Pancakes with a Mandarin Orange Reduction Sauce

I woke up this morning with Mandarin oranges on my mind (yes I'm strange). Becky had called out to everyone that pancakes were cooking and to get up or eat them cold. She had told me last night that she was going to fix pancakes for breakfast, and is often the case, they were the 'normal' variety that you put sugar or syrup on.

Not being normal, I guess, is what caused my creative side to emerge from the cobwebs of sleep and inspired this morning's breakfast variation. Mandarin oranges are a staple in our house, and many time the kids will open up a can and eat them one by one. Oranges in general are also high in vitamin C and with several kids down with colds this seemed like a fun way to incorporate today's secret ingredient (I guess I watch too many cooking shows).

I have to thank a good friend, Lisa Luke with DoTerra Essential Oils, for giving me the Wild Orange Oil I used. If you don't have any, you can use an orange extract, orange zest or just omit, but for the health benefits and fullness of flavor, I do recommend finding some food grade essential oil.

Pancakes with a Mandarin Orange Reduction and a Wild Orange Cream

Make your favorite pancake mix or waffles according to package directions.

Mandarin Orange Reduction Sauce:

2 (11 oz) cans of Mandarin Oranges (including juice)

1 (11 oz) can of Mandarin Oranges, drained and set aside

5 drops DoTerra Wild Orange Essential Oil

1/8 tsp Nutmeg

1/8 tsp All Spice

1/4 tsp Cinnamon

2 Tbsp Agave Nectar (you can substitute honey or sugar)

Combine all ingredients (except 1 can of oranges) in medium sauce pan and boil on med-high heat until reduced to a syrup (about 7-10 minutes). Add remaining can of oranges. Chill and reserve.

Wild Orange Cream:

2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream

8 drops DoTerra Wild Orange Essential Oil

1 tsp vanilla

2 Tbsp Splenda (or Powdered Sugar for non diabetics)

Whip until peaks form.

Ladle Mandarin Orange Sauce over Pancakes and top with Wild Orange Cream for a delicious morning breakfast. Enjoy.

Warm Panko Chicken Salad with a Sesame Vinegrette

As is often the case I started out with the idea to make one thing and ended up making something completely different. I believe that one must experiment and take risks in order to become a good cook. Learn by trial and by example about what ingredients go together, and quite frankly, what doesn't. Proverbs teaches us that through wisdom is a house [built], and by understanding is it established: And by knowledge shall chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches [foods] (not an exact quote).

A friend yesterday told me that she loved the recipes I keep publishing but she has not yet tried any of them because she often didn't have one or another ingredient for that days recipe. Many of my recipes started out as someone else's but ended up as mine. Not because I prepared them, but because I was missing an ingredient or two or just wanted to add this or take away that ingredient. Too be fair, I did attend culinary school, apprenticed at a major hotel and did run my own catering company for over ten years, which has give me a lot of intuition and experience. I also love to watch cooking programs and I read cook books for fun. But I've also made mistakes (as my wife can attest) and have made some things that even our dog wouldn't eat.

Today's recipe turned out quite good, excellent in fact if you ask my opinion and is one that I'll make again. I especially liked the dressing and will use this for other salads. I believe this is probably best Asian Sesame Dressing I've ever tasted and it is all natural without any MSG, Corn Syrup, stabilizers, or other questionable or un-pronounceable ingredients. Feel free to experiment with the ingredients (especially with the salad). Add sliced red onions if you like them. Take out the mushrooms if you want. The point is have fun and enjoy the journey as well as the destination.

Warm Panko Chicken Salad with Sesame Vinaigrette

Serves 8-12 hungry people

Chicken:

5-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, washed and dried

Panko Breading (Japanese breadcrumbs, if you don't have these you can use any breadcrumbs you want but I would recommend keeping this versatile ingredient on hand as a staple ingredient)

Oil for cooking

Coat the chicken with the Panko and deep fry until golden brown and cooked through. Drain, slice thinly on a bias. Add to finished salad and toss with dressing when ready to serve.

Salad:

1/2 lb fresh baby spinach

1 lb pre-made garden salad blend

1 head romaine lettuce

3-4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced thinly on a bias (diagonal)

1 red, 1 yellow sweet bell pepper, thinly sliced

1/2 lbs baby portabello mushrooms (or favorite variety)

2 stalks celery, sliced

1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds

1 can mandarin oranges, drained

Dressing:

2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp lime juice (the juice from one lime)

1 Tbsp candied ginger

1/4 cup agave syrup (or honey)

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp sesame seeds

2 tsp garlic, minced

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 Tbsp sesame oil

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine sesame oil and olive oil and set aside

In a food processor (or blender), combine all ingredients except the oil. Using the puree blade and on low speed, mix all ingredients, slowly drizzling oil while blending. Can be made in advance and kept refrigerated. You may need to shake if the dressing separates (this is normal). Dressing may be kept for several weeks.

Strawberry Agua Fresca

Agua Fresca is a simple drink that originated among the street vendors of Mexico. Literally translated it means "fresh water" and over the past few years, this delightfully refreshing beverage has spread throughout the Americas and to the United States. Simply put, agua fresca is a fruit-infused drink that is clean, fresh and flavorful. Today's variety pays homage to the Strawberry, one of my favorite fruits and one that is at the peak of ripeness this time of the year.

Strawberry Agua Fresca

Yields: 6-8 cups

4 cups water

1/2 cup sugar (or sugar substitute)

6 cups hulled strawberries

1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)

Combine water and sugar, stirring until sugar dissolves. Place strawberries in a blender and blend until smooth. Combine sugar water, strawberry puree, and lime juice. Stir well and enjoy.

CALORIES 71; FAT 0.4 g; PROTEIN 0.8 g; FIBER 2.3 g; CHOL 0 mg; IRON 0.5 mg; SODIUM 4 mg; CALC 21 mg.

Recipe from Cooking Light, Cooking through the Seasons; Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

My favorite thing about the modern crock pot is that once all the ingredients are thrown together and it has been turned on, you can walk away and slowly the sacred vessel turns that hodge podge of simple ingredients into something truly special. Many a time I've left the crock pot to the muses of time only to come home to the wonderful smells wafting throughout the house with a promise of a gourmet meal waiting at the appointed time.

Today's dinner is a bastion of homemade goodness transporting one back to a simpler time and stems from my southern roots on the farm. (Ok, so I'm not really from the South and I've never lived on a farm, but I did live in the Virginia / North Carolina area for two years and I have ancestors that were gentleman farmers in Kentucky).

Southern Style Chicken & Dumplings

2 lbs, boneless, skinless chicken (breasts and/or thighs)

6 cups chicken stock (can be quickly made with chicken base (or bouillon) and water)

6 carrots, peeled and sliced

3 med. potatoes, peeled and diced

3 stalks celery, chopped

1 medium onion, quartered

2 tsp parsley, chopped

1 tsp. poultry seasoning

Salt and Pepper to taste

Biscuit Topping (see below)

Roux as needed to thicken (See post on Roux if you don't know about this wonderful thickener).

Peas can be added if desired at the end. (optional)

Place all ingredients in crock pot except Biscuit Topping and Roux. Cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 7-8 hours. Prepare Biscuit Topping and spoon over chicken mixture. Thicken with roux until desired consistency (caution, this will continue to thicken slightly as it cook). Tilt lid to vent steam and cook on high for 30 minutes or until biscuits are cooked in the center (caution #2 biscuits will also thicken sauce).

Biscuit Topping:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 Tbsp sugar

1/2 cup butter or shortening (cut in until coarse and crumbly)

2/3 cup cold milk (add and stir until completely moist)

Roux (as a thickener)

One of the first things I learned in culinary school was how to make roux. This basic ingredient is a common thickener in many sauces (including three of the classic sauces of French cuisine), gravies, soups and stews. The two keys to a making a good roux is to incorporate the ingredients by weight and to cook until the floury taste is gone and the desired color is reached.

At it's simplest, roux is just equal parts flour and fat (most commonly clarified butter), by weight. The fat is heated in a pan until melted (if necessary) and the flour is incorporated. It is cooked to at least the point the raw flour taste is no longer apparent and the desired color is reached. Results can range from nearly white, to blond, brown and even black, depending on the length of cooking time and how it is to be used.

A roux can be stored for quite some time either on the counter or refrigerated (depending on the type of fat used).

Basic Roux

1 lb Clarified Butter

1 lb White Flour

Melt butter and stir in flour, incorporating until the flour is blended and cooked until desired taste and color is reached.

Quick and Easy Chicken Pot Pie

Just like last nights Jambalaya, there are probably as many different chicken pot pie recipes as there are mom's (and dad's) who make it. Tonight's dish is an all American classic taken from that iconic first lady of home style cooking, Mrs. Better Crocker. This is a great recipe to use when you need a quick dinner, that is also tasty and nutritious. Feel free to make any substitutions based on what you have in your pantry. This would also work well with food storage items, like freeze dried carrots, onions, celery and peas.

Quick and Easy Chicken Pot Pie

Serves 8-12

Prep time: 15 minutes

Totals time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

2	package (16 ounces) frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
2	cup cut-up cooked chicken
2	can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup
2	cup Original Bisquick® mix
1	cup milk
2	eggs

1.

Heat oven to 400ºF. Mix vegetables, chicken and soup in ungreased 9 x 12 cake pan.

2.

Stir remaining ingredients in small bowl with fork until blended. Pour into casserole.

3.

Bake 30 minutes or until golden brown.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft) Heat oven to 425ºF.

Serve and Enjoy.

Nutrition Information:

1 Serving: Calories 225 (Calories from Fat 80 ); Total Fat 9 g (Saturated Fat 3 g); Cholesterol 60 mg;Sodium 710 mg; Total Carbohydrate 27 g (Dietary Fiber 4 g); Protein 13 g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 70 %; Vitamin C 2 %; Calcium 8 %; Iron 10 % Exchanges: 1 Starch; 2 Vegetable; 1 High-Fat Meat
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

REFERENCE SITES

• Bell Institute for Health and Nutrition
• |
• General Mills

Recipe and picture provided by http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/hearty-chicken-pot-pie/07ca9e43-c96f-4540-991c-564ee78bd768 with slight modifications.

Food Storage Jambalaya

I wanted to try something different today and use as much as I could from my food storage. So with the exception of some of the meats, everything else was from dried or canned. It's not that you can't get dried or canned meats, on the contrary, I have found some fairly good meats for my food storage. It's just that I don't currently have any freeze dried meats (I'll looking at getting some soon from a couple of sources) and my only selection of canned meats currently are tuna, chicken, salmon and one can of clams. So in true food storage fashion, I'll just have to make due.

And that is the true beauty of Jambalaya. A true Louisiana dish of rice, vegetables, stock and whatever meat could be found lying around. The dish gained popularity outside of the south during the Great Depression of the 1930's precisely due to its throw-everything-except-the-kitchen-sink-in simplicity. With this I'm planning to make a Key Lime Pie which should compliment this very well (see my other post later today if I have time to pick up some limes).

So here goes my food storage Jambalaya cooked in a crock pot:

Food Storage Jambalaya (sort of)

Serves 8

3 cups white rice

7 cups chicken stock

1 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp chili pepper or red chili pepper flakes

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp white pepper

1 tsp salt

2 (6 oz) cans tomato paste

3 sausages, sliced thin (andouille, chorzo, italian, or what ever you got).

2 (12.5 oz) cans of premium chunk chicken breast (or 2 lbs fresh chicken, diced)

1 (7 oz) can salmon

1 cup diced ham

2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes

1 can red kidney beans (or 1 cup kidney beans that have soaked over night)

1 cup dehydrated diced green & red bell peppers

1 cup dehydrated celery

1 cup dried minced onions

In a crock pot combine rice, seasonings and dehydrated vegetables. In a medium sauce pan combine chicken stock and tomato paste. Bring to a boil, pour over the rice mixture and stir. On top, place the meats (anything raw should go near the edges), kidney beans and tomatoes (including liquid). Cook on low heat for 6-8 hours. Stir and enjoy.

Cilantro Lime Chicken with Avocado Salsa

I know, Monday's are normally Casseroles, but hey, it's Memorial Day, the first day of summer and I was off work. So after visiting the new exhibit at Temple Square, taking a tour of the Beehive House (Brigham Young's home and territorial office) and working on my yard what better way to relax than by cooking on the grill.

This is a nice, light dinner, that is full of fresh ingredients, delicious, healthy and a nice tribute to the avocado, one of my favorite fruits. Tonights dinner is Cilantro Lime Chicken with Avocado Salsa, Corn and Spanish Rice.

Cilantro Lime Chicken with Avocado Salsa

Serves: 4 Adults

Marinade:

1/2 cup White Wine Vinegar

1/2 cup Olive Oil

1 Lime, juiced

1 tsp Coriander

1/2 tsp Black Pepper

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper

2 Tbsp Fresh Cilantro, chopped

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner, Cooking Light, April 2009

Chicken:

4 (6 oz) boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts

Whisk marinade together and pour over chicken breasts. Let marinade for 30 minutes to 2 hours. Grill over medium high heat until fully cooked. Brush grilled chicken with an Avocado Compound Butter and top with Fresh Salsa.

Avocado Compound Butter

2 Tbsp butter, unsalted

6 oz (about 2 small) avocado's, diced

1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tbsp, freshly chopped cilantro

2 tsp ground cumin

Salt & Pepper to taste

Blend all ingredients in you food processor, place in the middle of wax paper, fold over, roll and twist the ends. Cover in plastic and let sit in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Fresh Avocado Salsa

2 cup plum tomatoes, diced (about 4)

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced

2 Anaheim peppers, seeded and diced

1/2 small red onion

1 lime, juiced

2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped

1 Tbsp garlic, minced

1 avocado, diced

Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix all the above ingredients in a work bowl serve and enjoy.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Happy Memorial Day. Being home from work today and not having church to get ready for, I have time to make a fun breakfast. Not that I don't make breakfast that often, on the contrary, I get to make breakfast once or twice per week, most weeks. But this is the first time I have been able to both make breakfast and blog about it.

Last night I ask one of my lovely daughters what she wanted for breakfast this morning and she replied, "chocolate chip pancakes." I love chocolate in all its splendid glory and varieties (I've even used chocolate in a wonderful chicken recipe - Caribbean Chicken (see previous post), however, I've never really cared for them in pancakes. The gooey chocolate oozing out of the pancakes is wonderful for the first bite or two, but for me who is diabetic, more than a few bites is just too sweet.

Well, I was rummaging through my pantry last night and I came across some pumpkin pie filling, so I had an idea. If I'm going to please my girls, why not go all out. Instead of normal chocolate chip pancakes, why not pumpkin pie chocolate chip pancakes. So that is the recipe I start my morning with. Here goes:

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pancakes

adopted from a recipe from the Woolverton Inn, Stockton, NJ

Ingredients:

2 2/3 cups flour

Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves to taste

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

8 eggs (separated)

2 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 1/2 cups pumpkin (1 15oz can)

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 stick of melted butter, slightly cooled

A aandful or two of Chocolate Chips

Directions:

Whisk together flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

With a hand mixer, whip egg whites until stiff but not dry.

Mix together buttermilk, pumpkin, sugar, vanilla and butter. Make a well in the dry ingredients and fold in buttermilk-pumpkin mixture; do not over mix.

Gently fold egg whites into batter.

Cook on a hot grill until bubbles form at the edges. Sprinkle a few chocolate chips onto the raw batter on the grill. Flip and cook 2 – 3 minutes more.

Cinnamon Sugar Compound Butter

1 lb unsalted butter

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup sugar or Splenda

5 drops Wild Orange Essential oil or orange extract

Whip Butter with Cinnamon, Sugar and a few drops Orange Oil.

Enjoy!

Herb Encrusted Pork Tenderloin

I love fusion cooking. Taking elements of different culture and mixing them together to create something new, exciting and different is at the heart of not only fusion cooking but it is what makes American truly special.

The poem by Emma Lazarus on the Statute of Liberty should be remembered in light of our current immigration problems and is, in an off hand way, the inspiration for today's menu, Herb Encrusted Pork Tenderloin. Combining elements of a traditional chimmichuri marinade reminiscent of Argentina with the national dish of Mexico, a mole, then encrusting the tenderloin in a Japanese panko before braising and roasting by traditional European methods, we come up with today's recipe. We'll be serving this with roasted new potatoes and asparagus.

Herb Encrusted Pork Tenderloin

Prep time: 15 minutes, Marinade for 2-4 hrs

Cook time: about 1 hour, 45 minutes

2 Tbsp olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp dried parsley or 2 Tbsp fresh,

1 Tbsp dried mint or 2 Tbsp fresh

1 Tbsp sea salt

1/2 Tbsp black pepper

2 Tbsp lime juice

2 Tbsp honey

1 4 oz can diced green chilies

1/4 cup mole sauce

4-5 lb boneless pork loin

Japanese panko breadcrumbs

Place first 10 ingredients in a food processor and puree.

Sear the pork loin for 15-20 seconds on all sides in a heavy skillet over high heat. Coat the pork with the marinade and refrigerate for 2-4 hours.

Preheat oven at 475 degrees.

Remove pork from the marinade and roll in Panko until evenly coated on all sides. Place the loin on a rack in a roasting pan and roast in the oven for 30 minutes. Reduce heat and continue cooking for an about additional hour until the internal temperature reaches 155 degrees. (I use a programmable meat thermometer with probe/timer.) Remove from the oven and let rest for 20 minutes. It will continue cooking while it rests.

Carve and enjoy.

Photo by Charles Shiller

The New Colossus

(by Emma Lazarus)

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

"Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she

With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Frittta with Spinach, Potatoes and Leeks

I found this recipe in my new cookbook, "Cooking Light, Cooking through the Seasons" (which was an early Father's Day present from my sweet nutritionist wife who thought last nights dinner was a bit too heavy). It looks delicious and healthy and is low in calories, fat and carbs. For the first time I have included a nutritional breakdown as well. This would pair well with a Field Salad with Snow Peas, Grapes and Feta and drizzled with an Orange Vinaigrette Dressing

Frittata with Spinach, Potatoes and Leeks

Serves 6

1 tsp butter

2 cups thinly sliced leeks (about 2 large)

10 oz fresh spinach

1/3 cup fat-free milk

2 Tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

4 large eggs

4 large egg whites

2 cups cooked, peeled red potatoes (about 3/4 lbs)

Cooking Spray

1 1/2 tsp dry breadcrumbs

2 oz provolone cheese (shredded)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt butter in a heavy saute pan over medium heat. Add leaks and saute 4 minutes. Add spinach and saute 2 minutes or until spinach wilts. Place mixture in a colander, pressing until barely moist.

Combine milk, basil, salt, pepper, eggs, and egg white; stir well with a whisk. Add leek mixture and potatoes. Pour into a 10" casserole dish or pie plate coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and top with cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes until center is set.

Preheat broiler. Broil frittata 4 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into wedges. Serve with your favorite salad.

CALORIES 185; FAT 7.1g (sat 3 g, mono 1.5g, poly 0.6g); PROTEIN 12.5g; CARB 18.9g; FIBER 2.8g; CHOL 150mg; IRON 3mg; SODIUM 429mg; CALC 174mg

Enjoy.

Cooking through the Seasons

Last nights recipe (Hungarian Paprika Potatoes with Kielbasa) was a big hit with the kids. They not only cleaned their plates, but they went back for seconds (and thirds). Now for the bad news, this was one of the heaviest recipes I have prepared. The whole thing topped out at 7,850 calories, which broke down to 980 calories per person (based on 8 servings, although this could easily feed 10-12 people if we didn't have teenagers). This still had far less calories than a Carl's Jr. Teriyaki Six Dollar Burger or the new KFC double chicken monstrosity, but for someone with a wife studying to be a nutritionist specializing in weight loss and diabetic management, my menus should fit the seasons and the overall daily calories should be planned properly.

This would be better served as a winter meal when calories are needed for warmth and the extra bulk added on by the dish can be hidden under layers of sweaters and coats rather than at the start of summer, when everyone is trying to look good in their new swimsuits or in light tee shirts and knee length shorts.

I started to plan out my meals for rest of May and for June and discovered that the basis of much of my cooking styles are routed in classical French cuisine (heavy in fats and creams), Italian (lots of pastas) or American comfort foods (a bastion of calories, fats and salts). There are some healthy recipes here and there and there are some lower calorie recipes, but the primary focus in my own meal preparation had been in total carbs (being diabetic) not necessarily in lower calories (also a key component in diabetic cooking). With all this on my mind I was grateful to find a new cookbook from the publishers of Cooking Light, entitled "Cooking Light, Cooking through the Seasons."

According to Mormon scripture, "...all wholesome herbs God has ordained for the constitution, nature and use of man- Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof; all these to be sued with prudence and thanksgiving." (D&C 89:10-11). When foods are prepared in season, often the quality and selection is better, the taste is fresher, and the costs are less. So with this sentiment, I have a new cookbook, a new mission (to find and incorporate fresher ingredients in my menus) and a new goal (to help us all eat healthier).

Enjoy

Hungarian Potatoes with Kielbasa

International cooking doesn't need to be complicated or labor intensive. With America truly being an International melting pot, both of people and menus, many recipes we take as staples in American cooking have the origins overseas. This recipe is one we have made with different variations for many years and was originally taught to me by my Dad. For today's International dish (Tuesday's menu theme is International Cooking)

Hungarian Potatoes with Kielbasa

Serves 8

2 lbs Polish Kielbasa Sausage, sliced (can substitute your favorite sausage, ham or bacon if desired)

4 lbs large Potatoes, diced or slice as you prefer.

2 Tbsp Oil

1/2 cup Butter

2 cups Sour Cream

2 cups Heavy Cream

2 Tbsp Paprika

Salt and Pepper to taste

3-4 Green Onions, sliced on a bias

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Sauté sausage until browned. Remove and set aside.

Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet. Sauté the potatoes until browned (about 5 minutes).

Blend together the sour cream, heavy cream and seasonings.

Layer the potatoes and sausage in a casserole dish. Pour the cream over the potatoes. Sprinkle with green onions. Cover and bake for 1 hour.

Uncover and continue to bake for 10 minutes.

Serve and enjoy.

Fettuccine Calabrese

This recipe was found in the book Home Cooking the Costco way (which I was able to pick up free this weekend at, you guessed it, Costco). I love cookbooks, and this one has a ton of great recipes in it. It is over 200 pages and one of the best things about this is it's cost, FREE. I've modified this recipe a bit to reflect my own cooking style and the ingredients I had on hand.

Fettuccine Calabrese

2 lbs Sun-Dried Tomato Sausage, sliced

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

1/2 cup Butter

1 Tbsp Crushed Garlic

1/4 cup finely chopped Shallots

3 cups sliced White Mushrooms

1/2 cup Red Wine Vinegar

2 Cup Heavy Cream

2 cups diced fresh Tomatoes

2 1/2 cups Marinara Sauce

1/2 cup fresh Basil

Salt and Pepper to Taste

2 lbs Fettuccine, cooked until al dente and drained

Grated Parmesan Cheese

Cook sausage in olive oil in a skillet over medium heat until browned. Drain oil and remove sausage to a dish.

Add butter, garlic, shallots and mushrooms to the skillet. Cook over medium heat until tender and lightly browned.

Add wine vinegar and cooked until reduced. Stir in cream.

Add cooked sausage, diced tomatoes and marinara sauce to the pan and cook for about 5-7 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add basil, salt and pepper to taste.

Pour over cooked fettuccine and toss. Garnish with grated Parmesan. Serves 8-10.

Enjoy.

BYU Mint Brownies

I would like to thank my friend Scare (her pen name) for today's recipe. Scare live in the Treasure Valley area of Idaho and writes her own blog, Scareharecare.blogspot.com which often features some great recipes. We are going to make these tonight for our Saturday Family Fun Night Theme. They will be accompanied by grilled burgers hot from the charcoal grill (I have 4 grills for different occassions and/or cooking styles. I know it might be a bit excessive but I justify them as part of my emergency preparedness equipment).

BYU Mint Brownies

Makes enough to fill a 9-12 cake pan

Prep and Cook: 90 Minutes

Cool: 1 Hour

1 cup butter

1/2 cup cocoa

2 Tbsp honey

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

1 3/4 cups flour

1/2 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup. chopped walnuts

12 oz chocolate icing (Use your own icing recipe or purchase some chocolate frosting. You can also search the Internet for chocolate icing recipes.)

MINT ICING

5 Tbsp margarine

dash of salt

3 Tbsp milk

1 Tbsp light corn syrup (or use agave nectar for a lower glycemic index)

2 1/3 cups powdered sugar

1/2 tsp mint extract

1-2 drops green food coloring

1. Melt margarine and mix in cocoa. Allow to cool. Add honey, eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well. Add nuts. Pour batter into a greased 9-by-13 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool.

2. Prepare mint icing: Soften margarine. Add salt, corn syrup, and powdered sugar. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Add mint extract and food coloring. Mix. Add milk gradually until the consistency is a little thinner than cake frosting.

3. Spread mint icing over brownies. Place brownies in the freezer for a short time to stiffen the icing. Remove from the freezer and carefully add a layer of chocolate icing.

Enjoy

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Hello Everyone. If this is not to the normal standard, don't blame Lee. I (Becky) have the privilege of writing today's post. On today's menu is Soup and Bread and the featured soup of the day is Broccoli Cheese Soup. This is one of my favorites. The recipe I am posting I came across in the Family Dinner Cookbook by Debbie G. Harmon and it is fast becoming on of my favorite cookbooks. This is what I am making for dinner tonight. It would also be really great served with fresh, homemade bread sticks or for those of us who don't have that much time some bake and serve bread sticks. Enjoy!

Broccoli Cheese Soup

1 small onion, chopped

2 Tbsp. butter

3 Tbsp. flour

2 cups milk

1 cup broccoli, chopped and cooked

2 tsp. chicken boullion

Salt and pepper

1/2 Tbsp. garlic salt

2 cups cheese, grated

Saute onion in butter until tender. Stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add milk, 1 cup water,and bouillon. cook and stir until thickened. Add salt and pepper, thyme, garlic salt, and cheese. Heat through. Stir in cooked broccoli and serve.

Chicken Cacciatore

"A slow cooker, or Crock-Pot (a trademark that is often used generically in the USA), ...is a countertop electrical cooking appliance that maintains a relatively low temperature (compared to other cooking methods like baking, boiling, and frying) for many hours, allowing unattended cooking of pot roast, stew, and other suitable dishes." (Wikipedia of all places). Like a dutch oven, the Crock-Pot's domed lid is seated in a groove in the crock's edge. This collects the water vapor from the cooking process and forms a vapor barrier, sealing the pot.

What I love about a slow cooker is that I can put a roast or other suitable meal in the crock-pot, turn it on and forget it. This is especially advantageous for Sunday dinners after church or busy days where both Becky and I don't have much time in the day to cook. We chose the Crock-Pot theme for our Thursday dinners because, right now Becky has a nutrition class on-line in the late afternoons and she wanted something she could put on that morning and forget about until it was time to eat.

So for today's dinner, we are going to prepare Chicken Cacciatore in a Crock-Pot and serve it over steamed rice.

Chicken Cacciatore

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 4-5 hrs on high, 6-7 hrs on low.

Serves: 8

8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 tsp chicken base, (or bouillon) disolved in 1 cup warm water (I use "Better Than Bouillon®" from Costco)

1 tsp garlic powder

1 Tbsp Italian seasonings

4 cans (14.5 oz size) Italian-style diced tomatoes

1 whole sweet bell pepper, diced

1 cup sliced mushrooms (or 8 oz can sliced mushrooms)

Serve over cooked pasta or steamed rice

Parmesan Cheese and fresh chopped basil

Place chicken breasts in crock pot and add chicken stock (made from the base or bullion). Add remaining ingredients. Cook on high 4-5 hrs or low for 6-7 hours (add aprox. 1 hr to cooking time if cooking chicken from frozen). Remove chicken and cut each breast in half. Thicken sauce with 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup cornstarch. Place each breast on top of rice or noodles and smother with sauce. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and garnish with fresh basil.

Enjoy

Easy and Delicious Tamale Pie Casserole

Wednesday: Casseroles

When you think of casseroles on a blog with the word Mormon in it you probably think of some combination of crushed up potato chips, canned green beans and cream of mushroom soup. This sterotype is not unique to Mormons though, but can be found all over the country, especially in the mid-west and south (probably anywhere with large numbers of church pot-luck dinners or funerals).

The term casserole originally comes from the French word for saucepan and refers to a dish that can be used both as a baking vessel and serving container. The word has also come to represent, not only the type of cookware (casserole dish), but the foods served in it. From the French ragouts and cassoulets to the British bakes and hotpots and from the hotdish of Scandinavia and the Mid-West, most cultures have some type of similar meal. This weeks casserole pays homage to Latin-American culture with an Easy and Delicious Tamale Pie.

This is a great dish that can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated. When you get home from running kids to soccer or school functions it will be ready to throw in the oven, bake and serve. So here goes.

Easy and Delicious Tamale Casserole

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30-60 minutes

Serves: 8

2 lbs Ground Beef

2 cup Diced Peppers (your choice of color)

1 tsp Minced Garlic

1 Onion, diced

2 tsp Ground Cumin

1 can Chipotle Chiles (in Adobe Sauce if available)

1 can (8 oz) Stewed Tomatoes

1 can Black Bean

1 can Corn

4 oz Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1 box Cornbread Mix (or your favorite corn bread recipe)

1/2 cup Chopped Cilantro

Brown ground beef with peppers, garlic and onions. Drain oil. Add ground cumin, chipotle chilies, stewed tomatoes, corn and black beans. Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and pour meat mixture into your favorite casserole dish. Pour cornbread batter over meat mixture and bake for 30 - 60 minutes (until cornbread batter cooked throughout). Feel free to double the cornbread batter, divide and pour a layer on the bottom. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake for 5 minute to melt. Garnish with cilantro.

Serve and enjoy.

Photo by John Mitzewich

Oven Glazed Caribbean Chicken

I love rum (flavor). If I believed in re-incarnation, I probably would have been a pirate. Not the Black Beard, cut your heart out just a soon as look at you kind of pirate, but the Disney, Pirates of the Caribbean kind. Its a good thing I don't drink because with my personality I would end up on a beach in the tropics (or at a theme park) drinking rum and singing pirate ditties.

As a Mormon, we believe in abstaining from alcoholic beverages. I can honestly say that I have never been drunk (or even buzzed) and can't stand to drink the stuff. I have tasted many different alcohols, some in my teen years (thanks Scott), but mostly in culinary school. To me they all taste and smell like different varieties of cough syrup. But cooking with rum is different. Rum embodies the tastes, sounds and smells of an open ocean in the warm tropics of the Caribbean.

The nice thing about cooking with rum (or most alcohols for that matter) is that once the alcohol is cooked off you no longer have the cough syrup burn, or the brain matter killing, make your clothes fall off effects of the alcohol. Only the flavor is left. And it is the hint of that flavor that we pay tribute to with this International recipe for this weeks Tuesday theme.

Today's menu: Oven Glazed Caribbean Chicken served over Rice with uncut Green Beans. (Thanks to Mace for donating the rum (for flavoring)

Oven Glazed Caribbean Chicken

Prep time: 15 Minutes

Cook Time: 15 Minutes

Serves 8

1/3 cup raw sugar (like demetara or turbinado sugars, can substitute a brown sugar blend like Splenda)

1/4 cup ketchup

1/4 cup dark rum (or 2 Tbsp rum extract)

1/4 cup lime juice (or 1 fresh lime, squeezed, can add lime zest if desired)

2 Tbsp butter, melted

1 Tbsp finely chopped ginger

2 tsp unsweetened cocoa

1/4 tsp ground allspice

9 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

4 large cloves garlic, crushed

2 tsp olive oil

1 tsp Sea Salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Combine raw or sugar blend, ketchup, rum, lime juice, butter, ginger, cocoa and allspice in small sauce. Bring to a gentle boil; stir until cocoa and sugar are dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside.

Trim chicken of any visible fat. With sharp knife, make two diagonal slits about 1/2 inch deep on the top of each breast.

Combine garlic, oil, salt and pepper in small bowl. Rub mixture all over chicken. Arrange chicken slit side up on shallow baking pan. Brush with glaze, reserving remaining glaze. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat broiler.

Broil chicken on top shelf in oven for 5 minutes. Turn chicken over and brush with reserved glaze. Broil for an additional 5 minutes. Turn over once again, brush with glaze and broil for 2 minutes. Turn and glaze every 2 minutes until internal temperature is 170 degrees. (1 or 2 more turns).

Enjoy

Norwegian Style Meatballs

Norwegian Style Meatballs

Yield: About 30-40 large meatballs

2 lbs ground beef

2 cups saltine cracker crumbs

Salt and Pepper to taste

3 eggs

1 onion, chopped

1 qt. favorite beef gravy

16 oz sour cream

In a large bowl, combine ground beef, crackers, seasons, eggs and onion. Shape into meatballs (using your hands or an Ice Cream scoop). Broil in oven on the top rack for 10 minutes. Turn over and broil for an additional 10 minutes. Drain excess fat.

Combine beef gravy, sour cream and meatballs. Serve over egg noodles or rice.

Italian Style Meatballs

My very first catering job as a professional chef was a wedding for a friend of my wife. Jan and her husband wanted to serve spaghetti & meatballs for a few hundred guests, so I ended up spending several hours making hundreds of meatballs from scratch. Since then I have made several varieties of meatballs for different recipes. From an Italian style that pairs with both pastas and meatball subs to a Swedish style served with stroganoff as a wonderful hors d'oeuvres to a Hawaiian style served over rice.

This morning a friend of mine asked me if I knew of an easy recipe for homemade meatballs. So here are a few for her.

Italian Style Meatballs

Yields: 50 - l oz meatballs

2 lbs Lean Ground Beef

1 lb Ground Italian Sausage (or remove from casings)

1 cup dried bread crumbs (run through a food processor to make a fine texture)

1 med. Onion, finely chopped

1 tsp Sea Salt

1 tbsp Minced Garlic (or garlic powder)

1 tsp basil (fresh chopped or dried)

1 tsp oregano (fresh chopped or dried)

2 Large Eggs

2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2-3 tbsp water (as needed to moisten)

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Lightly oil a sheet pan (or line with foil). Combine all ingredients adding just enough water to moisten. Shape into meatballs. Broil the meatballs on the top rack of the oven for 10 minutes. Turn and broil for an additional 10 minutes. Drain any excess oil. Add to favorite sauce or can be frozen and reheated as needed.

Enjoy

Table Side Caesar Salad

Monday: Pasta & Rice

So far so good. We are starting off easy for Becky. Nothing fancy, difficult, nor made for scratch for tonights dinner. Sometimes you want easy and this is about as easy as you can get, Spaghetti and Meatballs. For tonight's dinner we will be using a bottled pasta sauce (Classico Tomato & Basil) and pre-made frozen meatballs from Costco. I do suggest a salad for nutritional balance and what better salad than a Caesar Salad to pare with Spaghetti. So the featured recipe of today will be fresh Caesar Salad Dressing. This was one of the first recipes I learned in culinary school and could be made table side. A fun and elegant item that you could charge a customers a little more for the experience (which usually lead to better tips). For a family it can be fun to make with the children and the bonds made around the table are the best tips you can get. So here goes.

Table Side Caesar Salad

The most important concept that was taught here was the French term "Mise en Place (meez-on-plahss)" or "Everything put in Place". A good chef takes pride in the thoroughness and quality of their pre-preparation and having everything in place makes all the difference both in the final product and the amount of stress preparing it. I like to get all the ingredients together, put in individual bowls or containers and staged when ever I cook. My children hate this (as it makes a lot more dishes). One final word by Mark Ruhlman, author of "Elements of Cooking",

"Good mise en place makes the process easier and more pleasurable and the result tastier than preparing a recipe with no mise en place."

INGREDIENTS

Romaine Lettuce, torn to bite sized pieces (can be cut as well)

Croutons

Caesar Dressing

Parmesan Cheese, grated

Fresh Cracked Pepper

Dressing:

6 Anchovy Fillets (or Anchovy Paste) (optional)

1/2 tbsp Garlic, crushed

1 Egg, beaten

1 1/2 oz Lemon Juice

1/3 cup Olive Oil

Salt to taste

Worcestershire Sauce (just a few drops will do)

INSTRUCTIONS

Mash anchovys and garlic in a large bowl. Beat in the egg(s) an lemon juice until smooth. Slowly drizzle the oil into the bowl while beating with a wire wisk until all the oil has been added and the dressing is the desired consistency. Season to taste. Toss together in a bowl with the salad ingredients and grind fresh pepper on top if desired.

Enjoy

Weekly Menu Themes

One of the presents I got my wife for Mother's Day this year was a cookbook. Becky is a good cook when she has to be, but her biggest problem is knowing what to fix. While shopping this year for her present, I came across the book, "Family Dinner Cookbook" by Debbie G Harman. The subtitle is what caught my attention. 'More than 400 Simple & Delicious Recipes for Every Day of the Week.' Becky has occasionally joked about adopting the cooking style of her Grandmother. Monday was meatloaf, Tuesday was Spaghetti, Wednesday was ... you get the idea.

I on the other hand love variety and spontaneity in my cooking. I will sometime got to the store for the ingredients to one dish and come home and prepare something completely different. And even if I have a recipe, I rarely make what was printed, putting my own twist on the idea. I thrive in chaos, Becky needs order. So when I read whole title, I was intrigued. After looking through the chapter titles and glancing at some of the variety in the recipes, I bought the book.

The concept of the book is that each day of the week is devoted to one theme making it easier to plan a meal around each of these themes. I especially liked the first chapter, "Let's Do Desserts", because I have always loved the idea that life is short, so eat dessert. In helping Becky plan her menus, I have adopted the concept (but with a few changes here and there). I'll probably vary from this (maybe even this week). But it's a start. Here are are themes.

Weekly Menu Themes

Monday: Pasta's and Rice

Tuesday: International Cooking

Wednesday: Casseroles

Thursday: Crockpot Meals

Friday: Soups & Salads

Saturday: Family Fun Foods

Sunday: Dinner around the Table

Black Bottom Chocolate Pie

After a long night last night, I was able to get 6 cake round baked (to make 2 cakes and 1 tiramisu), to make up the Fresh Orange Curd to fill one of the cakes and to make the Black Bottom Chocolate Pie (recipe below). This was by far my favorite of the desserts). I hope you enjoy.

Black Bottom Chocolate Pie

Prep Time: 5 Minutes

Cooking Time: 15 Minutes

Cooling Time: 2 hrs (overnight is better)

Yield: 1 - 8" pie (serves 8-10)

Ingredients:

Filling

2/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa power

pinch of salt

6 large egg yolks

2 cups low-fat (1%) milk

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

6 oz bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 Tbsp rum extract (or Dark Rum)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 Chocolate Crumb Crust (I used an Oreo Crust)

Topping

1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream

2 Tbsp powdered sugar

1 tsp rum extract (optional)

Chocolate Curls

For Filling:

Whisk first 4 ingredients in heavy medium saucepan to blend. Whisk in egg yolks to form thick paste. Gradually whisk in milk, then cream. Whisk over medium-high heat until mixture thickens and boils 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth. Whisk in rum and vanilla. Cool 5 minutes, whisking occasionally. Transfer filling to frozen crust. Chill until cold, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.

For Topping:

Beat first 3 ingredients in large bowl until firm peaks form. Spoon whipped cream into pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Pipe rosettes around edge of pie. Garnish with chocolate curls. (Can be made 4 hours ahead; chill.)

(Photo by Brian Leartart, original recipe courtesy Bon Appétit, October 1999)