Thinking Ahead

Hello and welome. This is not a recipe blog post.  It is a "think ahead" post. A couple of weeks ago, influenced by southeast Asian video recipes I'd been watching obsessively, I wanted to try one of my own of my own design.  I had marinated chicken thighs and seared them in a wok. They turned out perfect, as you can see, above.  The fried-noodle-egg part did not. This is the thinking ahead for next time part. First, I used noodles that took forever to boil, but I'd used them because I knew they'd keep their shape, making it easy to transport them to the wok and oil without splashing. Next, I used far too many eggs; again, an influence of those giant woks over wood fire videos.  I will say, however, the flavors were spot on with the onions and garlic. Finally, next time, I will use maybe half of less than half of the eggs and I will use proper ramen noodles and will just need to be careful and plan ahead. No short cuts next time!

Question, gentle readers:  What other ingredients would You add to this?  I'd ❤ to hear from you!  Thank You!

~ Martin

In-House Cook

Key Falls, Brevard, North Carolina

A weekend ago. 

Basic Fried Garlic Chicken and Fried Rice

 

Fried Garlic Chicken and Fried Rice

To be honest, this dish is the basics of fried chicken and fried rice.  Both can be "doctored up" as I am likely to say often. I normally blog when I have made something before and have made it better than my first time, but I thought, this meal is simple and delicious for a quick, flavorful meal. I will share with you ways I think you can "doctor both up".  In the meantime, this dish is easily made within 40 minutes any busy weeknight.  Let's get to it, shall we?

Ingredients for Garlic Fried Chicken

1 package of six boneless/skinless chicken thighs

1 cup flour

2 tablespoons garlic powder or granulated garlic

1 rounded tablespoon granulated onion

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1+ cups vegetable oil or grape seed oil*

Ingredients for basic Fried Rice

2 cups cooked white rice*

4 eggs, whisked

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1/4 cup vegetable or grape seed oil*

1 teaspoon black pepper (my preference)

***********

Before we go any further, let's talk about how to doctor up the chicken.  First, I do not use a dredging station for this particular chicken.  I add the cup of flour to a dish and thoroughly whisk in the other dried ingredients. You could, however, set up a dredging station:  flour, whisked eggs, flour again and then fry.  Or, you could create a seasoned tempura batter and fry. I would use the same dried ingredients for each version. 

Next, let's perk up my basic fried rice to Awesome fried rice.  I normally use scallions, the white part of three scallions in the initial cooking and add the greens at the end for a pop of color and flavor. Many people add diced carrot and peas.  I am personally not partial to either, so I purposefully leave it out every time. I like to use small bits of bamboo, fresh slivered garlic and ginger, and a meat. I enjoy chicken, beef or pork. I usually start cooking the meat (unless it is a leftover, already cooked). I also like to add a few dashes of toasted sesame oil along with the vegetable oil. 

*Grape seed oil holds up to high heat and helps enhance the flavors. 

**I enjoy using my rice cooker, but, when dinner is running late, I always have packets of rice on hand in the pantry. They come in jasmine or Basamati, which I use for fried rice, or chicken, Spanish rice and several other flavored packets. These are a great short cut when needed. 

Finally, I love to use Garlic Chili Paste or oil as a garnish to the bowl or plate for the completed meal. You must use whatever your favorites are!

Basic Fried Garlic Chicken

Add one cup of flour to a plate along with other dried ingredients.  Whisk thoroughly.  Place one piece of chicken at a time to the seasoned flour.  It coats pretty easily, you'd be surprised!  Meanwhile, add the oil to a wok or skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil begins to ripple, add only three chicken pieces at a time so as not to crowd the wok or skillet and drastically lower the oil temperature (should be about 350-degrees F). Cook each piece about four minutes per side; if the pieces are larger, five minutes. Each side should be golden brown and 165-degrees F internally to be done. Place the chicken on a rack to drain any extra oil. Cover when done. 

Meanwhile, add the oil to a wok or skillet.  Add garlic to the oil and when the oil begins to ripple, remove the garlic so it does not burn. Add fresh meat at this point to cook if you are using it. The garlic flavors the oil. Mmm!  Add the two cups of rice and break it up. Add the onion and the garlic and any other veg you wish to add (even peas and carrots, if it pleases you 😉) and vigorously stir to incorporate all of the ingredients.  While the rice is cooking, whisk the eggs and drizzle them over the rice.  Let it cook for minute or two and then stir it all together again. Add the soy sauce and a tablespoon of garlic chili oil or paste and yes, stir!

The rice and egg and all should easily break up and not be sticky. If it is, cook it a little longer and continue to break it all up. 

Add scallion greens or even fresh cilantro to garnish and flavor the rice, and even the entire dish. I like to add small dollops or drops of garlic chili paste or oil around the plate and on the food to knock the flavor palette up a notch. 

I did not have fresh cilantro nor scallions to garnish my plate so I sprinkled dried parsley as a garnish. 

And here we are!  This dish feeds three big appetites or six average appetites.  

Thank You for visiting! I appreciate your time and consideration. Now....Go Cook For Someone You Love❤

~Martin

In-House Cook

Some of my favorite flowers in my garden. Hibiscus Beauty. 

Farm Fresh Pasta Pomodoro Sauce

 

Farm Fresh Pasta Pomodoro Sauce

There is nothing like a totally farm fresh pasta sauce. This is a short recipe and blog post. No stories, no anecdotes, just a simple to prep and cook tomato pasta sauce.  Not a thing is canned. Let's get to it, shall we?

Ingredients

2 pints grape or cherry tomatoes, washed

1 onion, medium chop

4+ garlic cloves, finely chopped or disc cut

2 tablespoons each, fined chopped:

rosemary, thyme, basil, oregano+ 6 full leaves basil

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

The prep is both the easy and the hard part.  You can halve to the tomatoes or not, slice the garlic as you wish. I added a + on the garlic because, if you are like me, you want six-to-eight cloves of garlic. I have a friend's recipe that calls for forty, yes, 40 cloves of garlic!!!  In addition, dicing the herbs is the largest task. It's also the most aromatic and peaceful task. Watch your fingers, though!

Now, in a large high-sided skillet or pot, add the evoo over medium-high heat. When the oil ripples, add the onion, a pinch of salt, and stir to coat the onions with the oil and salt. About three minutes late, the onions will start to soften.  Add the garlic and stir to thoroughly mix the onion and garlic. The aroma is life-changing!  After three more minutes, add all of the tomatoes and half of the diced herbs. Save the full basil leaves for last; stay tuned. 

Finally, add the remaining herbs and stir everything together, bring to a simmer, reduce the heat, cover and allow to simmer on low for twenty minutes. Add some of the fresh basil leaves before covering.  Add more fresh leaves after simmering, as it's pretty. 

I served these (new to me) ravioli that were stuffed with beef. I should have either gone with a more dainty pasta or plated them very differently, but, live and learn. That is life, yes?  No matter, the huge, thick ravioli and my pasta sauce worked very well together, enhancing each other's flavors. Overall, I was pleased with this dish.  

I hope you enjoyed this very simple dish.  Note:  If you do not have or want to get all fresh herbs, you can certainly use dried Italian seasoning!  Now, Go Cook For Someone You Love! ❤

Thank you so much for your visit! 

~ Martin

In-House Cook

My furmily: Foley and Banjo❤

Ribeye Steak with Salad Bruschetta

 

Ribeye Steak with Salad Bruschetta

Summer is grilling and cold salad season, and I have both prepared for us today. I have a seasoned, grilled ribeye steak and small garlic toasted sourdough bread topped with goat cheese spread, marinated tomatoes and raw broccoli, topped with chopped pine nuts, diced bacon bits and dried parsley.  For dessert, I made a peach bundt cake. That will be my next blog post, so please stay tuned!  This dish will feed two hungry appetites but if you add one more steak, you can easily feed up to four.  Let's get started, shall we?

Ingredients

1 or 2 ribeye steaks, seasoned with your favorites

6 slices small sourdough bread

1 pint your favorite baby tomatoes, halved

12+ raw broccoli florets, trimmed

1 stick your favorite goat cheese (3 oz)

3 tablespoons crumbled feta

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil or grape seed oil+

*Garlic Parmesan dressing (or, your favorite)

chopped pine nuts and bacon*

salt and pepper

tablespoon black pepper corns

grated Parmesan or Roman cheese*

4 large cloves or 8 small cloves garlic, 1/2 diced, 1/2 sliced

Bring your steaks to room temperature and season both sides with your favorite seasonings. I like to use Kinders* seasonings or I create my own with salt, pepper, garlic powder, dried rosemary and sage. Let the steaks sit out or, refrigerate them if you will be cooking them within thirty minutes. 

Bruschetta and Salad

In a bowl, add about a quarter cup of evoo, a half or whole pint of halved baby tomato medley and trimmed raw broccoli florets, a hefty pinch of black pepper and a little pinch of salt.  Add 1/2 cup of Garlic Parmesan dressing (which went perfect with the goat cheese) and the feta. Stir thoroughly and set in the refrigerator for thirty minutes or more, the longer the better. 

Meanwhile...

When ready to serve....Toast six slices of sourdough. You can either toast them without evoo or butter, but I like garlic butter or rubbed with roasted garlic. Delicious, but, it's up to you. Spread garlic and herb goat cheese over each slice. Just prior to serving, add broccoli and tomatoes atop the goat cheese. Sprinkle with chopped pine nuts and bacon bits, and finish off with a sprinkle of dried parsley. 

Finishing the steak.....

Fire up your outdoor grill or, heat up your indoor grill pan or plate over medium-high heat. Drizzle about four tablespoons onto your steaks and into the grill plate/pan. (You get what I mean by now, I am sure. 😊)

Add garlic slices to the oil as the pan heats up. When they start to brown, remove them but do not toss. Add the steaks to the rippling oil and sear about four minutes per side.  If the steaks are thicker than an inch, sear for four more minutes before flipping. Finish the steaks low and slow, either in the oven at 250-degrees for eight minutes or on the cool side of the bbq. At 145-degrees, or so, the steak is done. Remove after eight minutes to rest for several minutes. Afterward, slice agularly (at an angle) against the grain. Have your plates ready for the delicious goodness you are serving. 

In addition, add the black pepper corns and add back the garlic to the steak skillet if cooking indoors. Stir them into the renderings and oil.  After you have plated the steaks, add a couple of spoonfuls of the garlicky, peppery oil atop the steaks for a stunningly crispy garlic delight.  If you grilled them, have a small skillet or sauce pan with the same ingredients to pour atop your steaks. By-the-way, this is amazing with chicken, pork and turkey. 

Ready to enchant your guests?

A final note, if your guest is gluten free or just is not fond of bread, the salad can be served by itself. Maybe a parmesan bowl?  Just a thought. 

I hope you have enjoyed this recipe blog post. It was certainly delicious and, even nutritious!  Well, mostly. 😋  As always, I am grateful for your visit and your time. Now, Go Cook For Someone You Love!❤

~Martin

In-House Cook

Savory Sage Saltimbocca Chicken and Caprese Salad

 

Savory Sage Saltimbocca Chicken & Caprese Salad

As I age, I find that my appetite slows down during summer.  The foods I love to eat take a back seat during the hot and humid summer months, here, in the south. In my teens, twenties and thirties, I loved to down bbq ribs, chicken, steaks, burgers and dogs with potato salad, pasta salad and and all the trimmins'. Now, in my mid sixties, that ain't happenin'. Sensible, lite foods and portions of summer delectables is important to me now.  Ribs and chicken are still important, but again, as I age, I am not into cave man amounts of it during this heat.  With that in mind, I present to you one of my summer classics: Savory Sage Saltimbocca Chicken and Caprese Salad.  Let's get to this easy, quick meal, shall we?

Ingredients for Saltimbocca

4+ thin sliced chicken breasts, trimmed

4+ fresh sage leaves

1 tablespoon butter

4 tablespoons evoo (extra virgin olive oil)

salt and pepper

* lemon zest and juice 

***Normally wine and capers are part of this, but for summer, I am leaving that out for my own dish. You can go as traditional as you wish! 😊

Caprese Salad Ingredients

2+ steak tomatoes, sliced into four discs

1 ball of mozzarella, sliced into four discs

8 large fresh basil leaves + small leaves for garnish

3 tablespoons evoo

2 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar to drizzle

*I trimmed the thin sliced chicken breasts into squarish rectangles and marinated them in evoo, lemon juice and lemon zest, white wine vinegar, mirin, salt and pepper. You do not have to do that, as it is just a thought. You could slice the lemon into discs and top the chicken with it to add amazing flavor. 

Let's get to the chicken saltimbocca.  

Add salt and pepper to both sides of the chicken. 

Drizzle four tablespoons of evoo to a skillet over medium-high heat and the butter. When the oil begins to ripple, add the chicken and let it sear about four minutes. When you turn it over, the cooked side should have a golden crust to it. Place a fresh sage leaf to the uncooked side and finish turning it over. Also allow this side to sear another three or four minutes. Reduce the heat and allow it to finish low and slow for about eight minutes. 

The fresh sage, traditonal in saltimbocca, adds so much flavor!

Finish on reduced heat, low and slow, for eight to ten minutes. 

Remove the chicken and allow it to rest after about eight minutes on low heat. 

Caprese

Drizzle extra virgin olive oil onto the dish you will be serving the Caprese from. Place the ingredients over the evoo. 

As mentioned in the ingredients column above, slice the tomatoes and mozzarella into discs. Place a tomato down, place a fresh basil leaf atop it, then mozzarella, and repeat the process.  I create two rows on a dish if I am serving it family style. You can make as much as you like, and serve it on a huge platter, as I did at a grad party I catered (Thank You, Mrs. D!!!) or on a personal dish for one or two. Finally, drizzle a little more evoo atop the cheese and tomatoes and top that off with a nice drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar, or your favorite balsamic vinegar. 

My plating is not spectacular here, I know, but it worked fine. I made a simple Parmesan pastry twist to go along with it. I placed a circle of Parmesan on parchment paper, then sliced pastry dough thinly and twisted it.  I placed shaved Parmesan atop the twist and baked it for eighteen minutes at 375-degrees. Not pretty, but well worth it. I love Parmesan crisps. I had added Italian dry seasoning and pepper to the Parm circle. Delicioso!

That is it! It's all delicious, nutritious and bursting with flavors of Italy. I hope you like this recipe.  Now, Go Cook For Someone You Love!

Thank you, as always, for your visit, time and consideration.  I appreciate you all!

~Martin

In-House Cook

From my garden yesterday. ❤

 

Tres Colores Orzo Summer Salad y Pollo

 

Tres Colores Orzo Summer Salad with Chicken

Nothing says summer like our humid 98-degrees making it feel over 100-degrees. Not a day to serve hot foods, but it IS a day to serve a chilled summer salad. Last evening I made a "three color" orzo salad with chicken. The prep is pretty quick, the colors of Italy, orzo, the rice shaped pasta, cheese and whatever dressing flavors you want! I added seared, chilled, chopped chicken to the mix. This recipe feeds six hungry appetites or up to 9 sorta-kinda hungry folks. Well, let's get to it, shall we? 

Ingredients

1 box orzo (Italian rice-shaped pasta)

4 - 6 chicken thighs, prepped*

1 cup Flat-Leaf Italian Parsley, stemmed and chopped

2/3 - 1 cup crumbled Feta cheese (or torn mozzarella)

1 cup halved baby tomatoes

1 medium or large white onion, chopped

1/2 cup fire roasted red bell peppers, chopped

salt and pepper (for several steps)

1/4 cup fresh diced garlic

2 rounded tablespoons Italian seasoning

**Fresh thyme if you have it, otherwise, dried

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (evoo)

*Your favorite dressing!

Do you notice what is wrong with this photo? I put a red onion in the photo when it was supposed to be a white onion. I did change it. 

The Chicken*

Lay out the four-six boneless/skinless chicken thighs. Use a paring knife to open the thighs up further and cut off "dangly bits". The idea is to cut off excess pieces and shape the chicken to make it easier to slice after cooking.  

Season the chicken simply with salt, pepper and thyme. Drizzle a skillet or stove top grill pan or plate with three tablespoons evoo over medium-high heat.  When the oil begins to ripple, add the chicken thighs. Cook the chicken four minutes per side. Remove the chicken promptly and allow the thighs to rest. After about fifteen minutes, slice the chicken into half inch rectangular pieces. Place the chicken into a bowl and place it in the frig for now. 

*After cooking the thighs, I cooked the pieces I'd cut off and saved them for my dogs' dinner times. You can do that with steak and pork, as well, for future reference. 

The Veg and Greens

Wash and halve the baby tomatoes. I had on hand a pint of tomato medley, but used only the red ones. The theme of the salad is three colors: red, white and green. Next, slice the fire roasted red bell peppers into half-inch cubes or rectangles, whatever you can do. They are not a regular shape, so you must work with you've got. 😃

Next, wash, de-stem and chop the Italian Flat-Leaf parsley.  Chop it a bit less than coarsely. Set both the tomatoes with the red peppers aside, and separately, set aside the parsley. 

The Orzo

Bring four quartz of water to a roiling boil in a pot. Liberally salt the water, as it is the only time you get to season the pasta. Once boiling, add the box of orzo to the water and stir vigorously. You do not want the pasta to stick to the bottom. Repeat, stirring every three minutes until the orzo is done, which is about twelve minutes. Do a texture/taste test to make sure it is soft and not hard nor gooey. If the pasta is hard or gooey, let it cook another two or three minutes, then do the test again. Depending on your stove top, the orzo should be done in about twelve minutes, tops. 

Use a colander to drain the orzo.  I know, it has holes in it and a minute bit may be lost, but you are also going to rinse the pasta to remove most of the starch. Once rinsed, pour or scoop the pasta to a large bowl. Place the bowl into the frig for as long as you can (an hour or more, if possible).  Afterward, use a spoon to turn the pasta over.  Smooth over the top and add the chicken, tomatoes and peppers and the parsley. Add the feta as well.  I sectioned off my large bowl into fourths to equal it all out. Place the bowl back into the frig till serving time. 

*Note:  If you do not have an hour or two to chill everything, that's okay!  When you have to, add the chicken, greens, red items and cheese even if it is warm. This salad is great warm, too!

When you are ready to serve, add your favorite dressing. I used a store-bought Italian vinaigrette and garlic vinaigrette. I hate when people say:  "To taste", but in this case, it holds true. I like more dressing than most folks, so add some, stir and taste test. When it is to your liking, great!  Stir all of the ingredients into the orzo, making sure all of those ingredients are coated with the dressing and as evenly distributed throughout the salad as possible. I like to add some grated or granulated Parmesan to the salad for a little more of salty bite, as well as a sprinkle of coarse ground back pepper and fresh or dried thyme.  That's just me. Now serve and enjoy a colorful combination of tastes and colors of Italy!

As I am known to do, I garnish with a sprig of fresh basil. Great flavor to top it all off. 

Use a big spoon to stir all of the ingredients together thoroughly.  It looks harden than it really is., 

This can be served family style or in bowls. As I mentioned in my previous post, I like to use bowls unless I have three more people for dinner other than my spouse and I. 

Remember, this dish serves six people easily. It can serve up to eight or nine, especially if there is something else served with it.  In addition, this can,obviously, be served without any meat, particularly if you are having a different meat dish along with this orzo salad. 

Now, as always, I fully and happily appreciate your visit and your consideration! Go Cook For Someone You Love! ❤

Until next time!  Bon Appetit!

~Martin

In-House Cook

Orecchiette Summer Salad

 

Orecchiette Summer Salad

It is warm and humid down here in North Carolina.  We are experiencing a huge thunderstorm this afternoon with a ton of rain (much more rain than usual). I call them a monsoon, like we did in Arizona, because the storms are usually pretty short, dumps a ton of rain in a brief amount of time, then it's done. The thunderstorm itself is lingering, but the rain has stopped. The creek behind my patio is still running fast, the water up to my front doorstep is receding, but, as is usual in summer, it is now more humid and warm than it was. It's days like today that I do not want to eat nor to serve anyone something hot. This is when I break out a cool summer salad. Earlier this week, I made a cool summer salad with items on hand, adding "ear" pasta, orecchiette. This salad can be served with meat or not; I served it with cooled mild Italian sausage. Let's get to it, shall we? 

*The best thing about cool (or warm) summer salads is that you can add whatever you love! If I'd had it on hand, I'd have included raw broccoli and cucumber, and maybe chilled, halved hard boiled eggs.  

My Ingredients

1.5 cups orecchiette pasta

1 pound ground mild Italian sausage

extra virgin olive oil 

salt and pepper

1/2 red onion or 1 diced shallot

1 pint grape or cherry medley tomatoes, halved

halved small mozzarella balls or torn cheese

(Or, your favorite cheese, torn or chunked)

fresh thyme and basil, finely chopped + fresh basil torn

pinch salt and coarse black pepper

**1 - 2 cups your favorite vinaigrette

*******

If you decide to use a ground meat, add about two tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (or, your favorite oil) to a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meat to the skillet when the oil ripples. Break up the ground meat with a wooden spoon or your favorite utensil for doing so. After a nice, golden crust begins to form, add onion and torn fresh basil, stir, and then reduce the heat and finish the cooking process and low and slow while you prep the rest of the dish. 

Prep the fresh veggies and cheese. I like to save some small fresh basil tips for garnish. 

Next, bring four quarts of water to a roiling boil.  Add a generous palm full of salt and stir. Add the box of orecchiette (Ears) pasta and stir to dissolve. Boil the pasta till al dente ("about done", which may be about ten minutes). Check the box for actual cooking time. While the pasta is boiling, add the fresh ingredients to a large bowl or serving bowl. 

When the pasta is done (do a taste and structure test: if it is hard in the center, gooey in the center, it is not done yet), strain it or use a spider to move the pasta to the large bowl. **To SERVE COLD:  place the pasta in a large separate bowl and allow to chill in the refrigerator for thirty minutes before adding it to the bowl with the veg in it. 

However you decide to go about it, in the end, combine the pasta, meat and veg and cheese in the large bowl. Add about 1 - 2 cups of your favorite vinaigrette.  How much dressing is completely up to you.  Some people just add fresh lemon juice to cool summer salads.  I like to sprinkle grated Parmesan to it, as well.  

Again, this dish can be served room temperature or chilled.  I prefer chilled, even with meat in it. Really mix up the salad to evenly distribute those fresh herb and veggie flavors!

This can be served family style with two large spoons or in individual plates or bowls. I prefer bowls, but, whatever you like best is what's important. 

Finally, it is time to enjoy those cool, amazing fresh flavors accented with the vinaigrette or your favorite dressing. Food is meant to nourish your body and soul, to make you happy. Make it your own!

With that, as always, Thank You for your time, visit and consideration. I appreciate you All. Now, Go Cook For Someone You Love!  ❤

~ Martin

In-House Cook

My kitchen herbs garden. ❤