks for better weather. Oh, and all that horse racing? We don’t really need that…just the beer tents.)

Oktoberfest will always be one of the most memorable experiences of my life. It’s remarkable, if you think about it, as I drank 3 ½ beers (1 liter each) that night and shouldn’t really remember anything at all as…well let’s say “tipsy”…as I was.

But I do. I remember riding the tallest carnival swing ride of my life with great views of Munich;

I remember the horse drawn wagon of beer being delivered to the numerous beer gardens, I remember the enormous beer “tents” that were larger than most capitol buildings and more grandly decorated; I remember the Oompah bands in the center stage of each of these tents; I remember one of these traditional German bands break into a rendition of “Seven Nation Army” by the White Stripes; I remember standing on the long tables with my arms around my friends as well as a few locals we had just met, belting the lyrics to said song; I remember waitresses who could carry eight or more liter-sized steins of beer without spilling a drop! But mostly, I remember the food. Oh, the food.

There were amazingly herbed rotisserie chickens, giant pretzels the size of your head, obazda (a dip of brie, butter, and beer,) schticklefish (a deep fried mackerel,) wursts of all kinds, schnitzel, spaetzel, streudel, and bread pudding! It was a good thing we met up with friends so we were able to share so many of these German delicacies.

Now, I can’t make Oktoberfest every year (or even every decade,) but I can bring a bit of Oktoberfest to me with some Schnitzel with Spaetzle and Bread Pudding for Dessert. (With a side of sauerkraut.)

Pork tenderloin is very cheap and you need one for to serve 4. While spaetzle may look like noodles, it’s just a conglomeration of flour eggs and milk, basically a long tubular dumpling. And my wife’s bread pudding recipe is best with stale leftover bread.  I can’t claim these recipes are easy, but if you are up for an adventure, they are very cheap and delicious.

Also, German beer is very affordable. I recommend Spaten Optimator or Ayinger Dunkelweiss (a dark roasted hefeweizen, with bannana bread flavors.) If your a wine drinker, grab a good riesling to pair with the meal, I love Charm by George Bruer.

 Pork Schnitzel

 The most important part of traditional schnitzel is how you fry it.  You want to get your schnitzel to have the wavy skin of a shar-pei dog. There’s a trick to it. Don’t worrry, I’ll show you.

1 pork tenderloin

flour for dredging

1 cup very dry breadcrumbs (If using fresh breadcrumbs, you may need to dry them out in a low oven for a while)

2 eggs

1 cup vegetable or olive oil plus 2 Tablespoons

salt and pepper

  1. Cut the pork loin in half at an angle. Then repeat that process with the two halves of the pork tenderloin, creating four pork cutlets. Using a mallet, pound the cutlets to ¼ inch thick underneath a layer of saran wrap. Season the cutlets with salt and pepper.
  2. Make the egg wash by cracking 2 eggs into a shallow bowl and mixing in 2 Tablespoons of oil. (This is unusual, but seems to help the breadcrumbs to lightly coat the pork.) Dredge the pork in flour, dip in the egg wash, and then dip into the breadcrumbs. It is important push the pork gently into the breadcrumbs, but not to apply too much pressure. (Again important for the fluffy breading.)
  3. Heat the oil in the bottom of a large dutch oven (not a pan.)  Make sure you use enough oil. There should be enough room for the cutlets to lightly float from the bottom of the pot without getting stuck to the bottom, but not be submerged. Contrary to common sense, this will actually help the schnitzel be less greasy as the contact to the bottom of the pan is where meat absorbs the most oil. Also, it is essential to getting the perfect skin on the schnitzel.
  4. Now here is the tricky part: Once the oil is hot and the surface is shimmering, add 2 of the breaded pork cutlets. Immediately begin to lightly shake the dutch oven back and forth, splashing the oil up over the top of the cutlets. (See why you don’t want to use a pan? You would get hot oil all over your self. The splashing needs to substantial.)
  5. Once the cutlets are golden brown, turn them once gently and repeat the process for the other side, but for only half the time. The cutlets should be mostly cooked through by the time you have flipped them.
  6. Remove the cutlets and to a paper towel for draining and serve after 2 or 3 minutes.

Basic Spaetzle

This is a basic spaetzle recipe. Feel free to add herbs and spices to this for your own unique spaetzle. Anything goes. Almost. Oh, and there is a trick to this too, unless you have a spaetzle maker. If you do, you are probably German and don’t need this recipe anyway. 

For the Dough:

1 cup flour

2 Eggs

1/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon salt

pinch of pepper

1 teaspoon nutmeg

For the Saute

2 Tablespoons butter

Fresh or dried herbs of choice (I used dried parsley for my first try)

  1. Mix all the ingredients together for the dough until it is smooth. Let sit 10 minutes.
  2. Boil water in a large saucepan. The trick is to take a large-holed colander and push the dough through it to create the long thin noodle-like dumplings. (I’ll be honest, I was only half successful on my first attempt. But it was fun!) Boil for five minute or until Spaetzle is floating at the top of the water.
  3. Meanwhile melt butter and herbs together in a small pan. Using a slotted spoon, scoop the finished spaetzle out of the boiling water and into the pan. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes or until covered in butter and herbs. Serve Immediately.

 

Bread Pudding

Stale dense bread such as leftover bagels or beer bread works best but any bread will do. This is my go to dessert when I have a bunch of leftover bagels that are too stale to eat, the best are cinnamon raison bagels.

 

4-5 stale bagels or 6-7 slices of regular bread

3 eggs

4 cups milk

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons of cinnamon

1 stick butter

 

 

 

 

 

  1. Spray or butter up a 9×13 inch pan and pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. (Every thing for the bread pudding can be put together an refrigerated up to 12 hours before baking)
  2. Tear up bread in large pieces and place in greased baking dish. (you may need a knife if the bread is particularly stale)
  3. In a bowl, combine egg, milk, sugar, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon of cinnamon. Mix until eggs are beat and sugar has dissolved.
  4. Pour liquid mixture over bread pieces. If the bread is quite stale let the mixture sit for an hour or so to soften up the bread.
  5. Just before baking sprinkle 1 tablespoon (or more if you’d like) on the top of the soaked bread and cut the stick of butter into several pats, place the pats of butter all over the top.
  6. Bake for 1 hour.
  7. It should be huge and puffy when removed from oven. It will shrink immediately out of the oven. Let stand for 20 minutes.
  8. Cut, drizzle with butter rum sauce (recipe to follow) and serve.

Butter Rum Sauce

1 stick butter

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon rum

1/4 cup milk

  1. Melt butter in a small sauce pan.
  2. Add powdered sugar and rum, stir quickly with a whisk.
  3. When the sauce becomes thick add milk and stir some more.
  4. Let cook for 5 minutes, remove from heat and let sit before serving.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | posted in Desserts, German, Pork, Recipes

September 15, 2011

Chicken Marsala

By 5iveDollarFeasts

This will be my 23rd blog. Half of the recipes have been American. I’ve done a couple Hawaiian (Yeah, yeah, technically that’s also American, I know…), a German, and a British recipe. But this will be my 6th Italian recipe. (And no French recipes. I’ll have to fix that.)

Can you tell what my favorite ethnic food is to cook at home? It’s partly because I love Italian food, but I think it’s also because Italian food easily lends itself to cheap and quick without losing any flavor. (Which is exactly why you should never eat at Olive Garden ever again. I promise I can teach you to make everything on their menu at home, for a fraction of the cost and three times the flavor. Including their toasted raviolis.)

With all these Italian blogs, I have neglected to share with you my original favorite Italian dish. It is truly comfort food to me. My friend Tom always has to try the Lasagna whenever we find a new Italian restaurant. I will always order whatever sounds the most original on my first visit, but I have to eventually try their Marsala if I return.  (Unless, of course, they only make veal marsala. I’m no vegetarian, but I do draw the line at tortured baby cow.)

Chicken Marsala is stepbrother to Chicken Piccata, which I have posted about here before. The recipes are very similar. Flattened chicken breasts, browned, with a sauce made from the pan drippings. Where piccata uses white wine and lemon juice, marsala replaces those with marsala wine and mushrooms.

So, if you feel like tender chicken over pasta and you don’t have lemons or want a change from Chicken Picatta or Parmagiana, try my personal favorite.

Chicken breasts are affordable at Safeway (which includes Vons and Pavillion’s) from their Eating Right brand. Albertson’s also has affordable fresh chicken breasts with their generic brand. If you know of any other good deals on chicken in your area, please post them in your comments below.

Marsala wine comes in both sweet and dry flavors.  Sweet works best for the recipe, but don’t sweat it if you only have dry. Trader Joe’s sells a very affordable bottle of Marsala.

Chicken Marsala

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded flat to a ½” thickness (this step can be skipped for ease by buying “thinly sliced” chicken breasts or chicken breast “cutlets” commonly sold in stores)

salt & pepper

flour for dredging

2 Tablespoons olive oil

3 Tablespoons butter, chilled

¾  cup sweet marsala wine

½ cup chicken broth

6 to 8 mushroom, sliced

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 garlic clove, minced

  1. Season the pounded chicken breasts (or cutlets) with salt and pepper on both sides. Coat the breasts well with flour.
  2. Heat olive oil and 1 Tablespoon butter in a large pan on medium heat until the butter has melted.  Add the floured chicken breasts and cook, uncovered 3 to 6 minutes per side, until the breasts are golden brown.  When done, remove the chicken breasts from the pan and transfer to a plate.
  3. Add 1 more Tablespoon of butter to the pan. When melted, add garlic, oregeno, and mushrooms. Cook the mushrooms for 5 minutes until the edges are browned. (The mushrooms will continue to cook.)
  4. Add Marsala wine and chicken broth to the pan and bring to a simmer. Reduce the sauce by half.
  5. Return the chicken breasts to the pan and spoon sauce over the breasts. Cover and simmer for 5 more minutes. Remove from heat and add last Tablespoon of butter (it is important that this butter is chilled to help thicken the sauce) and swirl in pan until melted. If the sauce is still not as thick as you desire, you can repeat the process with another Tablespoon of butter.
  6. Serve chicken immediately over your favorite pasta spooning the sauce over. (Chicken Marsala can also be served with roasted potatoes.)

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | posted in Chicken & Poultry, Italian, Recipes, Sauces

September 8, 2011

Best Game Day Nachos

By 5iveDollarFeasts

It’s September. Kids are going off to school, Fall is around the corner, and grapes are being harvested for this year’s vintage.

Oh, and tonight, a little game known as American Football begins it’s season. Families will gather around their televisions and friends will gather at their local watering hole to hope and dream that this is the year their team can win the whole thing. Or maybe just hoping that this won’t be another “rebuilding year.”

Father’s will cuss. Children will find heroes. Mother’s will respect the few coaches that actually wear suits on the sidelines (or they would, if any coaches were allowed to wear suits anymore.) Fast friends will become mortal enemies for the span of a few hours. Fantasy owners will celebrate every Touchdown.

And America’s consumption of guacamole will increase exponentially.

Now, you can’t just eat guacamole by itself. (Well, you could, I suppose, with a bowl and a spoon, but…eww.) You could just dip tortilla chips in the guacamole. But, if you want to have dinner in front of the television with friends or family, let’s elevate those chips to full fledged nachos. (I found Homeboy Tortilla Chips on sale for $2.99, which was a good deal. I also just like to help this local non-profit whose motto is, “Nothing stops a bullit like a job,” and they always have high quality products. Read more about them here.)

Now Nachos are made in every which way. It seems that just about any combination of cheese and tortilla chips qualifies as Nachos. I like to layer mine in a baking dish and roasting them in the oven for nice crispy chips and melted real cheese. I layer the chips with pulled chicken, refried back beans, and lots and lots of cheese. You can add your favorite ingredients too, though. Pickled jalepenos are delicious,  pinto instead of black beans, steak instead of chicken, or perhaps meatless ground beef from Trader Joe’s for the vegetarians.

And…of course…the guacamole.

There is a secret to great guacamole. There may be good guacamoles. There might even be guacamoles flirting with greatness. But no guac is right until you have added the secret ingredient:

Tequila.

Yup. The flavors of tequila with lime juice make the tequila sing. Now, don’t get crazy. You don’t want your guacamole getting anyone tipsy (that is the game day margarita’s job.) Just a capful will do. A tiny splash goes a long, long way.

If you do this, I promise, you will not make guacamole any other way.

So, invite over some friends, make sure your television is working, and may your team win the day. That is, of course, unless they are playing the 49ers.

Oven Baked Nachos

1 bag of your favorite tortilla chips

approx. 2 cups chicken broth

1 tsp. cumin, paprika, onion powder, cayenne pepper, chili powder etc. (Use as many of these that you have on hand. It is only to flavor the chicken while it poaches and you can add whatever sounds good to you.)

1 bay leaf

1 bundle of green onions, chopped on a bias (fancy word for diagonally)

1 can of refried black beans (or whatever your  bean preference may be)

approx 2 cups of shredded mexican cheese (you may substitute mexican queso, cheddar, or even velveeta if thst is your preference)

  1. Add chicken and broth to a boil. Cover and let simmer for 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken and shred. (This can be done by using two forks and “pulling” the chicken in opposite directions. A good image of this can be seen on Four and Twenty Blackbirds site here.) Retain some broth.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  3. Form a “crust” at the bottom of a large casserole dish by crushing tortilla chips finely. Layer the bottom of the pan with these tortilla crumbs. Finish the “crust” by pouring a small amount of the retained broth broth over the tortilla crumbs.
  4. Add a single layer of tortilla chips of the tortilla crumb crust.  Top that layer with cheese, 1/2 of the can of refried beans, pulled chicken, and more cheese. Then add another layer of tortilla chips and repeat the process.
  5. Bake the nachos at 400 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and the top of the nachos is lightly browning. Serve with sour cream, limes, salsa, and guacamole.
Remember to be creative. Just like a lasagna, there are no hard and fast rule about what to add to nachos.

 Tequila Spiked Guacamole

3 or 4 Avocados

1 tomato, diced finely

several sprigs of cilantro, chopped finely

1 Tbsp. onion powder

1 Tbsp. lime juice

1 tsp. tequila

salt and pepper

  1. Using a butcher knife, cut all the way around the avocado. Twist the two halves and open the avocado. Spoon the avocado into a bowl, discarding the seed. With the last avocado, instead of spooning straight into the bowl, cut a cross-hatch pattern into the meat of the avocado, and then scoop it into the bowl. These larger chunks will create pockets of larger avocado chunks for a difference in consistency and texture.
  2. Add the tomato, cilantro, onion powder, lime juice, tequila, salt and pepper to the bowl and mix well. Taste and adjust the flavors to your liking.
Guacamole can be made a day in advance as long as it is kept covered tightly to prevent browning.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | posted in American, Chicken & Poultry, Recipes, Salsas and Dips

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