Roasted Chouriço & Potatoes (Batatas Assadas com Chouiço)

done3

The holiday’s are a special time.  It’s a time of year that all the traditional family recipes really shine!  Each year my sister prepares Roasted Chouriço and Potatoes for Thanksgiving because this is her favorite dish.  And I can’t say I blame her.

With the delicious traditional Portuguese flavors in full swing, these potatoes become tender and velvety.  And if you slice up a piece of the chouriço with some of the potato on your fork you end up with magic in your mouth!

If you are Portuguese, this recipe (or your family’s version of this recipe) may already be on your table.  If not, you might be looking for a new and interesting side dish to serve alongside your green bean casserole.  You may have guests that don’t care for turkey and would appreciate a different protein being offered.  Or hey, maybe you are going as a guest and want to offer to bring something you will enjoy and can impress the host with something unique.  Any way you slice it, this recipe fits the bill!  And if you have vegetarians among you, this recipe can easily be made without the chouriço!

Start with a clean bowl. This one is the Pampered Chef Small Batter Bowl, I love it because it’s like a giant measuring cup with a spout for easy pouring (and its oven and microwave safe!).

Open a small can of tomato sauce.

I used the Pampered Chef Can Opener to do this and so I have no sharp edges.

Pour sauce into bowl.

Add in Portuguese All Spice. If you don’t have this available to you locally, I posted the recipe for it at the bottom of my Beef Stew recipe, just take a look.

Add spice into sauce.

Add in a few spoon fulls of Portuguese Ground Red Pepper.

Add in half a beer (about 3/4 cup.

Add in kosher salt.

Crush a couple cloves of fresh garlic.

Dice it up and add it into the sauce.

Add in garlic and give the sauce a good stir.

Thinly slice half a large onion.

Place potatoes in baking dish. I am using the Pampered Chef Square Baker stone.

Cut up your chouriço into chunks.

Place in dish with potatoes.

Spread onions over top.

Pour sauce over top. Be sure to coat each potato.

Once all your potatoes are covered with sauce, cover with foil.

Once pan is covered in foil, place in a 375°F oven for 2-21/2 hours until potatoes are fork tender.

When potatoes are fork tender, remove foil and turn all the potatoes again coating them with sauce and roast another 1/2 hour or so.

done4 done1

Roasted Chouriço & Potatoes

Serves 6-9

Ingredients:

8-9 medium potatoes, peeled

1/2 lb. chouriço, sliced into 9 chunks

1/2 onion, sliced thinly

1 small can tomato sauce

1/2 beer (about 3/4 cup)

3 Tbs. Portuguese Ground Red Pepper

2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced

1 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. Portuguese All Spice

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 375°F.

In a medium mixing bowl add in sauce, beer, All Spice, garlic, salt and pepper.  Arrange potatoes, chouriço and onions in a baking dish.  Pour sauce over the potatoes, chouriço and onions being sure to coat each potato.  Cover with foil and roast for 2-2 1/2 hours until potatoes are fork tender.  Once potatoes are tender, remove foil and turn potatoes so they get again coated with sauce, roast for an additional 1/2 hour uncovered.  Serve hot. Enjoy!

*this is a gluten-free recipe.

Pan Seared Asparagus

done1

Sometimes a simple side is the best way to go.  And if you haven’t tried asparagus in a while, this is the recipe to try!  Please do not confuse this with the stuff you get from the can all mushy and waterlogged.  This asparagus is a flavorful and substantial side dish that is tender yet still has some body to it.

I did not grow up eating asparagus.  As a matter of fact there really aren’t many Portuguese recipes for vegetable preparation because there was never much room on a Portuguese table for green veggies of any kind (well beyond couves/kale of course)! So, when I became and adult and started exploring the world of veggies on my own, I stumbled upon this one and fell in love!  I created this recipe and buy asparagus whenever it is on sale which is about once a month and serve it at my dinner table holiday or not.

If you have never worked with asparagus, you might be surprised at just how simple it is to prepare…

Start with fresh asparagus. This recipe does not work with canned or even frozen asparagus.

Wash and cut off the woody bottoms… I usually remove the bottom 2 1/2 inches.

Heat your oven-safe skillet over high heat with a bit of olive oil. Place asparagus into the skillet altogether.

Sprinkle with kosher salt and Peppercorn & Garlic rub. (I also like to add in some Hungarian Paprika)

Toss in your skillet with some tongs and continue to get a sear on each piece. Then pop in a pre-heated oven for about 5 minutes.

AAA done

Pan Seared asparagus

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 lb. fresh asparagus, washed and trimmed

3-4 Tbs. olive oil

1 tsp kosher salt

 

1/2 tsp. Peppercorn & Garlic Rub

1/4 tsp. Hungarian P

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 375°F.  Heat skillet over high heat with olive oil.

Be sure asparagus is dry from washing.  Place in heated skillet. Sprinkle with salt, Peppercorn & Garlic Rub and any other desired spices.  Allow to sear for one minute, then rotate which asparagus are making contact with the hot skillet using tongs.

Once all asparagus has been seared, place skillet in the oven for 5-7 minutes.  Serve immediately. Enjoy!

 

Simple Buttery Dinner Rolls

5 Comments

 

done2

If there is any time of year to learn to bake bread… this would be the time! And if you already bake bread regularly, you will love this recipe!  These delicious buttery rolls have a great success rate!  What a way to wow your holiday crowd than to bring out a steaming basket of freshly baked dinner rolls!

These rolls are made with regular old flour, yeast and butter, nothing special to buy, no crazy investment in groceries.  Try them at home this weekend to get ready for the holidays, you might just get addicted to baking bread!  Let me take you through my step by step recipe tutorial.  Here we go…

Measure out some very warm water. The water should be between 110°F-115°F. (Not so hot you can’t touch it.)

Add water to the bowl of an electric mixer.

Get a bit of sugar.

Add sugar in to water.

Add yeast into water and sugar.

Measure out water.

Add butter to milk.

Allow butter to melt in.

Once it has, mix.

Add in milk mixture.

Mix.

Let it sit for a few minutes.

Measure out the flour.

Add the salt in after you add in your flour… salt kills yeast, so you don’t want to add this ingredient in out of order.

Add your salt in with your flour… remember don’t do this our of order.

Add flour into your mixing bowl… mix in 2 1/2 cups of flour to your wet ingredients… let sit for 10 minutes and then continue.

Start mixer going on low… if you have a mixer with numbers, use number 2.

Keep it going.

Your dough should eventually turn into a ball.

Let it go for a bit to become a smooth ball.

Then let it rest in the mixing bowl.

Cover with plastic wrap to keep the warmth in and place it somewhere free of breeze.

Once your dough has risen, you will need to turn it out onto a board. I love these Pampered chef Cutting Mats because the mess stays on the mat and then it can go right into the dishwasher.

Turn the dough out onto the floured mat and sprinkle with a bit more flour.

Roll dough into a bit of a clumsy roll… this does not have to be perfect as long as it’s relatively even.

Cut the roll in have. We are going to work with one half at a time.

Now you can be a little more careful with your rolling. You want to make sure it is as even as you can get it.

Cut each of your two new rolls into 6 pieces, this will give you 12 rolls total.

Now prepare your baking dish. I like to butter my dish using the paper towel method. I just slap some butter on a clean paper towel so im not getting all greasy and I dont toally mess up my stick of butter.

Now prepare your baking dish. I like to butter my dish using the paper towel method. I just slap some butter on a clean paper towel so im not getting all greasy and I don’t totally mess up my stick of butter.

Spread butter thoroughly over a 9″x13″ baking dish.

Now roll each of your dough pieces into rolls for baking. I kind of fold the sides under to achieve a nice smooth roll.

Then just start lining them up in your dish.

They will all be separate to start off.

Now cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise somewhere warm for about 30 minutes or so… I like to start the oven pre heating at this point and place the rolls right near the stove top or near the oven.

After about 30 minutes, the rolls will be nice and plump.

Pop rolls in the oven and bake.

When the rolls come out of the oven, then look yummy, but we aren’t done yet!

Now we butter the top of each roll while they are piping hot!

And this is the deliciousness you will serve on your dinner table!

And this is the deliciousness you will serve on your dinner table!

done1

Simple Buttery Dinner Rolls

Makes 12 rolls

Ingredients: 

4 1/2 cups all purpose flour, divided

1 Tbs. yeast (or one envelope)

1/2 stick butter

3/4 cup whole milk

3/4 cup warm water

1 Tbs. sugar

1 tsp. kosher salt

Directions:

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with either the paddle attachment or the dough hook pour in water and sugar and mix. Add in yeast and allow to proof for a few minutes.

In a microwave safe bowl or measuring cup add butter to milk and microwave on high for 30 seconds at a time until butter is melted.  Allow to cool for about 5 minutes.  Then add into the mixer bowl.

Next add in one cup of flour and mix.  Now add salt to the next cup of flour and add into mixer bowl.  Mix and allow to sit for 10 minutes, covered.  Switch to dough hook and mix… Add in remaining flour and continue kneading until the dough becomes a smooth ball.

Remove bowl from mixer and cover with plastic wrap for about 45 minutes until risen.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface and sprinkle with flour.  Roll dough into a log and cut in half.  Then roll each of the new logs into thinner logs and cut into 6 pieces each.

At this point pre-heat oven to 375°F.

Butter a 9″x13″ baking dish.  Roll each of the cut pieces into balls and place in the buttered dish.  Cover and keep in a warm place for 30 minutes until plump.  Once risen place in oven and bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.  Immediately upon removing from oven, butter the tops of rolls.  Serve warm. Enjoy!

 

 

Make Money for the Holidays with Direct Sales

2 Comments

christmas9

Preparing for the holidays is a big job.  There are some very fun aspects and there can be some stressful aspects.  Who doesn’t love baking cookies, Christmas music on the radio and decorating the tree while sipping hot cocoa?  Then there is shopping and parties and all the pricey food and drinks… in comes the stress if you are short on cash.

November is the time we take to prepare for the holidays.  One of the best ways to have a stress free holiday is to bring in some extra cash!  So, today’s post is sponsored by three direct sales companies that make it easy to pocket some extra Christmas money by doing something that works for your personality.

Today I will highlight Pampered Chef (tools for cooking and entertaining), ItWorks (cosmetic nutrition supplements for healthy living) and Jamberry (fun manis and pedis on a sheet).  Take a look, you may just find you can really identify with one of them!

It Works Global 

itworks2Our information from ItWorks is provided to us by Representative Laura Mistler:

It Works is a Cosmetic and beauty company that has all that you needs to a better looking and feeling you. We run specials and am so excited for you to see the Christmas special that we have available.for you.

IT WORKS SAVED MY LIFE!

I felt like I was dying. Went to several Doctors, took several tests and nothing! All I did was sleep most of the time. One day I got on Facebook and saw this stuff my great-niece had on there about It Works and Wrapping like a Rock Star. I contacted her and we got together (me crying). I told her my problems. We went over what I needed, heck, I had tried everything else with no results, and with no hesitation purchased as a loyal customer because there was no obligation and if it didn’t work I could cancel. With in 2 days I was living again. I couldn’t believe it. So I decided to sign up and be a distributor to help others. IT REALLY DOES WORK!

I started out with the it’s vital vitamins that are all made by natural herbs. Next on my order was the greens. The greens are great for almost anything and you can drink them in water or a juice you can also mix it with a freezie from Taco Bell. I purchased the fat fighters and that blocks any of the side that is in your food so that it doesn’t go to your hips and waist it goes through your digestive system and out. The next on my list are the wraps you put a wrap on and constantly drink water while it’s on, you wear it up 245 minutes and you can wear it longer and it works on your body for 72 hours. These tighten and tone your skin and also helps to diminish stretch marks.

How You Can Get Involved:

This is such an amazing product and I want to share with everyone. I’m sure you know someone, friend, family member or maybe yourself, who wants to look and feel better.

There are benefits of being a Loyal Customer. You sign up on a autoship and you get the products at my cost. Free shipping and handling. You can also be a distributor, sign people up under you and make money. There a lot of people wanting to work from home, whether it be a single parent, don’t want to pay someone to raise your children while you are working and paying them or what ever your reason may be. Go to my website and see the products we have. All natural herbs. Nothing artificial. You can make good money. It’s up to  you.  Go to my website at ItWorksSavedMyLife.myitworks.com and if you would like to see before and after pictures, Friend me on Facebook at Laura Mistler (make sure you mention this blog) and I will guide you to it. Thank You and God Bless.

Laura

ItWorks

Jamberry 

jamberry3Our information on Jamberry comes from representative Tanya Patnaude:

Hello you amazing followers of the Portuguese American Mom,

 First a Big thank you to Stacy for sharing my story with you.  I have to be one of her biggest fans.  Love seeing what she is going to share next.

My name is Tanya and I am a consultant with Jamberry.  I absolutely love Jamberry and our product line.  Being a consultant with them was not even on my radar when I began.  I was just an enthusiastic customer.    I love when I just leave a salon  or just do  my nails at home.  They look so polished and put together.  I felt pretty and put together.

Then my real life starts…  Laundry, dishes, carpools, work and all the other things that go with being a mom and wife.  So within a couple of days (if not hours) my newly polished nails would start to peel and chip.  They would actually become dull!   And honestly finding time or justifying the money along with a consistent visit to the saloon never made sense.  Kids always need something…  new cleats, backpack ripped and they need new one then there are numerous field trips and activities. Ultimately they and their needs are my top priority. I’m sure you all have been there and know what I mean.  But, I still wanted my hands to look pretty.

I had heard that Jams were a solution to my “I just want to feel like my hands are pretty” problem.  A consultant explained to me that for $15 dollars I could get two manis and  two pedis and they would last 14 days on MY nails, 6 weeks on my tows.  So, I thought to myself “Ok right, sure they will”.  I was a pretty big skeptic, but I figured, hey I can’t leave the nail salon without spending at least 4x that much for just a single mani and pedi, what could it hurt?  BUT then… they did, they actually lasted!  And a bonus I could have this awesome design to change up with on my mood and the holidays.  I was hooked.

A short time later my consultant approached me about joining her team.   I t didn’t take long for me to see how this was a great way to earn extra spending money.  The company is amazing.  Offers a competitive commission and bonus program as well as incredible prizes.  One of my favorite parts is I could run my business solely on the Internet and catalogue parties.  I did not have to schedule any more hours outside the house.  I already felt I was working too many nights missing the family and their events. So I took the plunge and it with out a doubt has started to change my life as well as my family’s.  I have been able to cut back my hours at work, meet some awesome friends through my business and without sounding cliché found a piece of me I was missing.   My attitude and self-worth has completely changed.  I have now decided to take my business to the next level.  Building life long customers and building a team.  My ultimate goal is to leave my job fully to be able to be available for my family and never miss another game or concert again.  I’m excited and I know my goal is achievable with Jamberry.   I would love to share Jamberry with all of you.  If you are interested in getting great nails at a great price , fabulous Christmas gifts, hosting a Facebook party to earn Jams for FREE or looking to earn extra money please reach out to me and I will be more than happy to talk with you.  As a special offer through The Portuguese American Mom anyone who books a Facebook party with me will receive a $25 dollar Gift Card! Anyone who makes a purchase will receive a free half sheet of Jams as a Thank you!  Happy Holidays to All!

Tanya

tanyapatnaude@gmail.com

The Pampered Chef

pc2

Information on The Pampered Chef is brought to you by yours truly, the Portuguese American Mom, Stacy:

The Pampered Chef is a company that offers top of the line tools for cooking and entertaining.  The company is now owned by Warren Buffet, but was originally founded in Chicago in 1980 by Dorris Christopher.  Her goal was to sell high quality cookware without a store front, but rather through in home gatherings.  She sold $7,000 in her first year and the company took off from there.  The Pampered Chef is now a multi-million dollar corporation offering that same quality Ms. Christopher offered 35 years ago!

As many of you know, as you are fans of my blog, I love to cook, bake and entertain!  Doing these things is my way of not only taking care of my family, but nurturing and caring for them.  My 3-year-old son asks me on a daily basis if he can cook with me.  Just yesterday we baked bread, seasoned some chicken and baked up some cookies (his favorite, m&m cookies of course!). This is what I want to instill in my children, a love for coming together and the eventual independence that will come from having good life skills.  My Pampered Chef tools allow me to do this with ease.  I have been collecting and using Pampered Chef products for years.  So, naturally my products made their way here onto my blog through the pictures in my recipe tutorials.  Pampered Chef products are what I use in my kitchen, so it’s what you see when you follow along with one of my recipes.  That got me thinking.

Since I am naturally displaying my Pampered Chef products for all of you, why not make them available to you all.  If you look above to my tool bar you can see my shoppe where you can access my on-line catalog and my personal Pampered Chef website.  There you can book a party whether on-line or live (if you are in the Southern New England area) or find out more about the opportunity to become a consultant like me.  Anyway, I digress… So as you can see, I signed up to become a consultant and am now part of a great team. AND Pampered Chef is one of those product lines that really sells itself.  In my first month, I made nearly $1000!!! Holy cow! Not to mention I won a prize and got $200 in Pampered Chef dollars to spend on whatever I need.  Of course new consultants can make more or less, but my passion for this product line really shows through and it is reflective in that first pay check! My goal right now is to have a bill-free Christmas, but next year I’ve got my sites set on the trip I am going to earn as a consultant and maybe even as a Director!

If you or someone you know would be great at selling Pampered Chef, just contact me either here, through my Facebook page, Stacy’s Pampered Chef or through my personal Pampered Chef website. Here are the basics though… when you sign up, you pay a greatly reduced rate for a kit.  You will receive those items which are a sample of some of the products we offer along with an apron, a bag and some paperwork like catalogs and order forms.  You will also be eligible to start-up a personal website of your own to manage your business and take orders.  From there you decide if you want to be an on-line only consultant, a live consultant who goes to people’s homes for cooking demos and freezer workshops or if you want to do a combination of the two like I do.  You will have me as your upline and so I (with my upline director’s help) can guide you through personal trainings as well as on-line and virtual trainings. I belong to a really rocking team and would love to make you a part of it!  So, let me know if you are interested or if you just have some questions anytime!

Stacy

apron2

Portuguese Stuffing (Recheio)

29 Comments

done2

This is the stuffing I grew up eating. It is the only thing that I knew to be stuffing until I was a teenager and my friend’s mother would get Bell seasoned croutons to make what I now identify as a “stove top” type stuffing.  The two types of stuffing can not even be compared. So I won’t even try.  What I will do is tell you that to date, I have never tried a stuffing I have liked better or one that is nearly as flavorful and savory.  My family’s Portuguese Stuffing recipe is a treasure on our Thanksgiving table each and every year.

My family’s stuffing recipe does not start with croutons at all, but with day old bread.  The flavor comes from a combination of very traditional Portuguese seasonings… Portuguese Hot Chouriço is a main component along with pimenta moida, Portuguese All Spice, onions and garlic.  The method is really what turns it into a stuffing.  I’ll take you through that in the tutorial below.

The recipe has changed slightly over the years.  When my grandmother was alive, in addition to the chouriço meat that we add in to this delicious recipe, we would also add in the giblets.  That stopped when I got old enough to understand what giblets were… Well, I say that stopped, but I am quite sure my mother continued to sneak them in until I started really helping her prepare Thanksgiving dinner.  And although this stuffing was delicious with the giblets, in my opinion, it is just as delicious without.  That being said, I do mention in the tutorial where you can add them in if you so choose.  Another change that we have made is that traditionally we would always stuff the turkey with the stuffing as it is “stuffing”.  And my mother really liked the addition of the turkey juices into the stuffing as it cooked, but with the national recommendations not to do that, we have stopped filling the turkey with the entire batch of stuffing.  Now what I do, is usually add about a cup or two just to the outer portion of the turkey cavity so that it can both gather juices and get crispy on the outside while still able to cook thoroughly.  Then the rest is still prepared in a casserole dish.

 

A good Portuguese stuffing starts with a good day old Portuguese bread. These are pop-secos.

Tare the bread up.

Place bread in a large bowl of water.

Press bread down so it can soak in all the water.

Saute onions in some olive oil over medium heat in the largest skillet you have.

Add in some garlic and continue to saute over medium heat.

This is a bag of ground chouriço I got from my local butcher. If you don’t have this available to you, just get some chouriço, peel the skin off the sausage and run it through a food processor for a minute or so.

Here is what it will look like.

Add chouriço in with your sautéed onions and garlic.

You will want to cook it down until some of the fat is rendered from the chouriço and it stats to get a bit crispy.  If you like to use giblets in your stuffing, this is where you would add in the chopped giblets.  We do not use them anymore as they are not a family favorite.

When the color of the chouriço is bright and you have rendered some of the fat, add in a couple of table spoons of crushed red pepper (pimenta moida).

Next, squeeze out most of the water from your bread by hand.

Add it into your skillet.

Cook the wet bread in with the chouriço mixture.  

Keep working the chouriço, onions and garlic in through the bread after about 10 minutes of this, remove from heat and allow to cool for about 10 more minutes. Transfer to a large casserole dish.  At this point, taste for salt and add if needed.

Place two eggs in a bowl.

Beat the eggs well and add in to your bread mixture.

Mix eggs into the bread mixture as thoroughly as you can.

Next, add in about a teaspoon of Portuguese All Spice. (There is a quick recipe for Portuguese All Spice at the bottom of my Beef Stew recipe)

Add in and mix well… then bake in a 350°F degree oven for about 45 minutes to an hour… the goal is for it to get crispy on top, heated all the way through and not wet in the middle.

done1

Portuguese Stuffing (Recheio)

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

1 1/2 dozen Portuguese Pop-Secos (rolls)

1/2 lb. ground chouriço

1 large onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press

3-4 Tbls. crushed red pepper (Pimenta Moida)

1 tsp. Portuguese All Spice

2 eggs, beaten

turkey giblets, chopped (optional)

kosher salt to taste

olive oil

6-8 quarts of water for soaking

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl filled 3/4 with luke warm water, tare bread and soak.

In a large skillet, saute onions in olive oil over medium heat.  When onions are starting to cook through, add in garlic and saute another minute.  Add in chouriço and continue to saute. The next step will take place once the chouriço is starting to render its fat and become crispy. At this point, add in giblets if desired.

Hold soaked bread between both hands and squeeze out most of the water.  Add each piece into your hot skillet.  Incorporate the wet bread in with the chouiço mixture and continue to saute the bread in the skillet for about 10 minutes.  At this point taste for salt and add if needed.  Remove from heat and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.  Place in a large casserole dish.

Add in beaten eggs and Portuguese All Spice.  Mix in well. Place casserole uncovered in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour until cooked through and top is crispy.

Enjoy!

 

Butternut Squash Orzo in Sage Butter

done3

I love Thanksgiving! Each year we string together a line of tables accommodate anywhere between 15-22 people! I love that my family all comes together to dine around a long formally set table.  I love the traditions that come along with this holiday from watching the Macy’s Day parade on T.V. as I am cooking in the morning to ending the night with a slice of pumpkin pie and coffee and leafing through all the Black Friday store flyers with my mother, sister’s, aunts and cousins!  But, most of all I love making my family happy by serving everyone’s favorite dishes and enjoying all the dishes that my family brings to the table too!

I always prepare a large turkey of course and my dad loves getting the leg. My sister Vicky loves my stuffed eggs, my sister Lindsey brings everyone’s favorite scalloped potatoes, my mom loves my turnips and carrots and so on and so forth.  But, each year I love to add one or two dishes that are new just to keep things lively.  This year, I have developed a side dish that I am quite sure will become a new family favorite!  Butternut Squash Orzo in Sage butter is a velvety sweet and savory side dish that has a few different levels of flavor and will definitely hold its own along side my mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce!

If you are looking to spruce up your holiday menu, give this one a try… I’ll show you how I do it…

Here are some butternut squashes… If you are looking for a squash pay attention to the color… the darker the color, the sweeter and more ripe your squash… so the one on the bottom is the one we will be using today.

There are a couple of ways to tackle this oddly shaped vegetable. I like to start by slicing it down the middle to give you a stable surface to work with.

Look how nice and orange that flesh is.

Scoop out those seeds along with their connective tissue… You can totally roast these just like pumpkin seeds.

Here is one method of removing the skin. Start by slicing it up into 1″ slices.

Now just remove the skin from each slice.

The other way to do this is to leave the half squash whole and just carefully peel.

Cover a cookie sheet with some parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.

Dice up the peeled squash and spread out on the cookie sheet.

Add on a couple tablespoons of olive oil.

Toss the diced squash in the oil. Pop this in a 350°F oven for about 20-25 minutes until fork tender.

Meanwhile get a pot of salted boiling water going on the stove and add in a box of orzo. Cook to the box instructions.

In a large skillet, melt a stick of salted butter.

Grab a couple of shallots. If you don't have shallots... just use an onion, dice and soak in water for a few minutes.

Grab a couple of shallots. If you don’t have shallots… just use an onion, dice and soak in water for a few minutes.

Dice up your shallots.

Grap a handful of fresh sage leaves, this is really an important ingredient, fresh is best here.

Chop it up.

Add your shallots and sage into the butter.

Pull your squash out of the oven and be sure it is fork tender.

Add the squash into the skillet and coat with the butter, shallots and sage.

Drain your orzo.

Once the squash is coated, add in the orzo into the skillet and toss for a few minutes until the flavor has time to penetrate the pasta.

done1

Butternut Squash Orzo in Sage Butter

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

1 lb. cooked orzo

1 butternut squash, peeled and diced

1 stick salted butter

6 fresh sage leaves

2 shallots, diced

olive oil

kosher salt

fresh cracked black pepper

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Start a pot of water boiling and add some salt, cook orzo to package directions for al dente.

On a parchment lined cookie sheet, spread out diced squash.  Drizzle with olive oil and toss. Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes until fork tender.

In a large skillet over med/high heat, add in butter.  Add in shallots and sautée until tender.  Add in sage.  When squash comes out of the oven, add it into the skillet and toss in the buttery sauce.  Then drain the orzo and add it to the skillet.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

 

 

Roasted Chicken

3 Comments

done1Ah the roasted chicken.  One of life’s culinary treasures.  A perfectly roasted chicken is a gem in any cook’s repertoire.  This recipe is a simple lemon herb roasted chicken and lends itself to a delicious gravy with a roasting rack made up of onions, lemons, carrots, garlic and compound butter and a lovely white wine.

I am forever surprised at just how many people have never made a whole roasted chicken either because they think it is too much work or they are intimidated by the prospect of cleaning and dressing the chicken.  Well rest assured, this recipe includes no giblets, no twine and minimal cleaning.  In fact this recipe is one of the easiest roasted chicken recipes you’ll find, you don’t even need a special pan.

This week, I am starting with your run of them mill roasting chicken.

The first step is to find a pan that will adequately fit your chicken… This Pampered Chef Deep Dish Baker looks just about right.

I remove the inside and toss them… Many people use these contents in gravy or stuffing, not me.

I then start to build a rack in the bottom of my pan. I suppose I could use a pan with a rack, but this is a delicious solution to not having a rack!

Crush up some garlic.

Add the garlic in.

Add on olive oil and a sprinkle of kosher salt.

I know a lot of people say you don’t need to wash your chicken, but I always do, and then I dry it up. The next few steps require the skin to be dry.

Next we will work on stuffing the chicken. Now, you really shouldn’t use actual stuffing to stuff your chicken as it will take you double time to cook it and the outter limbs of the chicken will be over cooked while the breast stays raw…. My point is it leads to uneven cooking and the stuffing rarely will get cooked all the way through. But I do like to put some things in that have moister and flavor.

So I start with some onions. Just a couple.

Then some lemon slices.

Again, we don’t want to over stuff, but some liquid in the cavity will help to keep the chicken moist.

Then take some more of that crushed garlic and pop it in there.

Add those lemons to the bottom rack too.

I like to keep fresh herbs on my windowsill. I find this to be much more economical than buying them each time I need them. Not to mention they are pretty.

So we will need Rosemary and Tyme.

Don’t forget that everything you do to the bottom cavity needs to also be done in the neck cavity.

Next step is to prepare a compound butter.  Compound butters are a great way to impart flavor right in with the fat.

My thyme is young and so the stems are not woody and they can get chopped without de-stemming. But, the rosemary stem is pretty woody and so leaves should be removed before chopping.
Mince up the herbs.
Slice up 3/4 of a stick of unsalted butter.
Add the herbs in.
Then add in kosher salt. At this point you can add whatever flavor you like… pepper, corriander, ginger etc. For this basic recipe, I am keeping it simple.
With a fork, mashe the salt and herbs in with the butter.

I have a pretty large chicken and so I will use this entire amount. But if you want to prepare this ahead of time to use with your Thanksgiving turkey or just so you don’t have to repeat this stem… you can just roll it into a log, wrap in wax paper and freeze, then use what you like. Compound butter is great on steak, veggies, egg noodles, you name it!

I will start by putting some in each cavity.

Then the best way to really infuse the flavor into the meat of the chicken, your best bet is to go in under the skin. Gently lift the skin and you may need to gently separate the skin from the breast with your fingers. (be aware of rings you may have on)

And then take some butter and work it up under the skin.

Continue spreading the skin as you add it in... Then once it is in, it can be smooshed around from the outside of the skin.

Continue spreading the skin as you add it in… Then once it is in, it can be smooshed around from the outside of the skin.

Next, I fold in the winds.

You want to pin it down behind the bird.

You want to pin it down behind the bird.

This helps with even cooking. Some people like to also tie up the legs, I find that leads to longer cooking time.

This helps with even cooking. Some people like to also tie up the legs, I find that leads to longer cooking time.

Add in some of the compound butter to the rack.

Add in some of the compound butter to the rack.

Once you have butter under the skin, its time to slather it all over the outside. This is why it is really important to have dry chicken. Butter won’t stick to water.

Place your chicken on your rack and add in your last addition. There is a lot of moisture with the onions and lemon, but that isn't enough. The last addition is some dry white wine. Be sure the wine you use is a decent drinking wine. This will flavor your chicken as well as keeping it moist.

Place your chicken on your rack and add in your last addition. There is a lot of moisture with the onions and lemon, but that isn’t enough. The last addition is some dry white wine. Be sure the wine you use is a decent drinking wine. This will flavor your chicken as well as keeping it moist.

I like to cover with some foil… but in order to do that and not have it stick, I spray my foil with cooking spray.

I am covering lightly as you can see. I like the hot air circulating. Remove the foil for the last 30 minutes of cooking to brown skin.

Baste chicken throughout the cooking process. When the temperature in the deepest part of the breast comes to between 160°F – 165°F, you are ready to take the chicken out of the oven and cover immediately with foil for 15 minutes or so.

done2

Roasted Chicken

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

1 6-8lb. roasting chicken

2 carrots, largely chopped

2 onions, quartered

1 lemon, sliced

3/4 stick unsalted butter, sliced rm temp

4-5 cloves garlic, crushed

4 sprigs rosemary, stripped, divided

6 sprigs thyme, divided

kosher salt

olive oil

1/2 cup dry white wine

cooking spray

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 375°F.  Make compound butter: add chopped rosemary and thyme to softened butter with a tsp. kosher salt, mash together.  Remove giblets bag from cavity of chicken.  Wash and dry chicken and place on a washable mat.  Find a roasting pan large enough to accommodate chicken and vegetables.

Create rack for chicken:  in the bottom of your roasting pan add in chopped carrots, one onion diced into eighthed cubes, 2-3 cloves of garlic, 2-3 slices of lemon a sprinkle of salt (about 1 tsp) and a swig of olive oil (about 2 Tbs.) and 2-3 Tbs. of compound butter.  Add in 1/2 cup dry white wine.

In the cavities of the chicken add in a couple cubes of onion, a couple slices of lemon, 2 cloves of crushed garlic, 1 sprig of rosemary and 1 sprig of thyme.  Be careful not to over stuff the cavities of the chicken.  Add in 1 Tbs. compound butter to the cavities.

Then making sure the skin of the chicken is dry, place chicken on your vegetable rack in the roasting pan and slather with remaining compound butter.  Spray foil with cooking spray.  Cover loosely with foil.

Place in 375°F oven for 20 minutes, reduce heat to 350°F for 30 minutes and baste throughout cooking.  At this point check temp of chicken breast… overall cooking times will vary, but for planning, plan about 12-15 minutes per pound of chicken.  So for an 8lb. chicken you are looking at roughly 2 hours of roasting time.  When you are nearing the end of cooking, remove foil for the last 30 minutes or so.

*This is a gluten-free recipe.

 

Basic Mashed Potatoes

done1

November is here!  It is officially time to start thinking about holiday menus and gathering recipes old and new.  On our Thanksgiving table we always have some classics, some family favorites that are now tradition and I always look for one or two recipes that can liven things up a bit.

One of my family’s old staples is of course a big bowl of old-fashioned Basic Mashed Potatoes.  The mashed potato is one of the simplest tastes there can be with one of the biggest impacts on your table.  If they are done incorrectly it could potentially ruin the whole meal.  It’s a good thing that they are pretty easy to make!

There are companies out there who have made millions on that powdered stuff that is supposed to pass for mashed potatoes.  I never quite understood how or why anyone would go through all the work of making those fake mashed potatoes when the real thing takes about 5 minutes longer to make with basically the same cost or even less.  To me the pay off of that 5 minutes is immeasurable.  When you bite into a creamy, hearty, buttery bite of simple mashed potato, you’ve really got something special.  A good mashed potato is meant to be a back drop for all the other wonderful savory food you have on your table.

So whether it is along side your Thanksgiving turkey, meatloaf, steak, pork roast or any number of different dishes, please take the extra 5 minutes to peel up some potatoes.  I promise it will be worth every bite!

Let me show you how I do it…

I either use all-purpose white potatoes or Yukon Gold… they are both good, it depends on what I have on hand at the time.

I like a smaller dice on my potatoes so they cook faster, but remember the smaller you dice, the less starch there will be. Put your potatoes in cold water to start, add a good pinch of salt and boil until fork tender.

Salted butter. I slice it just so it melts in quicker.

Drain water from pot and add in the salted butter.

Fresh cracked black pepper is key.

Heavy cream. Sometimes if I just have 1/2 and 1/2 I use that, but anything with a lower fat content than that makes for a not so creamy mash.

Kosher salt to taste.

I use a good old-fashioned masher. I am not a fan of the masher with the grid, I like this one with the zig zag lines. You could whip your potatoes in the mixer, but then you would have whipped potatoes, not mashed.

done2

Basic Mashed Potatoes

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

2.5 lbs. potatoes, peeled and diced

1/2 cup heavy cream

3/4 stick salted butter, sliced

1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste

6 cracks fresh black pepper

8 qts. cold water

Directions:

In a pot that will accommodate your water and potatoes leaving room to boil place potatoes, then cover with about 1/2″ -1″ cold water.  Add in a good pinch of salt.  Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.  Remove from heat and drain once potatoes are fork tender (about 20 minutes).

Add in butter, cream, salt and pepper.  Mash well with a potato masher.

Serve hot, enjoy!

*note – this is a completely gluten-free recipe.

Minestrone Soup

done4

A good Minestrone Soup can compete with ANY full dinner!  With all the elements of your basic nutritional chart, this soup has it all and the flavor to back up that first sentence to boot.  There is a local restaurant I have grown up with that leads more than a few cooks in my area to strive to perfect Minestrone soup… I have to say, this does it for me… and there is one secret ingredient I don’t think it could do without!

Venus Di Milo is the restaurant my parents held their wedding reception.  It’s where my Dad had one of his very first jobs as a bus boy.  And it is where countless wedding, 1st communion and birthday celebrations have been held over time.  They have a very good reputation for having the best Minestrone Soup anywhere.  People order it to go by the bucket full!  It’s gotten to the point that people around here don’t even refer to it as Minestrone anymore, but rather, Venus Di Milo Soup. This of course started my journey in figuring out just how they do it.  And this recipe comes pretty darn close!

Let me show you how I do it!

Chop some onions.

Chop up some carrots.

Dice up some celery

Add in the ground beef and brown.

Once the beef is all browned, drain any accumulated fat.

coarsely chop some garlic.

Fill the pot about 3/4 with water. I will give you a measurement in the recipe, but really what I do is go by the size of my pot… If I want more soup, I use a large pot, if I want less, I use a smaller pot… I might add in some extra veggies if I am using a super big pot, but the basic recipe stays the same give or take a quart of water.

Stir and bring to a boil over high heat.

I use one large can of whole plum tomatoes… You can use two cans of diced or sauce… but I like the way the whole tomatoes break down throughout the cooking process… and I help them along a bit too.

This is what the tomato looks like in all that sauce… throughout the cooking I go after them with my wooden spoon to help them break down a bit.

My secret ingredient is beef base. You can use a stock or a bullion, but there is something about beef base in this particular soup that I really like.

This is what the beef base looks like, it’s thick and very concentrated.

In my tomato can, I pour some hot water in my tomato can.

It will look like this when it’s all melted together.

Then add into the soup.

Rinse a can of kidney beans.

I use about a palm full of Italian seasoning.

This time of year it is difficult to get some good fresh summer veggies… so I prefer frozen over canned… Frozen is flash frozen at the peak of freshness whereas canned just get mushy. I use these three in my Minestrone, corn, peas and Italian green beans (if I can find them, if not regular green beans are fine)

Stir and allow to simmer for about 30 minutes or so.  Then add in your pasta… Normally, I use an orzo pasta, but I was out… so, I substituted with another small pasta, dilatini and it worked out great… as long as you keep the past small you are good to go! Cook pasta for another 20-25 minutes or so and serve.

done3

Minestrone Soup

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped

2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped

2 medium ribs of celery, chopped

1 1/4 lbs. ground beef

1 large 16 oz. can whole tomatoes in sauce

1 12 oz can red kidney beans

1 cup frozen peas

1 cup frozen corn

1 cup frozen Italian green  beans

2 garlic cloves, diced

1 Tbs. Italian seasoning

1 heaping Tbs. beef base melted into 1/2 cup hot water

1/2 lb. Dilatini or Orzo pasta

12 -16 cups water

salt and pepper to taste

parmesan or mozzarella cheese for topping

Directions:

In a large pot over medium heat, sautée onions, carrots and celery until tender.  Add in ground beef and brown. Drain fat and add in water (fill pot to 3/4 full with water).  Add in tomatoes.

In the tomato can, add 1/2 cup hot tap water.  To that add in beef base and stir until combined.  Add mixture into the soup.

Bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to a simmer and add remaining ingredients saving the pasta for later.  Simmer for 30 minutes.

Taste for salt and pepper.  Add in pasta.  Cook for an additional 20-25 minutes until pasta is well cooked.  If soup is too thick just add in some water and taste for salt and pepper again.

Serve… Enjoy!

Don’t be SPOOKED by buying a home… getting a mortgage doesn’t have to be SCARY!

Don’t be SPOOKED by buying a home… getting a mortgage

doesn’t have to be SCARY!

Jack-o-lanterns --- Image by © Royalty-Free/Corbis

Jack-o-lanterns — Image by © Royalty-Free/Corbis

So, when you’re ready to start looking into buying a house, what’s the first thing you should do?                           

CALL A MORTGAGE PROFESSIONAL!

Your instinct may tell you to start perusing house listings and call a real estate agent; but how do you know what mortgage program will work best for you?  How much can you spend?  What costs are involved other than the price of the home?

couple meeting with female LO (2)

By spending an hour with a mortgage professional, you will learn the following:

  • Your credit score and identify credit issues (if any)
  • Mortgage programs available to you
  • The amount of money you will need for a down payment
  • Establish a price range for your new home
  • Closing costs involved and how to save money on them

You will leave that appointment armed with knowledge that will make you a much more informed buyer.  Having a pre-qualification will establish your credibility as a buyer with real estate agents and with potential sellers.

knowledge power-01

This is the information your mortgage lender will need to know in order to get you prequalified.

  • Annual gross income
  • Balance in your bank accounts
  • Balance in 401K/Retirement
  • How much you want to use for a down payment
  • Credit score and credit history
  • All debts and liabilitiesThe best lenders explain all the options available to you and will give you feedback on how to manage your credit profile.

REMEMBER POSTIT

If you are serious about buying a home, you need to…

  • Stay Current: Make timely payments on all existing debt
  • Stay Consistent: Continue to use credit/debit cards as normal
  • Stay Informed: Join a credit watch program
  • Stay Connected: Speak with your mortgage professional if you have any questions

An informed buyer is empowered.

  • Know what you can afford
  • Know the costs of a mortgage
  • Know what you need for a down payment

The more you know, the more prepared you are, and the more smooth the transaction!

Don’t fall in love with a home you can’t afford, be prepared – get prequalified!

Post sponsored by Lori Medeiros, Senior Loan Officer with RMS

Medeiros web ad