Beef stew nomnoms!

Today i have the pleasure of making my first beef stew for a friend who is feeling under the weather. Smelling it cooking right now is extremely enticing..

 Ingredients: 
-2 pounds beef chunks for beef stew 
-2 cups water -3 cloves garlic, peeled
 -2 tbsp. vegetable oil 
-2 tbsp.'s Worcestershire sauce 
-2 sage sprigs -3 thyme sprigs 
-1/2 tbsp. pepper 
-1 tsp. salt 
-1/2 tsp. paprika 
-1 tsp. powdered sugar
-dash ground allspice or ground cloves
 -3 large carrots
 -3 ribs celery, chopped 
-2 tbsp. cornstarch 
-1 medium onion, sliced 
-1 small yam, chopped 
-1 cup quinoa, rinsed

Directions: 
- brown meat in hot oil 
 - add water, onions, garlic, and all spices excluding cloves/allspice
 -cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours -remove garlic, sage and thyme
 -add carrots, celery  and quinoa
- cover and cook 30/40 mins
 -to thicken gravy, remove 2 cups of the liquid and add to a separate bowl 
-combine 1/4 cup water and cornstarch until smooth -mix with a little of the hot liquid and return mixture to pot
 -stir and cook until bubbly. 

Serve with mashed baby red potatoes! 

Cheers, foodies!

Peanut Ginger Tofu

Peanut ginger tofu!


This recipe was given to me by an amazing woman, Ashley Gilbreath. Thanks for the recipe! I know the vegetarians will appreciate it because I'm always cooking meat meat and more meat!

This dish is inspired by a breakfast I had at a restaurant called Penny Cluse Café in Burlington, Vermont. It is one of my favorite things to make, and if you like peanut butter, you’ll like this a lottttt!

What you need:
-Vegetables (I like to use broccoli, snow or sugar snap peas, red onion, and
mushrooms)
-4 cups peanut butter
-can of coconut cream
-honey or agave nectar
-3 cloves garlic, chopped
-medium ginger, chopped
-4 tablespoons sesame seed oil
-400 grams tofu or meat or whatevahhh
-herbs like marjoram and oregano
-lemon juice

Heat frying pan and add sesame seed oil and tofu. Cook until golden brown and then
add veggies. Cook veggies and add garlic and ginger. Sprinkle on herbs and lemon
juice. When veggies are done, add peanut butter and stir until it liquefies a bit.
Slowly add coconut cream and stir, probably about ¾ of a can. Add honey or agave
nectar to taste, it depends how sweet you like it. And it’s done! Serve over rice or
rice noodles.

Potato cakes

Moonstone gave us another amazing appetizer- potato cakes filled with chevre and carmelized onions, served with a balsamic vinegar reduction. Blown away!

Moonstone scallops

Delicious scallops with watermelon-cucumber salsa, served on top of a block of Himalayan salt. The scallops only allow a certain amount of salt to absorb into their cells so they don't ever get overly salty, fascinating!

Delicious dinner!

Brown butter chicken with lemon-pine nut asparagus and fried green tomatoes and eggplant! Recipe soon to come!

Roasted veggie medely

Here's some roasted veggies I'm having for dinner tonight! 

 Ingredients:
A Yukon gold potato, 1/2 yam, 1 zucchini, 1 small squash, yellow onion, 4 cloves garlic, 1/2 small shallot, artichoke hearts, Brussels sprouts and pine nuts! 

I seasoned them with olive oil (enough to coat), salt and pepper, thyme, oregano, dill, and some Braggs liquid aminos. Fresh parsley would have been added if I had it. Being served with roasted garlic couscous and some smoked ham. Yum!

Cheers, foodies!

Buttermilk Green Goddess Dressing

I am going to try and do one whole week of dressings and marinades for your pleasure! I am not an anchovy fan, but think about caesar dressing when you make this - don't be scared, you can't taste them!

Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise 
-1/3 cup buttermilk
-1/4 cup fresh chives
-1/4 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
--t tbsp. chopped fresh tarragon
-1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
-2 anchovy fillets packed in oil (drained, chopped)
-1 chopped garlic clove


Directions:
-Puree all ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth
-season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
-cover and chill for 2 hours

Cheers, foodies!

Bacon-Mushroom Vinegarette

Man, do I ever owe you guys! I have been SLACKING on uploading recipes to here. Forgive me! This vinaigrette is meant to be served warm and makes about one cup.


Ingredients:
-4 oz.'s bacon (about 4-5 slices), cut into1/2 inch wide strips
-2 cups sliced mushrooms
-sherry vinegar
-2 tbsp.vegetable oil
-kosher salt
-2 tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley


Directions:
-Cook bacon with 3 tbsp. water in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring often until bacon starts to crisp.
-Add 2 cups sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally until tender (5-6 mins)
-Add 3 tbsp sherry vinegar and 1/2 cup water
-Simmer until reduced by half
-Stir-in 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
-Season with Kosher salt and ground black pepper
-Stir-in parsely


Cheers, foodies!

Eli's Mom's Chocolate Turtle Pie

I just had this pie for the first time tonight and was very impressed. The top of the pie resembles chocolate ganache.

Prep time: 10-15 minutes

Cool time: 4 hours

You will need:

-pie dish

-fridge

Ingredients:

-1 graham cracker crust

-1/2 cup pecans, toasted

-17 caramel squares (around 5oz.)

-1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

-1 cup heavy whipping cream

-3 tbsp. butter

-1/4 cup evaporated milk

Directions:

-sprinkle pecans on crust

-melt caramels and evaporated milk in microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth

-pour over pecans

-melt chocolate, cream and butter in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth

-pour over caramel

-refrigerate at least 4 hours until chocolate is firm

Cheers,foodies!!

Eggplant Medallions with Chicken Apple Sausage Sauce

My friend Kim and I strive to try new things all the time...Eggplant was today's adventure. But hence, it turned out delicious and i loved it.

 Prep time: 45 mins approx.

 Cook time: 20 minutes 

You will need: 

-cutting boards 

-3 small bowls 

-large frying pan and spatula 

-medium sized pot with lid 

-metal cooling rack 

-baking sheet 

Ingredients:

 -1 large eggplant 

-1 large onion, sliced into long thin strands 

-1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce (or make your own) 

-1 bunch of spinach, rinsed and stems pulled off 

-fresh basil, chopped

 -chicken apple sausage, cut into pieces

 -panko breading (1 whole bag) 

-1-2 cups flour 

- 2 tbsp dried parsley 

-canola oil, for pan frying 

-3 eggs 

-3 cloves garlic, chopped 

Directions: 

-slice eggplant into medallions about 1/2 inch thick 

-place eggplant slices on plates and salt the tops of them heavily. Allow to sit for 15-20 mins,

 (this process pulls water out of the eggplant to make it less soggy when its fried)

 -dab the eggplants with a paper towel to remove excess water and salt

-put out three bowls and add flour to one, the three eggs (beaten) in the next, and a mixture of the panko breading, 1/4 cup flour, 2 tbsp. parsley and salt and pepper in the last.

-cover each piece of eggplant with flour, then dip into egg, then roll in panko mixture. 

-set them on a cooling rack that is placed on top of a baking sheet or piece of foil. 

-allow to sit for 20 minutes 

-heat oil and fry each medallion until golden brown on both sides (2-3 mins per side) 

-add onions, garlic and sausage to separate pan and heat on med-high until onions become translucent

-add jar of sauce, cook 5 mins until boiling 

- add fresh spinach and basil, and cover to lightly steam for 3  minutes

 - serve sauce on top of eggplant with some fresh basil on the side. 

 Cheers, foodies! -

Zucchini Cakes

This recipe is all thanks to my friend Miranda. I love how zucchini is so versatile, and I cook with it more than any other vegetable.

Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 10-15 mins

You will need:
-saucepan
-spatula
-cutting board

Ingredients:
-1 cup panko breading
-One  zucchini, shredded
-1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
-1 tsp paprika
-Clove garlic, chopped
-1 egg
-Salt and pepper
-vegetable oil

Directions:
-mix all ingredients
-heat oil in saucepan
- fry until golden on both sides

Cheers, foodies!