Salisbury Steak with Mushroom gravy

 Ahh.....yes. The TV dinner redo. Full disclosure - My past experience with this dish was courtesy of Miss Swanson. The only reason I was probably warming this TV dinner up at all was to dig into the dessert. I like to think as an adult my palate is more refined. I prefer homemade comfort food as opposed to popping my dinner into the microwave and listening for the peep, peep, peep. If you have never had this homemade before, you are in for a treat. It does bring back childhood memories and I'm assuming it reheats well if you have leftovers. That is a big "IF".


*This recipe was adapted from Simple Quintessential Cuisine

Salisbury Steak with Mushroom gravy

1 1/2lbs ground beef
1 large onion (mince 1/3 and slice the rest)
5 finely minced garlic cloves
3 eggs
1 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
1 tsp steak seasoning 
1 ½ tsp kosher salt
¾ tsp pepper 

4 C beef broth
2 C sliced mushrooms
3 tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 C dry red wine 
3 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil


Directions:

In a medium sauce pan bring beef broth to a slow simmer and add mushrooms; the purpose being to draw out the mushroom flavor into the broth.  While that’s occurring place a large frying pan or cast iron skillet over medium high heat and add olive oil and butter.

 In a large mixing bowl, mix together beef, minced onion, 1 tablespoon of the minced garlic, steak seasoing, eggs, bread crumbs, salt and pepper.
 

 Form the beef mixture into large patties and then place into the pan.  Sear the patties well on both sides and then remove from the pan and place into a large casserole.

In the same pan add another 1 ½  tablespoons of butter and olive oil and then add sliced onions and remaining garlic and sauté for 3-4 minutes.  

 Add in the flour, stirring for an additional minute, then pour in the red wine while you continue to stir.  Next pour in the mushroom broth continuing to stir until thickened. 


Pour sauce over the patties.  Cover the casserole with tin foil and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

Enjoy! 

Pico de Gallo

I tend to think of "pico" as having fresh tomatoes and hot sauce or picante as a cooked salsa using fire roasted or cooked tomatoes. At some Mexican restaurants in San Antonio, you will be offered both with your meal. When I saw some beautiful cherry tomatoes at a farmer's market, I knew exactly what to do with them. Make pico, of course! This is one of those sauces that gets better the longer it sits in the fridge.

Pico de Gallo

2 cups cherry tomatoes, washed, stems removed, chopped

1 jalapeno, seeds removed and finely chopped

1/4 cup onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped

1/4 cup cilantro, washed and finely chopped

juice of half of a medium size lime

salt and pepper to taste

 

Combine all ingredients into a bowl. 

*OR add ingredients into a food processor and puree until chunky*

Tuna Salad in Avocado Shells

Since the temperatures are now in the high 90's and expected to climb into the 100's this coming week, I haven't wanted to venture near the stove. This tuna salad stuffed in avocado shells is the perfect meal for a hot summer day. Seems everybody has their favorite way of preparing tuna salad. Mine has celery for texture, some dill for flavor and a few capers for tartness. You could definitely substitute the tuna for chicken if you are not a tuna salad fan.

Tuna Salad:

1 5 oz. canned Albacore tuna packed in olive oil

2 celery stalks, diced

2 green onions, diced

2 tablespoons parsley, diced

1 tablespoon dried or fresh dill
1/2 teaspoon celery salt

1 teaspoon capers

salt and pepper 

 1 heaping tablespoon of mayonnaise

1 large avocado 

To prepare, drain tuna and place in a large bowl. Combine the rest of the ingredients and mix well.  Cut the avocado in half, remove pit and peel. Spoon the salad in the avocado shells. 

Enjoy!

Roasted Poblano Soup

Today I'm so excited to be guest posting on Wendy's fantastic food blog The Weekend Gourmet. It has been a pleasure following her blog and getting to know her. The recipe I'm sharing today is Roasted Poblano Soup. The first time I had this soup was at a neighborhood soup and salad place. I was hooked immediately. It is creamy, with a hint of heat from the peppers. The grilled corn and cherry tomato garnish gives it some texture and makes the flavors pop. We tend to like our food HOT down here in Texas, so you may want to check the level of heat in the peppers before you add them to the soup. Usually I will make a generous portion of this soup and then have it for lunch during the week. It pairs nicely with some quesadillas or a nice green salad.

Roasted Poblano Soup:

2 medium poblano peppers 

2 russet potatoes, peeled, diced and boiled until fork tender

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 small onion, chopped

1 small head of fresh spinach, washed and well drained 

 ( you could also 1 cup of frozen spinach, thawed and well drained)

1 cup of cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup half-and-half

4 small fresh corn cobs, grilled and kernels removed from the cob

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon of salt and pepper

Fresh cherry tomatoes, roasted corn and Queso Panella for garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash poblano peppers and rub them with olive oil. Place them on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately place them in a brown paper bag. Let them sit for 10-15 minutes. Once peppers have cooled, remove skins and set aside. 

In a large soup pot, add onions and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes. Add in spinach and cook until wilted. Add cooked potatoes, roasted poblano peppers, cilantro, half-and-half and puree in a food processor or with a hand held mixer. Season with salt and pepper. 


Garnish soup with fresh grilled corn kernels, cherry tomatoes and cheese.

Enjoy!

Cherry Mojitos

I love when cherries are in season. They are perfect in a pie, drink or just all by themselves. After working in the garden in this blazing Texas heat, I need something to cool me down. These Cherry Mojitos are just the ticket. Mojitos are typically made with mint, lime, sugar and rum. I had a ton of mint in the garden that was getting out of hand, so I picked it with this drink in mind. A cocktail in the middle of the afternoon? Hey, it's 5 o'clock somewhere! 

Cherry Mojitos:

1/2 bag of fresh cherries, pitted and stems removed

1/2 cup fresh mint, stems removed

4 tablespoons sugar

juice of 4 limes

4 ounces rum (I used coconut)

1/2 bottle of sparkling water or tonic water

In a large glass or pitcher, add fresh mint leaves, cherries, sugar and lime juice. Use a muddler or the back of a spoon, to mash cherries and mint leaves together. Pour liquid through a strainer into a glass. Add rum and sparking water. Garnish with lime, mint leaves and cherries.

Enjoy!

This recipe will make approximately 2 drinks.

Tuscan White Bean Dip

A favorite Italian restaurant of mine called Paesanos serves this dip as a starter before your meal along with bread and olives. I'm usually so busy gorging myself on the dip that by the time my meal comes I'm not even hungry. I have no idea what their recipe is so I had to invent my own. I have to say it comes pretty darn close. It is luscious, creamy and delicious.


Tuscan White Bean Dip:
1 15 oz Cannellini white beans
1/4 cup garlic, rosemary and red chili infused olive oil 
(you can make this by following the recipe here or buy an infused oil at the store)
1 tablespoon sundried tomatoes
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
Drain beans and place them in a food processor. Add in the sundried tomatoes,infused olive oil, salt & pepper and puree. 


*** I served this with Naan bread, which I cut into 1 inch strips, brushed with olive oil, sprinkled with smoked paprika, black sesame seeds, cumin seeds, caraway seeds and broiled in the oven until golden brown. For a gluten free alternative, you could serve it with sliced veggies. ***

Note: I use generous amount of olive oil to get a smooth consistency in my dip. If you like your dip to be bit more chunky, just scale back on the oil.


Enjoy!

Crab Cakes with Remoulade Sauce

Crab Cakes with  Remoulade Sauce served over a bed of Arugula.

When I asked my Mom what she wanted for Mother's Day she said my crab cake recipe. No Joke! I feel bad that I've been hesitant to share this recipe with her. There are two reasons I've been so reluctant. First of all, I hardly ever follow a recipe and although I have a general idea of how to make them, I don't have exact measurements. Secondly, it is kinda nice to finally have something I can make for her. A recipe that she actually has to ask me for. This post is for you Mom. Now you have my secret crab cake recipe. To the best of my knowledge...

Crab Cakes:

2 containers of 16 oz. lump fresh crab

1 small carrot, finely chopped

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

1/2 small red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning

1 teaspoon dried dill

1/4 teaspoon Tabasco

2 egg whites

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 cup Panko breadcrumbs

 clarified butter for frying

Directions:

Add all the ingredients together in a large bowl, mixing with your hands or a large spoon. Gently  scoop up the mixture and form into patties. I usually roll mine into a ball and then press them down into patties. If the mixture is not sticking together, add more mayo. If the mixture is too wet, add more panko breadcrumbs until the patties hold together. Coat the patties with Panko before frying.

In a large skillet, over medium heat, add clarified butter. When the butter is hot, add patties, spacing them evenly in the pan. When the patties have turned golden brown on one side, flip them and continue to cook them. This should only take a couple of minutes, depending on how hot your skillet is. 

Place patties on a large plate lined with paper towels. 

Remoulade Sauce:

1 cup mayonnaise

4 tablespoons ketchup

1 tablespoon grainy mustard

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce 

2 tablespoons chives, chopped
1 tablespoon capers 

salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a together in a bowl. 

Enjoy!

Blueberry Lemon Brownies

 

Just like fellow Texas food blogger Mary at Food Joy, I have a tendency to want to add lemon to everything this time of year. When I came across this recipe at Cooking Classy, it was calling my name and saying things like, "Bake me. You know you want to. I promise you won't regret it." By now I'm sure you are well aware of my baking phobia. Well, this dessert definitely helped me overcome it. This brownie was unlike any I've ever had. It was moist, with a more cake like texture than a crumbly cupcake or a dense brownie. All I can say is it was delicious! I'm definitely planning on making it again, but next time I'm doubling the recipe. 

 

*Recipe adapted from Cooking Classy

 Blueberry Lemon Brownies:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 large egg

2 large egg yolks

3/4 cup granulated sugar

6 Tbsp. butter, softened

1/4 cup sour cream

1 Tsp lemon juice (the juice of about 1/2 lemon)

3 tsp. lemon zest (the zest of about 1 1/2 lemons)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup frozen or fresh blueberries

1 recipe white chocolate glaze, recipe follows

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt, set aside. In a large mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat egg and egg yolks on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add in sugar, butter, sour cream, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla, mix until well blended. Add in dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Fold in blueberries. Pour mixture into a buttered 8 x 8 baking dish and spread into an even layer. Bake 30-34 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. (I used frozen blueberries, and cooked mine for 33 minutes). Allow Brownies to cool completely, then pour the white chocolate glaze over top and spread over evenly. You can freeze bars for 10-15 minutes after baking for quicker glazing.

White Chocolate Glaze:

1 cup white chocolate chips, or 6 oz. chopped white chocolate

3 Tbsp. half and half

 

Directions:

Melt chocolate by tempering it on the stove. Add in half and half and stir together until completely incorporated. 

**Recipe yields approx. 6 brownies**

**Note: I doubled the glaze recipe from the original recipe.**

Enjoy!

Tortilla Soup

 

I love a fabulous bowl of tortilla soup and there are plenty of places to get one in my hometown of San Antonio, TX. Many places serve variations of this soup which includes with tomatoes or without. I have to admit, I like mine with diced tomatoes. Making tortilla soup without tomatoes doesn't seem right to me. I'm all about the garnishes when it comes to this soup. Large slices of avocado, crumbled or shredded cheese and fried tortilla strips takes this soup over the top. This is my version of this classic soup.

Tortilla Soup:

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 small onion, diced

1 bell pepper, diced

1 4 oz can diced green chilies

1 teaspoon of cumin, mexican oregano and ancho chili powder 

(You can substitute oregano for mexican oregano and chili powder for ancho chili powder)

4 cups chicken broth

1 14.5 oz can of fire roasted diced tomatoes

1 tablespoon cilantro, diced

4 small baked chicken breast, diced

Garnish:

fried corn tortilla strips or a handful of tortilla chips

1 avocado, sliced

Queso Panela (you can substitute Monterey jack cheese)

Directions:

In a large soup pot, heat olive oil. Add garlic and onion, cooking until translucent. Add in bell pepper and green chilies. Cook 4 minutes. Add in spices and mix well.  Add in tomatoes and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add in diced chicken and cilantro and cook for another 10-15 minutes. Garnish with tortilla strips, cilantro and cheese.

Enjoy!

Coq Au Vin

 I have recently challenged myself to move beyond my culinary comfort zone. For some reason Coq Au Vin seemed very intimidating to me. In French, it literally translates to "Rooster in wine". Maybe because it is a French dish or because of the whole rooster thing, I would always shy away from making this dish. After reading through a couple of recipes, I realized it was basically chicken cooked in red wine. Now that is something I am comfortable with. This is a very hearty and warming dish. The veggies, wine, slow cooked chicken and fresh herbs all meld together into one big pot of deliciousness.

 

Coq Au Vin:

4 chicken thighs, skin on, bone in

2 chicken breast, skin on, bone in

4 slices Applewood Smoked bacon

1/2 small onion, diced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

2 celery sticks, diced

1/2 cup of button mushrooms, washed & chopped

2 cloves of garlic, peeled

1 1/2 tablespoon tomato paste

1 cup red wine (I used Merlot)

2 cups chicken broth

1 tablespoon of fresh sage, thyme and rosemary

2 tablespoons flour

salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place a large Dutch oven on the stove. Add in 4 slices of bacon and cook until crispy. Remove bacon and add in chicken. Cook chicken, skin side down, for 5-7 minutes. Flip chicken and cook an additional 5-7 minutes. Remove chicken and place on a plate. Add in onion, celery, carrots and whole garlic cloves. Cook for 4 minutes. Add wine, chicken broth and salt & pepper. Stir well and bring to a boil. Turn heat down and add in fresh herbs, mushrooms and tomato paste. Mix well. Add chicken back into the pot. Place in oven, without lid and cook for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and pour 1/2 cup of cooking liquid into a small bowl. Add in flour and mix well. Add flour mixture into pot and stir well.

Note: I served my dish over egg noodles. Garlic mashed potatoes would work well too.

Enjoy!

St.Paddy's Day Cupcakes w/ Buttercream Frosting

 

There is nothing better than pure, unadulterated buttercream frosting. As you already know, baking is not my forte, so I usually make my cupcakes with a pre-made cake mix. This buttercream frosting is rich, simple to make and all homemade. I always use this frosting recipe when I'm making cupcakes.

Buttercream Frosting:

2 sticks butter, softened
4 cups confectioner's sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 cup heavy cream
pinch of salt

Cream butter and sugar on low in a mixer. Add rest of ingredients and mix for about 5 minutes.

Enjoy!

Bacon and Egg Candy

When I saw these on the internet, I knew I had to make them. I love a good salty and sweet combo. The recipe is pretty easy and the cuteness factor is pretty high.

Bacon and Egg Candy Recipe:

1 package M&M's (sort through and pick out all the yellow ones)

1 package white chocolate chips, melted

1 package pretzel sticks, broken in half

Directions:

Melt chocolate in the microwave or by tempering it on the stove, stirring constantly. Let the chocolate cool slightly (the "yolks" will break if the chocolate is hot). Line several baking sheets with wax paper. Spoon approximately a tablespoon of the melted white chocolate on the wax paper. Place a single, yellow M&M, blank side up, in the middle of the chocolate. Place the pretzel sticks on the side. Place in the fridge for 5 minutes or leave at room temperature until chocolate has hardened. Remove candies from wax paper using a knife or an icing spreader.

Enjoy!