Salad with Chocolate Balsamic Dressing and Chocolate Covered Bacon!!

Wowza. Did you check that title? This one's a little crazy, but very fun...and delicious, I would add. I had a dinner party to go to the other night in which we all had to bring food that had one of two 'secret' ingredients: Chocolate or Citrus. Naturally, I had to bring something with chocolate in it.

I thought this dressing was delicious, especially when paired with a yummy salad. Really, just delicious. It's such a great flavor, perfectly tangy, yet just sweet enough. And we all know you can't go wrong with strawberries and balsamic. Plus, when you serve something like salad with chocolate dressing and chocolate covered bacon, you've already got 10 minutes worth of conversation right there, so, that adds to its luster.

I need to emphasize here that in the case of this dressing, I think a salad with some sort of goat cheese and fresh mint is crucial to really making this dressing pop and having people say, "wow, what is this??" Just fyi.

Moving along. The idea of chocolate covered bacon is not an Alicia original. I was introduced to it in this recipe, which I thought was desperately lacking altogether. Since I had a bunch of chocolate covered bacon left over from it, I started searching for ideas to use up the scores of chocolate covered bacon I had leftover. As it turns out, chocolate covered bacon has a serious following on the internet! Some people even go so far as to drizzle it with white chocolate, dress it with a bow and give it as gifts! While it's not my cup of tea, I still found it interested. So, since the idea of chocolate covered bacon seemed intriguing, and I had some left over from the above recipe, I figured I'd try it out on this salad.

Now, you should know that I am not a fan of bacon. In fact, my husband had to show me where it was located in the store and has since coached me in how to cook it over the years (because when I cook it I rarely, if ever, eat it, so I never really know what is "good" bacon). However, I thought that, covered in chocolate, it was pretty good on the salad. If you want a vegetarian alternative, I think you could maybe do chocolate covered salted nuts or seeds of some sort (cashews or pumpkin seeds come to mind, but I'm sure others would be good, too).

All in all, I'd give the dressing 5 stars. Don't put too much on or it's too strong. But in the right amount, it just sings. The chocolate covered bacon is more of a fun touch, but since I don't really love bacon, I don't think I'm a really good rater for that. I will say, it ranks as 5 stars in the conversation piece category!

Enjoy! Recipe for the dressing found here and below. I've converted the metric portions to cups and ounces here, so please note that they are approximate. For instructions on how to make chocolate dipped bacon, see this recipe and just follow the portion of directions for the chocolate dipped bacon.

Chocolate Balsamic Dressing

Ingredients

1/2 Cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 Cup white sugar
3-4 oz Dark chocolate (70% Cacao or higher)

Directions

To make the dressing: Place balsamic vinegar in a saucepan, add sugar and dissolve over a gentle heat. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate. Leave to cool at room temperature. Do not refrigerate or dressing will solidify.

Caribbean Halibut with Mango Salsa

Just that title is enough to make my mouth water. I'm a big believer that seafood can be delicious (delicious), but it needs to be done right. You need to pick a good fish. You need to cook it well. You need to have a fantastic recipe. This recipe is right up there with Emeril's Salmon for me. Just so much flavor, and so perfectly paired, it just can't be beat.When you first read the recipe you may think it's not worth all that chopping plus you have to blacken it and then put the fish in the oven. However, I usually do the chopping for the salsa in the morning, so all you have left is to marinade and preheat your oven in the evening. It's fast and really, just delicious. The blackening process sears in all the flavor without actually having to fry it, which I think is brilliant. Then, the oven gets it nice and moist. Mmmm, my mouth is watering right now!If you don't like heat, then just reduce the jalapeno amount. I think they give it a great flavor, so I wouldn't throw them out all together. And the salsa, the SALSA. You just can't forgo that on this dish, the flavors pair together beautifully. They just can't be separated.
I've made this dish with Haddock and Tilapia and both turned out just fine. Haddock is a very 'un-fishy' tasting fish, if you are skiddish about cooking fish.

Here's that perfect texture when it's just ready to come out. Still moist and plush looking, but cooked through and just getting a little flaky.I find that as long as the fish is pretty close to room temperature when you begin cooking it, the timing is pretty spot on, let me know if anyone finds anything differently!

I'm not sure where this recipe came from as I got it years ago from a friend and we altered the recipe until it was perfect.

5 Stars. For sure.

Caribbean Halibut with Mango Salsa:
INGREDIENTS:

4 Halibut or Swordfish steaks (about 6 oz)

3 limes
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped, divided in half

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1 tsp olive oil

¼ tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

Caribbean jerk seasoning (or a combination of seasonings to your liking)

1 recipe mango salsa (below)

DIRECTIONS:

For halibut and marinade, rinse halibut and pat dry with paper towels. Zest limes to measure 1 teaspoon (set zest aside for salsa). Juice limes to measure 4 tablespoons juice. Finely chop jalapeno pepper in a food processor, combine 2 tablespoons of the lime juice, half of the jalapeno pepper, garlic, oil, salt and black pepper: whisk until blended. Place halibut and marinade in a resealable plastic food storage bag; turn to coat. Marinate in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, turning occasionally.

For halibut: Preheat oven to 400F. Remove halibut from bag being sure some jalapeno remains on the top of the fish. According to taste, season the tops with Caribbean Jerk seasoning. Add a little olive oil to a skillet and heat over high heat on stove. When the oil and pan are hot, place halibut top side down on the skillet and blacken for 1 minute. Remove from skillet and place halibut in a greased pan with right side up again. Cook for 8 minutes or until halibut flakes easily with a fork. Serve topped with mango salsa.

MANGO SALSA

Prep: 20 minutes Chill: 2 hours

INGREDIENTS:
1-1/2 C chopped, peeled mango (papaya, peaches, plums, and/or pineapple will also work)
1/2 C chopped red or green sweet pepper
1/4 C thinly sliced green onions (2)
1/4 C snipped fresh cilantro or parsley
2 tablespoons lime juice or lemon juice
1 to 2 fresh jalapeno or serrano peppers, seeded and finely chopped, or 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Anaheim pepper

DIRECTIONS:
In a medium mixing bowl stir together fruit, sweet pepper, green onions, cilantro or parsley, lime juice or lemon juice, and jalapeno, serrano, or Anaheim pepper. Cover; chill at least 2 hours before serving.

Serve as a dip for chips or fresh vegetables or as a condiment for tacos, quesadillas, burgers, steaks, chicken, or fish. Makes about 2 cups.

Junior's Chocolate Candy Bar Explosion Cheesecake

Or, in a word: HEAVEN.
A few years ago, while living in New York City, I had the pleasure of tasting the world's best cheesecake: Junior's Cheesecake. It began a love affair with cheesecakes that has culminated in me baking (and sometimes eating) an average of a cheesecake a month for years now. Especially when Juniors' came out with their cookbook which I have been slowly making my way through over the years. After that many cheesecakes, I've learned a thing or two that have helped demystify the cheesecake-making process. I know this might seem long, but it's very straight forward and I'd love to answer any questions that anyone has! SO, get out your mixer (or wooden spoon, whichever suites your fancy), break out that full-fat cream cheese and let's get started!
I do need to let you know beforehand what you are getting into. Once you have this cheesecake all other desserts will pale in comparison. You will find yourself nibbling on a delicate creme brulee while pining for this most amazing cheesecake. Better Than Sex Cake has NOTHING on this. And for what it's worth, my husband doesn't like cheesecake. Like, at all (weird). And he goes back for seconds when I make this. I'm just sayin'...

SO, how do you make the perfect cheesecake? People think it's so intimidating. In reality, the ingredients are simple enough and it's a very simple process, so chances are you have been scared of making them unnecessarily. All you need is to be educated on some simple steps to avoid cracking and to make sure it cooks properly and you will be the envy of everyone at your next party! And let's be honest here, this recipe has so many topping that really, who cares if it cracks a little - you can always cover it up!

While these steps seem long, they really serve just a couple of purposes which, if you can remember those purposes, the following steps will all fall into place without you having to think about them. You are simply trying to:
*Minimize quick temperature changes
*Not over-beat or over-bake the cheesecake
*Create a moist environment in which the cheesecake can cook

That's it! Once you know how to do that, making a cheesecake is a cinch!So, let's expand on that. The following steps will help avoid the dreaded cracking:
1) Try to bring your ingredients to room temperature first, or at least as much as possible. Cheesecakes don't like a lot of quick temperature changes and the blending will happen better if you have room temperature eggs, cream, and cream cheese (although my cream cheese is always a little bit cold, I never remember to let it sit out for a full hour or anything).
2) DON'T OVERBEAT the INGREDIENTS. This seems to be the biggest problem. The more you whip the cream cheese, eggs, and cream, the more air pockets you will get in your batter. When you cook your cheese cake those air pockets will rise and you will get cracking. You will. Inevitably. So just get it to a creamy, combined texture and call it good.
3) When you add the cream, just stir it in by hand until it's combined instead of using a mixer. This really helps prevent cracking.
4) Use a water bath. It's really easy. You just lay some foil down in a "+" shape like this: and then wrap it tightly around the springform pan, with the tops coming up higher than the springform pan, like this:Voila.
Drop it on a cookie sheet or roasting pan and fill the water in the pan up to halfway up the springform pan like this:And you will prevent all sortsa problems.
5) I find that if I put my cheesecake in my oven uncovered for the entire time it gets really brown on the top. Well, remember how I said to have the foil come up higher than the springform pan in tip #4? Well, I place a piece of foil over the top of the cheesecake for the first 30 minutes and then take it off and let it bake normally for the rest of the tim (see picture above). Having the foil come up higher than the springform pan makes it so the foil never touches the cheesecake.6) Don't check it too often. Cheesecakes don't like changes in temperature too much, so the more you check it, the more likely it is to fall or crack. If you do check it, try to let at least 10 minutes go in between the next check so that your oven temperature can get back up to where it needs to be.
7) Once you take the cheesecake out and have it on the cooling rack, take a greased knife, the thinnest one you have, and run it around the edge of the springform pan, so that the sides of the cake separate from the pan. As the cheesecake cools, it will shrink, and if some of the sides are still stuck to the pan, well, you'll get cracking!
8)Then, walk away. Leave the cheesecake alone for 2 hours before putting it in the refrigerator so the temperature can slowly cool before being put in the refrigerator.
Right, it sounds complex, but again, most of it revolves around just keeping a constant temperature and not over-beating or over-baking the cheesecake. If you can just remember those things, all the individual steps become second-nature.

I've heard all kinds of tips for knowing how long to cook the cheesecake. I've found that the best way is to tap the side of the springform pan and if the center 1/3 of the cake looks wobbly, it's not ready. You want the center 1/3 to be just a little jiggly - like jello and then it's ready to pull out. By center 1/3 I mean this:In the end, it might take a couple of cheesecakes to get to know your oven. My old oven took much longer to cook, while my new oven is right on the minute with the recipe. Placing the foil over the top of the cheesecake can help if you need added cooking time but don't want the top to burn.

Now, this particular recipe is a little time intensive because of the ganache. But it's definitely a show-stopper. If you want an easier, but still delicious cheesecake, you could leave off the ganache and just do a dollop of whipping cream or a berry sauce on top.

If you go all the way, be prepared. The cream cheese is just a little tart; the toffee is just a little salty; mix that with the chocolate bar and a creamy ganache on top...and you have, quite possibly, the perfect dessert.

Recipe Below.
Junior's recommends a sponge cake crust, but for this recipe, I use a graham cracker crust, usually this one.

Chocolate Candy Bar Explosion Cheesecake

Ingredients:
For Crust:
10 graham crackers
1 Tablespoon sugar6 Tablespoons butter, melted(I like to add 10-12 Ritz crackers to add a salty flavor. Some people add nuts, just do what you like, just increase the butter slightly to compensate for moisture)
3 1.4-oz Heath milk chocolate English toffee candy bars

For the Cheesecake:
8 oz Hershey's Milk Chocolate bar(s)
4 8-oz packages cream cheese (full fat) at room temperature
1 2/3 Cups sugar
1/3 Cup corn starch
1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 large or extra-large eggs3/4 Cup heavy or whipping cream

For the Top Decoration:
1/3 Cup sugar
3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Cup cold heavy or whipping cream1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 1.4-oz Heath milk chocolate English toffee candy bars
Assorted chocolate candies, for example:
chocolate chips, Hershey's Hugs, Reese's Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups Miniatures, York Peppermint Patties, Kit Kat pieces, Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Nuggets, candy that has caramel in it, white chocolate chunks, Twix Bars, etc...

Directions:
1) While you prepare the crust, remove all the ingredients for the cheesecake so they can come to room temperature.Preheat the oven to 350 F. Generously butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Wrap the oustide with aluminum foil (like we talked about). To make the crust, crush the graham crackers by placing them in a plastic bag and crushing them with a rolling pin. Combine the graham crackers, sugar, and melted butter until moistened. Pour into a 9-inch springform pan. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

While the crust cools, chop the 3 Heath bars into small pieces and sprinkle over the cooled crust. Like so (this is one of the best parts about this cheesecake!):2) Melt the 8-oz chocolate bar in the microwave carefully, so as not to burn it (15-20 seconds at a time). Set it aside to cool. Place the first package of cream cheese along with 1/3 cup of sugar and all the cornstarch in a large bowl. Beat on low with an electric mixer until creamy - about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl several times. Blend in the remaining cream cheeses. Beat in the remaining 1 1/3 cups of sugar, then the vanilla. Blend in the eggs, one at a time until combined completely. Beat in the melted chocolate until combined. Blend in the cream, stirring it by hand, until just completely blended. Don't over-mix! Gently spoon the batter over the crust.

3) Place the cake in a large shallow pan containing hot water that comes about 1 inch up the sides of the springform. Bake until the edges look baked and the center appears set, about 1 hour, 15 minutes. Remove the cake from the water bath, transfer to a wire rack, and run a greased knife around the sides of the cheesecake to separate it from the sides of the pan. Let cool for 2 hours (just walk away - don't move it). Leave the cake in the pan, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until completely cold, prefereably overnight or at least 4 hours.
4) At some point during this process, make the ganache by whipping the cream with an electric mixer on high until the cream thickens and soft peaks just begin to form. Add the sugar and cocoa, then the vanilla. Continue beating until the cream turns a light-chocolate color and stiff peaks form. Don't over-beat it. Refrigerate for 1 hour or up to one day.

5) Release and remove the sides of the springform, leaving the cake on the bottom of the pan. Place on a cake plate. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the ganache with a metal spatula. Press the candy crumbs into the sides and arrange the chocolates on the top. Use lots of chocolates, so you completely cover the top of the cake! Refrigerate until ready to serve (do not cover at this stage). Slice with a sharp straight-edge knife, not a serrated one. Cover any left-over cake and refrigerate or freeze up to 1 month.
Recipe originally found in Junior's Cheesecake Cookbook. Graham cracker crust originally from Ina Garten's Mixed Berry Cheesecake Recipe.

Enjoy!
6 stars. =) Ok, technically I have to give it 5, but really, it's just so amazing.

Emeril's Grilled Salmon with Sweet Corn, Tomato, and Avocado Relish

Oh my goodness. I made this recipe last year and remembered it so fondly I had to make it again. Wow - my memory must have failed me because this was even better than I remembered. Seafood haters beware: this dish may make a seafoodie out of you! Honestly, I think it's the best salmon recipe I've EVER had. And I'm from Seattle, so, you know, I know my Salmon or something.When you get to the "Emeril's Original Essence" part you will be tempted to skip it because it's so many ingredients - but don't be fooled. It's just a bunch of spices thrown together. I don't make how much it calls for, I just add a few shakes of each spice - more of the ones it calls for more of and less of the ones it calls for less of. It really makes the whole recipe.Really, I want every person who reads this blog to make this recipe. Each time I take a bite of that relish my mouth just screams for more! It's really that good.I don't have a grill, so, like usual, I broil it on a cooling rack for 7-10 minutes without turning it. I just take it out when I separate the meat with a fork and it looks just barely cooked through. I also throw a bunch of veggies on the rack as well, spread some oil and a little salt on them and you have got yourself the easiest meal of...well...ever. I think it looks fun, too, so you can just take it straight from the oven to the table. How's that for a 20 minute gourmet, healthy, delicious meal? Food really doesn't get better than this!

Mmmm...just writing about it makes me want to make it again next week!
Oh, and for those who still are not convinced by ranting and raving that they want to use Salmon, I have been told that chicken tastes great with it as well. So, there you go.

You know you want to try it. Just to see if it's as good as I'm saying it is. Do it, I dare you.

Recipe here and below.
And do you even have to ask? 5 stars. No question about it.

Emeril's Grilled Salmon with Sweet Corn, Tomato and Avocado Relish
2 large ears fresh yellow corn, peeled and silk removed
2 Creole tomatoes (or other vine-ripened tomatoes), cored and cut into 3/4-inch dices (about 2 cups)
2 Haas avocados, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dices (about 2 cups)
6 tablespoons red onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
4 salmon fillets with the skin (6-ounces each)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Emeril's Original Essence
4 sprigs fresh cilantro, for garnish

Cooking Directions

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add the corn and simmer until tender, about 4 minutes. Drain.

When cool enough to handle, cut the kernels from the ear and place in a medium bowl.

To the corn, add the tomatoes, avocados, onions, parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Toss to combine and set aside.

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.

Lightly brush the fillets with the olive oil and season each on the flesh side with 1/8 teaspoon of the Essence.

Add to the grill, skin side down, and cook until the skin is crisp, 4 to 5 minutes.

Turn and cook until the salmon is opaque and medium-rare, about 4 minutes, depending upon the thickness of the fillets.

To serve, lay the asparagus down the center of four large plates and place the fillets on Grilled Asparagus. Spoon the relish over the fish, garnish each plate with a sprig of cilantro, and serve immediately.

Recipe copyright 2005, Emeril Lagasse

Roasted Tomato Soup

Please prepare yourself, as I am about to share with you a recipe that just might change your life forever. It's called, quite simply, Roasted Tomato Soup. However, this little soup is anything but normal. Every time I make this unassuming little recipe, I am reminded why I just keep coming back for more. It has such a depth to its flavor - and it's delicious. We've all had tomato soup before, but then you try this and you think "ok, this is what the tomato soup in my dreams tastes like". Only it's real, which makes it even better.
It can be a little time-consuming the first couple of times you make it. After you get it down, it becomes routine and somehow you shave off a good 20 minutes. I always double it because I don't think the recipe makes quite enough - and I'll happily spring for leftovers for days at a time if need be. If you make this for guests be prepared for ranting and raving. Really, it's just SO good.
A few words: I've used fresh garlic as well as the minced garlic that comes in a jar and they are both good. I've used fresh good chicken stock and bouillon in a pinch and they are both good (although you have to watch how much bouillon you put in - you don't want it to take over the flavor of the tomatoes). I've also made it without cream and it was still delicious. In fact, that's how I always eat it now, since it's just as good with or without an added 400 calories. =)

You can decide if you'd like to seed the tomatoes or not. I'm sure it's more professional to seed them, but I just think it takes a lot of time...and I actually think the taste is more rich with the seeds and pulpy tomato goodness in there.

Try and use a variety of tomatoes, as the recipe suggests. It really broadens the flavor.

Also, I find the easiest way to skin a tomato is to roast them, as the recipe suggests. Then let them cool for about 20 minutes or until they're not too hot to handle. Then simply hold onto the skin and the tomato meat will just fall right off of the skin. So easy. And do me a favor: When you pull the tomatoes, onions, and garlic out of the oven, let them cool a little and then just try an onion slice. You'll know right then and there why this recipe is going to become your new favorite food.

Sometimes I make the croutons (which are really just so good with it), and other times I just don't have the time and I just make toast to go with it.

Lastly, this is also a great food for company - not only is it delicious, but you can make it a day in advance and it's just as delicious. You may want to triple the recipe.

Enjoy! 5 stars.

Recipe Below:

Roasted Tomato Soup with Fresh Croutons

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

For Soup:

2 1/2 pounds fresh tomatoes (mix of fresh heirlooms, cherry, vine and plum tomatoes)

6 cloves garlic, peeled

2 small yellow onions, sliced

Vine cherry tomatoes for garnish, optional

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 quart chicken stock

2 bay leaves

4 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, optional

3/4 cup heavy cream, optional

½ cup grated Asiago cheese

For Croutons:

Good olive oil

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

6 cups (3/4-inch) bread cubes (1 baguette or round boule)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

For Soup: Wash, core and cut the tomatoes into halves. Spread the tomatoes, garlic cloves and onions onto a baking tray. If using vine cherry tomatoes for garnish, add them as well, leaving them whole and on the vine. Drizzle with 1/2 cup of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes, or until caramelized.

Remove roasted tomatoes, garlic and onion from the oven and transfer to a large stock pot after peeling the tomatoes (set aside the roasted vine tomatoes for later). Add 3/4 of the chicken stock, bay leaves, and butter. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until liquid has reduced by a third.

Wash and dry basil leaves, if using, and add to the pot. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. Return soup to low heat, add cream and adjust consistency with remaining chicken stock, if necessary. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish in bowl with 3 or 4 roasted vine cherry tomatoes, a splash of heavy cream and grated Asiago cheese.

For Croutons: Heat a large saute pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil until very hot. Lower the heat to medium-low and saute the bread cubes, tossing frequently, until nicely browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add more olive oil, as needed, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Stewed Vegetable Gratin

This recipe is wonderful when you have the same ol' same ol' ingredients but you want something that tastes different. You know - carrots, onions, celery, canned tomatoes...what do you think of? Soup, right? Well, why not add some sliced bread on the top with some thyme and call it a vegetable gratin? This meal happens to be so delicious that my husband and I ate this entire dish in one sitting by ourselves. Now that's a good gratin. Don't be intimidated by the name - you're really just sauteing some vegetables, throwing in some beans, and then throwing some cheese and bread with it.
Which leads me to another point - I love a vegetarian meal that is not just "meatless", but actually is vegetable-based and balanced. For instance - this meal has a variety of vegetables along with some beans which add protein. Although it does have some cheese in it, it doesn't rely on pasta or cheese to make it filling or delicious - or to mask the absence of meat. It is a vegetarian meal that can stand on its own two feet. Love it. Loved every bite!Make sure there is ample fresh (or dried if your grocery store happens to be out, which was the case for me) thyme, it really adds a nice touch. I also sprinkled some kosher salt onto the bread. Oh, and to save time, I made everything ahead of time and put it in the fridge until 30 minutes before dinner when I threw all the bread slices on top, brushed some olive oil, a little kosher salt, and plenty of thyme on the bread and then tossed it all in the oven. Perfection. So yummy!!

5 stars.

Butternut Squash with Couscous and Chutney

This fast, one-pot comfort meal is a staple at our house. Please, please try it sometime! I know, it sounds - and looks - a little different...but don't let that stop you! My friend was just talking about this dish last night and mentioned that she thought it was the strangest thing she had ever seen the first time she had it, and then she tried it and something about the blend of flavors has made it a staple in her house now. It has such a familiar, comfort food taste, but still has just enough difference from the everyday meal that it just really might be the perfect meal when you can't think of something to make. I can't ever get enough of the savory, rich butternut squash curry mixed with the sweet chutney and crunchy, salty nuts. Mmmmm - it's enough to make me want to make some right now!

One thing I also love about this recipe is that you can easily convert it to a vegan meal by using vegetable broth and coconut milk. It's still a very elegant and impressive dish, so if you have company that is opposed to meat, this is a great dish to make!
I know they say to cut the onions in half-moons, but I prefer to do 1/4 moons or even diced. I also do a half-mash of the butternut squash curry after it's all done because I like that consistency. Oh, and I use cashews instead of peanuts, and if you have allergies to certain nuts in your house but not others, I think any kind of crunchy addition would work.

I also use whole milk instead of half and half which I think works just fine and makes the dish even more healthy!

Oh, and I buy mango chutney in the Asian aisle at the grocery store. It's usually by the Indian curries or other chutneys. Sometimes I find it over by the relishes, olives, and pickles.

This dish is so easy, so yummy, and nutritious...definitely 5 stars in my book!

Recipe here and below.

Butternut Squash with Couscous and Chutney
Recipe originally found on realsimple.com

Serves 6 Hands-On Time: 20m Total Time: 50m

Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, sliced into 1/2-inch half-rounds
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 2- to 2 1/2-pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced (4 to 5 cups)
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 cups instant couscous
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
1/2 cup prepared chutney

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the squash, curry powder, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt, stirring to coat evenly.
2. Pour in the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 17 to 20 minutes or until the squash is cooked through and most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the cream and cook until the sauce has thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. Bring 2 cups of water and the remaining salt to a boil. Place the couscous in a large bowl and pour the boiling water over it. Immediately cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Let stand 5 to 7 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. When ready to serve, fluff the couscous with a fork. Place about 3/4 cup of couscous on each plate. Top with the curried squash. Garnish with the peanuts and your favorite chutney.

Slow Cooker Whole Chicken: Day 1 Slow Cooker Whole Chicken Menu

This post could also be appropriately titled: "Slow Cooker Whole Chicken: I'm the Last to Know", because apparently I am the last person on earth to discover that you can cook a whole chicken in a slow cooker. However, although I'm late to jump on this bandwagon, I certainly am not going to withhold a post about it because maybe - just maybe - there's one other person out there who is unaware, as I was, and I want to change that person's life the way mine was changed the other day.

I mean, let's talk a little about simplicity, elegance, and budget here. It doesn't get easier than rubbing some salt on a bird and walking away. It doesn't get more classic than a whole bird on a platter at the dinner table. And it doesn't get more budget friendly than a whole chicken (mine were 2 for $7.50) that will feed a family of 4 for 3 meals.
Just how easy is this whole thing? Let me tell you - I don't think I own one single easier recipe. Since I did this so early in the day, I chopped up some veggies, covered their roasting dish with foil (because just the other day I broke the lid...so very sad) to go with the chicken and then popped them in the oven to roast at 400 degrees just an hour before dinner. I also made a salad that morning (more on that salad later) and I felt like I was cheating because for the rest of the day I had nothing culinary to think about, all the work was done. I walked in the door for an outing with my kids at 5:55pm to the smell of roasted vegetables and slow cooker chicken, threw the salad, chicken, and veggies on the table and my husband walked in the door and thought I slaved away all day! Amazing.

Here is the recipe:
1 Whole Chicken (one that will fit in whatever size slow cooker you have)
Kosher Salt (or normal salt)
Herbs (dried or fresh, optional)

Remove giblets from chicken. Rinse chicken, pat dry. Rub salt all over outside and inside of chicken. Sprinkle with herbs. Place in slow cooker on low heat for 4-6 hours or until juices run clear and the middle of the thigh is registering 180 degrees (Fahrenheit).

It tends to fall apart easily, so carefully remove it from the slow cooker and enjoy! I actually found this part nice because since it would literally fall off the bone, I didn't have to figure out where to cut things, I just pulled a little and this or that part would fall off, so I figured we could eat it!

Told you.
That easy. That cheap. That elegant! Stay tuned for what to do with the juices and the left overs!

Feta Spinach Quiche

Ok, let's talk Quiche. They're all delicious, right? I mean, you really can't go wrong with eggs, cheese, and a flaky, bready crust, right?
But what about a quiche that can stand alone even without a crust... now that is a quiche worth talking about! And let me tell you, the one I am about to introduce you to is every bit worthy of that.I was first introduced to this quiche when my first son was born. A sweet friend of mine stopped by and brought it to me for dinner. As most quiches do, it had a crust. It was delicious and it was gone in seconds flat.

Let's move forward a few years. I was still making this quiche (which says a lot) when another friend of mine brought the same quiche to a party...but without a crust. She had simply not had time to make/buy one. I loved it even more - which works out nicely because aside from flavor, the crust isn't adding much but inches on my hips.

And so a tradition was born. I now bake this in a pie dish as usual, but just leave the crust out. This last time I made it, I threw a few Panko bread crumbs on the top during the last 20 minutes of baking along with some cheese for good measure and I thought they added a fun crunch!

Lastly - it gets even better - I have made this quiche a hundred times and it is extremely forgiving as far as cheese type and vegetable combinations go. I usually have feta on hand, but many times I've swapped in swiss, mozzerella, cheddar, asiago, or whatever is around to go along with it. As long as it uses at least 2 different types of cheeses and a portion of one of those is feta, it should come out great. I also have used fresh spinach, asparagus, etc. The base is really great, if you wander a little bit with some of the other ingredients you really can't go wrong!
...As evidenced by the fact that my under-one-year-old son devoured 1/4 of the quiche by himself!

One final tip - quiches are nice because while you are making one, you might as well make two and cook them together and then freeze one of them for in a few weeks when you're in a pinch! Then, just cook as usual straight from the freezer. I just love easy meals!

Find the recipe below or here (although the recipe I am displaying below is just slightly different as I don't use a crust and I use less butter. I also lower the amount of cheese used at well)

Feta Spinach Quiche:

INGREDIENTS:

2 Tbs-1/2 C butter depending on how rich you want it (or you can use a combination of butter and olive oil)

1-2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

About 10 button mushrooms or regular mushrooms, chopped medium small

1 (6 oz) feta (any kind), crumbled

6 oz shredded Cheddar cheese or any cheese on hand

salt and pepper to taste

1 (9”) unbaked deep dish pie crust (optional)

4 eggs, beaten

1 C milk

Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375°F (190 degrees C). In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Saute garlic and onion in butter until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Stir in spinach, mushrooms, feta and 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon mixture into pie crust.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into the pastry shell, allowing egg mixture to thoroughly combine with spinach mixture.

Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Sprinkle top with remaining Cheddar cheese, and bake an additional 35 to 40 minutes, until set in center. Allow to stand 10 minutes before serving.

The Ultimate Beef Wellington

I'm not a red meat person. Never have been. I was picking hamburger off of the bun when I was 10 and out of my spaghetti sauce when I was 5. It's just not my thing.
Until now.
Prepare yourself for the most amazing dish I think I have ever experienced: Tyler Florence's Ultimate Beef Wellington. Many people know that I have a culinary crush on Tyler Florence, as in, I could marry his recipes. This one was no exception. Truly, this will be the dish that I serve for company, for Christmas, basically whenever I need a show-stopper. I can't get over the layer upon delicious layer of flavor. I couldn't believe how it just melted in my mouth. And I can't believe that I was able to pull it off! If this recipe makes it look like I know what I'm doing with red meat, then this recipe really is the "Ultimate".

My favorite part is that you can stop at the refrigeration portion and let it sit for the afternoon. That way, if you have company coming, you can get everything ready in the morning and go about your business until the evening when you just complete the last 2 steps or so and throw it in the oven only to be fresh-faced and calm as guests arrive.(making the duxelles or mushroom mixture)

My husband and I made this for ourselves for Valentine's Day (awww), so we did modify it a little in that we just used 2 filet mignons instead of an entire beefsteak and scaled down everything else a little. I also used a different recipe for peppercorn sauce (recipe below) and used apricot nectar mixed with a little balsamic vinegar instead of cognac.(using the prosciutto shingling method as described in the recipe)

Really, you'll never have another piece of meat melt in your mouth the way this one does. I feel like my entire culinary experience up until has been lacking after trying this dish. Simply amazing.

Lastly, you'll want to adjust your cooking time accordingly if you are scaling it down.
Bon apetit!

Tyler Florence's Ultimate Beef Wellington

Ingredients

For the Duxelles:

• 3 pints (1 1/2 pounds) white button mushrooms
• 2 shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Beef:

• 1 (3-pound) center cut beef tenderloin (filet mignon), trimmed
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 12 thin slices prosciutto
• 6 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves only
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• Flour, for rolling out puff pastry
• 1 pound puff pastry, thawed if using frozen
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
• Minced chives, for garnish
• Green Peppercorn Sauce, recipe follows
• Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
• Warm Wilted Winter Greens, recipe follows

Directions

To make the Duxelles: Add mushrooms, shallots, garlic, and thyme to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add butter and olive oil to a large saute pan and set over medium heat. Add the shallot and mushroom mixture and saute for 8 to 10 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool.

To prepare the beef: Tie the tenderloin in 4 places so it holds its cylindrical shape while cooking. Drizzle with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper and sear all over, including the ends, in a hot, heavy-based skillet lightly coated with olive oil - about 2 to 3 minutes. Meanwhile set out your prosciutto on a sheet of plastic wrap (plastic needs to be about a foot and a half in length so you can wrap and tie the roast up in it) on top of your cutting board. Shingle the prosciutto so it forms a rectangle that is big enough to encompass the entire filet of beef. Using a rubber spatula cover evenly with a thin layer of duxelles. Season the surface of the duxelles with salt and pepper and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves. When the beef is seared, remove from heat, cut off twine and smear lightly all over with Dijon mustard. Allow to cool slightly, then roll up in the duxelles covered prosciutto using the plastic wrap to tie it up nice and tight. Tuck in the ends of the prosciutto as you roll to completely encompass the beef. Roll it up tightly in plastic wrap and twist the ends to seal it completely and hold it in a nice log shape. Set in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to ensure it maintains its shape.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry out to about a 1/4-inch thickness. Depending on the size of your sheets you may have to overlap 2 sheets and press them together. Remove beef from refrigerator and cut off plastic. Set the beef in the center of the pastry and fold over the longer sides, brushing with egg wash to seal. Trim ends if necessary then brush with egg wash and fold over to completely seal the beef - saving ends to use as a decoration on top if desired. Top with coarse sea salt. Place the beef seam side down on a baking sheet.

Brush the top of the pastry with egg wash then make a couple of slits in the top of the pastry using the tip of a paring knife - this creates vents that will allow the steam to escape when cooking. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until pastry is golden brown and beef registers 125 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from oven and rest before cutting into thick slices. Garnish with minced chives, and serve with Green Peppercorn Sauce, Roasted Fingerling Potatoes, and Warm Wilted Winter Greens.

Peppercorn Sauce

Ingredients

• Pan juices from steak
• 4 steaks 1-1 1/2 inches
• 1/3 cup minced shallot
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1/4 cup cognac
• 2 cups brown stock or canned beef broth
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorn, coarsely crushed
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2-3 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Directions

Cook steaks and keep them in one layer in skillet. Remove steaks from skillet and skim all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan juices in the skillet. To skillet add, shallots and minced garlic and cook them for 1 to 2 minutes until softened. Deglaze with Cognac, scraping up bits which cling to skillet. Add stock or canned beef broth and peppercorns. In a small bowl combine cup heavy cream and cornstarch. Whisk cornstarch mixture into sauce and simmer until lightly thickened. Whisk in mustard and pour juices from plate into pan.

5 stars? Absolutely.

Mushroom Bourguignon

There are three reasons I have always stayed away from anything called a "bourguignon".
1) Isn't it obvious? The name is so intimidating, who would want to make it?
2) One of the main ingredients is wine...and I typically don't cook with wine.
3) It's traditionally a meat dish. We don't love lots of meat in our house, so I don't experiment as much as I should with it.
SO, this all added up to three bourguignon-free decades. They were happy decades, I might add. I didn't know what I was missing...until I found this. And this.
Oh. my.

It's official: I am smitten with Smitten Kitchen. I love the ingredients, I love the experimentation with food, I love the food. My goodness, this dish was simply amazing!It was a little more time intensive than I like to get on any given day, so I just made it a project with my son - we took turns dumping things into the pot together and and stirring, etc. We had a lot of fun together and it kept his attention for quite some time. It ended up taking probably 45 minutes total and it was worth it. Simply amazing. A beautiful blend of flavors, and I loved that it was a meat-free dish that didn't feel meat-free. I will definitely be serving this for years and years to come. A new staple in the house. My husband even thought that it was better than a beef bourguignon...now that is saying something.I looked up a few different substitutes for red wine and decided to go with red grape juice mixed with just a couple tablespoons of vinegar (I used rice vinegar, but I think because you reduce it so much that white vinegar would do the trick). I just filled it mostly full (as you can see in the picture) with the juice and then added the vinegar. I thought it tasted divine...it worked beautifully. What a pleasant surprise! I did simmer it a little long, to try and reduce some of the extra flavor and get a stronger flavor from the juice/vinegar mixture, and it was just heavenly.Here is a picture of reducing the grape juice - reducing is simply a technique where you let it steam off the liquid for a few minutes until you have a more concentrated form of the flavor from whatever liquid you started with. It's just a fancy word for "cooking off ".
Here's where you can find the recipe: http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/01/mushroom-bourguignon/.
I'll be making this again soon, I was just absolutely craving it the next day!
Oh, and my grocery store was out of thyme, so I used rosemary and I thought it worked out just fine.
What a relief to know that you can make an alcohol-meat-free bourguignon and just love it - just LOVE it!
Bon Apetite, if you will.
My very first 5-star dish.