AwesomeBites

Category: Omnivore’s Best

  • Bistro Roast Turkey or Beef Sandwich

    Bistro Roast Turkey or Beef Sandwich

    Bistro Roast Turkey or Beef Sandwich

    by Sandra Nickerson on Tuesday, April 6, 2010 at 7:55pm
    Freshly cut french bread or Croissant
    Mayo
    Deli Turkey or Beef slices
    Top with Onion Mamalade
    Bread & Butter Pickles on top/on the side

    Excellent! If you keep the onion marmalade in your pantry, you are ready to go.

    I love turkey sandwiches so much I have been known to go to the store, roast a turkey and slice it for sandwiches.  I know, it is a 3.5 hour wait, but when I look at the price of deli sliced turkey I always think.  Hmmm, I could roast a whole turkey for that price, so I usually do!

  • Chicken Enchiladas

    Chicken Enchiladas

    Chicken Enchiladas are one of my favorites.

    I have my family well trained.  You can ask any of them, “what follows a roast chicken dinner?”  And they will all scream out – “Enchiladas”!  Yes, bake two chickens and you are now prepared and ready for wonderful enchiladas.

    Chicken Enchiladas

    by Sandra Nickerson on Tuesday, March 30, 2010 at 3:50pm
    1 baked chicken (mine was 6 pounds. You could buy 2 baked from Vons.)
    2 cans enchilada sauce (1 hot, 1 mild – I mix them) 
        Red or Green Sauce
    2 cups Mexican grated cheese or mild cheddar
    36 Corn Tortilla Shells
    1 can of black olives
    4 green onions chopped finely. (I use the white and the green)

    Shred the chicken and soak in half the sauce. Warm, then let it cool as you prepare the shells.
    Warm the other half of the enchilada sauce in a separate pan. Fry the shells, then dip them in the the sauce allowing the tortilla to soak up the flavor. Soak one at a time. (If you leave it in too long, it will fall apart.)
    Fill the soaked tortilla shell with sauced chicken, crumble an olive into it, spread some cheese over the top, and
    sprinkle a few onions. Then roll the tortilla, placing the opening on the bottom side so it stays closed. Assemble and arrange in your pan. (My pan will hold 2 deep, and 16 each layer.) Use your left over enchilada sauce to pour over the top, sprinkle with the last of the olives, cheese, and onion.
    Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

  • Stuffed Mushrooms – Steak, Cheddar and Creamy Horseradish

    4 Portabello Mushroom Caps (cleaned)
    5 oz steak sliced thinly
    Cheese- A mixture is always good: cheddar, parmesan, pepper jack
    touch of creamy horseradish or Onion Marmalade – garnish tops with a bit of carmelized onions.

    Baked stuffed mushrooms, are an easy dish to prepare an cook. It will take approximately 25 minutes to complete, depending on what You stuffed the mushrooms with, it may take a little longer. The best thing about mushrooms is they make a perfect little container for Your other favorite ingredients. There is an endless combination of what You can stuff a mushroom with. You can even stuff a mushroom with other mushrooms, there is so many options when using mushrooms, from taste to flavor, to that special texture mushrooms are are a dish to behold.

    This recipe of baked stuffed mushrooms is My favorite, You can always substitute, for Your favorite ingredients an mushrooms to get that taste You enjoy. You can keep it plan with some cheese, or overdue it with egg, steak an cheese. A good combination, that plays on each ingredient taste, will create a to die for side dish.

    Preheat Oven 400F. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to skillet, cook steak on skillet, until brown. As the steak is cooking add Your favorite cheese, I used American, Brie an Mozzarella Mix well. You will want to lightly clean the mushrooms with a damp cloth, Trim there stalks, Put the mushrooms into a bowl, add olive oil, salt, pepper, an paprika (or Your favorite spice). Toss lightly. Place mushrooms on a flat pan cap side down. Remove steak an cheese from skillet add to each mushroom top, Sprinkle grated Parmesan on each. Place in Oven for 20 – 25 minutes or until mushrooms are crisp. Serve

    This recipe is very flexible, it is best to use Your favorites. Their is so many types of mushrooms an a flavor for everyone. You can stuff a mushroom with almost anything, it’s good to keep Your mind open to to the many options You have when making this mushroom dish.

  • Bistro Ham and Pepper Jelly Sandwich

    Ham pulled into small pieces
    Kaiser Roll for each sandwich – Lightly Toasted
    1 T Marscapone Cheese
    1 tsp Pepper Jelly
    2 T Marinated Onions
    4 slices of Bread and Butter pickles

    Mix the marscapone cheese and pepper jelly together. This makes a great spread for many types of sandwiches.
    Spread the pepper cheese on the bottom of the Kaiser Roll, top with ham, top with marinated onions or bread and butter pickles.

    Very, very good.

  • Pork Chops with Cardamon Pear Sauce

    Pork Chops with Cardamon Pear Sauce

    Pan fry pork chops and to brown and finish baking in the oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

    Mix Cardamon Pear Butter with Pork Gravy and serve with mashed potatoes.

    So, so good.

    If you are out of Cardamom Pear Butter,

    Heat oven to 350 degrees
    3 pears, cut in half, peel and core
    1 T olive oil (you could use walnut oil)
    1 T butter
    1 cup chardonnay
    1 tsp cardamom
    1 tsp salt
    Fry the pears, round side down until nicely browned, turn and add wine, cardamom and salt.
    Cover, put in oven for 20 minutes until fork tender.

    While your pears are poaching, fry your pork chops until brown on 4 minutes on both sides, then place them in the oven to finish cooking.
    Serve pear and chop on a plate. Drizzle the plate with the pear juice. Garnish with a sprinkle of toasted pine nuts.

  • Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)

    2 T peanut oil

    2 pounds chicken thighs (boned and quartered)

    2 oz butter or ghee

    2 tsp garam masala

    2 tsp paprika

    2 tsp coriander

    1 T chopped fresh ginger

    1/4 tsp chili powder

    6 cardamon pods bruised

    1/2 tsp ground cinammon or 1 cinnamon stick

    11 oz pureed tomatoes

    1 T sugar

    3/4 cup sour cream  OR 1/4 cup yogurt, 1/2 cup cream, and 1 T lemon juice

    Brown thighs in oil in batches, set aside.

    Combine butter and spices and stirfry for 1 minute. Add chicken to spices and stir to coat.

    Add tomato, sugar and simmer for 15 minutes until sauce is thick.  Add yogurt, cream and lemon and simmer for 5 minutes.

    Serve with rice and poppedoms.

  • Double Pork Chops and Apple Gravy

    2 double cut thick pork chops

    Salt and Pepper the Pork Chops.  Sear Pork Chops in cast iron frying pan, and then finish in a 350 degree oven. 

    Make pork gravy with apple juice instead of water or broth.  Serve with hot mashed potatoes, add gravy to the plate and lay the

    Pork Chop on top of the gravy leaning on the potatoes.  Your guests will love this meal.

    Simple, but delicious.

  • Roast Lamb with Pinot Noir Sauce

    If you don’t have time to grill, go for the roast.

    Servings: 6 People

    Ingredients

    3 Racks of Lamb (6 to 8 Chops per rack), fat removed and frenched.
    2 tablespoons honey

    Pinot Noir Marinade:
    2 cups Pinot Noir Wine
    1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
    3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
    2 tablespoons minced garlic
    2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
    1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
    1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

    In a large bowl, combine pinot noir wine, olive oil, rosemary, garlic, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.

    In a small saucepan, bring the reserved honey/marinade mixture to a boil; let boil until mixture is reduced by 1/2. Additional pinot noir wine may be needed – use your best judgment. Keep warm until ready to serve.

    Preparation

    *Trim fat from roast to expose 1 to 1 1/2-inches of bones and about 1/8-inch of fat on meat. An easier way is to ask your butcher to dress rack and trim all fat from the ribs.

    I like to use large resealable plastic bags for the marinating. One (1) lamb rack fits nicely into a large plastic bag. Divide the marinade between your bags of lamb racks. I also like to marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

    When ready to cook, remove from refrigerator 1 hour before grilling to bring to room temperature. Remove lamb rack from marinade; reserving the marinade. Mix honey into marinade and set aside to use when serving the lamb.

    When ready to grill, preheat barbecue grill to medium-high heat (350 degrees F). Sear the lamb racks on the hot grill, fat side down for 1 minute. Turn and sear the other side for 1 minute. Turn back onto fat side and cook for approximately 6 to 8 minutes, basting occasionally with the Pinot Noir Marinade. Turn and cook another 6 to 8 minutes, basting occasionally, or until a meat thermometer registers desired temperature (see below).

    Rare – 120°F
    Medium Rare – 125°F
    Medium – 130°F

    Remove from grill and transfer onto a cutting board; let stand 15 minutes before carving. During this time the meat continues to cook (meat temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees after it is removed from the oven).

    When ready to serve, slice between racks into single-rib portions (hold the rack by the bones and in one slice, run the knife between the ribs) and serve on individual serving plates. Top the lamb with the reserved honey/marinade mixture.

  • Lamb Chops with Cherry Sauce

    The combination of cherry juice and fresh cherries gives the sauce its depth.

    Ingredients

    • 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
    • 3/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • 8 3/4- to 1-inch-thick lamb rib chops
    • 1 tablespoon butter
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 medium red onion, halved, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
    • 1 cup unsweetened black cherry juice
    • 1 cup halved pitted fresh Bing cherries or other dark sweet cherries (about 7 ounces whole unpitted cherries)
    • 1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil, divided
    • Ingredient Tip: Look for unsweetened black cherry juice at the supermarket and natural foods stores.

    Preparation

    Preheat oven to 250°F. Mix flour, 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt, and 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper on large plate. Lightly coat lamb chops with flour mixture; shake off excess. Melt butter with oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add lamb chops and cook to desired doneness, about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer chops to baking sheet and keep warm in oven while preparing sauce (do not clean skillet).

    Add onion to same skillet and sauté 2 minutes. Add cherry juice and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Boil until liquid is slightly reduced and onion is slightly softened, stirring frequently, about 4 minutes. Stir in cherries and half of basil and cook 1 minute. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

    Place 2 lamb chops on each of 4 plates. Spoon sauce over. Sprinkle remaining basil over and serve.

  • Creamy Chicken Soup with Saffron – Pot Pie

    The Driskill Hotel in Austin is where I first tasted this great pot pie.

    Ingredients

    1 1/2 whole chicken breasts, poached, skinned, boned, cut into julienne
    1/2 c. marsala
    3 egg yolks
    Salt, to taste
    6 c. chicken stock
    1/4 c. pine nuts, coarsely chopped
    1 tsp. saffron threads
    3/4 c. whipping cream

    Top Crust – Puff Pastry

    Preparation

    Combine chicken stock and pine nuts in medium saucepan. Heat to boiling, reduce, simmer 5 minutes. Add marsala and saffron. Simmer 2 more minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk egg yolks and cream into hot soup, whisking constantly.

    Fill individual baking dishes and cover with Puff Pastry.
    Bake for 45 minutes until brown. Serve immediately.