A Little Valentine's Treat

A Little treat for my Honey!

Too Precious...What a sweet "heart"...

I came across this looking at some photos on AOL and I just had to share it.
I have never seen anything quite this cute!
What do you think?



Nineteen-day-old ox "Heart," born with a heart-shaped marking on his forehead, relaxes at Yamakun farm in Fujisawa, near Tokyo, Japan, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2009. Kazunori Yamazaki, 51-year-old farm owner, said, "Good timing for Valentine's Day." (AP Photo/Itsuo Inouye)

Baked Stuffed Artichokes

4 large California artichokes
2 cups herbed bread crumbs
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
Salt and pepper

Wash artichokes under cold running water. Cut off stems at base and remove small bottom leaves. Cut off top quarter of artichokes; discard. Spread leaves, remove center leaves and fuzzy centers with a spoon and discard.

Toss bread crumbs with cheese, olive oil, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper to taste. Stuff bread crumb mixture between leaves of artichokes and fill centers.

Place stuffed artichokes in a 9-inch square baking dish. Pour 2 cups boiling water around the artichokes.

Cover with lid or foil. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 40 minutes or until artichokes are tender.

Makes 4 servings.

WORLD NUTELLA DAY THURSDAY FEBRUARY 5TH, 2009

Sara from Ms. Adventures in Italy and Michelle from Bleeding Espresso
(and Shelley from At Home in Rome, in spirit)
solemnly declare Thursday, February 5th

“World Nutella Day 2009″ -

a day to celebrate, to get creative with, and most importantly,
to EAT Nutella.

In honor of this sacred event I decided to make Nutella Biscotti.
Biscotti are my favorite cookie these days so I felt it was appropriate!
(I am posting this tonight since I won't be home in the morning!)

NUTELLA BISCOTTI

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup nutella
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup hazelnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
Beat eggs in a large bowl until frothy.
Add sugar and continue beating on high for 2 minutes.
Stir in Nutella.

Add flour mixture to egg mixture and stir until well combined.
Stir in chocolate chips and hazelnuts, if using.
( I didn't use the nuts this time - I used white and dark chocolate chips)

Divide dough into 2 or 3 logs with well floured hands and arrange on a parchment lined baking sheet. Press logs into rectangles approximately 1/2 inch thick.
Bake at 350F for 20 minutes.

Remove from oven.
Turn down oven heat to 300°F.
Using a serrated knife, cut logs into 1/3-1/2 inch slices.
Arrange on baking sheet and return to oven.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, turn Biscotti over and bake an additional 10-12 minutes
(depending on the thickness of your slices).

Remove to a wire rack to cool.

At this point I drizzled my Biscotti with dark chocolate...I love doing this because some of the chocolate melts into my coffee when I dunk them.
Yummy!

Store in an airtight container.
(MINE DON'T LAST LONG ENOUGH TO BE STORED "AIR TIGHT"!)

CHOCOLATE BISCOTTI

by David Lebovitz

50 to 60 cookies

Use a good-quality cocoa powder. You can use natural or Dutch-process for these, whichever one you like. Just remember that the chocolate flavor of the finished cookies is dependent on the quality of cocoa powder you use. So it's worth using a decent one. I used Valrhona. See notes below on ingredients.

If you like extra-crisp biscotti, you can flip each one over midway during the second baking, in step #6. I sometimes smear one side of the cookies with melted dark chocolate. When dipped in a warm espresso, I can't imagine anything better.

For the biscotti

2 cups (280g) flour
3/4 cups (75g) top-quality cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup (200g) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup (125g) almonds, toasted and very coarsely-chopped
3/4 cups (120g) chocolate chips

For the glaze

1 large egg
2 tablespoons coarse or crystal sugar (see Notes)

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (180C) degrees.

2. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.

3. In a large bowl, beat together the 3 eggs, sugar, and vanilla & almond extracts. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients, then mix in the nuts and the chocolate chips until the dough holds together.

4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Divide the dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into two logs the length of the baking sheet. Transfer the logs onto the baking sheet, evenly spaced apart.

5. Gently flatten the tops of the logs.

( I eliminated this next step- the egg and the sugar!)

Beat the remaining egg and brush the tops of the logs liberally with the egg. (You won't use it all). Sprinkle the tops with the coarse or crystal sugar and bake for 25 minutes, until the dough feels firm to the touch.

6. Remove the cookie dough from the oven and cool 15 minutes. On a cutting board, use a serrated bread knife to diagonally cut the cookies into 1/2-inches slices. Lay the cookies cut side down on baking sheets and return to the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, turning the baking sheet midway during baking, until the cookies feel mostly firm.

Once baked, cool the cookies completely then store in an airtight container for up to two weeks. If you wish, the cookies can be half-dipped in melted chocolate, then cooled until the chocolate hardens.

I chose to drizzle a little white and a little dark chocolate on my biscotti!

Italian Spices and Herbs

From The Encyclopedia of Italian Cooking by Jeni Wright

Spices have been used in Italy since Roman times, when if anything they were used to excess, drowning the flavor of other ingredients. Nowadays spices are used in smaller quantities but they are present in many dishes. The following list describes those spices most frequently used in Italian recipes.

CORIANDER [coriandolo]
Crushed coriander seeds are used in various meat dishes, particularly lamb and pork.

GINGER [zenzero]
This spice is rarely used in Italian cooking, except in the region of Apulia and Basilicata in southern Italy, where it is very popular.

NUTMEG [Noce moscata]
The Italians are fond of this spice, both in sweet and savory dishes. Ground nutmeg has none of the fresh flavor and aroma of the freshly grated kind, therefore whole nutmegs should be bought and grated directly into the dish at the time of cooking. Nutmeg is a common ingredient in ravioli and dishes which contain spinach or cheese.

PEPPER [pepe]
Black peppercorns should always be used. Grind them fresh at the time of cooking or serving; never use ready-ground pepper.

SAFFRON [zafferano]
This is used mostly in risotto and in fish soups and stews. Saffron is very expensive and therefore used sparingly. Saffron threads are probably the easiest and most economical way of using saffron: they should be steeped in a little warm water until the color and aroma are extracted; the water should then be strained and added to the dish.

SALT [sale]
Sea salt is used throughout Italy. Coarse sea salt rather than table or cooking salt is the type to use.

VANILLA [vaniglia]
Vanilla is a popular flavoring in sweet dishes, and vanilla sugar sold in sachets is frequently used with ordinary sugar to give flavor to cakes and pastries. The Italians use vanilla pods (beans) rather then essence (extract).


Herbs are an important flavoring in Italian cooking and fresh ones are normally used, because most Italians either grow their own or have easy access to fresh herbs. In the winter months home-dried herbs are used. Herbs can be grown easily in pots on the windowsill or in the garden - they should be picked in the summer at the height of the growing season, then stored in the freezer or hung up to dry in a cool, airy place away from damp. Once dry, they should be stored in airtight containers.

Basil (basilico)
There are numerous varieties of this spicy, aromatic herb, but sweet basil and bush basil are the most common. It is used mostly in dishes that contain tomatoes, and in salads, soups and on pizzas. Freshly chopped basil should be used whenever possible, as dried basil makes a poor substitute. If buying dried basil, however, always choose the sweet kind; its flavor is much less pungent than other varieties.

Bay Leaves (lauro)
Bay leaves are used as a flavoring for casseroles, soups and sometimes roasts.

Borage (borragine)
Borage has a flavor not unlike cucumber. It grows all over Italy, and is used both as a flavoring and as a vegetable. Ravioli is stuffed with borage in Genoa. Borage leaves are also served like spinach or dipped in batter and deep-fried as fritters.

Fennel (finocchio)
Fennel is used in three ways in Italian cooking. The bulb, known as Florence fennel or finocchio, is used whole, sliced or quartered as a vegetable, and either braised or baked au gratin. It is also chopped raw in salads. Wild fennel stems (finocchiella) and the frondy leaves, which have the slightly bitter tang of aniseed, are used in cooking to flavor sauces, particularly in fish and sometimes pork dishes. They are also chopped and added to mayonnaise, eggs and cold fish dishes. Fennel seeds are a common flavoring in spiced sausages and other cooked meats, Finocchiona salame being the best known of these.

Juniper (ginepro)
The berries of the juniper bush are used in pork and game dishes and in marinades. If they are to be included in a dish such as a stuffing they should always be crushed first. Use juniper berries sparingly as their flavor can be bitter if used in too large a quantity.

Marjoram, Sweet (maggiorana)
This herb is sometimes used in soups, stews, vegetable and fish dishes. If necessary it can act as a substitute for oregano.

Myrtle (mirto)
The Sardinians make full use of myrtle to flavor meats, particularly when spit-roasting young animals. This herb is used elsewhere in Italy, but not to the same extent.

Oregano (origano)
This is also known as wild marjoram. It is an essential ingredient in many Italian dishes, including pizzas, sauces and casseroles, but its flavor differs slightly from one region to another.

Parsley (prezzemolo)
Italian parsley is the flat-leaved variety as opposed to the curly "moss" variety common in Britain and the United States. Flat-leaved parsley can usually be found at continental stores, where it is often called "continental parsley". Its flavor is far more pungent than curly parsley, and for this reason it is generally used as a flavoring in Italian dishes rather than as a simple garnish. For Italian recipes where parsley is specified, try to obtain the flat-leaved variety; other parsley can be used as a substitute, but the flavor of the finished dish will not be quite the same.

Rosemary (rosemarino)
The Italians are very fond of flavoring lamb and suckling pig with rosemary. It is also used liberally in soups and stews. However it is wise to treat this herb with a little caution, since its distinctive flavor can easily overpower ingredients with more subtle flavors.

Sage (salvia)
Sage is commonly used in liver and veal dishes.

My First Blog Award!

I am so excited!

A great big thank you to Mary from One Perfect Bite
who graciously passed this award on to me.
Thank You So Much Mary...


Now it is my turn to pass this lovely award
on to a few sites that
mean so much to me-
so here goes...

1. Lulu of Calabrisella Mia
2. Joe of Italyville.com
3. Maryann of Finding La Dolce Vita

Baci e Abbracci

A Few Basic Sauces

I thought I would post a few recipes for basic sauces.
These sauces can be the difference between an ordinary dish and a spectacular dish.
For example:
In my last post 911 Chicken Cannelloni I used a Bechamel sauce ...my dear friend from A Slice of Concentrated Love suggested I use a Mornay sauce next time-
which I think is a great idea and it would push my dish from yummy to spectacular.
So here are a few recipes that you should keep on hand- I think they are all fairly simple and the results are well worth it.


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Béchamel Sauce

This common white sauce uses roux to thicken milk or cream. The roux is cooked for about 3 minutes to keep it "white." For lump free sauce, remove the roux from the heat before stirring in the milk. Warm the milk in the microwave before adding to the roux. This will spare the muscles in your hand, as you won't have to stir the sauce so long before it comes to a boil. Use a whisk to incorporate the milk into the roux and stir until it is lump free. Return to the heat source and bring to a boil.

Home cookbooks say to just boil the sauce for 1 minute to cook out the flour flavor. Professional cookbooks encourage you to reduce the heat after bringing the sauce to a boil, then continue to simmer the sauce for 15-30 minutes, stirring, to remove the flour taste. What you actually do will depend upon your time limit and personal tastes.

If your sauce is lumpy after your best efforts, you possibly didn't beat it enough before cooking, brought it to a boil too quickly, or didn't stir it enough during cooking so that it stuck to the pan bottom. To repair, pour it through a strainer or process the sauce in a blender. Return the strained or blended sauce to a clean pan and heat to the boiling point.

The recipe below makes white sauce of medium thickness. For a thinner sauce, use 1 tablespoon butter to 1 tablespoon flour. For a thicker sauce, use 3-4 tablespoons butter to 3-4 tablespoons flour. Bechamel can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Béchamel (Basic White)
Makes 1 cup

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 cup milk, warm

Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Blend in flour, salt, and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring until mixture is smooth and bubbly. This is called a white roux. Remove from heat. Stir in warm milk and whisk until mixture is smooth and lump-free. Return to heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for at least one minute.

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Veloute Sauce
Veloute sauce is a thinner, lighter white sauce than béchamel because it uses chicken or fish stock instead of milk or cream. It is often referred to as a "blonde sauce." Ideally, the consistency of veloute should be thin enough to pour or a sauce that thinly coats the back of a spoon. Serve over chicken, fish, veal, or with rice.

Since it is so similar to béchamel, be sure to read the tips above to ensure a successful sauce. If you find that after cooking, your veloute is too thin, you possibly didn't use enough flour, added too much liquid, or didn't reduce (simmer) the sauce long enough. Either reduce the sauce further or thicken with butter. If your sauce is flavorless, what quality of stock did you use? Perhaps your sauce has not reduced enough for the flavors to concentrate. You can either perk up your sauce with a dash or two of lemon juice (or other seasonings) or reduce it further to bring out more flavor.

Store veloute in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Veloute
Makes 1 cup

2 cups chicken or fish stock
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

Bring stock to a boil; set aside. Melt butter in a 2-quart saucepan over low heat. Create a roux by whisking in the flour. Cook over medium heat, stirring continually, for 2-3 minutes, until the roux is bubbly and begins to darken slightly. Remove from heat. Whisk in the stock until smooth. Return to medium heat and bring to a boil, whisking continuously. Reduce heat. Simmer uncovered for 5-30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set over a double boiler filled with warm water until ready to serve. If not serving right away, dab butter on top of the sauce to prevent a skin from forming.

Variation: Supreme Sauce (to serve over chicken)
Stir 1/2 cup thinly sliced mushrooms and 2 tablespoons heavy cream into heated veloute sauce. Simmer gently for about 10 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking. Strain the sauce into a clean pan set over medium heat. Whisk or swirl in 1 tablespoon chilled butter, a teaspoon at a time. Remove from the heat. Add lemon juice to taste. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

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Brown Sauce
For hearty meat entrees, noodles, and wild like bear or venison, brown sauce outshines other sauces. In addition, it is used to create more complex sauces. The technique to master here is the browning of the flour or the creation of a dark roux. By using clarified butter, you eliminate the possibility of the butter turning bitter or burning before the flour is browned. If you prefer to use regular butter, however, just watch it closely. To make a dark roux, melt the butter in the saucepan. Remove from the heat and stir in the flour until smooth. Continue cooking over medium heat for 8 minutes, stirring constantly or until the mixture becomes chestnut brown.

This sauce freezes well for up to 3 months.

Basic Brown Sauce
Makes 3 cups

3 tablespoons clarified butter
1 large carrot, scrubbed and chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 large onions, chopped
1/4 cup flour
6 cups brown stock
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 bouquet garni
1/3 cup tomato puree

In a heavy saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add vegetables. Sauté until golden, but not brown. Dump in the flour and stir over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until flour and vegetables are well browned, but not burnt. Stir in stock. Add garlic, bouquet garni, and tomato puree. Simmer for 60 minutes or until the sauce is reduced to half, stirring occasionally. Strain. Cool, chill and skim off any fat before using.

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Hollandaise
Served warm over eggs, fish, or vegetables, hollandaise is considered a hot emulsified egg-yolk sauce. Mayonnaise would be a cold emulsified egg-yolk sauce, for a point of reference. While in mayonnaise egg yolks are whisked with other room temperature ingredients, in hollandaise, the yolks are whisked with liquid over heat. The trick is to cook the sauce ever so slightly without curdling the eggs. Water simmers in a double boiler where it should never be allowed to touch the bottom of the bowl in which the sauce is made. The temperature of the water should never rise above 150 F., either. You don't want the sauce to be too hot because it will coagulate the eggs and make it impossible for the butter to emulsify with the liquid.

If in spite of all your efforts to monitor the heat, your eggs and liquid cook too quickly, the sauce may separate. This can also happen if you add the butter too briskly. You don't have to throw out the sauce. Just start again, reserving the separated sauce for the clarified butter. Over low heat, in a double boiler, beat 1 egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of water until light. Remove from the heat and stream in the separated sauce mixture gradually while whisking. Be aware though that if your eggs have coagulated, your sauce is history. Toss it and begin again with much lower heat!

Perhaps your sauce is too thin after you've completed all the steps. You may have not reduced the initial liquid enough or perhaps you didn't add enough butter. To remedy, add more butter.

Hollandaise should be served warm. To keep it that way, place the sauce in a bowl. Set the bowl over a pan of hot water (just barely over lukewarm), ensuring the bowl bottom doesn't touch the water. If hollandaise is spooned onto really hot food, the sauce may separate; for this reason, it is almost always served separately from the food it is to complement. Store any extra sauce in the refrigerator. You can use it as a sandwich spread. It should never be reheated.

Hollandaise becomes the basis for rich sauces like béarnaise sauce, which complements meats and salmon.

Hollandaise
Makes 3 cups

4 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon peppercorns, crushed
4 egg yolks
1 cup unsalted clarified butter, cooled to room temperature
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt to taste

In a small pan, bring the water, vinegar, and peppercorns to a simmer over low heat. Continue simmering until the mixture reduces about a third, about 2-3 minutes. Strain the reduction into a glass or stainless steel bowl; cool.

Place the bowl over a pan of just-simmering water; add the egg yolks and stir until the mixture is lemon colored, thickened, and smooth. Keep the heat low. Do not allow the mixture's temperature to rise above room temperature or the eggs may coagulate. Slowly pour in the cooled, clarified butter, stirring constantly until the sauce becomes thick and fluffy. Stir in the lemon juice and salt. When the whisk is lifted from the sauce, a ribbon of sauce should trail down from the whisk.

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Bearnaise Sauce
This is a classic sauce that goes well over most grilled dishes. This is one of the most versatile sauces in the world.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, melted and hot
• 3 egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon onion, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dry tarragon

Preparation:

Put onions, vinegar, tarragon and pepper in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce to about 1-2 teaspoons of liquid. Stir constantly. Remove from stove and let cool. Put egg yolks and cooled mixture in a blender. Process for about 1 minute or until completely blended. Melt butter. Turn blender to high and slowly add the butter. Start out very slow. Serve immediately. This can be a tricky sauce so go slow and watch it very carefully. The sauce will get thick as you add the butter. Do not let it cool after it is mixed because it will separate.

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Mornay sauce

Mornay sauce is a classic French sauce named after the Duke of Mornay in the late 16th or early 17th century.

The name itself is interesting, because Mornay is a mixture of melted cheese in a béchamel sauce, a cream sauce made from a roux.

Yet, béchamel sauce had not been invented when Mornay sauce was first made. Thus it’s commonly thought that some sort of cheese sauce predated béchamel and was called Mornay sauce, but was later improved upon by mixing cheese with béchamel.

The classic Mornay sauce is composed of a mixture of gruyere and parmesan cheese, usually in a half and half ratio to cooked béchamel. The cheese melts quickly providing a delicious, savory sauce. The French may use Mornay sauce to top steamed vegetables, or on seafood and poultry dishes. It can also be mixed in with pasta to make a variant of macaroni or alfredo. Some people use a Mornay sauce as part of the layers of lasagna.

You can certainly change the cheeses you add to Mornay sauce to get different flavors in the end result. White cheddar is a common substitution, resulting in a sauce that will make some of the best macaroni and cheese you’ve ever tasted. Children who are picky about vegetables may enjoy them more if they are topped with white cheddar Mornay sauce.

When making Mornay sauce, you must use hard or semi-hard cheeses. Cheese like brie, or blue cheese are not the best choices. You can get away with some jack cheeses, and also hard goat cheese. Just don’t try cream cheeses or fresh mozzarella as these won’t melt into that wonderful creamy consistency. Also the French tend to avoid any but white cheeses when making Mornay sauce. If you want to keep the sauce authentically French, don’t add orange or yellow cheddar cheese. On the other hand, some children may be bigger fans of an orange colored cheese sauce than they are of a white sauce.

Mornay sauce is not exactly a low fat sauce — a butter roux mixed with cream or whole milk, and whole milk cheese is going to pack some calories. You can lighten the calorie load a bit by using a low fat milk to add to the roux, and by using good low fat cheeses. Try a little bit less of the sauce than you might normally use, too, since this will lessen the overall calories. Sauces in France are used as accents to meals but not meant to obscure the flavors of good, fresh food.

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped onion
• 3 tablespoon flour
• 1 cup hot milk
• 1/8 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/8 cup gruyere
  

• 1 teaspoon chopped parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Preparation:

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat; add chopped onion. Cook over low heat until onion has softened. Stir in flour and cook, stirring, until smooth. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly. Add remaining ingredients; cook, stirring, until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Beat egg yolk in a small bowl; add about 1/4 cup of the hot liquid to it, stirring constantly. Pour egg yolk mixture into the hot liquid; stir until the sauce is smooth and hot. To reduce the risk of curdling, a double boiler can be used after the onions are cooked.

Susans 911 Chicken Canneloni

This recipe was created out of necessity.

It started as something else but sort of flopped!

The first thing I did was put a nice big chicken in my crock pot to cook.

My intention was to let it cool then shred it so that I could make some shredded chicken just like I made a few posts back with beef.

Everything was going as planned until it was time to cook my shredded chicken.

I diced and sauteed an onion, some red pepper, scallion and garlic. and

I added a small can of tomato sauce a bit of chicken broth so that once I add the chicken it can simmer gently.

I seasoned it with salt, pepper, parsley and cumin.

Well as I stirred this meat in the pan it began to fall apart and get mushy.

No that is no good for shredded meat -to be pulverized!

I also knew that if it didn’t look like shredded meat I would never get my husband and mother in law to eat it!

This is where plan B was born…

The meat concoction that I created tasted wonderful- so I had to present it to my family

a different way.

I took out a package of manicotti shells and boiled them until tender but not falling apart.

I made a béchamel sauce and also took out my package of shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheeses.

I put a layer of béchamel sauce on the bottom of my pan and began stuffing my shells

with the meat.

Once they were all full and nestled into their place in the pan I poured more béchamel over them and sprinkled with mozzarella and parmesan. A

light sprinkle of paprika gave them some needed color.

They baked in a 350 degree oven until bubbly.

I served them with green beans and a baked potato.

It was delicious and no one knew that it was supposed to be something else!

Transcending: Words on Women and Strength by Kelly Corrigan

"Cooking with Alicia & Annie" Crock Pot Barbecue Beef

I made the BBQ Beef because I had a piece of beef in my fridge that I really wanted to use-

I have always loved shredded beef or pork but I thought making it myself would be very time consuming.
Let me tell you- the crock pot takes all the stress out of this recipe.
You literally set it and forget it.

I made a little more work for myself by moving it to a pan on the stove top to dry it up a bit-
I didn't want it saucy.
This was great and I'd make it again...next time I serve it on great big rolls!

Alicias Recipes Crock Pot Barbecue Beef

6 lbs. boneless beef (I used a chuck roast) 1 stalk celery, chopped 3 lg. onions, chopped (I also used 2 cloves of garlic) 1 green pepper, chopped( I used a red pepper) 1 sm. bottle ketchup 3 tbsp. BBQ sauce 3 tbsp. Vinegar 1 tbsp. Tabasco sauce 2 tbsp. chili powder Salt and pepper 1-1/2 c. water

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in crock-pot. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. I served it with rice and salad. I'm sorry I didn't get a plated picture- everyone was in a hurry to eat and by the time I remembered it was all gone!

Let's side track for a moment...

I have to admit I have never been a fan of George W. Bush and I am very happy to have a well deserved breathe of fresh air coming to Washington...although I must say there have been some very entertaining moments in the last 8 years .
I came across a blog this morning and I wanted to share it with you.
Fiona from Comment By Fiona said it perfectly yesterday.

Bye Bye Bushisms

The 43rd President of the United States has given his final press conference to the White House Press Corps acknowledging that 'not finding weapons of mass destruction was a significant disappointment'. Expired President George W Bush has just eight days left in his ever so memorable and tumultuous presidency. Like many US Presidents before him, there appears to be many people just waiting to push him out the door. Here's hoping the shining light that is Obama can lift us all from the financial and spirtual mess we're in.


I have to admit never liking the man and I certainly wouldn't have left him in charge of a vegetable plot, never mind a country. BUT he was a reliable source of entertainment over the last eight years providing us with a constant flow of laughable quotes, never mind the pretzel incident. So in recognition of all that here's what I think are some of the 43rd President's best 'Bushisms':


1. "Too many good docs are getting out of the business. Too many OB-GYNs aren't able to practice their love with women all across this country." —Poplar Bluff, Missouri., Sept. 6, 2004

2. "Rarely is the questioned asked: Is our children learning?" —Florence, South Carolina., Jan. 11, 2000

3. "Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we." —Washington, D.C., Aug. 5, 2004

4. "There's an old saying in Tennessee — I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again." —Nashville, Tennesse, Sept. 17, 2002

5. "First, let me make it very clear, poor people aren't necessarily killers. Just because you happen to be not rich doesn't mean you're willing to kill." Washington DC, 19 May, 2003

6. "This thaw -- took a while to thaw, it's going to take a while to unthaw." --George W. Bush, on liquidity in the markets, Alexandria, Louisiana, Oct. 20, 2008

7. "I didn't grow up in the ocean -- as a matter of fact -- near the ocean -- I grew up in the desert. Therefore, it was a pleasant contrast to see the ocean. And I particularly like it when I'm fishing." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Sept. 26, 2008

8. ''I think it was in the Rose Garden where I issued this brilliant statement: If I had a magic wand -- but the president doesn't have a magic wand. You just can't say, 'low gas.'" --George W. Bush, Washington D.C., July 15, 2008

9. "I remember meeting a mother of a child who was abducted by the North Koreans right here in the Oval Office." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., June 26, 2008

10. "We've got a lot of relations with countries in our neighborhood." --George W. Bush, Kranj, Slovenia, June 10, 2008

11."I understand small business growth. I was one." New York Daily News, 19 February, 2000

12. "We want people owning their home -- we want people owning a businesses." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., April 18, 2008

13. "I thank the diplomatic corps, who is here as well." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., March 12, 2008

14. "Removing Saddam Hussein was the right decision early in my presidency, it is the right decision now, and it will be the right decision ever." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., March 12, 2008

15. "You teach a child to read, and he or her will be able to pass a literacy test.'' Townsend, Tennessee, 21 February, 2001

And what's the quote that best describes his exit from the Presidency??? ..... "I'll be long gone before some smart person ever figures out what happened inside this Oval Office." Washington DC, 12 May, 2008

I certainly look forward to listening to a President who is a bit more skillful with words....
(photo from independent.co.uk)

Thank you Fiona I couldn't have said it better myself.

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Susan's Kale Stuffed Pork Loin Roast

Today was a snow day for us...we got a bit of snow and a bunch of what they called an "Icy Mix"...
sooooooo being stuck in the house I decided to play.
I usually get in this sort of mood when they weather is not so desirable and I have lots of time.
I was very lucky that I had gone shopping before the storm- this way I had an assortment of different ingredients in the house to pick from.

Kale was the ingredient I chose to play with today. We all enjoy it but I usually end up making it the same way all the time. foto courtesy of the web

If you are not familiar with Kale...

The beautiful leaves of the kale plant provide an earthy flavor and more nutritional value for fewer calories than almost any other food around. Although it can be found in markets throughout the year, it is in season from the middle of winter through the beginning of spring when it has a sweeter taste and is more widely available.

A non-heading member of the cabbage family (the Brassica family) a group of vegetables including cabbage, collards and Brussels sprouts that have gained recent widespread attention due to their health promoting, sulfur-containing phyto-nutrients. Kale has a mild, cabbage-flavor. Kale has long ruffled leaves that resemble large parsley sprigs with hues that vary from lavender to chartreuse. The variety most common in the US is deep green tinged with shades of blue or purple. Kale can grow in colder temperatures and withstand frost — which helps produce even sweeter leaves. "Kale" is a Scottish word derived from coles or caulis, terms used by the Greeks and Romans referring to many cabbage-like plants. It is easy to grow and can grow in colder temperatures where a light frost will produce especially sweet kale leaves.

Season: available year-round

How to select: Choose richly colored, relatively small bunches. Avoid limp or yellowed leaves.

How to store: Keep in the coldest part of the refrigerator 2-3 days, after that the flavor becomes very strong and the leaves limp.

How to prepare: Remove the tough center stalk before use.

Matches well with: bacon, cheese, cream, garlic, lemon, olive oil, onions, potatoes

Garlic 2 cloves diced

Onions 1-diced

Celery 1 stalk diced

Kale 1 cup

Parsley diced

Tomato sauce ¼ cup

Salt

Pepper

Parmigiano ¼ cup

Butterfly the pork: Place the roast on your work surface with one long side facing you. Using a sharp knife, make a horizontal cut in the roast lengthwise one-third down from the top and all the way from end to end. Do not cut all the way through to the other side; cut only to within ½ inch of the other side. You have just created a flap like the cover of a book. Open that flap.

To make the next cut, press the flat side of your knife against the inside of that flap. Using the tip of the knife, make a 2-inch downward cut along the entire length of the roast. Now place your knife, blade down, into the cut you have just made. Create your second “book cover” by cutting back through the remaining thick part of the meat with a horizontal cut just like the first cut you made, to within ½ inch of the side. Open that flap. You should have one flat piece of meat about 1 inch thick.

Place plastic wrap or butcher paper over the meat and gently pound it with a meat pounder or other heavy object such as canned tomatoes, to a thickness of about ½ inch. The meat should be one relatively flat piece. If it does not lay flat, make small cuts in the thickest parts; this will help. Salt and pepper both sides of the meat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours.

Prepare your stuffing mixture: In a in a saute pan add

olive oil and garlic, and celery and onion.. Set aside.

To prepare the kale: Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the kale, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is tender but still firm to the bite, about 10 minutes (if it is sticking to the pan, add a little water). Set aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

To assemble: Place the roast on your work surface with one long side closest to you. Carefully spread the mixture over the meat, leaving a 1-inch border around

the roast.

Starting at the side of the meat closest to you, gently roll the meat away from you to enclose the filling. Using kitchen string, tie the roast about every 1½-inches to make sure it stays closed.

In an ovenproof sauté pan large enough to hold the meat,

warm the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add the roast and, using tongs, turn constantly to brown it evenly on all sides. This will take about 10 minutes. Once the outside of the meat is light brown, transfer the pan to the oven. (you can add a bit of chicken broth to your pan if you like so making a gravy will be a bit easier later)

Cook for 40 to 45 minutes or until the meat measures between 148°F and 153°F on a meat thermometer and the meat feels firm but not stiff. Remove the meat from the oven, and let it rest for about 10 minutes.
Slice and serve.

A Bit of Useful Info...

HAPPY NEW YEAR MY FRIENDS

I was reading some really great info this morning , and I realized that everyone might not know how to substitute in the kitchen when you run out or haven't purchased a needed ingredient... so I decided to share it with everyone as a sort of informative 1st blog of the New Year!
Some things you may already know and others I hope are new and informative for you.


HANDY COOKING TOOLS

Keep this posted on your refrigerator!
3 teaspoons = 1 Tablespoon
4 Tablespoons = ¼ cup
5 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon = 1/3 cup
8 Tablespoons = ½ cup
16 Tablespoons = 1 cup
1 cup = 8 fluid ounces (½ pint)
4 cups = 32 fluid ounces (1 quart)
16 cups = 128 fluid ounces (1 gallon)


Missing an Ingredient?
Simple substitutions...

Almond extract
Use Amaretto

Brown sugar
For each cup: use 1 cup granulated sugar mixed with 1 Tablespoon molasses

Buttermilk
For each cup: Mix 1 cup of plain yogurt or sour cream mixed with ¼ cup skim milk (use only 1 cup of the mixture)

Cake flour
For each cup: Measure 1 cup of all-purpose flour, remove 2 Tablespoons and replace with 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch

Chili Sauce
For one cup: Combine 1 cup tomato sauce, ¼ brown sugar, 2 Tablespoons vinegar, 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon, dash of ground cloves and dash of allspice

Chives
Use green onion or scallion tops instead

Cornstarch (for thickening sauces)
For each Tablespoon: Use 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

Corn syrup
Replace with honey

Cream of Tartar
For ½ teaspoon: Use 1½ teaspoons of lemon juice

Ground Red Pepper
For ¼ teaspoon: use 8 drops of Tabasco (or other hot pepper sauce)

Pumpkin Pie Spice
For 1 teaspoon: Combine 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, 1/8 teaspoon allspice, and 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Shallots
Use red onion

Sour cream
Use plain yogurt

Tomato Sauce
For a 15-oz can: Combine a small can of tomato paste with 1½ cups of water. Mix well!

Unsweetened Chocolate (melted)
For each ounce: Use 3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa mixed with melted butter or margarine

Vanilla Extract
Use brandy

Whipped cream
Chill a 13 ounce can of evaporated milk for 12 hours. Add 1 Tablespoon lemon juice. Whip until stiff

Wine
For ½ cup: Use ¼ cup of wine vinegar (red or white wine vinegar depending on what the recipe calls for) mixed with 1 Tablespoon of sugar and ¼ cup of water

Low-fat Ingredient Substitutions

Bacon
Canadian bacon, turkey bacon or lean ham

Butter
Reduced-calorie margarine or margarine made with safflower, soybean, corn, canola, or peanut oil

Chocolate, unsweetened (1 oz)
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa plus 1 tablespoon margarine

Cream Cheese
Nonfat or light process cream cheese, Neufchâtel cheese

Egg (per egg)
1/4 cup egg substitute or 2 egg whites

Fudge Sauce
lowfat chocolate syrup

Ground Beef
ground turkey

Ice Cream
Nonfat or lowfat frozen yogurt, sherbet or sorbet

Oil
safflower, soybean, corn, canola, or peanut oil in reduced amount

Shortening
soybean, corn, canola, or peanut oil in amount reduced by one-third

Sour Cream
yogurt

Whipped Cream
Whipped evaporated skimmed milk (chilled)

DO YOU HAVE ANY GREAT SUBSTITUTIONS OR HELPFUL HINTS THAT YOU CAN ADD TO THIS LIST? PLEASE SHARE THEM:

A special thank you to the WNEP TV food section...

New Years Eve Dinner

Well- I couldn't wait- I took the pictures...
and thought I'd hurry and post them.
Making all these fish dishes is a bit new for me...my father was the
seafood chef in our house and today...as I created Im sure he was watching over my shoulder and guiding me!

Now- again I have no recipes because I don't usually
use any.
I started things off with a little Shrimp Cocktail
(mainly to keep everyone busy while I got the rest of the food on the table.

I made baked stuffed shrimp- my stuffing was jam packed with scallops.
They really came yummy- this was the first time I tried this!




I stuffed the lobster with a delicious stuffing jam packed with shrimp.
Again I invented as I went along and it came delicious. The picture is not perfect because I sat down and started to eat and my MIL quickly reminded me that I forgot to take pictures!
Sorry!


Lastly I made Shrimp Scampi and I threw in a pound of scallops
just because we had them! It also came really good.
I served a salad too but everyone was so busy with their
lobster they forgot about the salad!




We finished the dinner with coffee and trays of Christmas cookies...we are stuffed and just think
we have to eat Lasagna tomorrow! I hope we survive!