Beurre blanc (pronounced burr blonk) is a french butter and white wine sauce. This is absolutely delicious on fish because of its tangy flavor. I love tangy sauces...which means I would put this on anything...maybe even ice cream...okay, maybe not.
Ingredients
1 Cup of white wine
2 Tbs finely diced shallots
1/2 Cup white wine vinegar
4 sticks of butter (unsalted), cut into 1/2inch cubes and refrigerate
Salt to taste
I did not have the proper shallots to use for this sauce so I used half an onion, and I added about 8 finely sliced mushrooms.
In a large saucepan, bring wine, vinegar, shallots, and mushrooms to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about ten minutes to allow the wine to reduce.
When reduced, reduce heat to low and add one cube of butter and whisk until nearly gone then add another cube of butter. Do this repeatedly until only a few remain. Remove completely from heat and incorporate the last few cubes as before. Salt to taste. Be cautious that you do not allow the sauce to boil again or it may separate. Constant whisking is the key! The sauce should be slightly creamy in nature.
To keep this sauce, put in a thermos or double boiler. If you have leftovers, it can be refrigerated but upon reheat, it's going to "break" or separate so it won't be nearly as smooth as it first was. However, it's still very tasty. Put it on anything and everything...though I don't recommend ice cream.
FFR
Monday, September 13, 2010
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Spaghetti Sauce
This sauce is one of the best. It's homemade but not hard to do. Does NOT require any cooking and can be kept in the fridge until you're ready to us then heat it up! It's got great flavor and a rich color. Put it on pizza for a zesty pizza sauce outside the traditional tomato!
Servings: I honestly don't know...4?
Prep Time: 10-15 Min
Cook Time: None!
Total Time: 10-15 Min
Servings: I honestly don't know...4?
Prep Time: 10-15 Min
Cook Time: None!
Total Time: 10-15 Min
Marinara Sauce
Ingredients
2 6oz cans tomato paste
1 1/2 C water
1/3 C extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1/2 Tbs dried oregano
1/2 Tbs dried basil
1/2 tsp dried crushed rosemary
Salt & Pepper to taste
In a bowl, mix together the tomato paste, water, and olive oil. This will take some serious mixing to get these items to blend but it will be worth it! Add the minced garlic, pepper, salt, oregano, basil, rosemary and mix these in well. Let stand for a few hours to let the flavors meld. Don't have that much time? Got ahead and simmer it on the stove for 10-15 minutes before serving. This will help speed up the melding process. Viola! Delicious sauce without buying it!
Ingredients
2 6oz cans tomato paste
1 1/2 C water
1/3 C extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1/2 Tbs dried oregano
1/2 Tbs dried basil
1/2 tsp dried crushed rosemary
Salt & Pepper to taste
In a bowl, mix together the tomato paste, water, and olive oil. This will take some serious mixing to get these items to blend but it will be worth it! Add the minced garlic, pepper, salt, oregano, basil, rosemary and mix these in well. Let stand for a few hours to let the flavors meld. Don't have that much time? Got ahead and simmer it on the stove for 10-15 minutes before serving. This will help speed up the melding process. Viola! Delicious sauce without buying it!
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Chicken Nuggets
I like chicken nuggets. I'm not ashamed to admit that my favorite are the ones from McDonald's and that's because they're lightly breaded. So now, I offer for you, the light breading that makes these little reconstituted bits of heaven so much better than traditional chicken nuggets.
Servings: 4
Prep Time: 10 Min
Cook Time: 15 Min
Total Time: 25 Min
Ingredients
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or thighs if your audience prefers it)
Canola oil (lots and lots for frying)
1/4 C flour
1/3 C cold water
1/4 C corn starch
1 Egg
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp baking powder
First, cut the chicken into 1 inch cubes and set aside for dipping. Then mix the remaining ingredients (besides the canola oil which is only for frying...in case you didn't get that) in a small bowl. Put the chicken bites in the batter and leave them there. Begin heating a large amount of canola oil (so you can get both sides cooked easily, better if it had a place to sink to). This works best in a large wok because you can use less oil for the same purpose. However, a large skillet works fine.
Once the oil is hot, put the chicken bites in it with a pair of long tongs. Do NOT crowd. If you get the chicken touching while the batter is still wet, they will all stick together. When they start to harden, you can put more in around them. Let cook for 2-3 minutes per side or until the batter starts to brown. Once one looks done, go ahead and cut it open and ensure that the chicken is white, not pink.
Remove the done nuggets to a plate with a few paper towels (to soak up excess oil) put the plate in either a warm oven or the microwave. Do the same until all the chicken is done. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce!
Servings: 4
Prep Time: 10 Min
Cook Time: 15 Min
Total Time: 25 Min
Ingredients
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or thighs if your audience prefers it)
Canola oil (lots and lots for frying)
1/4 C flour
1/3 C cold water
1/4 C corn starch
1 Egg
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp baking powder
First, cut the chicken into 1 inch cubes and set aside for dipping. Then mix the remaining ingredients (besides the canola oil which is only for frying...in case you didn't get that) in a small bowl. Put the chicken bites in the batter and leave them there. Begin heating a large amount of canola oil (so you can get both sides cooked easily, better if it had a place to sink to). This works best in a large wok because you can use less oil for the same purpose. However, a large skillet works fine.
Once the oil is hot, put the chicken bites in it with a pair of long tongs. Do NOT crowd. If you get the chicken touching while the batter is still wet, they will all stick together. When they start to harden, you can put more in around them. Let cook for 2-3 minutes per side or until the batter starts to brown. Once one looks done, go ahead and cut it open and ensure that the chicken is white, not pink.
Remove the done nuggets to a plate with a few paper towels (to soak up excess oil) put the plate in either a warm oven or the microwave. Do the same until all the chicken is done. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce!
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Italian Breaded Pork Chops
These chops are very yummy and usually very moist. They are not oily because they are not fried! They are messy when you are making them but it's worth the mess in my view.
Servings: 4
Prep Time: 20 Min
Cook Time: 35-40 Min
Total Time: 55 Min - 1 Hr
Ingredients
Flour
Salt
Pepper
2 Eggs
2 Tbs milk
3/4 C Italian bread crumbs
1/2 C Parmesan cheese
2 Tbs dried parsley
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
4 Cloves garlic, minced
4 Pork chops
Breading
Mix flour, salt, and pepper in a small bowl
In another bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together
In a third bowl, mix the bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, parsley and a little flour
Dip each chop in the flour mix, egg mix, then bread mix. Dip again in egg mix and bread mix. This will give it a thick coating of breading locking in the moisture of the pork chops.
Next, heat the olive oil in a saute pan. Brown each of the pork chops on both sides and put in a glass baking dish. Sprinkle the garlic over the pork chops.
Preheat oven to 325 and bake for 25 minutes then turn up the heat to 375 and cook for another 10-15 minutes or until finished.
Enjoy!
Servings: 4
Prep Time: 20 Min
Cook Time: 35-40 Min
Total Time: 55 Min - 1 Hr
Ingredients
Flour
Salt
Pepper
2 Eggs
2 Tbs milk
3/4 C Italian bread crumbs
1/2 C Parmesan cheese
2 Tbs dried parsley
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
4 Cloves garlic, minced
4 Pork chops
Breading
Mix flour, salt, and pepper in a small bowl
In another bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together
In a third bowl, mix the bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, parsley and a little flour
Dip each chop in the flour mix, egg mix, then bread mix. Dip again in egg mix and bread mix. This will give it a thick coating of breading locking in the moisture of the pork chops.
Next, heat the olive oil in a saute pan. Brown each of the pork chops on both sides and put in a glass baking dish. Sprinkle the garlic over the pork chops.
Preheat oven to 325 and bake for 25 minutes then turn up the heat to 375 and cook for another 10-15 minutes or until finished.
Enjoy!
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Tinfoilies
While Aunt J and Uncle G were here, we got to talking about Tinfoilies. They had never heard of them and I'm betting most people haven't but it's a fantastic dinner. They also go by the name of Hobo Stew. It's great for camping, at home, in the oven, on the grill...anywhere.
Servings: 4
Prep Time: 25 Min
Cook Time: 30-45 Min
Ingredients
Tinfoil
1 Pound hamburger
4 White Potatoes
1 Large white onion
3 C carrots
Ketchup
Optional:
BBQ Sauce
Hot Sauce
To start, lay out four large pieces of tinfoil, this is where everything will go when it's sliced and diced. Next, make four hamburger patties at the desired size for each diner and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Place one patty on each piece of foil. Slice the potatoes thinly and place desired amount on each tinfoil. (Thinner is better, but not paper thin. Too think and it will take too long to finish! Too thin and it will be mushy!)
Now, Cut the onion into slim rings. Same note as the potatoes. Not minced thin, but not too thick. Place desired onion on each tinfoil. Slice the carrots and do the same.
Lastly, and this is where you get to make all the decisions, cover with your favorite sauce. As a note, doing all hot sauce is NOT recommended. It is usually too thin to cook for long periods of time. Instead, mix it with some of the ketchup. They should be heavily striped with your sauce.
Next, fold in the edges of the tinfoilies and mark each person's with a sharpie. Preheat oven to 400 and cook for 30-45 min or until the vegetables are tender. (Meat should always be finished before the vegetables). Remove from the oven when done. Standing over the sink, carefully use a fork to puncture the bottom of each tinfoil packet to release excess grease and steam. Open and flip remainder on a plate. It will be messy when doing this so don't even try to keep the plate spotless!
Enjoy!
Servings: 4
Prep Time: 25 Min
Cook Time: 30-45 Min
Ingredients
Tinfoil
1 Pound hamburger
4 White Potatoes
1 Large white onion
3 C carrots
Ketchup
Optional:
BBQ Sauce
Hot Sauce
To start, lay out four large pieces of tinfoil, this is where everything will go when it's sliced and diced. Next, make four hamburger patties at the desired size for each diner and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Place one patty on each piece of foil. Slice the potatoes thinly and place desired amount on each tinfoil. (Thinner is better, but not paper thin. Too think and it will take too long to finish! Too thin and it will be mushy!)
Now, Cut the onion into slim rings. Same note as the potatoes. Not minced thin, but not too thick. Place desired onion on each tinfoil. Slice the carrots and do the same.
Lastly, and this is where you get to make all the decisions, cover with your favorite sauce. As a note, doing all hot sauce is NOT recommended. It is usually too thin to cook for long periods of time. Instead, mix it with some of the ketchup. They should be heavily striped with your sauce.
Next, fold in the edges of the tinfoilies and mark each person's with a sharpie. Preheat oven to 400 and cook for 30-45 min or until the vegetables are tender. (Meat should always be finished before the vegetables). Remove from the oven when done. Standing over the sink, carefully use a fork to puncture the bottom of each tinfoil packet to release excess grease and steam. Open and flip remainder on a plate. It will be messy when doing this so don't even try to keep the plate spotless!
Enjoy!
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