Eats On

Time for a cheese steak

2012-01-25T07:38:00.000-05:00

There is a new Cheese Steak sandwich eatery that just opened up in downtown York, and I am for sure going to give it a try! I love me some good cheese steak!! I have been to Philly and I love both Pat's and Geno's (okay, okay, no comments from haters now). I can't wait to try Neely and Miller's rendition of the cheese steak, btw, they actually use Cheese Whiz - which is THE cheese for a classic Philly. This place is called the "Cheese Steak Spot." Here is a link to a newpaper article about it...my personal review, will soon follow!

Creamy Broccoli Four Cheese Soup

2012-01-14T17:44:00.001-05:00

When my taste buds come in contact with something utterly delicious, I automatically ask for the recipe. I was "wowed" by Jenny's version of the classic Broccoli soup, and now you can be too.

Ingredients:

1/2 Onion, Diced
1 stick
⅓ cups Flour
3 cups 1% Milk
2 cups concentrated chicken broth (2 cups water/4 chicken bullion cubes- for extra flavor)
2 cups Half-and-half
3 large heads Broccoli Cut Into Florets
1 pinch Nutmeg (I added a generous pinch - love the nutmeg :) )
3 cups Grated Cheese (mild cheddar, monterary jack, American, pepper jack.)
Small Dash Of Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Directions:

Melt butter in a pot over medium heat, then add the onions. Cook the onions for 3 to 4 minutes, then sprinkle the flour over the top. Stir to combine and cook for 1 minute or so, then pour in milk, chicken broth and half-and-half. Add nutmeg, then add broccoli, a small dash of salt, and plenty of black pepper.
Cover and reduce heat to low, stirring occasionally. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender. Stir in cheese and allow to melt.
Taste seasonings and adjust if needed. Then either serve as is, or mash it with a potato masher to break up the broccoli a bit, or transfer to a blender in two batches and puree completely. (If you puree it in a blender, return it to the heat and allow to heat up. Splash in more chicken broth if needed for thinning.)
Enjoy!

Eat with:
1. A really good and delicious artisan bread or some good bread to mop up the goodness.
2. You can garnish this soup with bacon bits. Bacon makes everything taste good!

Tuscany soup

2011-12-09T10:43:00.002-05:00

What is better than a warm soup on a cold day? Ready? a spicy warm soup! And it just doesn't get any better that this. There is nothing like enjoying a rich, creamy, spicy soup to soothe the palate, and warm the body. If you like a good bowl of soup, you have got to try...Tuscany soup (spicy Italian sausage and Kale soup).

Ingredients: [the measurements here are enough to feed four, if you wish to increase it, just add more of the ingredients and, of course, get a bigger pot - bon appetite!]
1. Russet potatoes - I would use three or four
2. One big white onion
3. A few cloves of garlic
4. Spicy Italian ground sausage. (1lb.)
5. Bacon. (1lb.) - I like the thick cut and peppered bacon
6. Chicken broth (32 oz. or 2 cans)
7. Heavy cream
8. Red pepper flakes
9. A bunch of Kale
10. Optional: a hint of Cayenne pepper

Directions:
First and foremost, prep your potatoes by cutting them thinly into semi circles, and then peel and cube the onion, and smash and peel and dice the garlic. Bunch up some bacon and slice them into smaller pieces. Now you are ready to place the sausage into a medium high heated Dutch oven or pot. The sausage is naturally oily therefore there is no need to add oil at all. When the sausage is browned, remove it from the pot and put it aside for later. Don't worry about the remains in the pot that will be deglazed in a little bit. Throw in the chopped bacon and brown that. Then thrown in your onions and garlic. Add the crushed red pepper to the mix, this will allow the onions and bacon to absorb the spice (which is nice). Then add a little bit of chicken broth to deglaze the pot. Add the potatoes and pour the rest of the broth (you can add a tad bit of water to help with the simmering process). Cover the pot and let it simmer for at least 1/2 hour. Then add salt and pepper and more crushed red flakes (to taste). While the soup continues to cook, chop the kale. The green goes into the pot at the last minute, before being served, it should retain a little body when eaten. Add 1.5 cup of heavy cream to the pot. Let the cream assimilate. Now add the sausage. Let all that is in the pot rejoice, I mean, merry. Now add the kale, about 2-4 min. before it is served. Enjoy!

Eat with:
1. A delicious and simple garden salad
2. good bread
3. Sprinkle some Parmesan cheese for a slight but good kick.

Oven Roasted Brussel Sprouts

2011-11-28T23:46:00.002-05:00

Okay, I understand...brussel sprouts are not exactly the most favored of all the veggies in the plant kingdom. But there is a way to prepare them to where they can be transformed into something absolutely savory. Ready? "Oven Roasted Brussel Sprouts." It is the simplest of ingredients...the easiest of techniques, and a huge, huge, pay off of flavor, it is almost like redeeming brussel sprouts from near annihilation. Now, just like I gave you my word on the anchovies (from the last post), I will once again give you my word on this. You will like this taste so much, you may never do brussel sprouts any other way, I promise.

Ingredients:
1. Fresh Brussel Sprouts - I like to get the big kind, not the baby sprouts.
2. Extra-virgin Olive Oil - you can't go wrong with this fruity flavor (please do not try regular Olive oil, it just doesn't have the same flavor - and when you are dealing with brussel sprouts, you need all the flavor help you can get).
3. Kosher salt - The texture of Kosher salt is superb.
4. Fresh crack black pepper - no other way, no other kind will do.

Directions:
First, cut your brussel sprouts into two by halving them. Second, remove the base of the sprouts (that would be the stubby or "woodsy" type texture). Third, place the sprouts on a cookie sheet. Then drizzle it with extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper them (be ever so slightly generous with all three components). Set your oven on 400 degrees F, and place the cookie sheet or baking sheet inside the oven, and roast it for 30-35 min. You will see some really neat caramelizations on your sprouts. Transfer them from the sheet to a serving bowl or a plate. Bon appetit (enjoy your meal)!

I have had some avowed brussel sprout haters change their minds when the roasted sprouts hit their tastes buds.

Pasta con Aglio e Olio

2011-09-05T16:10:00.003-04:00

Ingredients:

1. Pasta - either spaghetti or fettuccine. Of course, the traditional way is to use spaghetti, but I like the thickness of fettuccine. Thankfully, we have individual soul liberty on these matters.

2. Extra-virgin Olive Oil - great fruity smell and taste.

3. Anchovies - That's right, anchovies. Don't worry, they will melt in with the oil and garlic and will provide a delicious salty flavor to the mix. You do not want to skip over this ingredient. You can try, but you will regret it. Believe me, I am not an anchovy fan myself, but I love it in this dish (and you will too).

4. Garlic - lots of cloves of garlic (at least 10 cloves). Of course, peeled and minced.

5. Red crushed pepper flakes - just a pinch. This adds a slight kick to the overall flavor.

6. Parsley – fresh. Handful and rough chop.
7. Optional: Parmesan cheese.

Directions:

Cook the pasta. Make sure that when the water (for your pasta) is boiling that you add salt to your water to season the pasta. Add some oil to the water (which helps prevent the pasta from sticking) others don't. I have a preference of adding a little oil. Cook the pasta to "al dente" (or a little firm) or completely soft (its all up to your taste). While the pasta is cooking, fire up a skillet (low to medium heat). Cover the skillet with extra virgin olive oil (be liberal). When the oil gets hot, add the minced garlic (it should have a low and slow sizzle). Add a pinch of red crushed peppers. And now, add a few anchovies to the garlic infused oil. The anchovies will slowly dissolve and will turn into an amazing salty seasoning that will add such a different yet lively flavor to your pasta. Drain the pasta (really well) and then add it to the oil by tossing it in the skillet. Cut off the fire. Garnish it with fresh parsley.

Eat with:

Steak or shrimp

Vegetables or salad

Extremely easy home made tortilla chips

2011-05-13T19:10:00.001-04:00

Ingredients:
1. Corn tortillas (you may also use flour tortillas if you wish).
2. Peanut oil. (Excellent oil to use for high temperature cooking) - unfortunately some people are allergic to peanuts and that would also mean they could react to peanut oil also - in that case you may use vegetable oil or canola.
3. Seasonings: Garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.

Directions:
Heat up the peanut oil in a cast iron skillet (well, really anything that is deep will do - an electric fryer would do well). Cut the corn tortilla chips into sections (with a pizza cutter or something similar). When the oil is hot enough (a good way of testing the oil is to stick the end of a wooden spoon directly into the oil, and when you notice small bubbles around the spoon, then the oil is hot enough and you are ready to cook the tortilla "chips"). Be careful with the hot oil (if you ever had the misfortune of being scorched before, you know what I mean). The cooking process takes hardly any time at all. For me, I just drop the tortilla chip sections and flip them for even cooking. They turn light brown really fast. Again, they cook so fast you can ruin them in less than a minute, if you aren't careful. When you get them out of the oil, place them on a plate or basket with a paper towel under them. Season them with the "seasonings" mixture, preferably while they are fresh and hot out of the oil, so that the seasonings stick.

Eat with:
1. Your favorite store bought or home made salsa.
2. Fresh Avocado Salsa (I think it is the first recipe in this blog).
3. Melted cheese or cheese dip. (You can even add some Jalapenos for an added zing).

Signed - mission accomplished

2010-11-12T15:17:00.000-05:00

Food Network's Bobby Flay book signing today

2010-11-12T05:46:00.000-05:00

Today I will launch out into The Hunt Valley Towne Centre in Cockysville, MD (36 miles) to get Bobby Flay's new book "Throwdown" signed. Of course, I will check his website one more time before going just to make sure it is still on.

Southwestern Pumpkin Soup

2010-10-29T10:49:00.003-04:00

Ingredients:
1. Onion - (one, this is the only thing that needs chopped - the rest are in cans, hurray!)
2. Extra-virgin Olive oil - (just enough to saute the onions with)
3. Stock - (3 cups of stock - either vegetable, chicken, or beef - your choice)
4. 2 (15 oz) cans of pumpkin puree
5. 2 cans of diced tomatoes
6. 1 can of black beans (drain the water in it)
7. Curry (a palm full - or about two tablespoons)
8. Cumin (a half a palm full - or one tablespoon)
9. Cayenne (optional for heat - a pinch, or a half or whole teaspoon - to taste) or fresh cilantro (rough chopped).
10. 2 cups of cream (added at the end to lighten up everything).

Directions:
Get a dutch oven or a stock pot ready and heated on medium heat. Pour in a little bit of extra-virgin olive oil and saute the minced onion (enjoy the smell). Pour in your stock, after the onion is semi-cooked or sorta translucent. Add the pumpkin puree (watch out for the splatter, get the puree as close to the stock when you scoop it out). Add the diced tomatoes, and the black beans. Mix the "mixture." Flavor it with the spices. Finally add the cream. Lower the heat to allow everything in the pot to marry.

Eat with:
1. You can eat this on its own, like you would any other soup.
2. Grilled Cheese Sandwich.
3. Semi-home-made flour tortilla chips on the side (recipe forthcoming).

Cream Cheese Biscuits

2010-08-23T17:05:00.000-04:00

Ingredients:
1. Bisquick (2 cups).
2. Cream Cheese (3oz.).
3. Milk (enough to just lightly coat the mixture).
4. Flour (a palm full just for coating).

Directions:
Combine the bisquick and cream cheese in a large bowl by using a pastry cutter. If you don't have a pastry cutter you can use a couple of forks. You want to make sure that the bisquick and cream cheese is melded together really well, to the point where it almost resembles something like cornmeal. Then, pour in a little bit of milk (be sure not to over do the milk pour - you just want to lightly coat the mixture - didn't I say that already?) while tossing and folding the mixture. Continue this until your mixture resembles dough. On a wooden cutting board (a good size one) - coat it with a palm full of flour (this will be the work station for the dough, the flour will prevent the mixture from sticking to the board). Also hit the top of the mixture with a little bit of flour. Now you are ready to lightly knead and roll the dough. Use a pastry cutter (or a the tip of a drinking glass) and place the "pre-biscuits" onto a slightly greased cookie sheet (they also have those fancy non-stick trays, but this will do). Bake it in the oven at 375 degrees for about 10 to 15 min. Be sure to keep an eye on them so you don't turn bread into stone.

Eat with:
1. Stuff you would normally eat with when consuming buttermilk biscuits.
2. Of course, nothing beats the taste and texture of real buttermilk biscuits, but this recipe comes awfully close and is a whole lot easier to do.

Buttermilk Biscuits

2010-02-11T20:31:00.007-05:00

Ingredients:
1. Flour (all purpose) (4 cups)
2. Baking powder (4 tsp.)
3. Baking soda (1 tsp.)
4. Salt (1.5 tsp.)
5. Sugar (1.5 tsp.)
6. Butter (unsalted, and make sure it is cold) (2 sticks)
7. Buttermilk (cold) (2 cups)

Directions:
Combine your dry ingredients first. Flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar; whisk them in a bowl. Divide the butter into pats and toss them into the mixture. Take a pastry cutter, or two forks, and crush the butter into the mixture (you may use your hands, and work the butter all throughout the mixture). Prep a cutting board where you are going to knead your dough, by sprinkling the surface with some flour. Carefully pour into the mixture the buttermilk, and with a spatula make sure that the buttermilk is getting evenly spread out and touching as much of the mixture as possible. Place the moist mixture onto the prepared cutting board. Fold the mixture like a letter, turn it over and knead it, this turns your mixture into dough. Roll your dough and take a 2 inch biscuit cutter (if you do not have a cutter you can use the tip of a drinking glass), and cut out the raw biscuits, place them in a cookie sheet, or pan. You should get 12 biscuits out of this. Brush a little bit of buttermilk on the raw biscuits. Place them in the over at 375 degrees for 20 min. or until the surface turns golden brown.

Eat with:
1. Butter.
2. Cheese. (You can add some shredded cheddar cheese, or a little dill, before you pour the buttermilk in the mixture.)
3. Sausage and gravy. (Recipe forthcoming.)
4. Honey and sugar. (You can sprinkle sugar on the biscuits after you brush the surface with buttermilk.) Brush a little honey on the biscuits.
5. Grape Jelly.

Fresh Avocado Salsa

2010-02-08T07:35:00.004-05:00

Ingredients:
1. Avocado (a ripe one of course, i.e. soft to the touch).
2. Vine ripe tomatoes (one will do if it is big).
3. Sweet onion (a big one).
4. Lemon (one will do).
5. Fresh Cilantro.
6. Jalapeno pepper (one will do).
7. Salt (course, of course).
8. Black pepper (optional).
9. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil.

Directions:
Split, score, and spoon the avocado (throw that nutty and buttery goodness in a bowl, along with the rest of the other ingredients). Slice, seed, and dice the tomatoes. Cut, peel, and dice the onion. Bunch-up and chop a handful of fresh cilantro. Roll the lemon (to release its juice), slice, and juice the mixture (you don't want the seeds to get into the mixture, so juice it with the peel facing the mixtures). The lemon juice will prevent the avocado from oxidizing, besides giving the salsa an added zing. Split, seed, and thinly dice the jalapeno pepper. Remember: the heat of the jalapeno resides in the seed and ribs of the pepper. Do not scratch your eye afterwards, or you will pay dearly (ha!). Pour a little extra-virgin Olive Oil (just enough to lightly coat the mixture). Extra-Virgin (you may wonder) means that the oil wasn't filtered after it was pressed, and so it is much more fragrant and colorful than regular olive oil. Toss gently, and sprinkle some course salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Eat with:
1. Yellow corn tortilla chips. (I prefer this over white, but white will do).
2. Bruschetta (lit. "charred bread") - slice some Italian bread, broil it in the oven, take a fresh clove of garlic, peel it, pound it a little, and rub it against the charred bread, for an added hint of garlic flavor.
3. You can top a chili-taco bowl with this salsa. (Chili-taco bowl recipe forthcoming).