You would think after being with a foodie (such as myself) for over 7 years, my hubby would know the difference between Marsala and Masala. NOPE! When I said that I was making Lamb Marsala for dinner, he said "Oh I love Indian lamb!" (*sigh) Then I explained to him that I actually meant I was cooking the lamb is a reduced wine sauce and NOT in a mixture of Indian spices. "That sounds good too!" he replied. Oh well, at least my man's not a picky eater! In fact, I love that he's willing to try new recipes that I find or come up with and most of the time really enjoys them! I guess that's why we're a match made in yummy heaven!
Ingredients:
2 lamb shoulder chops
Salt and pepper
1/4 c flour
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 Tbsp butter
1/2 c diced carrots
1/4 c diced onions
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 c Marsala wine (or Sherry)
1/4 c beef broth
Prep:
1. Season chops with salt and pepper and dredge in flour.
2. Heat oil and butter on medium-high in a Dutch oven until butter is melted. Add chops and brown for 2-3 minutes per side. Remove and keep warm.
3. Add carros and onions and cook until browned, 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 more minute.
4. Pour in wine and broth and bring to a boil. Deglaze and add chops back. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Simmer until chops are tender, 20-30 minutes.
5. Remove chops to serving platter. Turn heat up to high and boil until thickened, 5 minutes. Pour over chops and serve.
What is a Cubano? According to Wiki, it's just a ham and cheese sandwich originally created in cafes catering to Cuban immigrant workers in Florida. My hubby loves to order the Cubano at our local restaurant, 21st Amendment, so I thought I'd make it a special treat for him today for brunch. I kept the ingredients authentic by using Black Forest Ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, mustard and Mayo and pressed in my Panini Maker. Look at that ooey gooey cheese just ready to be devoured! YUM! YUM!
Tonight my fridge is looking pretty empty and I'm too tired to go to the grocery store. Not to fear cuz I have a stocked pantry and that means I can whip up some Crab Fried Rice in no time! These are really ingredients that I always have on hand and they really are life-savers on weeknights! Even when I say that my fridge is empty, I'm still always guaranteed to have some eggs, onion, garlic, butter and milk, which to me are the bare minimum items for survival. Trust me, when you have those few things and a stocked pantry, you'll never need to order takeout!
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp butter
2 eggs, beaten
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 c onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp ginger, grated
2 Tbsp oyster sauce
1 Tbsp soy sauce (or fish sauce)
1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
1/2 Tbsp sugar
1 (6 oz) can crab meat, drained
2 c cooked rice
2 green onions, chopped
1 egg, fried
Prep:
1. Melt butter in a non-stick skillet on medium heat. Add beaten eggs and spread out in an even layer. Cook until eggs are set, 5 minutes. Remove and chop into slices.
2. Add oil into the same skillet. Once oil is hot, add onion and cook until softened, 3 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, 1 minute.
3. Add oyster sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil and sugar and stir to combine. Add crab meat and rice. Cook until everything is heated through, 5 minutes.
4. Stir in green onions and reserved egg slices. Top with fried egg and serve.
I came across this recipe for Vanilla Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies and couldn't wait to try them since I always have some Jell-O Pudding Mix around. I decided to make mine with Butterscotch Chips and they came out REALLY good! I LOVE the combination of butterscotch and vanilla and the pudding mix gave them a soft cake-like texture. I can't wait to try some different combinations like maybe Banana Cream with nuts? YUM!
Browsing through my new Everyday Food Magazine, I came across a recipe for Creamy Tuna-Stuffed Shells. Since I'm always trying to incorporate more fish into our diet, I thought I'd give it a try. It came out REALLY yummy and a good change from our usual meat-stuffed shells. The sauce was so rich and creamy that we didn't even miss the Ricotta Cheese. I used sourdough bread to make the breadcrumbs and we just loved the nice crust on top! A very yummy and healthy meal!
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 c onions, diced
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 c whole milk
Salt and pepper
2 slices bread
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan
1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 can (6 oz) tuna in olive oil, drained and flaked
10 jumbo pasta shells, cooked according to package
Prep:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a baking dish.
2. In a pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until softened, 3 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Gradually add milk, whisking constantly, and cook until slightly thickened and bubbling, 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and let cool slightly.
3. In a food processor, combine bread, Parmesan, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Process until fine crumbs form. Transfer half the mixture to a bowl and combine with tuna and half the sauce. Fill each shell with 2 heaping Tablespoons of tuna mixture and place in baking dish.
4. Top with remaining sauce and breadcrumb mixture. Bake until sauce is bubbling and breadcrumbs are golden, 20 minutes.
I love baking savory muffins cuz they make the best breakfast or snack! Most of them are also a lot healthier than the usual sweet treats, which is always a good thing. I came across these Red Pepper Cornbread Muffins and couldn't wait to give them a try! Instead of adding the bell peppers raw, I cooked them in the butter so that they'd become softened. In my experience, they have much more flavor that way. I also added a handful of shredded Cheddar Cheese cuz I like cheese in everything! VERY yummy and perfect good-for-you, anytime-of-the-day treats! Pastry schools can teach you cool baking techniques if you wanna make more of these savory treats!
If getting creative with leftovers could make money, I'd be a millionaire! Can you guess what I used to make Giada's Italian Baked Chicken and Pasta? Probably not, so I'll just tell you. Leftover Buffalo Wings from pizza delivery! I tore the meat off of the bones and it made a very flavorful addition to the dish. Very easy and very creative, don't you think?
