Chef Debbie Asks "Is It a Quiche? Is It a Tart?

No! It's a Quiart...

So last night I actually had to make dinner for sweet husband since I didn't make any extra portions from my client cook day.

What in the world was I thinking? This cooking thing at night takes me away from wine o'clock...

So it was clean out the refrigerator for dinner and The Quiart was born.

Flaky puff pastry was stuffed with caramelized onions, bacon crumbles, a mixture of ricotta, eggs, garlic, spices and sun~dried tomatoes and then baked hot and golden brown.

Only limited by what's in your refrigerator, here's the basic recipe:

4~6 bacon slices
2 large onions, thinly sliced
1/8t dried thyme
1 puff pastry sheet
15oz ricotta cheese
1/2c Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2c Mozzarella cheese, shredded
8 sun~dried tomatoes, in oil, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
pinch cayenne pepper
1/2t dried thyme
salt and pepper, to taste
dried parsley, for garnish
your favorite Cajun spice, for garnish

Preheat oven to 400. Thaw puff pastry at room temperature, approximately 45 minutes, until soft and easy to work with.

While puff pastry is thawing, fry bacon in large skillet until it has rendered all of its fat. Remove bacon from skillet and drain well on paper towels. Reserve 2T of bacon grease in the skillet.

Over medium heat, in the same skillet the bacon was cooked in, sauté the onions until they are golden brown and caramelized ~ about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with dried thyme and a little salt.

In medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, Parmesan, Mozzarella, eggs, sun~dried tomatoes, garlic, cayenne, thyme and salt and pepper. Mix well.

Place puff pastry in pie pan, stretching sides to cover all around the pie pan. Don't worry if it's not perfectly positioned ~ once this is folded over and is baked, it looks fabulous.

Place caramelized onions in bottom of puff pastry and top with crumbled crispy bacon.

Pour cheese mixture over bacon and pull edges of puff pastry up over the cheese mixture.

Brush exposed puff pastry with a touch of water and sprinkle the dried parsley and Cajun spice all over the top.

Place pie pan on baking sheet and bake 40~45 minutes until puff pastry is puffed and golden brown and filling is hot and bubbly. Remove from oven, let sit 10 minutes, slice and serve with tossed green salad and a chilled glass of your favorite Chardonnay.

Some variations:
To lower calorie and fat content, use low~fat or fat~free ricotta cheese and part skim Mozzarella cheese
Substitute pancetta or diced ham for the bacon
Add 1/2c chopped fresh broccoli or chopped fresh spinach
Substitute Asiago, Gruyere or Jarlsburg cheese
Add 2T toasted pine nuts or chopped black walnuts
Change out the spices to your favorite flavors

Chef Debbie's Easter Hodgepodge Blog

Today's blog is full of chatty little blurbs.

This is finally the last weekend of tax season.

Sweet husband, Tim, has been working 7 days a week since mid~February and it'll be nice to see him for more than about 10 minutes a day before he falls into bed.

Yesterday, I drove over to Indiana to meet my dear foodie friend and personal chef extraordinaire, Liz Geeslin, of In Good Taste Personal Chef Service in Lebanon, IN.

We met in Shelbyville for lunch at a bookstore~cafe called Three Sisters Books & Gifts located in the public square circle.

It's a darling place ~ not a frilly, foufou place ~ that is actually owned by three sisters. They specialize in panini sandwiches and homemade desserts ~ I had the cherry~chocolate cake which was light and fluffy and oh, so good! If you're ever in the area, it's well worth slogging through the road construction to stop in for coffee and dessert.

The weather is finally going to be nice for the weekend ~ but next week it's going to rain almost every day! If you're boiling eggs to hide for the kiddies on Easter morning, boil a few more and try this client favorite:

Deviled Egg Salad with Dill
Makes 12 servings

Ingredients
12 large eggs
2T shallot, finely minced
1/4c mayonnaise
1/4c sour cream
1T Dijon mustard
2T flat leaf parsley, chopped
3T fresh dill, chopped
2T chives, chopped
kosher salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

Place eggs in single layer in large Dutch oven. Add enough cold water just to cover the eggs. Bring to a rapid boil over high heat ~ water will have large rapidly breaking bubbles. Remove from heat, cover and let stand 14 minutes. Drain and run cold water over eggs until cool enough to handle. Drain and peel eggs.

Grate eggs using large hole side of box grater. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

I've had several clients over the last week asking what a personal chef has for a holiday dinner. Well. That's an interesting question for this time of year.

I'm making Marinated Baby Lamb Chops for my clients' Easter dinner but with sweet husband working all day, and the small fact that he's not a huge fan of lamb, we're going non~traditional for Easter dinner.

Yep. About as non~traditional as you can get. Ham & Beans with homemade jalapeno cornbread. And lots of chopped onion on the side. It is difficult, though, to find a proper wine to go with Ham & Beans!

If you like Lamb Chops, this is what my clients are having for Easter Dinner:

Marinated Baby Lamb Chops with Cucumber~Mint Relish
Serves 4

8 baby lamb chops
1/2c olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
2t dried rosemary, chopped
1/4c fresh mint leaves, chopped
1T lemon juice
1t salt

Relish:
2 large cucumbers, peeled, seeded, small diced
1T salt
1/4c onion, minced
1/4c red bell pepper, chopped
1/4c fresh mint leaves, chopped
1/4c rice wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

Prepare relish: Place diced cucumber in fine mesh sieve set over a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and let drain for 1 hour. Pat dry with paper towels and place in a clean bowl. Add remaining relish ingredients and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate up to 6 hours. Stir well to serve.

Place lamb chops in large zip~lock bag. In small bowl, combine olive oil, garlic, rosemary, mint, lemon juice and salt. Pour marinade over lamb chops, seal and refrigerate up to 8 hours.

Preheat broiler. Place lamb chops on broiler pan and cook until medium~rare, approximately 2~3 minutes per side depending upon thickness of the chops. Remove from oven and serve with cucumber~relish.

Chef Debbie's Dumped Strawberry Muffins

I found myself with a plethora of strawberries and an extra hour on a Sunday.

As many of you know, I hate to bake. No. Let me clarify that. I HATE to bake.

There. That's better.

In the past, I've called myself a dump cook. I dump it in and cook it!

So when I found this recipe online, with just a few tweaks here and there, I was able to dump together these super~simple, delicious muffins.

Chef Debbie's Dumped Strawberry Muffins
Makes 16 muffins

Ingredients:
2 1/2c all~purpose flour
1c whole wheat flour
1c sugar
1t salt
1T + 1t baking powder
1t cinnamon
3c chopped strawberries, fresh or frozen
1/2c canola oil
1c milk
2 eggs
1/2c brown sugar
1t vanilla
zest of 1 lemon

If you're using frozen strawberries, allow them to thaw a little and then chop.

Preheat oven to 375 and line muffin tin with paper liners.

In large bowl combine flours, sugar, salt, baking powder and cinnamon. Stir together well.

Add chopped strawberries to flour mixture and toss well to coat all strawberries with flour.

In small bowl combine oil, milk, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla and lemon zest. Whisk together well. Pour wet mixture into flour mixture and stir until well blended.

Fill muffin cups almost to top. Bake 25~28 minutes or until the tops bounce back when touched and are golden brown. Remove from oven, cool 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on wire racks.

Personal Chef to The Queen

Today is The Queen's birthday.

Latifa? No.

Of England? No.

Queen Janeen!

The Queen of Cincinnati morning radio ~ Janeen Coyle ~ can be found every morning on WGRR 103.5FM beginning at the ungodly hour of 5:00 ~ yes, that is in the a.m. ~ with husband, funny man and radio sidekick, Chris O'Brien.

So I got up earlier than normal this morning to make The Queen a 3~layer Chocolate Raspberry birthday cake. I'm not a pastry chef. Far from it. Baking requires a cooking skill that I don't possess ~ measuring.

I hate to measure when I cook. I'm more of a dump cook. What is a dump cook? I dump it in and cook it!

So said cake with double chocolate fudge icing tilted slightly to the side. But with the tiara on top and the sparkler candles, it was hardly noticeable.

So happy birthday my dear friend. I wish you nothing but happiness, sunshine and good wine this weekend.

Oh. And lots of chocolate.

Chef Debbie's Recipe for Roquefort Tomato Ambrosia

I picked tomatoes today.

Actually, I pick tomatoes every day. Most days the count is 8~10 tomatoes. Today's Yummy! tomato haul was 20 perfectly formed, round, red and juicy Beefsteak tomatoes!

I've looked around at my neighbor's tomato plants and one neighbor had such a poor crop this year that they've already pulled the plants from the ground. The other neighbors behind me have decent sized plants with the tallest one topping out at about 4'.

Not bad by most standards.

Then there are the Tomato Queen's tomatoes.

Standing a full 6' tall, the plants are so loaded with Beefsteak tomatoes, that I have to pick every day. And, the critters haven't been eating them.

My critterless secret? Cayenne pepper all around the plants. The ground squirrels, rabbits and raccoons won't cross the pepper line.

Am I bragging? You betcha! I don't have a lot to brag about in my yard but my flowers and tomatoes will win awards every time.

What to do with all of these delicious red gems? Here's a recipe for a client favorite summer~on~the~back~deck dinner.

Caramelized Onion, Tomato and Roquefort Tart
Serves 8

1 pound tomatoes, ripe, thinly sliced
2T butter
2c yellow onions, thinly sliced
1/4c dry white wine
1t thyme, dried
salt and pepper
1/3c pine nuts, toasted
1 puff pastry sheet, thawed
4oz Roquefort cheese, crumbled

Preheat oven to 400. Spray a tart pan with non~stick cooking spray.

Place sliced tomatoes in one layer on baking sheet sprayed with non~stick cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and thyme. Bake 3 minutes. Turn tomatoes over and bake an additional 3 minutes. Remove from pan and allow juices to drain on paper towels.

In heavy skillet, melt butter over medium~high heat. Add onions and sauté until caramelized, 12~15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add wine and cook until dry, 3~5 minutes. Remove from heat, add pine nuts, salt and pepper to taste and stir well. Set aside to cool.

On a lightly floured cutting board, roll out puff pastry until large enough to fit into tart pan with sides overlapping.

Spread onion mixture evenly over bottom of puff pastry. Top with sliced tomatoes, overlapping to make one tight layer. Top with crumbled Roquefort cheese. Crimp edges of puff pastry.

Bake until golden and puffed, about 20~25 minutes. Cover pastry edges with foil if it begins to get too brown.

Remove from oven and cut into wedges. Serve warm or room temperature with a glass of Pinot Grigio and a small spinach salad on the side.

Enjoy!

Julia Child is the Reason I'm a Personal Chef

Today is Julia Child's birthday. 

She would have been 96. 

Born August 15, 1912 Julia started her storied career as "The French Chef" in 1963. Her cookbook bible "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" (1961), a 734~page door stop was originally rejected from the publisher Houghton Mifflin as "being too much like an encyclopedia." My copy is dog~eared and has a broken spine but I wouldn't trade it for the world.  

I remember watching the later years of "The French Chef" and later, "Julia Child & Company" (1978-1979). Truth be told, I didn't understand much of what she was saying and doing ~ I just know that I liked watching her combine everyday ingredients turning out beautiful masterpieces. Or, tell us when it didn't quite turn out right. 

Regardless, the most important thing she taught me is that no matter how good you are in the kitchen, sometimes things don't go according to plan. Cakes don't rise, omelets fall apart, you forget an ingredient.  

Believe me, if there's a mistake to be made in the kitchen, I've made it.  

So thank you Julia Child. For your amazing recipes, your selflessness and most of all your humor.  

Here's one of my favorite recipes from "Mastering the Art of French Cooking."

As Julia would say ~ Bon Appétit!

Chicken Broiled With Mustard, Herbs and Breadcrumbs
Serves 8

2 ~ 2 1/2 pound broiler~fryer chickens, quartered
1/3c butter
2T olive oil
salt
1/3c Dijon mustard
3T shallots, finely minced
1/2t dried thyme, basil or tarragon
1/8t black pepper, freshly ground
1 pinch cayenne pepper
4c breadcrumbs, fresh ~ do not use packaged crumbs

Preheat broiler.

Rinse chicken under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Melt butter and olive oil together and baste chicken with the mixture.

Place chicken, skin side down, in bottom of a broiling pan, rack removed. Place pan in oven so that chicken is 5~6" away from the heat.

Broil 10 minutes per side, basting every 5 minutes. Chicken should be very lightly browned. Sprinkle with salt.

Blend Dijon mustard with shallots, herbs, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Drop by drop, beat in 1/2 of the basting fat from the broiler pan whisking constantly until emulsified into a mayonnaise~like cream. Brush the mustard mixture onto the chicken pieces.

Pour breadcrumbs onto a large plate, roll mustard~coated chicken in crumbs and arrange chicken, skin side down, on the broiling rack. Dribble half of the remaining basting fat over chicken pieces.

Brown under broiler, about 10 minutes. Turn the chicken, baste with remaining fat, and cook another 10 minutes, or until juices run clear.

OK Foodie Friends ~ I'm Looking For a Recipe

To all my foodie friends: I've been searching for a recipe for over four decades.

I'm looking for a Cole Slaw recipe. Not just any cole slaw. And not with mayo or (yuck) Miracle Whip.

No. No. No.

This is a vinegar based cole slaw. The kind that makes your taste buds explode.

Let me back up and explain. My parents didn't take us out to eat very much when we were growing up. As in, almost never. But, when we did go out, we went to this fabulous chicken joint ~ in hindsight, it was a dive bar ~ that had THE BEST fried chicken and a spicy vinegar based cole slaw. I'd get a double order of slaw and forget the fries. Then I'd eat everyone else's slaw at the table.

I really loved that cole slaw.

I've tried to make it but can't get the proportions right.

So. I'm looking for a recipe that is cabbage based with a dressing of vinegar, white wine, sugar, garlic, red onion (or shallot) and that special something that I just haven't figured out yet.

Please don't keep me in suspense. I'm sure one of my genius foodie friends knows that that special something is.

Wonder if that is where my love of Bacchus started...

Yummy~issimo! Recipe for Grilled Lemon Chicken

A Blog A Day For A Month: Day 29. Only 2 more days to go.

In most families, the man is the master of the grill. But in our family unit, sweet husband doesn't cook on the grill any more than he cooks in the kitchen.

Which means never.

No problem. I have a big 5~burner stainless steel grill with all of the gadgets. And, best of all, we have a covered back deck which means I can cook outside when it's raining or snowing.

Yes, I've been known to grill outside when it's 20 below. Or when we have a blizzard and the power's out for 3 days.

Nope. We'll never go hungry.

I grill out a lot and it seems that as soon as the big slab of red meat is just starting to get those Yummy! grill marks and the air is starting of fill with the delicious fragrance of a perfectly grilled garlic~rubbed filet, I run out of propane and sweet husband has to change the tank.

So tonight is a grill out night and here's one of my favorite, super~simple recipes.

Grilled Lemon Chicken
Makes 6 servings

3 large chicken breasts
1/4c olive oil
1/4c lemon juice, fresh squeezed
1 lemon, zested
2T basil, fresh, chopped
1t black pepper, freshly ground

Have your butcher filet the breasts into 6 pieces. Mix all ingredients, except chicken, in small bowl. Place chicken and marinade in large zip~lock bag. Seal and refrigerate at least 4 hours.

Preheat grill and spray racks with non~stick cooking spray. Remove chicken from marinade and discard marinade. Grill chicken, turning only once, until done.

Serve with a cucumber and tomato salad, herbed Israeli couscous with sugar snap peas and a glass of your favorite Pinot Grigio.

Just gotta make sure the propane tank isn't empty before I start the grill.

Forget the Mayo: Recipe for Homemade Ranch Dressing

A Blog A Day For A Month: Day 28. Only 3 more days to go.

Yesterday sweet husband Tim went out to the ATP Tennis Tournament with Ryan (of Kristy and Ryan fame). I love when he's gone and I can have exactly what I want for lunch or dinner.

Don't get me wrong. I love when he's home but if he's out of town and I want spaghetti 4 nights in a row, I'll have spaghetti 4 nights in a row.

So yesterday I was craving a Tuna Stuffed Tomato. And, although I don't get it, sweet husband is "just OK" about fresh tomatoes.

Goodie! More for me!

My favorite way of having tuna salad is tuna mixed with homemade Ranch dressing (forget about using mayonnaise or {GASP} Miracle Whip), fresh dill, lots of finely diced green onion, sliced green olives and capers.

Heaven on a piece of bread. Or, in this case, stuffed inside a big, juicy red tomato.

And, of course, it must be served on a pretty plate with fresh flowers and garnished with dried dill and organic dried flower petals.  A glass of chilled, crisp Chardonnay wouldn't be bad either!

Homemade Ranch Dressing
Makes 1 1/2 cups

1c mayonnaise
1/2c sour cream
1T dill, fresh, chopped
1 garlic clove, finely minced
2T lime juice, fresh
1/4c buttermilk
1T parsley, fresh, chopped
1T red bell pepper, finely minced
1T chives, chopped

Whisk all ingredients until well blended. Taste and adjust seasonings. Cover and chill at least 8 hours for flavors to blend.

Keeps well, refrigerated and covered, for 2 weeks.

Chef Debbie's Favorite Blueberry Muffins

A Blog A Day For A Month: Day 27. Only 4 more days to go.

I love blueberries. Big, plump and full of flavor, these little gems are stuffed full of antioxidants so they're really good for you.

I don't eat a lot of desserts and sweets, but every once in a while I get the craving for blueberry muffins. Not just any muffins, but the double~stuffed blueberry muffins from Ina Garten. Unfortunately, I don't have which of her fabulous cookbooks I got this from. Here's my modified recipe, which is a client favorite.

Double Blueberry Muffins
Makes 12

1/2c butter, room temperature
1c sugar
2 eggs
2t vanilla extract
2t baking powder
1/4t salt
3T lemon zest
2 1/2c blueberries, fresh
2c all~purpose flour
1/2c milk
2T Demerara sugar, for garnish

Preheat oven to 375. Line muffin tin with paper liners.

In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter until smooth. Add sugar and mix well. Add eggs, vanilla, baking powder, lemon zest and salt and mix well.

In a shallow bowl, mash 3/4c blueberries with the back of a fork. Add to batter and mix.

With the mixer running at low speed, add 1/2 of the flour, then 1/2 of the milk and mix. Repeat with remaining flour and milk. Fold in the remaining whole blueberries by hand and mix well.

Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full. Sprinkle Demerara sugar over the tops of the muffins. Bake until golden brown, 25~30 minutes. Let cool in the pan at least 30 minutes before removing from muffin tin ~ this step is very important so that the blueberries don't sink to the bottom of the muffins.

Yummy!

Chef Debbie To Be Aunt Debbie

A Blog A Day For A Month: Day 23. Only 8 more days to go.

I've got to learn how to make homemade baby food.

No, not for me ~ thank Bacchus! Although, I suppose Bacchus is what got her into this situation...

Anyways, it is my duty as Chef Aunt Debbie to give mommy a little break, give baby a healthy choice of fruits and veggies and to give daddy ~ what?

What to give daddy?

I know! When the little one is ready to pop out, I'll fill the freezer with a month's worth of dinners. That way, he can devote his time to diaper duty.

So to my friends who are reading this and want to know who's pregnant. Guess you'll just have to wait and see who gains a lot of weight in the next few months. Back to the photo at the beginning of this blog ~ she tells me this is the baby photo.  I'll have to take her word for it.

If you're interested, here are some websites I've found that have recipes for homemade baby foods.

Wholesome Baby Foods

Homemade Baby Food Recipes

Garden and Hearth Baby Food Recipes

Andres' Homemade Baby Food Recipes

Recipe Goldmine: Baby Food Recipes

The Vegetarian Resource Group Recipes

This will be a whole new tasting experience for me.

Chef Debbie's Favorite Pork Tenderloin Recipe

A Blog A Day For A Month: Day 21. Only 10 more days to go.

This adorable classic cartoon appeared in Gourmet Magazine in December 1949 and re~appeared on their website this month.

One of my favorite client appetizer recipes for pork tenderloin can also be served for dinner. Serve with fresh fruit salad, your favorite fresh vegetable and a nice glass of crisp Pinot Grigio.

Port Marinated Pork Tenderloin
Serves 4

1/2c soy sauce
1/2c honey
1/2c Port wine
4 garlic cloves, peeled, minced
2" fresh ginger, peeled, minced
4 green onions, thinly sliced
2T Dijon mustard
1T mustard seeds
1 pound pork tenderloin, whole, trimmed
Garnishes: fresh diced pineapple, mango~jalapeno salsa, fresh chives, or your favorite honey mustard

Place all ingredients except tenderloin in large bowl and mix well making sure that honey is mixed in well. Place marinade and pork tenderloin in large zip~lock bag and refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.

When ready to cook, strain marinade into large saucepan and bring to a boil. This sauce will increase in volume with heat so keep an eye on the pot so that it does not boil over. Reduce heat and gently boil until reduced by at least one half.

Spray grill grates with non~stick cooking spray and preheat grill to medium~high heat. Reduce heat to medium and grill tenderloin about 20 minutes or until medium.

If serving as an appetizer, let stand at least 20 minutes to cool. Place tenderloin and reduced marinade in zip~lock bag and refrigerate until cold (the tenderloin is easier to thinly slice when it's chilled). When chilled, slice into paper~thin slices, serve with reduced marinade on the side and garnish with fresh pineapple, mango~jalapeno salsa, fresh chives and~or honey mustard. This appetizer can be served warm, cold or room temperature.

If serving for dinner, have the butcher trim the pork tenderloin and slice into medallions, marinate and grill as directed. Remove from grill and let rest 5~10 minutes before serving.

Personal Chef is The Tomato Queen

A Blog A Day For A Month: Day 18. Only 13 more days to go.

Have I ever talked about my tomatoes?

Every year, I swear I'm not going to grow tomatoes again. It's too much work. I don't have time to water. I can get great tomatoes from the farmer's market. Yada, yada, yada.

And, yet, every year I eagerly await May 1 so I can scour the nursery for the exact plants I want. I'm very particular (I bet you didn't know that about me!!) about my tomato plants.

They must be Beefsteak plants. The plants must be a least 8" tall. They must be organic. On and on and on. For the first few years, the folks at the nursery would run and hide every time I came in. It must have been my sparkling personality....

For the last few years, whenever I walk into the nursery they go into the back and pull out a full flat of Beefsteak tomato plants for me to look through, pick over and ask about. Guess they remembered me from year to year.

Last year I planted the tomatoes in my front yard. Yeah, I know that sounds strange. And it is. But with the number of trees around us it was the best place for them. And my tomato plants were the talk of the neighborhood. They were over 7' tall! Taller than sweet husband Tim. They looked like trees. Needless to say it was a great Beefsteak tomato year. And it was a mild fall and I had fresh tomatoes well into the middle of November.

So, again this year I got the tomato bug in April. We had a really cold spring and my plants didn't go in until Memorial Day weekend. And this year I moved the plants into the back yard. I'd had a lot of trees cut down in the back so there is full sun from noon until the sun sets.

And I'm pleased to brag that my tomato plants have gone absolutely nuts this year. Even in new soil that hasn't been composted and mulched for several years ~ and with a very cold, wet spring ~ and with my not taking very good care of them. Right now, the plants are as tall as me and they are LOADED with tomatoes with some already larger than my fist.

I'll ask now. Send tomato recipes. Lots and lots of recipes.

Every year I freeze tomatoes, I make gallons of spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce and ketchup. But you can never have too many tomato recipes.

A Recipe for Steak au Poivre on Bastille Day

A Blog A Day For A Month: Day 14. Only 17 more days to go.

Today is Bastille Day ~ a national holiday in France commemorating the storming of the Bastille, which took place on July 14, 1789 and marked the beginning of the French Revolution. Yawn.

I had to take a French lit class at Miami and most of it centered around the French Revolution, the writings of Balzac and a bunch of stuff I can't remember. Now the "yawn" is due to the fact that this was an early morning class. As in 8:00 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. That in and of itself wouldn't be too bad, but add in the drive from Blue Ash to Oxford every day and I yawned my way through a lot of those classes that semester.

One thing you won't yawn about is one of sweet husband Tim's favorite meals ~ Steak au Poivre (Filets with Port Peppercorn Sauce).

Steak au Poivre
Modified from Epicurious.com
Serves 2

1 1/2T mixed peppercorns ~ black, red, pink, white, green
2t green peppercorns, in brine, drined
2 ~ 6oz beef tenderloin filets
2t vegetable oil
2c ruby Port wine
1/2c shallots, minced
3T ginger, finely minced
3T butter

Finely chop all peppercorns in food processor. Rub peppercorn mixture over both sides of each steak.

Heat oil in heavy medium skillet over high heat. Season steaks with salt. Add to skillet and cook to desired doneness ~ about 2 minutes per side for medium~rare. Transfer steaks to plate and tent with foil.

Add Port, shallots and ginger to skillet and boil until liquid is reduced to a thin syrup, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Strain into bowl. Return sauce to skillet and boil until thick syrup forms, about 2 minutes. Whisk in butter and season with salt. Spoon sauce around steaks and enjoy with a glass of your favorite red wine.

Food, Glorious Food!

A Blog A Day For A Month: Day 4. Only 27 more days to go.

Unbelievable! I found a great Food, Glorious Food video with the characters from "Ice Age" on YouTube just yesterday and today it's already been taken offline. Here's another one.

I don't have any recipes for lions or any other wild game, but here's one a a flavorful grilled chicken.

Grilled Jerk Chicken
Serves 4

1/3c olive oil
2T sesame oil
2T hot chili oil
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1T ginger root, grated
4 garlic cloves, finely minced
2T white balsamic vinegar ~ can substitute red wine vinegar
1T honey
1/4t nutmeg, freshly grated
salt and pepper
1/2 lime, juiced and zested
3T orange juice
1/4t red pepper flakes
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2T cilantro, for garnish
1T sesame seeds, toasted, for garnish

Place all ingredients except chicken, cilantro and sesame seeds in food processor and process until almost smooth. Pierce chicken breasts with fork all over. Place chicken breasts in large zip~lock bag and add marinade. Seal and refrigerate 24~48 hours depending upon how intense you want the flavor to be.

Remove chicken from marinade and discard marinade. Preheat grill and grill chicken, turning once, until cooked through. Garnish with chopped cilantro and toasted sesame seeds.  

Have a happy and safe 4th of July!

Happy Almost 4th of July!

A Blog A Day For A Month: Day 3. Only 28 more days to go.

Tomorrow is the 4th of July a time of family cookouts, fireworks and friends. Instead of the same ole boring hotdogs and dried out, overcooked hamburgers on the grill, try this easy recipe that's full of flavor guaranteed to be the hit of the party.

Garlic Marinated Chicken Breasts
Serves 4

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 bottle Kraft fat~free Italian salad dressing
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 large shallots, finely minced
1/8t cayenne pepper
1t dried oregano

Place chicken breasts in large zip~lock bag. Whisk together all marinade ingredients and pour over chicken. Seal bag and refrigerate at least 8 hours.

Remove chicken from marinade and pour marinade into saucepan. Grill chicken, turning once, until done. You should not have any grill flame~ups since the marinade is fat~free. While chicken is grilling, bring marinade to boil, reduce heat and cook until thickened. Serve as a dipping sauce with chicken.

Have a happy and safe 4th and remember ~ alcohol doesn't mix any better with fireworks than it does with driving!

I Get A Glow From Zinfandel

A Blog A Day For A Month: Day 1. Only 30 more days to go.

I get a lot of e~mails from friends sending jokes, cartoons and other funnies that make me smile. Here's Maxine, one of the greatest cartoon characters of all time, and it's scary how many of her witticisms apply to my life.

While you may find it hard to believe, I do like to visit with Bacchus every once in a while. OK. I admit. Visiting time is normally around 5:00 p.m. Every day. But it's important to keep in touch with friends.

So back to Maxine. I love this cartoon ~ it's so me! I don't "do" the sun. Unlike Sweet Husband Tim who walks out into the sun and turns a deep dark golden brown, when I sun all I do is burn, turn red, peel, burn, turn red, peel, repeat process.

So if you want to get your glow on with Zinfandel, here's a Yummy! recipe to get you started.

Zinfandel Cioppino
Modified from Epicurious.com
Serves 6

1 large fennel bulb and 3" of stalks, diced, reserve 4 fronds for garnish
1 large onion, diced
1/2c celery, thinly sliced
1/2c carrots, small dice
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 bay leaves
1t dried thyme
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1/4t Old Bay Seasoning
salt and pepper
1 ~ 28oz can diced tomatoes
1/2c vegetable stock
1 bottle Zinfandel ~ divided use
8oz clam juice ~ can use Clamato Juice
1/2 pound halibut, cut into 2" pieces
1/2 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined
1 pound mussels
8oz clams, canned, do not drain

Open Zinfandel, measure 1c and set aside. Pour a glass of wine and enjoy while cooking.

Heat oil in 6~quart soup pot over medium heat. Stir in fennel, onion, celery, carrot, garlic,bay leaves, thyme, red pepper flakes, Old Bay Seasoning and salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until vegetables begin to soften ~ about 4 minutes.

Add tomatoes with their juices, vegetable stock, 1c reserved Zinfandel and clam juice. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.

Check your wine level. Pour another glass if needed. Stir in seafood and cook, uncovered, until seafood is just cooked through and mussels open wide, approximately 5~6 minutes. Discard bay leaves and any mussels that remain closed after 6 minutes.

Enjoy!

Yummy~issimo! Recipe Sour Thanks To The Cicadas!

The cicadas are still here. And, they're going to be here for at least the next five freaking weeks!

There's one good thing about cicadas though ~ the birds eat so many of them, that they don't eat my sour cherries. This is the first time in about 15 years that I've had cherries. And, boy do I have cherries!

The cherry tree stands about 20 feet tall and is absolutely loaded this year. Sweet husband and I picked last night and my mouth was watering for a sour cherry pie.

So I guess the freaking, flying, red~eyed loud mouthed cicadas are good for something.

Debbie's Sour Cherry Pie
Serves 8

Crust:
2c all~purpose flour
1t salt
3/4c + 1T butter flavored Crisco
1/2c ice cold water
1T sugar

Filling:
3T quick~cooking tapioca
2t pure almond extract
2T cornstarch
1/4t salt
1 1/4c sugar
6c fresh sour cherries, pitted
milk, to brush crust
1T sugar to garnish crust
whole nutmeg, to garnish crust

To make dough: In large bowl, thoroughly stir together four and salt. Add the shortening and mix until mixture resembles coarse meal. Measure out 7T ice water and sprinkle over flour mixture, tossing with a fork until evenly incorporated. Gently knead until the dough holds together smoothly when pressed between your fingertips. If necessary, add 1T or more water to moisten. Dough should not be dry.

Turn dough out onto large sheet of waxed paper. Gently knead until the dough holds together and is very smooth. Divide dough into two sections. Roll out dough between layers of waxed paper until it is a 11" round. Peel off top layer of waxed paper flip into 10" pie pan. Peel off remaining layer of waxed paper. Roll out top dough between two layers of waxed paper but do not remove paper until ready to top cherries.

Preheat oven to 425. Finely grind tapioca in spice mill. Place cherries in large bowl and add ground tapioca, cornstarch, salt and sugar. Toss well and let stand 30 minutes.

Fill bottom crust with cherry mixture. Remove one layer of waxed paper and flip onto cherries. Remove second sheet of waxed paper and crimp edges together. Cut several steam holes in top crust. Brush with milk, sprinkle with sugar and grate a little fresh nutmeg on top of crust.

Bake 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375. Continue to bake until crust is deep golden brown and filling is bubbly in center, 35~45 minutes. Cover with foil if crust gets too brown.

It's Yummy~issimo Versus The Cicadas ~ And The Cicadas Are Winning!

I haven't posted in a while ~ you know how life sometimes gets in the way. We had a sudden, and very unexpected, death in the family. In addition to the family trauma, I was booked solid with cook days. That meant moving clients around so I could be gone for several days. Double cook days before and after.

But if that's the worst of my problems, then my life is great! And it is.

Opened yesterday's Cincinnati Enquirer and found a 2~page article about my buddy, Shayne Graham. The article talks about his condo, his cars and his sports memorabilia collection. It even talks about Yummy~issimo! ~ well, to some degree. I'm "the chef he uses occasionally" ~ if occasionally could be described as 3 or 4 times a month.

Sweet husband Tim was out yesterday running errands and buying unnecessary junk at yard sales and I was hiding in the house away from the billions of red~eyed, disgusting, loud mouthed flying roaches that have taken over Cincinnati ~ otherwise known as cicadas. Sweet husband wanted to take me out to lunch but it was hot and humid and I'm so tired of the cicadas dive bombing me when I'm outside that I decided to pass on lunch out.

Oh hell! Now I have to come up with something for lunch! Using a lot of leftovers, I made a great non~traditional chicken salad that I think several of my clients will love. I grilled out the other night and had one large chicken breast left over that had been marinated in my fat~free garlic~basil Italian dressing. When I grilled it, I reduced the dressing down to serve as a dipping sauce and then refrigerated the leftover chicken in the sauce. Here's the recipe ~ as close as I can tell. I rarely, if ever, measure anything, so you may like more or less of any ingredient.

Debbie's Yummy! Chicken Salad
Serves 4

2c diced chicken breast
1/2c remaining garlic~basil Italian dressing ~ use fat free Zesty Italian in the bottle and you'll be fine
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
2 garlic cloves, finely minced ~ yeah, I know there's already garlic in the marinade but, let's face it, you can NEVER have too much garlic!
2 celery heart stalks with leaves, thinly sliced
1T sesame oil
1/4c peanut butter, heated to thin it
red pepper flakes ~ we like it hot so I probably used 1/2t but I'd start with just a pinch and add more as desired
2/3c chopped toasted pecans
1/2c dried cherries
salt and pepper
4 slices sourdough bread, lightly toasted
1/2c Asiago cheese, grated
1 green onion, thinly sliced, for garnish

Preheat broiler. Heat peanut butter in non~stick pan until it is runny. Mix all ingredients in large bowl and toss well. Add peanut butter and toss. This sandwich is served open face. Divide chicken salad into 4 equal portions and heap on sourdough bread slices. Sprinkle with cheese and broil until cheese is melted and bubbly ~ 2~3 minutes. Garnish with green onions. Yummy!

Still hiding in the house today away from the cicadas!

Still Searching for the Perfect ManMar Recipe

All is just about perfect in my little sliver of paradise.

Sitting on the balcony overlooking the bay, glass of wine by my side, our trip to Puerto Vallarta has been everything and more we’ve hoped it would be. Our resort is in the middle of the bay, about half way in between downtown PV and Bucerias, surrounded on 3 sides by mountains and jungle. For the first week, we didn’t do much more than eat, sip ManMars and take a nap every day.

We’ve spent the last couple of days exploring downtown PV, wandering the flea market, stopping every block or so to sample another $1 margarita, or just to sit and watch the people go by.

We found a great bar/restaurant overlooking the boardwalk called The Cheeky Monkey. We were initially intrigued by the $1 margarita sign advertising “Cheap, Chilly, Cheeky” margs so we decided to stop and check it out. Expecting a thimble~full of tequila~less ritas, we were surprised when jumbo margaritas with a good punch of tequila were delivered. And, then the monkey visited. Or, should I say, he jumped into Tim’s arms. Several margaritas later we sadly bid the monkey a fond adios.

We found another great restaurant off the beaten path where the daily special was $25 including soup or salad and a large glass of wine. Can’t go too wrong there, right? Sweet husband didn’t have the daily special, feasting instead on mustard glazed mahi. Fabulous! Jorge urged me to have the especial du dai and I begged for the recipe.

Below is the recipe for Cinnamon Shrimp. Or, at least I think it’s the recipe. It’s as close as I could understand with Jorge's broken English and my non~Spanish. I’ll try this when I get home and if it needs modifications, I’ll let you know.

I could get used to this!

Margaritas, mountains, dolphins in the bay every morning, star~filled skies every night and the sound of the ocean waves crashing right below me.

Today’s Spanish lesson ~ dos por uno Corona, quarto por dos margarita. These two phrases are very important if you find yourself at happy hour. Fortunately happy hour translates in every language and I’m heading down to partake now.

Adios!

Jorge’s Cinnamon Shrimp
butter
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 shallots, finely minced
3T sugar
1 bottle red wine ~ recommend dry red from Chile
1/2T cinnamon
Sesame seeds, toasted
Sauté shallots in red wine until soft. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Do not burn. Add sugar and cook, stirring, until melted. Add red wine and cinnamon. Cover with foil or tight fitting lid and simmer 45 minutes or until thick. Remove from heat. Strain, cool and keep refrigerated for up to 7 days.
Sauté fresh shrimp in olive oil until barely cooked. Remove from heat and toss in warmed sauce. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.

I recommend serving this with coconut, lime and cilantro rice, sautéed fresh veggies and a large glass of red wine. This sauce would also be wonderful served over salmon or with pork or chicken.