BFF Guest Post Chapter II {Grandma's Stuffed Cabbage Recipe}

Kyra-bobera and her violin

Symphony tonight... so excited as always, love to watch my Bobera play the violin and it's the Volusia Community Symphony's BIG show with the Choir and all.  As much as I love my DMB I really enjoy any music and what better music than that played by your kid :)

Myself thinking

So, I was thinking to myself, "Myself, what will you blog today since you're not really cookin' anything of note..." when lo & behold MaryAnn POPPED into my inbox with a surprise BFF Guest blog .... that girl has some seriously good timing I say!

MaryAnn Popping into my Inbox

Apparently, Mar is cooking up some of her Grandma's Stuffed Cabbage in preparation for her big Easter Feast next week and so, I'll turn it over to her.....

How to Make a House Smell Like A Home {Slow Braised Chicken & Vegetables}

I know I've talked about my man Tom before, Tom Colicchio that is ***fade to Angels singing*** well, this recipe was inspired by Think Like A Chef and any time I have a couple hours before dinner time to start cooking I love to make this. I've made a few changes to it to make the dark meat chicken WITH SKIN as healthy as it gets and it's still FAB. U. LOUS. It's an easy recipe too, about 20 minutes active prep before it goes in the oven and then you can hang out with your kids and watch some TV, go for a walk or yes.... write your blog while it makes itself grand in your oven.

Slow Braised Chicken With Vegetables

Who doesn't love a good TV Dinner? {Salisbury Steak Recipe}

thanks www.brandland.com

I LOVE Salisbury Steak.  Of course I'm always visualizing the Salisbury steak of yesteryear that came with mashed potatoes and corn in my Swanson's TV Dinner.  Those things were special when I was growing up.  We only got to have them when my Mom & Dad were going out... and I do miss them.  Periodically I will attempt to recreate them.  They always turn out like Meatloaf or Burgers.   Discussing this conundrum with MaryAnn amongst our Daily Minutia she bragged that SHE had the technique for the "Best Ever Salisbury Steaks," I was VERY excited and next thing you know I had her signed up to write a guest blog.... 

Back ground:  MaryAnn is my BFF, we met at the lunch table in 8th grade [maybe 9th] and no matter how many miles have been between us over the years we've remained inseparable. Everyone should have a BFF like her.
I love MaryAnn.  I love MaryAnn ALMOST as much as I love Salisbury Steak. 

My BFF a/k/a maker of the
BEST EVER SALISBURY STEAK

And that's A LOT.  

So, as promised she wrote a blog and I was saving this for a day when I was way too weary to write my own blog.  Today is THAT day.
Enough introduction..... here's my BFFs Blog....

BEST EVER SALISBURY STEAK RECIPE 

I usually make a lot of this, because it freezes really well, and is great as leftovers… tonight I used 6 pounds of ground meat!  Here are the basic ingredients for 1 pound of meat.

1 pound ground beef

1/3 cup dry bread crumbs

Parsley

Salt

Pepper
1 egg

1 large thinly sliced onion (I use Videlia or any sweet onion)

1 can of sliced mushrooms

1 box College Inn Beef broth

My BFF's BSP {Shepherd's Pie Recipe}

Shepherd's Pie a la MaryAnn

There are days when you just need that comfort food, nothin' fancy, nothin' particularly healthy just plain old yummy.  Today is one of those days.  Not to digress but every article I read about blogging says YUMMY is a huge No-No and to lose it from your vocabulary IMMEDIATELY.  But I cannot stop.  So, I guess I'm destined to fail.... but I'll go down in a burst of yumminess,  that I can assure you.  


Back to business, My BFF shared her BSP {Best Shepherd's Pie} with me..... and it was so flippin' yummy, I'm sharing it with you.  I'm hoping if we suck up sufficiently that NEXT she'll share her Chocolate Cake recipe, but in the meanwhile....


BEST SHEPHERD'S PIE
HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED:
for the top
· 2 pounds potatoes, such as russet, peeled and cubed
· 2 tablespoons butter
· 1 large egg yolk
· 1/2 cup cream, for a lighter version or as I like to say.... to miss the                 whole point of comfort food.... substitute vegetable or chicken broth
· Salt and ground black pepper
for the bottom· 2 pounds ground beef or ground turkey
· 3-4 carrots, peeled and chopped {I cheated and used the pre-cut crinkle ones}

The "Best" says Mar

· 1 onion, chopped finely
· 4 tablespoons butter
· 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
· 2 cup beef stock 
· 2 TBSP Worcestershire
· 1/2 38. oz. can Hanover brand but green beans {MaryAnn says they are THE BEST and I most concede they are quite yum and better than that they were a buck less than DelMonte}
· 1 teaspoon each kosher salt & pepper
· 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves


HERE'S WHAT YOU DO:
for the top

• Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, about 12 minutes. 
• Drain potatoes and pour them into a bowl with the butter. 
• Combine egg yolk and cream. 
• Add the cream mixture into potatoes and mash until potatoes are almost smooth. {I do this all in my Kitchen Aid rather than mash}

for the bottom

• While potatoes boil, preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add beef or turkey. Season meat with salt and pepper. Brown and crumble meat for 3 or 4 minutes.  
• Add chopped carrot and onion to the meat. Cook veggies with meat 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently. 
• In a second small skillet over medium heat cook butter and flour together 2 minutes. Whisk in broth and Worcestershire sauce. Thicken gravy 1 minute. Add gravy to meat and vegetables. Stir in green beans.
• Preheat broiler to low. 
• Fill a rectangular casserole or 9 x 13 with meat and vegetable mixture 
• {I used a throwaway tin pan because I wanted to be done with dishes}; Spoon potatoes over meat evenly. 
• Broil 6 to 8 inches from the heat until potatoes are evenly browned {about 5-7 minutes}. 
• Top casserole dish with chopped parsley and serve. 

  

  one "complete", one half way there
  waiting on the potatoes

      THANKS MAR! XXOO

Baby It's Cold Outside (Chicken Pot Pie Recipe)

It's been way too cold outside this past weekend.... and my allergies are kicking my arse.  I need something to heal me.... and fortify me before I brave the cold AGAIN tonight in the name of selling Girl Scout Cookies.

• So, I will make my favorite Girl Scout's Favorite meal.

HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED:

Chicken Pot Pie with Cornbread Topping

• 5 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed
• 1 cup sliced carrots
• 1 cup green beans
• 1/2 cup sliced celery
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1 small chopped onion
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon tarragon
• 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
• 2/3 cup milk
•  
• Cornbread topping {see below}
• 
  
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F 
• 
  
• In large oven proof pan melt butter [guess what?  Yes, I used my Enameled Dutch Oven], add onions, saute for a couple minutes before adding the chicken, carrots, greenbeans, and celery cook until chicken no longer pink on exterior at all [approximately 10 minutes]. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and tarragon, cook until flour no longer raw approximately 4 minutes. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat and make cornbread topping.

For the topping I use a modified version of a Cobbler Topping from Fine Cooking [Aug/Sept 2011 Issue].  It's a little sweet and a little savory and a LOT yum!

HERE'S WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

Cornbread Topping

1 C. Flour

1/2 C. Sugar

2 tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 tsp salt

5 TBSP Butter cold

1/3 C. Cornmeal

1/2 C. Buttermilk

In small food processor blend Flour, sugar, baking powder, salt & butter until consistency of small peas.  Put in mixing bowl and blend in cornmeal and buttermilk until evenly moistened.

The dough will be quite sticky and thick, using large spoon put in 7-8 "dumplings" on top of chicken mixture [wetting the spoon in between with cold water helps it not stick].

Bake for 25-30 minutes  or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly.  Serve immediately :)

What's More Comforting than a Guiness? [Guiness Braised Beef over Steamed Red Potato Recipe]

David says I need to post my failures too.... BUT today is not that day because this recipe is a KEEPER.  

The original recipe came from CHOW [which I adore] but tweaked a few ingredients and cut a few steps out and don't think it suffered for it.... because while I am not usually a fan of English food, this was seriously YUM.

So, here's what you need

GUINESS BRAISED BEEF 

over steamed Red Potatoes

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 pounds beef chuck cut into 1-inch cubes

Kosher salt

black pepper

6 slices bacon, large dice

2 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 medium yellow onion, large dice

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups Guiness draught style stout

4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced

1 Bouquet Garni

1 1/4 cups beef broth

1 pound steamed red potatoes, quartered

While heating the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, generously salt and pepper the beef cubes. Add the beef to the pan and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a plate; set aside. Drain any remaining fat or liquid from the pan and add the bacon cooking until crisp, about 8 minutes. Again, using a slotted spoon, transfer to the plate with the beef but do not drain the bacon fat because.... bacon fat is the nectar of the Gods and should never be drained.  Reduce the heat to medium, add the butter and onion, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, about 4 minutes.

Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly about 2 minutes, it will seem clumpy, fret not. Pour in the Guiness and stir breaking up those lumps and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the mixture simmer until reduced by half, approximately 4 minutes.

Return the beef and bacon to the pan along with any accumulated juices and add the carrots and set the bouquet garni on top of the "stew".  I used fresh parsley, thyme and a couple bay leaves for my bouquet garni and secured it with kitchen string.  Isn't is pretty?

Add the beef broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover with a tightfitting lid, and simmer until the beef is tender, stirring halfway through, about 2 hours....  with 45 minutes to go, steam your red potatoes.... when they are done spoon the beef over and enjoy! 

FINALLY English food I did not hate!

Cough Cough Sniff Sniff {Tortellini Soup Recipe}

You know you're not feeling well when you can't blog.... but you know it's not the flu and "just" a cold when you still want to cook!


I was feeling pretty lousy yesterday, hadn't gone grocery shopping yet and so thinking of my friend Barbie's Tortellini Soup, I made a huge pot of what turned out to be a very loose rendition based on what I had in the house. That said, it was an awesome "Kitchen Sink" Soup..... so yummy, everyone wants to have it again tonight and I am glad because I'm still not quite right.

Chicken, Tortellini & Meatball Soup

a/k/a It-Was-In-The-Freezer/Fridge-So-It's-In-The-Soup Soup

10 c. Chicken stock 

3 chicken thighs, skin removed

1 small onion diced

2 c. sliced carrots

4 cups diced tomatoes [I used one 26 oz. Pomi]

1 cup Tomato sauce

1 c. Marsala cooking wine

16 oz. bag tortellini

1/2 bag [approx 1 lb] of frozen Italian style meatballs

2 tsp. each Celery Seed & Black Pepper

2 TBSP each:

Garlic Powder

Basil

Oregano

Parsley Flakes

Kosher Salt

I used my 7 quart stock pot with a colander insert, because I think it's easier when you are cooking chicken and then de-boning.

First, bring the stock to a low boil, add the chicken and simmer for 20 minutes,  remove the colander/chicken and set aside to cool.

Bring the stock back to a strong boil, add the Marsala and allow to boil 5 minutes then add the onion, carrots, tomatoes, tomato sauce & spices.  Reduce to a simmer and simmer 20 minutes.  While that's cooking, debone the chicken and break into small pieces and add to the pot.  

I mentioned I use Pomi products.... I just think they are superior to any other "canned" tomato product and if you cannot use fresh, it's the next best thing.

After 20 minutes add the tortellini, I used Schwans frozen 6 cheese, but I'm a Schwan's girl [Barella makes a nice one that just comes off the pasta shelf], and the meatballs, again I used Schwans Italian Style return soup to a simmer and cook for 20 more minutes.

Spoon into bowls and top with grated Parmesan~Romano and a couple homemade croutons [recipe below].  

AHHHH, I felt better instantly.

p.s. I mentioned homemade croutons.  They are sooooo easy it's ridiculous to NOT make them in my opinion.  I swear people eat one and immediately propose marriage.... they are THAT good.

HOMEMADE GARLIC CROUTONS

1/2 cup [1 stick] butter

2 garlic cloves, minced

6 (3/4 inch thick) slices Italian Loaf Bread cut into cubes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees; spray large jelly roll pan with non-stick cooking spray [I use olive oil flavored].

In a large saute pan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in garlic; cook and stir for 1 minute. Turn off heat, add bread cubes and toss to coat. Spread on jelly roll pan in single layer.

Bake for approximately 15 minutes, or until crisp, stirring every 5 minutes to prevent burning. Cool completely before storing in Ziploc baggie to maintain freshness.

Sorry so skimpy in picture.... they ate them ALL!

p.p.s. To give a shout to the original soup that ROCKS......

Barbie's Tortellini Soup

1 lb. bulk Italian Sausage

1 c. chopped onion

2 cloves garlic sliced

5 cups beef broth

1 c. water

1 c. red wine

2 c. canned diced tomatoes

1 c. carrots

1 c. tomato sauce

1/2 tsp. each basil & oregano

8 oz. fresh cheese tortellini

1 1/2 c. sliced zucchini

1 medium green pepper sliced

3 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley

Brown sausage in pot, remove from pot draining all but 1 TBSP of fat.  Brown onion and garlic in fat until tender.  Add cooked sausage, beef broth, water, red wine, tomatoes, carrots, tomato sauce, basil & oregano bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer and simmer uncovered 30 minutes.

Skim fat from soup, add remaining ingredients and simmer covered 20 minutes.

Serve with Parmesan.

BUON APPETITO!