10 Ingredients - 5 Meals
Posted June 18, 2009 – 3:38 pm in: How ToHere’s Mark Bittman on the Today show discussing stocking the pantry and making five dishes from 10 ingredients you should have on hand.
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Agnolotti with Ricotta and Spinach
Posted May 24, 2009 – 9:36 am in: Italian, PastaIngredients:
- 1 lb flour
- 6 oz sweet cream butter
- 8 eggs
- salt, to taste
- 15 oz ricotta cheese, as dry as possible
- 2 oz spinach, trimmed and washed
- 13 oz Parmesan cheese, grated
- black pepper, to taste
- nutmeg, to taste
- 4 cups heavy cream
- 4 oz mascarpone cheese
- white pepper, to taste
Directions:
- The Dough - Combine the following ingredients: 1 pound bleached flour, 2 ounces sweet butter, 5 eggs, and 1 pinch salt. Work the dough long enough to allow the butter to be incorporated inside the dough. Wrap the dough in a towel and let it rest, for at least one hour, inside the refrigerator.
- The Filling - Steam the spinach and chop it very fine. In a bowl, beat together 2 eggs with 7 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 1 pinch each: salt, black pepper, and nutmeg. Add 15 ounces dry ricotta cheese and mix very well, but not too long. If you mix it too much, the mixture will become liquid.
- The Agnolotti - Roll out the dough in a thin layer and brush it with an egg wash (made from 1 egg). With the help of a teaspoon to make a “walnut” shape, place the spoon on the dough and cover it with another layer. Cut with a round pasta cutter 2 inches in diameter. Stuff the pasta with the filling and cook in boiling water until the agnolotti come to the surface of the boiling water.
- The Sauce - For the sauce, bring 1 quart heavy cream to a slow boil and add 4 ounces sweet butter, 6 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 4 ounces mascarpone cheese, 1 pinch of salt, 1 pinch of nutmeg, 2 pinches white pepper. Boil slowly for five minutes, constantly stirring with a wooden spoon.
- Serve agnolotti on warm plates with warm sauce.
Ground Beef Stroganoff
Posted May 17, 2009 – 10:27 am in: 30-Minute Meals, Beef, Main DishIngredients:
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 cup drained mushrooms
- 1-1/4 cups condensed Cream of Mushroom soup
- 1/4 cup water, red wine or beef broth
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Directions:
- In a fry pan, brown the ground beef and onion; drain well.
- Stir in mushrooms, soup and water.
- Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Stir in sour cream; heat through, but do not boil.
- Serve over noodles or rice.
Orange Rosemary Pork Chops
Posted May 10, 2009 – 9:27 pm in: Main Dish, PorkIngredients:
- 4 boneless pork chops
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 shallot, peeled and minced
- 1/3 cup beef broth
- 1/3 cup orange juice
Directions:
- Season pork chops with rosemary, salt and pepper.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add chops and cook until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.
- Remove to a serving platter and cover to keep warm.
- Add shallots to the pan; sauté until soft.
- Add broth and orange juice, scraping to remove any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Boil until liquid is reduced by half, about 3 minutes.
- Pour over chops and serve with more fresh Rosemary
Osso Buco
Posted February 23, 2009 – 11:44 am in: Beef, ItalianIngredients:
- 4 slices veal hind shank, about 1″ to 1½” (2.5cm to 4cm) thick
- 1 medium onion, chopped fine
- ribs celery with leaves, chopped fine
- 1 medium carrot, chopped fine
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbs. butter
- 4 tbs. vegetable oil
- 1 cup (240ml) dry white wine or white vermouth
- 2 cups (about 480ml) meat broth
- 3 tbs. tomato paste
- 6 anchovy fillets, mashed
- ½ tsp. dried thyme
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 2 strips lemon peel
- kosher salt
- fresh ground pepper
- flour
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Tie the shanks around the middle with kitchen twine; this will keep them from falling apart during cooking.
- Choose a heavy, covered roasting pan or Dutch oven which will just accommodate the veal shanks in one layer. Put the butter, 2 tablespoons of the oil, the onions, celery and carrots in the pan and sauté over medium heat until the vegetables have wilted, about 8 minutes.
- Add the garlic and lemon peel and sauté until they’re fragrant, about 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a skillet until it is near the smoking point. Lightly flour the veal shanks and slip them into the oil. Richly brown the shanks on both of the cut sides, then place them in the roasting pan on top of the vegetables.
- Place the wine in the skillet and boil until reduced by one-half, scraping up any brown residue. Pour this over the veal shanks.
- Heat the beef broth to a boil in the skillet, whisking in the tomato paste and anchovies.
- Add this to the veal shanks, along with the herbs, several grindings of pepper, and a large pinch of salt. The liquid should cover ¾ of the shanks. If not, add extra water.
- Bring the pot to a simmer, cover, and place in the oven. Cook for approximately 2 hours, turning and basting the shanks every ½ hour.
- If the cooking liquids have nearly evaporated, add hot water, about ½ cup at a time. The veal is done when it is fork tender and falling from the bone.
- Transfer the shanks to a platter, remove the strings, and cover to keep warm.
- If the sauce seems watery, place the dutch oven on the stove top over high heat and reduce the cooking liquid until the sauce has a thick, creamy consistency. Pour the sauce over the shanks and serve.
Video: Sweet Holiday Gifts
Posted December 10, 2008 – 10:05 am in: Holiday RecipesFriends and family will love receiving these homemade holiday treats.
Click this link to watch the video: Sweet Holiday Gifts 
Tips for potluck partygoers
Posted November 27, 2008 – 11:08 am in: Entertaining
Image via Wikipedia
(NC)-With all the festivities that take place over the holiday season, it’s no wonder that time-starved hosts often opt for a casual potluck party. While this type of entertaining creates a great, relaxed vibe, it does mean that guests must do some legwork beyond deciding what to wear!
“What to make and how to get it there are guests’ top concerns when attending a potluck party,” says Jennifer Murphy, associate product manager for Pyrex. “With some pre-party planning and the right bakeware, you can ensure that your contribution is delicious and makes it safely to the party!”
Murphy offers these additional tips for potluck partygoers:
- Ask the hosts what type of dish to bring so they can make certain that every type of dish - from appetizer to entrée to dessert - is offered at their party.
- Shop for your contribution in advance so that you will have all the necessary ingredients on hand and can prepare your dish with time to spare.
- To get your dish to the party safely, use a sturdy container like Pyrex Portables glass bakeware. This 9″ x 13″ baking dish comes with a BPA-free plastic cover, an insulated food carrier and a hot/cold pack.
- Be sure to highlight ingredients in your dish, like nuts and shellfish, which may cause food allergies.
- Consider creating recipe cards to place beside your dish - that way other guests can try your dish at home.
- If you can bear to part with it, consider leaving your Pyrex Portables bakeware for the host - it will make a much-appreciated hostess gift.
- For more information on Pyrex Portables, visit www.pyrex.com.
Greek Rice Salad
Posted November 5, 2008 – 9:24 am in: Greek, SaladsIngredients:
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Salad
- 3 cups cooked rice
- 3 large tomatoes, diced
- 1 small red onion, finely sliced
- 1 14 ounce tin of navy beans, rinsed
- 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
- 2 tablespoons sliced black olives
- 1/4 cup chooped, flat-leaf parsley
- 2 heads red leaf or romaine lettuce
Directions:
- Whisk together the dressing ingredients and set aside.
- Combine tomatoes, red onion, navy beans, feta, olives and parsley
- Toss with dressing and rice and serve on a bed of lettuce
Lemon Chicken
Posted October 30, 2008 – 8:47 am in: Main Dish, PoultryIngredients:
- 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut in half
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon, fresh rosemary, chopped
Directions:
- Pound chicken breasts until 1/2-inch thick
- Heat oil in large saute pan over medium-high heat. Saute the chicken until golden brown on both sides, 8-10 minutes per side.
- Remove chicken from pan, add lemon juice and vinegar. Simmer for 2 minutes.
- Return chicken to pan, add the rosemary and simmer for 3 more minutes.
Baked Squash Recipe
Posted October 14, 2008 – 11:19 am in: Uncategorized
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Ingredients:
- 1 pounds yellow squash
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup bread crumbs, divided
- 2 egg whites
- 1 cup of chopped scallions
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Wash the squash, peel and cut into chunks.
- Place squash in a saucepan, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cover with water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium. Let it cook until the squash is tender and most of the liquid is reduced.
- Drain squash and mash. Lightly mix in butter, egg whites, onion, scallions and garlic, and 3/4 cup bread crumbs.
- Lightly butter the bottom of a baking dish. Spread your squash mixture evenly in the dish and top with remaining breadcrumbs.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes.
