My Menu Blog

• Olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced small
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 cups coconut milk
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bunch medium asparagus
• 2 cups cauliflower, cut into small florets
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in 1/2

In a small saucepan over medium heat put 2 tablespoons oil, then add onions, ginger, curry powder, and sugar, and saute for 1 minute. Add coconut milk, and bring to a simmer. Cook the sauce for about 10 minutes over low heat. Season the sauce with salt, and pepper. Heat a saute pan over medium heat. Put 2 tablespoons oil in the pan, add the asparagus and cauliflower, and saute for 2 minutes. Add a splash of water to steam the veggies, then add 1/2 a cup of the curry sauce to coat the veggies, and cook 1 minute more. Add the tomatoes to the pan, just to warm, and season, to taste.

For the potatoes:

• 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes
• 1/4 cup half-and-half
• 2 ounces unsalted butter
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 egg yolk

For the meat filling:

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced small
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 pounds ground lamb
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons freshly chopped rosemary leaves
• 1 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme leaves
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen English peas

Directions

Peel the potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch dice. Place in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Set over high heat, cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, uncover, decrease the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until tender and easily crushed with tongs, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Place the half-and-half and butter into a microwave-safe container and heat in the microwave until warmed through, about 35 seconds. Drain the potatoes in a colander and then return to the saucepan. Mash the potatoes and then add the half and half, butter, salt and pepper and continue to mash until smooth. Stir in the yolk until well combined.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the filling. Place the canola oil into a 12-inch saute pan and set over medium high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the onion and carrots and saute just until they begin to take on color, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and stir to combine. Add the lamb, salt and pepper and cook until browned and cooked through, approximately 3 minutes. Sprinkle the meat with the flour and toss to coat, continuing to cook for another minute. Add the tomato paste, chicken broth, Worcestershire, rosemary, thyme, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer slowly 10 to 12 minutes or until the sauce is thickened slightly.

Add the corn and peas to the lamb mixture and spread evenly into an 11 by 7-inch glass baking dish. Top with the mashed potatoes, starting around the edges to create a seal to prevent the mixture from bubbling up and smooth with a rubber spatula. Place on a parchment lined half sheet pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 25 minutes or just until the potatoes begin to brown. Remove to a cooling rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.

1½ lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/3 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
2 tbs. fresh dill, chopped
1 tbs. fresh oregano, chopped
2 tsp. lemon zest
1 tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. fresh ground pepper
1 can artichoke hearts (14 oz.) drained and halved
8-10 cherry tomatoes
8-10 slices yellow squash
6-8 rosemary stems — thick woody stems about 6-8 in. long

1. Soak rosemary in cold water for at least 1 hr. before cooking.
2. Cut boneless chicken breasts into cubes
3. In a large bowl, combine next 7 ingredients add chicken and marinate at least 2 hours or overnight.
4. Remove chicken from marinade and assemble skewers with chicken and veggies. Grill until chicken is done.

2 large garlic cloves
1 med. onion, cut into 8 pieces
2-4 jalapeño peppers, quartered
½ cup cilantro leaves
½-1 tsp. sugar
2 cans (15 oz. each) while tomatoes, drained
1 tbs. lime juice
Salt to taste
Tortilla chips for serving

1. Place all ingredients except tortilla chips into blender. Cover and pulse 2 times until fruit and vegetables are chopped.
2. Pour into bowl, serve with tortilla chips.

3 Italian eggplants
1 large zucchini quartered
6 fresh baby artichokes prepared*
½ yellow pepper sliced thin
3 fresh cherry peppers cut in half
4 cloves garlic cut in half
¼ cup marsala
¼ cup olive oil
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
2 tbs. chopped thyme
4 or 5 green and black olives

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Combine marsala, olive oil, salt, pepper flakes and thyme in a large bowl. Add veggies and marinate for 15 min.
3. Remove veggies from marinade  and spread evenly on roasting pan. Roast 15-20 min. until veggies are tender.
4. Remove veggies and place on serving platter. Scatter olives around plate. Garnish with fresh thyme if desired.

2 lbs. beef stew meat, cut into 1 in. chunks
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, mashed
1 tbs. olive oil
3 cups beef broth
2 tsp. chopped fresh sage, or 1 tsp. dried
3 carrots, cut into 1-in. chunks
2 cups 1-in. potato cubes
1 cup fresh, or frozen and defrosted petite peas

For the Sage Parmesan Biscuits:

• 2 cups Bisquick
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• ¾ cup milk
• 1 tsp. dried sage

1. For the stew: Sprinkle beef with salt, pepper and garlic. In a 3 qt. ovenproof casserole or Dutch oven, heat the oil. Add meat, browning it on all sides for 6-8 min. When the meat is browned, add broth, stirring to scrape up any bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add sage, carrots and potato cubes. Cover and simmer 35 min.
2. Add corn and peas and continue to cook fo another 10-15 min. The sauce will appear thin, but will thicken when the biscuits bake. (The stew can be refrigerated at this point for 2-3 days, or frozen for up to 2 mos. Allow to come to room temp. before baking.) Preheat oven to 375°F.
3. For the Biscuits: In a large mixing bowl, combine Bisquick and Parmesan cheese. Add milk and sage, stirring with a fork to combine. Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead 5 times. Roll the dough out to ½ in. thickness, cut out individual biscuits with a 2-in. cutter and place on top of stew. Or transfer the entire crust to the top of the stew, cutting it to fit. Bake the stew in the preheated oven for 17 to 20 min., or until the biscuits are browned and the stew is bubbling.

1 (3 1/2 lb.) flat-cut and well trimmed corned beef brisket
1 onion, studded with 10 whole cloves
3 large cloves garlic
3 large sprigs each of fresh thyme, and flat-leaf parsley, tied together
1 large bay leaf
1 tsp. mustard seed
1/4 tsp. black peppercorns
12 small (2 oz.) white onions, peeled
12 small red potatoes, well scrubbed
6 peeled carrots, cut crosswise into thirds
1 (2 lb.) head cabbage, cut into 8 wedges

1. Place beef in an 8-qt. pot. Add cold water to cover by 1 in. Cover; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 5 min. Skim foam from top.
2. Add onion, garlic, herb bundle, bay leaf, mustard seed and peppercorns. Cover; simmer 2 1/2 hrs. With slotted spoon, discard onion with cloves, garlic, herb bundle and bay leaf.
3. Add white onions; cover. Simmer 20 min. Add potatoes, carrots and cabbage. Cover; simmer 20 min., until beef is fork tender and vegetables are crisp tender. Remove from heat.
4. To serve: Transfer vegetables to platter, halve potatoes. Place beef on cutting board; slice thinly across grain.

1 1/2lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 tbs. EVOO
7-8 sprigs fresh Italian parsley (rinsed)
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 med. yellow squash
1 med. zucchini
1 cup fresh green beans
3 fresh garlic cloves
1 cup matchstick carrots
1 cup pre-diced onions
1 (14.5oz) can diced fire -roasted tomatoes (undrained)

1. Preheat large saute apn on med-high 2-3 min. Season chicken with salt and pepper on plate. Wash hands. Place 1 tbs. oil in pan, swirl to coat.
2. Add chicken to pan, cook 2-3 min. on each side or until browned. While chicken cooks, chop parsley coarsely.
3. Add parsley, 1/2 tsp. of the Italian seasoning  and wine to chicken. Reduce heat to med-low; cover and simmer 6-8 min. or until internal temp. reaches 165 degrees F.
4. Meanwhile, cut squash and zucchini in half lengthwise; then cut into 1/4-in-thick slices. Trim ends of green beans and discard; but beans into 2-in.-long lengths. Chop garlic coarsely.
5. Remove chicken from pan and set aside. Add remaining 1 tbs. oil and 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning along with garlic, to pan; cook 1 min. Stir in remaining ingredients (except tomatoes); cook 5-7 min., stirring often, or until vegetables begin to soften.
6. Stir in tomatoes; cook 4-5 min. more or until vegetables are desired tenderness.
7. Transfer vegetables to serving dish. Slice chicken, arrange over vegetables, and serve with pasta.

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 lbs boneless pork tenserloins
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
• 2 tsps minced fresh ginger
• 2 tsps minced garlic
• chives for garnish

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees, spray shallow baking dish with non-stick spray
2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat
3. Season tenderloins liberally with salt and pepper and brown on all sides in skillet.
4. Transfer to roasting dish and roast 15 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 16o degrees
5. Whisk chicken broth, peanut butter and hoisin sauce together in a small saucepan until smooth.  stir in ginger and garlic. remove from heat.
6. Transfer roasted tenderloin from oven to cutting board and tend with foil and allow to rest 10 minutes.
7. To serve, slice pork into medallions and drizzle with peanut sauce.  Garnish with chives.

2 lbs. of beef stew meat, cut into 1 in. cubes
3 tbs. of veg. oil, divided
1 cup water
3 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 carrots, sliced
1 large bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
2 tsp. of salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper
1 (14.5 oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped
2 tbs. beef boullion granules
1 sugar pumpkin

1. Heat 2 tbs. oil in a large saucepan over med.-high heat. Place beef in the saucepan and cook until evenly brown. Mix in water, potatoes, carrots, green bell pepper, galrlic, onion, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer approximately 2 hours.

2. Dissolve the bouillon into the beef misture. Stir in the tomatoes.

3. Preheat oven to  325°.

4. Cut top off the pumpkin and remove seeds and pulp. Place the pumpkin in a heavy baking pan. Fill the pumpkin with the beef mixture. Brush outside of the pumpkin with remaining oil.

5. Bake in the preheated oven 2 hrs., or until tender . Serve the stew from the pumpkin, scraping out some of the pumpkin meat with each serving.