Asian Seared Chicken Thighs with Pineapple Slaw…served with Peanut Sauce
CATEGORY: Main Event SERVES: 4 LEVEL: Presto, easy!
INGREDIENTS: 4 Chicken thighs 2 Tbsp The Amazing Rub (or Brown Sugar w/Ginger) 1 Tbsp vegetable Oil 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce 1 tsp Hot Sauce 1 Tbsp Lemon/or Lime Juice 2 Cups Fresh Pineapple bite size chop
SLAW INGREDIENTS: 1 Tbsp The Amazing Rub (or Brown Sugar) 4 C Coleslaw mix (your favorite) or fine Shred Cabbage and Carrots ½ C Dried Fruit/Nut Trail Mix (no choc!) 1 Tbsp Lime Juice 2 Tbsp Oil (light here) 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce ½ Tbsp hot sauce 1 tsp Toasted Sesame Oil to finish Fresh Herbs as in Cilantro, Mint or Basil – fine chopped or 2 Tbsp dried Basil or Amazing Herbes
PEANUT SAUCE INGREDIENTS: ½ C Peanut Butter smooth ¼ tsp Pummull Spice (or Cinn blend) 1 Tbsp Maple Syrup or Brown Sugar 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce 1 Tsp Rice Vinegar (or white) ½ tsp red pepper flakes ¼ C hot water (start with 1/8 C and add to desired consistency)
INSTRUCTIONS: Prepare Chicken thighs by skinning, deboning and cutting into small strips. In a large bowl add chicken, Amazing Rub, oil, soy sauce, hot sauce and citrus juice (lemon or lime). Toss to coat the strips of chicken and set aside for 15-30 minutes or cover and refrigerator overnight.
Drain Chicken from marinade before searing. Get a skillet hot with oil, and place chicken pieces in skillet, do not over crowd, looking to sear these and create a nice golden brown surface on all side. Remove chicken that is cooked thru (no pink in centers) and continue to cook all chicken, set aside on warm plate. In same pan as cooked chicken, add a little more oil and cook the chopped, drained pineapple looking to toss coat and brown (add a little sprinkle of Amazing Rub to season and brown)
Assemble the Slaw with Cabbage/Carrot mix, ½ C Trail Mix, and toss dress with lime juice, oil, soy sauce, hot sauce- when all coated, finish with a drizzle of Toasted Sesame Oil if desired.
Place a cup of dressed Slaw in center of each serving dish, top with seared pineapple and lastly with chicken strips. Can be garnished with a little more trail mix, or chopped basil or Herbs as noted.
The Peanut Sauce recipe above is delicious as a side dressing to use in the entire plated salad or for a dressing for the chicken. This is so very packed with flavor, and you’ll be shouting “encore”. I have found that a prepared plated salad with all ingredients is also delicious to refrigerate (cover with wrap) and do a quick 1 minute warm in micro. Enjoy!!!
So playing with my daughter in laws favorite coffee drinks this morning! Chilly Iced Americano, topped with Cream kissed with vanilla! So for this MIL the only kind of coffee was hot, well I’m here to tell you it was time to open my horizons! So girls, I think I’ve got this, Starbucks…look out, 2 Iced Coffees, and for Memere double shot espresso, a little cream and yes, a little Kahlua (no clocks here). Out playing with KB’s French Velvet Roast and *Thunder and Lightening Espresso (named after my childhood dogs/ dark and awesome Shepherds). Who wants my job??!
KB’s Amazing Skillet Pork Chops stuffed with Apple and White Cheddar Finished with a Dijon, Maple and Lemon-Kissed Sauce
MY INSPIRATION was to make a skillet version of a fork tender pork chop…but keep the applesauce off the plate. These pork shops are slightly stuffed with thin slices of apple and a slice of a very sharp Vermont White Cheddar Cheese. The Cheese virtually melts into the apples and the taste is wonderful! So here is how I prepared these chops…but the sauce may just steal the show here. Pork bits from the skillet (which will have remnants of the Amazing Rub and some corn starch) , loosened and cooked in stock, with spicy Dijon mustard, sweet and pure Vermont Maple Syrup and just to shout it out, a kiss of lemon juice. No need to thicken…just bring to heat, a quick boil and down to a simmer that reduces by one half! YUM!
CATEGORY: Main Event SERVES: 4 LEVEL: Intermediate, you got this!
INGREDIENTS: 4 pork chops (1” thick) 1 small peeled, cored and thin sliced apple 4 pcs Vermont Sharp Cheddar (2” squares) 2 Tbsp Corn Starch 1 Tbsp KB’s Amazing Rub ( or your house sweet n spiced rub) ½ tsp black pepper 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
SAUCE: 1 C chicken stock 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard 1 Tbsp Maple Syrup 1-2 Tbsp Lemon Juice Chopped fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon of The Amazing Herbes
DIRECTIONS: Take the pork chops out of the cooler and pat with paper towel, cover and let come to temperature.
Make a slice into side/middle center of pork chop and stuff with thin apple slices and 1 pc cheese.
In a plate; add corn starch and the Amazing Rub, black pepper. Press all chops each side into this seasoned corn starch.
Heat oil in a skillet that has a cover. When the oil is hot, place the chops down into oil and sear for 2-3 minutes to brown nicely. When browned, carefully flip the chops and start the sear on that side. Almost immediately bring the heat down to low, cover the pan…and put timer on for 10 minutes. Because chop size may vary, start to check done at 5-7 minutes. When juices run clear, remove from the pan, set aside and cover with foil for at least 5 minutes.
This is when you make your sauce
SAUCE: Deglaze the pan with chicken stock working all browned bits from bottom of pan. Bring to a slight boil, lower to simmer adding Dijon mustard, maple syrup and lemon juice. Simmer to reduce by half, at this point taste for seasoning…salt, pepper more mustard…your taste.
Add fresh parsley or 1 slight tsp of the Amazing Herbes if desired for a finish.
Plate the chops, great with potato and mixed veggies.
CATEGORY: Sweet endings SERVES: 6-8 (ramekins) LEVEL: Intermediate, so come on, you got this!
A delicious celebratory end to a great meal! This SOUFFLE Cake starts airy and is topped with a rich ganache…and then add a few berries and the ultimate mini ice cream on a stick (can you say delicious drama). A reason I love this recipe is it starts as a great SOUFFLE but once settle is the perfect chocolate earthquake (cracked fallen top) cake. So you choose, but the great taste is there however you choose to SOUFFLE!
INGREDIENTS: 6-8 Ramkins depending on their size 6 Oz. Dark chocolate (60-76%) ¼ C water 5 Egg Whites Pinch salt ½ tsp Lemon juice ¼ C Sugar 5 Egg Yolks 1-2 tsp Espresso Powder 1 Tbsp Coffee Liquor ¼ C Sugar
GLAZE: 4 OZ Choc Chips 2 Oz Butter 6-8 Frozen mini Magnum Bars (or your choice of mini ice cream treat) Optional; Strawberry and Raspberries for garnish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt Chocolate and water in the microwave, starting at 30 sec intervals. You want to remove and stop heating when about 25% of the chocolate is still not melted. At this point continue to stir until all is melted. Set aside.
Beat egg whites until soft peaks, start streaming in sugar, pinch of salt and *lemon juice to stabilize whites. I like to see a medium peak and set aside.
In mixer bowl add yolks, sugar, espresso powder (or inst coffee) and Coffee Liquor (or Amaretto).
Beat in mixer until light and thick….and then add melted chocolate until just incorporated.
Fold 30% of meringue, scraping and folding being careful not to overdue. Fold the remaining meringue and spoon into the individual Ramkins. (I think its useful to use an ice cream scooper here..)
Bake until just set in the center…about 20-25 minutes.
While cakes are cooking, create the buttered ganache by melting the butter and pouring over the chocolate chips. Stir until glossy smooth and melted, set aside for the serving finish.
When Ramkins are out of oven, place in center of a plate, spoon chocolate ganache over each, and take a knife to pierce center…and put the mini Ice Cream Treat in the center, sprinkle with slice strawberries or raspberries…walk don’t run to the table to serve…and melt into the extravagant bites! ENJOY!
Smooth, creamy and the perfect accompaniment to Beef Bourguignon
CATEGORY: Frame it SERVES: 8 LEVEL: Presto, easy!
INGREDIENTS: 4 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and quartered 2 large eggs 4 T melted butter 1 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp black pepper Fresh ground nutmeg to taste (or just a pinch of Pummull Spice) 1/2 C milk/cream 1/2 C melted butter 1-2 dashes paprika (optional) 2-4 T goat cheese or sharp cheddar cheese 2 tsp finely chopped chives
DIRECTIONS: Cook the potatoes in boiling water until fork-tender (about 25 minutes) drain and place in a large mixing bowl. Cool the potatoes for about 20 minutes at room temperature. Add in eggs and 4 Tbsp. melted butter, pinch salt, pepper and cheese if desired; add in 4-5 Tbsp. cream adding in more to achieve desired consistency. Season with more salt and pepper if needed to taste, add chives at this stage. You may spoon the potato mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip or simply mound on plate to create a little bowl for a rich Beef Bourguignon mixture. (If piping, pipe the mixture in 12 mounds onto a large greased baking sheet/s. Melt the 1/3-1/2 cup butter and drizzle over the potatoes. Sprinkle a very small amount of paprika or Amazing Heat over each mound.)
Set oven to 400 degrees F. Bake for about 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.
Delicious French Provencal beef braised in red wine until meltingly tender and sensuously delicious!
CATEGORY: Main Event SERVES: 4-6 LEVEL: Intermediate
INGREDIENTS; 1/4 lb (peppered) bacon, cut into small strips 3 lbs lean stew beef 3 cups red wine (Burgundy) 1 cup beef stock 1-2 carrots, peeled and chopped 1 onion, chopped 2 tbsp tomato paste 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 full orange peel, no pith 1 tsp Amazing Herbes or (2 sprigs parsley; 2 sprigs thyme [1/4 tsp if dried]; 1 sprig rosemary) 1 bay leaf 1 tsp Amazing Rub 1/2 cup flour or corn starch Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
RECOMMENDED TO FINISH WITH: 2 cups tomatoes, crushed or chopped 3/4 cup black (Nicoise) olives, pitted 2 tbsp butter 1 onion, chopped 1 lb mushrooms sliced 1 tsp Amazing Rub (or) 1 tsp sugar
DIRECTIONS: Place orange peel with Amazing Herbes (or create herb bouquet with orange peel, parsley, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves and place in) with beef, wine, 1 onion, carrots, and garlic in a large, non-reactive bowl. Refridgerate overnight or for up to two days (or just a few hours if that is all you have!). Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Remove the beef from the marinade and set the marinade aside. Pat the beef dry and toss with flour (or corn starch) and Amazing Rub blend to coat, shaking off any excess. Set the beef aside.
In a large frying pan, slowly cook bacon to release fat. Do not brown. Set bacon aside. Brown the stew meat in the bacon fat over high heat. Brown the meat in batches. If you overcrowd the pan, the meat with steam and your stew will not a have a rich brown color. Add a little oil to the pan if needed. Place in a large pot with a lid.
When all of meat is browned, deglaze frying pan with 1 cup of beef stock. To deglaze; pour stock into pan and cook it while stirring to dissolve all of the good crispy stuff in the bottom of the pan. Pour over meat.
Add remaining marinade, tomato paste, garlic, thyme, bay leaf and reserved bacon pieces. Bring to a boil on the top of the stove and season with salt and pepper. Cover tightly with a lid and place in the oven. Cook slowly for anywhere from 3-5 hours, stirring once or twice. (Or, cover and simmer over low heat on stovetop for about 2 hours, until meat is tender.)
Your dish is ready to be served!
Or, finish with this last 30 minute step. In a large frying pan, melt butter. Add the onion and mushrooms and sprinkle with Amazing Rub (or sugar), saute until golden brown. Stir the tomatoes and olives into onion mixture and return to the oven for another 30 minutes.
Serve on individual plates in a ring of whipped Duchess Potatoes.
TRY IT! Terri adds 2 tbs of balsamic vinegar and a couple of dark chocolate squares to add shine and finish just before serving.
On creating a cocktail that hit all the notes for my Valentine, I wanted to include Bourbon, Cranberries (because it’s his favorite), lemon and orange to make a sweet sour…and Ginger to make spicy. This cocktail hits all those notes! Enjoy!
CATEGORY: Cocktails & Mocktails SERVES: One LEVEL: Presto, easy!
INGREDIENTS: 2 Oz Bourbon 2 Oz Cranberry Juice 1 Oz Lemon Juice splash /orange squeeze slight dash Pummull Spice (optional or Cinnamon) 4 oz Ginger-ale or Ginger Beer Garnish Orange Slice, Fresh Cranberries
Ice cubes small or preference a large globe of ice
Add Bourbon, Cranberry Juice, Lemon Juice and pinch Pummull Spice in glass and stir. Add ice, stir then pour over your choice of Ginger. Squeeze of OJ on top, add Orange slice, fresh Cranberries and ENJOY!
