Broiled Grapefuit

Ingredients

• 2 red grapefruit
• ¼ cup of dark rum
• 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
• 4 maraschino cherries

Directions

Preheat oven broiler on high. Cut each grapefuit in half and t rim the ends of the grapefruit so they sit flat. Using your paring knife, pre-cut the slices so they are ready to scoop out with a regular spoon. Without squeezing, tip out any extra juices that may have formed to make room for the rum.

Pour about 1 tablespoon of rum over each half and sprinkle each with approximately 1½ tablespoons of sugar. Place a cherry in the center.

Broil on high, rotating the pan as needed until the sugar slightly caramelizes, approximately 6 – 8 minutes.

Grapefruit Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients

• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon fennel
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 cloves garlic
• 2 red grapefruit
• 2 pounds pork tenderloin

Directions

In food processer, combine the first 7 ingredients, the zest of one grapefruit, and the flesh and juice of grapefruits that have been supremed until smooth.

A great video for how to supreme a grapefruit can be found here: http://vimeo.com/21333222

In a bowl or a large sealable bag, combine your mixture and the pork. Let it marinate for 30 minutes while it comes up to room temperature. While this is going on, preheat your oven to 450 degrees.

Drain most of the liquid and transfer pork to a baking dish and bake until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees – approximately 35 – 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the pork rest for a full 10 minutes before slicing.

Grilled Summer Salad

For the Grill

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 pound firm peaches

For the Dressing

• 2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
• 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons water

For the Salad

• 8 cups baby or spring greens
• ¼ cup of sliced almonds

Directions

Preheat the grill to high. Spray grill rack with a high-heat cooking spray.

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Grill chicken, turning once – about 5 to 8 minutes per side. Chicken is full cooked with the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let it rest while you grill the peaches. Follow the directions here for grilling: Grilled Peaches

For extra crunch, place your almonds in a small fry pan (no oil needed) and heat over medium heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly golden brown.

In a medium/large sized bowl, add and whisk the ingredients for your dressing. Add greens and almonds – mix to combine well. Slice your cooled chicken and peaches and place on top.

Braciole

For me there is something so comforting about Italian food. The smells that warm the house all day while pots simmer on the stove, large family dinners, food that makes you want to take a nap when it’s all over. I absolutely adore Italian cuisine, and this is part of my journey to make traditional dishes healthy without losing all of the wonderful flavors. Here we use new combinations, but all traditional ingredients.  Buon Appetito!

Ingredients for Sauce (or Gravy!)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion – diced
• 1 medium bulb garlic – peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 - 28 ounce cans of crush tomatoes
• 1- 28 ounce can tomato puree
• 1 - 6 ounce can tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon salt

Ingredients for the Braciole

• 8 tablespoons pine nuts – toasted and finely chopped
• 4 hard boiled eggs – peeled and finely chopped
• 8 cloves fresh garlic – minced
• 1 large handful fresh basil - chopped
• 1 large handful fresh parsley - chopped
• 2 lbs. boneless top round sliced thin into 8 pieces – pounded flat
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• Salt and pepper
• 8 large or 16 small slices of prosciutto (enough to cover a single layer of beef)

Directions

In a large stock pot over medium-low heat, sweat down the onions and garlic for about 15 minutes or until they soften. Add the tomatoes, half a large can of water, and turn heat up to medium. While sauce is coming up to a simmer, add remaining spices. Once up to a good simmer, reduce heat to a low simmer (you may have to adjust periodically). Don’t forget to give it a stir every once in a while to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pot.

While your sauce is gently simmering, it is time to start the Braciole. Start by toasting your pine nuts. In a dry sauté pan over medium heat, add the nuts and heat for around 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Remove from heat to cool before handling, then chop roughly in a food processor.

In a mixing bowl, combine the pine nuts, hard boiled egg, fresh minced garlic, basil, and parsley.

Lay your meat out on a clean working surface. If need be – pound flat on a cutting board until no more than 1/8 of an inch thick. Sprinkle each piece lightly with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Lay the prosciutto across the meat in a single layer, and spread approximately ¼ cup of the mixture across the meat as well.

Roll up the beef rolls tightly and fasten with toothpicks - one at each end pinching it closed, and one in the center if needed. And gently nestle your meat into your sauce.

Turn heat down to low, cover pot, keeping sauce at a low simmer. Turn meat occasionally. Let simmer for around 3 hours.

Steamed Littleneck Clams

A couple of times this summer, on those days when the weather was excellent for eating dinner outside, it was the perfect opportunity to  make those kind-of-messy-to-eat meals. Paired with boiled lobster, this was a great accompaniment to a seafood feast!

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons “butter”
• 3 cloves garlic – minced
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 2 pounds of littleneck clams – rinsed and cleaned

Directions

In a large stock pot, melt “butter” over medium heat. Add garlic, stirring regularly so it does not burn, and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add wine and increase heat to medium-high. When wine is simmering, add clams to pot, cover, and cook for 5-7 minutes, until the clams have opened. Remove from heat and give clams a few minutes to cool before handling. Discard any that did not open. Transfer to a large serving bowl and if you like, pour wine sauce back over the clams.

Beef Stew

Beef stew was a regular meal in my house growing up; always hearty, but full of potatoes. This version loses the starch but none of the flavor. There is plenty of food here so you’ll have plenty for leftovers or to keep in the freezer.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
• 3 to 4 pounds chuck roast – cubed
• 4 pieces thick cut bacon – chopped
• 2 yellow onions – chopped
• 4 medium carrots – peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 4 medium parsnips – peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 4 cloves garlic – minced
• 1 ½ cups red wine
• ½ cup tawny port
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 3 tablespoons arrowroot flour
• 16 ounces white mushrooms - chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

In a large dutch oven heat the oil over medium-high heat and working in batches brown the chuck roast for 5 minutes per side (10 min total). Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add bacon pieces and fry until crisp. Then add the onions, carrots, parsnips, and garlic to the pot, taking a minute to scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to lift and incorporate the browned bits. Add the wine, port, tomato paste, broth, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring the mixture to a boil and add the arrowroot flour, stirring in well. Mix the beef back to the pot and cover.

Place pot in the oven for 1 ½ to 2 hours, or until the meat in fork tender. Carefully remove the pot from the oven and return to the stove top over medium-low heat, add the mushrooms, and let simmer for a final 10 minutes.

Caramelized Onion Frittata

The slow cooking of the onions brings out a wonderful flavor that reminds me of brunch at my favorite local restaurant. I hope you enjoy this at-home breakfast treat as much as I did.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoons grapeseed oil
• 1 yellow onion – diced
• 2 cloves garlic – minced
• 2 handfuls baby spinach
• 4 brown eggs
• Salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

In a 10-inch oven-safe sauté pan, heat the grapeseed oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion letting it slowly cook for approximately 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and baby spinach, continuing to stir until the spinach wilts – for about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat.

In a separate bowl, crack and wisk the eggs – season with salt and pepper. Pour eggs over the vegetable mixture, making sure the edges are uniform and all of the vegetable mixture is covered and evenly distributed in the pan.

Place pan in the oven for 15 minutes, or until the edges of the egg are golden brown and the center is cooked. Carefully remove from the pan and enjoy!

Spiced Roasted Lamb Shank

This dish was adapted from Fine Cooking Magazine. It was fun to make individual portions wrapped up in foil, easy for serving and perfect for keeping leftovers for lunch the next day. Even if you’re not a huge fan of lamb, you’ll find that the citrus and red pepper are the most dominant flavors and the lamb becomes very tender from steaming in the onion juices.

Ingredients per Packet (multiply for number of servings desired)

• 2 tablespoon grapeseed oil
• 2 half-pound lamb shanks
• Salt and pepper
• 1 medium leek – chopped, white and light green parts only
• 1 medium carrot – halved and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 1 3-inch strip of fresh orange zest
• Pinch of red pepper flake
• Splash of dry white wine

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

On the stovetop, heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Rinse and pat dry the lamb, lightly season with salt and pepper. Working in batches brown the lamb for about 5 minutes per side, careful not to overcrowd the skillet.

On a 16 by 16 inch square of heavy duty aluminum foil, arrange the leeks and carrot as the base. Add the lamb and top with remaining ingredients. Fold the foil creating rectangular packets, rolling/pinching the seams tightly. Arrange the packets on a baking sheet, so they do not overlap, and bake for 2 ½ hours. Being careful of steam when opening the packet, lamb is done when it is tender and falling off the bone.

Ragu Bolognese

It was weekend of Hurricane Sandy, and in case we lost power (which we did) I wanted to make sure we had plenty to eat that could be cooked on the gas stovetop. This hearty ragu takes some time to meld, but well worth it. The quantities are perfect for multiple meals, large family dinners,or freezer cooking – so in the end you’ll have a very large amount of meat sauce for your efforts.

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons grapeseed oil
• 2 yellow onions – diced
• 6 cloves garlic – minced
• 2 red peppers – diced
• 2 ½ pounds meatloaf mix (beef/pork/veal)
• 3 to 4 pounds boneless pork shoulder - cubed
• 2 – 28 oz. cans diced tomatoes
• 2 – 28 oz. cans tomato sauce
• 1 ½ pounds neck bones – wrapped and tied in cheesecloth
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flake
• 1 tablespoon thyme
• 2 tablespoons parley
• 1 tablespoon oregano

Directions

In a large stock pot, sweat down the onion and garlic over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. While they cook, dice and add the red peppers.

Bring up your heat to medium, add the meatloaf mix and cubed pork shoulder and cook, stirring and breaking up the ground meat with the back of a spoon, until meat is no longer pink, for about 5 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, the neck bones in cheesecloth, and remaining ingredients, and bring up to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover the pot, and gently simmer, stirring occasionally. Sauce is done when it has reduced by one-third and the meat has fallen apart, having simmered for around 4 – 5 hours. Remove neck bones and bay leaves and serve over your favorite “noodle.”

40 Clove Garlic Chicken

For those of you familiar with the Stinking Rose restaurant in San Francisco, you know they mean business when it comes to garlic. Patrons who dine there traditionally have difficulty getting a taxi post dinner due to the garlic aroma coming out of their pores. This adaptation eliminates both heavy cream and flour, but certainly not the garlic. Likewise you may want to spare friends and neighbors after eating this, or better yet invite them over for dinner to share in the garlicky goodness!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
• 1 teaspoon rosemary powder
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup arrowroot flour
• 8 chicken thighs
• 40 large garlic cloves – peeled
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 4 cups chicken stock

Directions

In wide-deep skillet (a dutch oven would work just as well), bring oil up to temp over medium heat.

Separately, in a wide-shallow bowl combine the rosemary, salt, pepper, and arrowroot. Rinse and pat dry your chicken and one at a time press in to the flour mixture so it is lightly coated on all sides. Add chicken to your hot pan, working in batches, and let sear for 5 minutes per side. Remove from the pan.

In the same large pan, reduce heat to medium-low and add the 40 cloves of garlic and sauté for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Add the wine, stock, and the seared chicken to the pan and return heat to medium brining your liquids up to simmer. Then reduce to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Finally, remove your chicken to a clean serving dish, and cover to keep warm. To make your sauce, return the heat on your pan to high and reduce the liquid by 2/3rds. To finish, puree your sauce in a blender (or use an emersion blender directly in your pan) and serve over your chicken.

Homemade Broth - Chicken/Turkey

If you’ve ever used homemade chicken broth in your cooking, then you know what a difference it makes to the flavor of a dish. If you haven’t, have no fear. Broth is super easy to make and easy to freeze – all you need is time to coax the wonderful flavors into your liquids. So pick a weekend, set aside some kitchen time, and make your home smell wonderful.

**I've found that previously roasted poultry brings a stronger flavor to the broth. This is a great way to make use of leftovers. If you don't have the time right after cooking your bird, freeze it until you're ready. Don't forget to save and use the bones too!

Ingredients

• 5 pounds chicken or turkey parts
• 1 yellow onion – quartered
• 1 head garlic – halved
• 2 parsnips – cut into medium sized pieces
• 1 carrot – cut into medium sized pieces
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 10 whole black peppercorns
• 4 sprigs thyme

Directions

In a large sized pot (such as a lobster pot), combine all your ingredients and fill with cold water leaving at least an inch of room from the top and cover. Over medium to medium-high heat bring temperature of water up to simmer. Reduce heat and maintain a good simmer for at least 5 hours, skimming off any foamy fat layers that rise to the surface. Keep your pot covered to reduce the amount of evaporation as much as possible. And when the broth tastes right to you, let cool and strain off your solids.

I traditionally freeze my broth in 1 and 3 cup containers. This year I am also going to freeze broth into ice cube trays for easy use in small batch cooking.

For those of you with a whole weekend dedicated to your broth, feel free to reuse your poultry for a second round – there are still plenty of nutrients to be found in the meat and bones. And the flavor can be almost as strong if you allow additional time for your simmer. Pick through and discard your old vegetables, and replace with new along with new seasonings. Return to the stove-top, add water, and repeat the same process again. It helps to label the broth as Firsts and Seconds (as in the rounds of cooking) so you can judge how strong the flavor will be when cooking later on.

Roast Turkey

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and I am looking forward to a house filled with family, wonderful smells, and a very full belly. I realize there are many methods for cooking a turkey, some steeped in family tradition, but I wanted to share with you the one that has worked best for me over the years - I have yet to have one come out dry or overcooked using this method. Thank you Alton Brown! Original can be found here: Good Eats Roast Turkey

Brine Ingredients

• 1 cup kosher salt
• 1 gallon vegetable stock
• 10 black peppercorns - whole
• 5 allspice berries - whole
• 1 gallon cold water

Turkey Ingredients

• 1 15-pound turkey - thawed
• 1 red apple - sliced in half
• 1/2 onion
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 sprigs rosemary
• 1 sprig sage
• grapeseed oil

Directions

The morning prior to roasting your turkey: combine the salt, stock, peppercorn, and allspice berries in a large stockpot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate until chilled. Then pour the brine and ice water into a clean 5-gallon bucket. Submerge the thawed turkey, with innards removed, in the brine, cover, and refrigerate (or leave in cool place) over night.

In the morning, preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Remove the bird from the brine, rinse inside and out with cold water; discard the brine. Place the bird on roasting rack inside your roasting pan and pat dry. Inside the cavity of the bird place the apple, onion, cinnamon, rosemary, and sage. Tuck the wings underneath the bird and coat the skin liberally with grapeseed oil.

Place your turkey in the oven on the lowest rack and roast for 30 minutes at 500 degrees.**
**I'm not sure if it's my oven, but every time I do this my smoke detector goes off at around the 25 minute mark. If this is an issue, decrease your roasting time by 5 minutes, it won't effect the bird.

Insert an oven safe thermometer into thickest part of the breast (careful not to touch the bone) and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Roast until the internal temperature of the bird reaches 161 degrees - this should take around 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Remove it from the oven and cover it loosley with foil. While the turkey rests, it is a perfect time to put your remaining dishes in the oven to bake - your turkey will stay warm and tender while it waits.

Garlic Acorn Squash

I decided to go all out for garlic one night and paired this with 40 Clove Garlic Chicken. In addition to adding a different garlic profile for the night, I finally discovered a squash dish that my husband really enjoyed.

Ingredients

• 2 acorn squash – halved and seeded
• 1 head of garlic
• 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
• 1 yellow onion - diced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Place the squash halves, cut side down in a glass baking dish. Add enough water to the dish to cover half of the squash, and place in the oven. Also add in the oven a head of garlic wrapped in a good piece of aluminum foil and place directly on the oven rack. Roast the garlic and squash until tender, for about 1 hour. Allow to cool before handling.

In a skillet, heat the grapeseed oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until tender, for about 6 minutes.

Scoop the cooled acorn squash flesh into a large bowl and mash until smooth. Unwrap the garlic and squeeze the roasted garlic flesh into the squash and add the sautéed onion. Combine well, season with salt to taste.

BBQ Chicken

When first going on the paleo diet, I was challenged with hosting a summer dinner party. This dish made the perfect entrée – everyone raved about the chicken and no one knew that the bbq sauce was homemade.

When the weather turned cold, this dish can also be done entirely in the oven. Substitute the grill for broiling on low in the oven. 

Ingredients

• ¼ cup honey
• 3 cloves garlic – minced
• 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
• 1 ½ cups chicken broth
• ½ cup onion – chopped
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 6 pounds chicken drumsticks

Directions

In a medium sauce pan, combine all the ingredients (except the chicken). Mix well to combine and simmer on low heat for 30-40 minutes to thicken.

** Remember that if you choose to use any of the sauce for dipping with your meal, to set some aside prior to basting – you don’t want to contaminate the dipping sauce with raw chicken.

Spray your outdoor grill with non-stick and preheat it to 375 degrees; also preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Rinse your chicken and pat dry. Arrange chicken on your grill for direct heat and cook for 8 minutes with the lid closed. Flip chicken over and using a grill brush, coat well with bbq sauce and cook for another 8 minutes with the lid closed. Remove chicken to a foil lined baking sheet.

Liberally apply sauce to the chicken and place in your preheated oven for an additional 20 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 160 degrees.

Roasted Pumpkin Soup

When it first showed signs of autumn this year, I began to crave cold weather comfort foods. This version of pumpkin soup takes on wonderfully earthy notes with the sage and a savoriness with the bacon. I especially enjoyed this alternative without the traditional sweet ingredients like apples, carrots, or coconut milk.

This recipe would comfortably serve four people as a side dish. If you like, multiply the ingredients for upcoming holiday meals – make the base in advance and freeze till needed. This is guaranteed to be on my Thanksgiving menu.

Ingredients

• 1 sugar pumpkin, 2-3 pounds
• Sea salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 yellow onion
• 6 cloves garlic - minced
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 1 sprig fresh sage
• ½ cup white wine
• 1 ½ cups chicken stock
• 8 ounces Pancetta

Directions

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the stem and slice the pumpkin in half. Scoop out the seeds and innards (rinse, pat dry, and reserve seeds for later). Sprinkle the inside with sea salt and lay the halves, flesh side down, on a parchment lined baking sheet. Roast for approximately 30-40 minutes, or until a knife can easily pierce the pumpkin skin.  Remove from oven and carefully turn over to cool. Then using a large spoon, remove the roasted flesh of the pumpkin.

In a large heavy pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 10 minutes, until tender. Add the garlic, ginger, and half the sage and sauté for an additional 5 minutes. Add the wine, chicken stock, and pumpkin. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer. Leave uncovered and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, or until pumpkin is tender and broth is just beginning to thicken slightly. Remove from heat and being careful with your hot liquids, puree the soup using an immersion blender.  Return to heat and let simmer for another 10 minutes to finish thickening.

While your soup simmers, feel free to roast your pumpkin seeds. Clean seeds, and lightly toss with 1 teaspoon sea salt and 2 tablespoons olive oil.  In a 350 degree oven, spread your prepared seeds on a lined baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Remember to stir the seeds a couple of times so they bake evenly.

While finishing your soup, in a separate sauté pan, cook the pancetta with the remaining diced sage until golden brown – about 10 minutes over medium heat. Sprinkle on top of soup when serving.

Pan-Oven Pork Chops

I know it’s not good for me, but every now and then I get a craving for pork chops prepared in that seasoned breading that comes in a box; this recipe was created to help curb those cravings. My cupboard is always stocked with **homemade applesauce - this paired perfectly with the pork.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons grape seed oil
• 2 bone-in pork chops
• Salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Rinse pork chops, pat dry, and season with salt and pepper.

In an oven-safe sauté pan, heat oil over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Reduce heat to medium. Place chops in the pan and cook for 4 minutes. Flip chops over and place pan in oven to bake for 8 – 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Top with your favorite apple sauce.

**My applesauce is pretty simple: chopped/peeled apples in a stock pot over medium-low heat, a cinnamon stick, half of a whole nutmeg, and time. Let simmer all day or until it breaks down to desired consistency.

Roasted Fennel

My husband comes from a large Italian family and has fond memories of the holidays with everyone gathered around the table for dinner. This dish reminds him of the dish his grandmother would make every Christmas.

Ingredients

• 1 fennel bulb – sliced
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dill weed
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

To prepare the fennel - remove/cut the stalks and fronds from the fennel bulb. Set the bulb on its flat bottom, top side up, and cut in half. Cut each fennel half lengthwise to make quarters and then cut each quarter lengthwise into thin wedges. In a bowl, toss with oil and seasonings. Place on a lined baking sheet – spreading fennel evenly.

Roast for 1 hour – turning fennel over once, half-way through the roasting.

Sautéed Shrimp and Spinach

This was such a quick and easy dinner – perfect for a week night. We were especially surprised how filling this meal was for just a few simple ingredients.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ yellow onion – diced
• ½ red pepper – diced
• ½ yellow pepper – diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• ½ lime – juiced
• 1 pound raw wild shrimp – thawed, cleaned, and tails removed
• 1 – 6 oz. bag of baby spinach
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, pepper, and sauté until tender –approximately 10 minutes. Add garlic, lime juice, and chili powder and continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Add spinach and shrimp. Continue to cook for approximately 7-10 more minutes, using tongs to occasionally flip your ingredients over in the pan, until spinach has wilted and shrimp is done to your liking.

Spiced Pecans

I made this snack for several parties during the holidays and they were a huge hit, with a strangely addictive sweet and spicy heat. Thanks to Christmas Gifts from the Kitchen for the recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 pound bag of shelled pecan halves
• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 5 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until lightly browned, for about 10 minutes. While baking, combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl.

Remove pecans from the oven and transfer them to a large heavy-duty pot. Add the oil and heat at medium-high heat, stirring to coat the nuts well. Continue stirring and add a bit of the spice mixture at a time so all nuts are evenly coated. Once all spices are added, continue to stir for an additional 2 minutes until the sugar melts and the nuts caramelize. Then return the candied nuts to the baking sheet, spreading them evenly, and let them cool.

Hen-of-the-Woods

I am fortunate enough to have a mushroom vendor at my local Farmers’ Market; Madura Farms offers many different varieties of gourmet mushrooms including Hen-of-the-Woods, aka maitake. Known for its medicinal qualities, this earthy mushroom just begs to be paired with a good steak. 

Ingredients

• 1 pound hen-of-the-woods mushrooms
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme - chopped
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary – chopped
• 2 tablespoons homemade chicken stock
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Using a paring knife, remove the core of the stem on the underside of the mushroom. Then using your hands, gently break the mushroom into large pieces. Season with salt and pepper. 

Add the mushroom to the heated oil and cook for 3 minutes. When they turn a golden brown on the surface, flip over and heat for an additional 3 minutes. Add the herbs and chicken stock and baste the mushrooms for another minute. Remove to a plate with paper towels to drain, removing any excess oil and serve.