Mexican Soup 2.0

New and improved Mexican Soup.

This version had roasted Poblano and Corn; as well as onion, shallot, roast chicken, black beans, tomatillos and diced tomatoes.  The broth is made of chicken stock and a little enchilada sauce that is seasoned with smoked paprika.

The garnish is fresh avocado, green onion and a lime cream.  (lime cream= sour cream+ lime zest and lime juice)

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I was trying to create a new cookie for fall so I decided to try adding pumpkin to my chocolate chip cookie recipe.  

Below is the recipe I came up with - note that the recipe is for a large batch but the dough can portioned and frozen.

2 1/2 Cups of Flour

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1/2 tsp. Baking Powder

1 tsp. Salt

1 cup (2 sticks) Butter

3/4 cup Sugar

3/4 cup Brown Sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

2 Eggs

2 cups Chocolate Chips

8 oz. Canned Pumpkin (1/2 can)

1/2 tsp. All Spice

1/4 tsp. Cinnamon

1/4 tsp. Nutmeg

The wet ingredients get mixed (including pumpkin and spices).  The sifted dry ingredients get slowly incorporated and finally the chips are mixed in.

The 2 1/2 cups of Flour is just an estimate; more might be needed if the mixture seems wet.  Also, more or less baking powder can be added; more makes the cookies airy and cake like while less makes a more chewy cookie.

Thanksgiving - Chocolate Mousse Pie

So for Thanksgiving dessert I created a chocolate mousse pie.

I made a homemade crust; which tasted good but didn't look so great.  I have a ways to go before my pie crust look anything like my friend Annette's.

The filling was a homemade mousse that would make a calorie counter cringe.  It was topped with homemade whip cream, chocolate shavings and my raspberry sauce.

Thanksgiving - Prosciutto Wrapped Halibut

I decided to make prosciutto wrapped halibut based off an article I found in the NY Times.  The halibut filet is pasted with pesto and then wrapped in prosciutto.  These are then sauteed in butter and roasted in the oven.

For the side I created a roasted corn and poblano succotash.  I roasted corn and a poblano pepper.  These were sauteed with shallot, cannellini beans, tomatillo and diced tomato - it's finished with a little cream and smoked paprika.

Thanksgiving - Pumpkin/Sage Souffle

So for our Thanksgiving starter I created a Pumpkin/Sage Souffle.  

The base was made from béchamel mixed with pumpkin and spiced with allspice, white pepper and sage.  It was garnished with a butter-fried sage leaf.

Emeril's

While visiting

family in

Tampa we

made the trip

over to

Orlando where

we ate at

Emeril's.

We started with the barbecue Shrimp and for the main, I had the Andouille-crusted Redfish which was excellent.

But the star of the meal was the most amazing Banana Cream Pie.

Emeril might not be some cutting-edge chef only known to foodies or those able to afford $700 tasting courses but one taste of the food and it is obvious why he is such a success. The food at Emeril's is one that puts a smile on your face and for a chef that's what it should be about.

Beef Pot Roast

I did a slow roasted Chuck Roast that I seared on all sides.  

I cooked it low and slow for 3 hours until the meat fell apart. 

The Beef went in with carrots, celery, mushrooms, onions, garlic and thyme

Once the meat was done; everything was removed from the pot and the liquid was turned into a gravy for the potato mash.

Steak & Potato

Not much time to cook lately, though I was able to throw together the Steak & Sweet Potato below. 

My quick rant on steaks is that they have no business being put on a grill.  If you are going to spend $15-$20+ on a piece of meat then don't ruin it by putting it on your grill.  A steak needs precise cooking and not many have a grill that is able to do that.  So, unless you're this guy and have a $10K grill I would keep the steaks indoors.

I cook mine by searing in the cast iron skillet and then finishing in the oven.  The cast iron allows you to get a nice crust while the oven allows the steak to cook through to you're desired temp.  Unlike your grill, you can set what temp your oven is at which removes the guess-work.

Roast Pork Loin

I slow roasted a pork loin for 3 hours.  I gave it a quick sear 

in the iron skillet before finishing it in the oven nice and slow.

I whipped up a quick sauce 

which turned out great.  I 

reduced some beef stock 

with cream and corn starch;

and to season I added a splash

of Worcestershire and some 

cinnamon.

Meatball Subs

When you think of Chefs you essentially have two groups.  You have those that think they're an artist and they spend their day in the kitchen whittling veggies into perfect shapes and painting on the plates.  On the flip side you have those that cook because of the joy of making someone else happy; whether it's their family, a restaurant full of customers or themselves.  I definitely fall into the second category and I think that's why I enjoy making comfort food so much.  Dishes like the Meatball Subs I made this weekend just make you feel good.  Their not fancy and anyone can make them if you take the time.  Time and care are the two essentials to comfort food.  Anyone can grab some frozen junk and warm it up or run down to the local sub franchise and pick one up, but their is something about taking the time to make it yourself that just makes it taste better.

Baked Shrimp and Squash Casserole

Baked Shrimp and Squash Casserole; a Robert St. John recipe.

If you've spent anytime in Mississippi you know the name Robert St. John; he is "The Chef" in the state.  The thing I admire most is that he is completely self taught; the story of how St. John became a chef is incredible.

A waiter turned restauranteur, St. John opened a restaurant in Destin, FL and hired a hot-shot young chef to prepare haute cuisine.  St. John and the chef spent weeks testing and honing recipes for the restaurant.  Opening night was supposed to be a "soft opening" but word got out and the restaurant was packed.  With the pressure on, St. John goes to the kitchen to check on his chef; unable to find him he checks the alley behind the building and finds the chef passed out drunk with an empty whisky bottle in his hand.

Having no other choice, St. John put on an apron and headed to the kitchen.  He's been a chef ever since.  Using the recipes he learned from the chef and by a series of trial and errors, St. John honed his skills in the kitchen.

I have a ton of respect for the man.  He shows that anyone can be a great cook; you don't have to spend years in Culinary school; you just need to be willing to push yourself and not be afraid to make mistakes.

Creole Shrimp Pizza

Two of my favorite things are pizza and cold drinks.

I've come to believe you could put anything in a glass bottle and it would taste better.

This is my latest pizza creation, Creole Shrimp Pizza.  I used my Creole Parmesan Cream Sauce for the base and topped it with Shrimp, Red Bell Peppers, Mushrooms,  Shallots, Green Onions & Sharp Cheddar.

Eggplant Parmesan

Today's creation Eggplant Parmesan.  No matter how much I try I just can't get into eggplants.  They look great on a plate but they taste like styrofoam to me.  Oh well, maybe I just haven't found the right way to cook them.

Chili

So Fall is officially here and that means it's time to open all the windows and cook a big pot of Chili.

We use Colleen's Dad's chili recipe that we've slightly altered through the years.  The main ingredients are Shoulder Roast, tomatoes, onions, garlic, tomatillos, kidney beans, red wine and beef stock.   The seasonings include chili powder, cumin and chocolate.

Pumpkins in the front yard, Fall is definitely upon us.

Mexican Style Chicken Soup

Some of my greatest accomplishments in the kitchen occur when I come down for lunch, no idea what I'm going to eat and in 15-20 minutes I just throw something together.

I had some great leftovers on hand; so everything went in the pot and out came one of the best soups I've made yet.

I sauteed leftover grilled chicken with red onion.  Added a can of diced tomatoes, about 1/2 cup of canned enchilada sauce and some chicken broth.  Seasoned with a little chili powder, salt and paprika.  And, at the very last added some diced avocado and green onion.

I'm usually my harshest critic but this was definitely one of those, "damn, I can't believe I made that moments"

Grouper and Spanish Roasted Potatoes

Things have been crazy busy which hasn't left me much time in the kitchen lately.  This weekend I finally found some time and threw together some new recipe ideas.

The fish is broiled grouper topped with diced avocado, shallots and heirloom tomato.

For the roasted potatoes, I got a chance to try a new idea I've been thinking about.  The potatoes are  spanish style; partially roasted then sauteed with red onion, garlic and bell pepper.  I top them with Monterey Jack and smoked paprika and then put them back in the oven to finish.

Seafood Gumbo

This Sunday was the opening week of the NFL season and to celebrate this glorious day I made a big pot of Seafood Gumbo. 

It all starts with a nice 

dark roux.

I like to cook mine until it

looks like peanut butter. Then

add in the caramelized veggies 

and take it to a nice chocolate

color.

Add in the seafood stock, okra &

diced tomatoes and let it 

simmer.

About 10 minutes before serving

add in the seafood (Scamp & Shrimp). 

Raspberry & Cream Crepes

Thursday was Colleen's Birthday so for Breakfast I made her Raspberry and Cream Crepes.

The crepes were homemade and filled with whipped cream and fresh raspberries

  

  My crepe pan - yes I have

   too much kitchen stuff.

Beef Bourguignon

There isn't much that is a more classically French dish than Beef Bourguignon.  This is essentially the French predecessor of the pot roast and is prepared with beef braised in red wine (Pinot Noir) and is flavored with garlic onions, carrots, mushrooms, pearl onions and bouquet garni.

Basically you want to cook everything until it's falling apart.  Notice the large amount of brown fond on the bottom, the more of this the more flavor you have.  You want it dark brown before you deglaze with Red Wine and Brandy.

The Mushrooms are cooked separate and are also flambeed with Brandy.  Notice the flames in the pic above.

Cheese Souffle

Since I had a little extra time

on my hands Monday I decided 

to try and recreate the Cheese

Souffles I learned while at the 

French Culinary Basics class.

It also gave me a chance to try

out my latest addition to the 

kitchen.  I've been eyeing the 

Kitchen Aid Pro-600 stand mixer 

for a while and decided to take 

the plunge and get it for 

my birthday.

All souffles are basically the 

same.  You have a base sauce 

which can be sweet or savory.  

The trick is incorporating the 

beaten egg whites. The more 

air you keep in the mixture

the better it turns out.

I probably over-mixed mine slightly but they still rose quiet well.

Pan Sauteed Tilapia w/ Braised Celery

Life has been crazy lately 

and unfortunately the blog 

content has suffered the 

last few weeks.

But this week I finally found 

some time to whip up a nice 

meal of Pan Sauteed Tilapia 

with Braised Celery and Roast 

Potatoes.

I picked up some fresh Tilapia on

our latest trip to Joe Patti's and 

decided to do a quick pan saute'.

Just a lite coating of seasoned

flour and then saute' for a few

minutes on each side.

Another tip is to not cook it 

completely through and place

it on a baking sheet in the oven 

to hold it until the sides are 

ready.

As for the sides, it was braised

celery and roasted potatoes.

Braised Celery is one of my 

favorites.  As you read the 

recipe it sounds a little strange 

but trust me, give it a try and 

you won't be disappointed.

French Culinary Basics

While some people enjoy relaxing and eating cake on their birthday, I decided to get up early on a Saturday morning and head downtown for a 5 hour cooking class on French Culinary Basics.    Does that make me weird?   Nevermind I know the answer.

So this was my second class at the 

Viking Culinary School.  After getting 

my feet wet on Knife Skills, I decided

to step up the difficulty and went for 

the French Culinary Basics course.

The course instructor Brianna was 

outstanding.  She had worked for 

3 years at a Michelin 2 star restaurant 

in Paris, so yeah, she knew what she 

was doing in the kitchen.

We were lead in the preparation of Cheese Souffle',

Seafood Crepes, French Baguettes, Beef Bourguignon

and Apple Tart Tatin.

I learned a lot, got some great recipes and got to play with all the Viking toys in the process.

You'll definitely see some of these items popping up on the blog soon.

Grilled Chicken Pasta

I guess you could say I've been pandering to my constituency here lately.  Due to the fact Colleen does most of the marketing of the blog a large majority of the readers are dietitians. And in an effort to keep you coming back, I give you more healthy goodness.

Today was Grilled Chicken Pasta.  

This is my own creation; so here is the recipe.

Thin Sliced Chicken Breast- Grilled

Pasta (something large like Rotini)

Sliced Cherry Tomatoes

Sauteed Zucchini

Shallots (Thin Sliced)

Parsley

Toss with a nice coating of lemon (1 lemon zested & juiced) and very good olive oil.