Ok, I realize this page may seem a bit out of place on this site but anyone who knows me knows how much I love to cook.   My style of cooking is to get an idea or taste in my head and then get in the kitchen and start cooking, often with what I have on hand.  For me it is a metaphor for life.  You take different energies (ingredients) and through intuition and creativity you weave them together to create something that didn't exist before that satisfies your desire.  I think this passion and approach to cooking is why people ask me time and again, "can I have your recipe?".  The truth is that I don't  use recipes, but have decided to take this opportunity to create some of my own and share with all of you. 

I wanted to explain my process.  I will get an idea in my head from a cooking show, conversation or what I've noticed in my fridge that  needs used and I go in the kitchen and just start cooking with the idea in mind.  For this page I have asked Scott to take notes as I'm cooking and we're putting that process into a recipe form, meant as a guideline to your own creation.  Honestly, many of these things I haven't really ever cooked before.  I'm making it up as I go, which to me is the fun of cooking anyway.  Keep in mind that I like bold flavors and spice.  If you like things a little milder then adjust the recipes as you see fit.  You'll usually see me on Facebook talking about how it turned out after each post.  This page is about sharing.  Please contact me with your cooking ideas and adventures, as well as, your thoughts on the dishes I post here. 

Next time you are in the kitchen start by setting an intention and then with each step of your cooking imagine that you are combining opportunities, motivation, energy and light to your endeavors.  Let  your intuition guide you and trust your ideas.  You'll be surprised how good the food is and how much it affects the rest of your world too.

Scott and I haven't been able to spend a lot of time together because he's been working two jobs.  He is supposed to get a proposal from the one he really wants this Monday and just happened to end up with a Saturday night off, which rarely happens.  I made this dish for us to enjoy on our night home together.  

3.13.10 Dinner for Two:  Grilled Pork Chop with a Baked Sweet Potato and Sautéed Vegetables

Sweet Potato:

1 large or 2 small sweet potatoes.
Butter.
Salt.
Wrap whole rinsed sweet potato(es) in foil and place in oven at 370 degrees and bake for 1 ½ hours.  

Split and lay out 2 center cut pork chops.  Make this marinade in a large bowl then soak the pork chops.

Pork Chop Marinade:

            ½ c. Olive Oil

            2 minced garlic cloves

            ½ t. basil

            ½ t. oregano

            ½ t. sea salt

            ¼ t. fresh cracked black pepper

            Dash of sage 

One hour into baking potatoes, sauté a mix of carrots and broccoli in butter and Old Bay seasoning (season to taste).   

Grill chops until marked on both sides and transfer to oven with potatoes to finish cooking.

Crispy Onion Rings:

            ½ c. milk
            ½ c. thinly sliced fresh onions
                 Soak the onions in the milk.

            Breading:
                 ¼ c. flour
                 ¼ c. corn meal
                 2 T. Old Bay
Coat milk soaked onion rings in the flour mixture and quick fry. Place them on paper towels to absorb excess oil.  

 Plate the dish as follows:
            - Plate half the soft baked sweet potato.
            - Rest the 2 halves of the grilled marinated pork chops on the sweet potato.
            - Surround the pork chop and sweet potatoes with the vegetables then put
               the crispy onions on the chops and serve.

2.28.10 Fresh mussels and clams with linguine

I was wandering around the local supermarket when, to my surprise, I stumbled open fresh mussels and clams.  This was not at all what I was expecting, nor was the amazing conversation I had with the meat cutter.  He suggested linguine with mussels.  I had seen Alton Brown make a similar dish on Food Network that also included clams.  I dug my way through the ice, looking like I knew what I was doing, until I pulled out the bag of lil shelled beauties that I wanted and I was off on another cooking adventure.  I have to say that this actually turned out to be one of my and Scott’s favorite dishes I have made since we started really getting into serious cooking.  Hope you enjoy it half as much as we did.

1lb fresh mussels

½ lb fresh clams

Olive oil

Butter

½ C white wine

4 minced garlic cloves

½ bunch fresh chopped parsley

¾ pound linguine

1 lemon, wedged

Clean mussels and clams and place in a large skillet on medium high with a small amount of olive oil.  Toss in hot pan until coated in oil and add garlic, being careful not to burn.  Add white wine.  Cover with lid and steam mussels and clams until open.

Meanwhile, cook pasta just past halfway done in boiling, salted water.

Set mussels aside, keeping liquid in pan and chop clams, adding them back into the liquid.  Add 3T butter and linguine.  Toss together, adding more wine as needed until pasta is done.  Toss in parsley and clams.  Serve with crusty bread and a squeeze of lemon.

 

1.20.10 Dinner for Two:

Salmon & Saffron Rice with a Fresh Salad

Croutons

                        1c. ¼" bread cubes

                        2t. garlic powder

                        1t. onion powder

                        ¼ t. parsley flakes

                        ½ t. oregano

                        Dash sea salt

 Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place bread cubes in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil.  Add garlic and onion powder, parsley and oregano and sea salt before placing spread out on a cookie sheet and baking for 5-10 minutes.

Salad

                        ¼ oz. Fresh basil

                        Red wine

                        Olive oil

                        Sea salt

                        Fresh cracked black pepper

                        ½ c. parmesan

Using the empty large bowl from the croutons, put the basil in then coat with the red wine and olive oil.  Next add the salt and pepper before cooling in the refrigerator.  Mix in parmesan and add croutons when ready to serve the dish.  

Saffron Rice

            1 10 oz. Bag Vigo Saffron Yellow Rice

            1 yellow onion diced

            1 c. fresh spinach firmly packed

            1 orange to grate (all the skin)

In a medium skillet, sauté and caramelize the onions in butter.  Chop the spinach and add to the skillet with the orange peel.  Add the rice and prepare according to the bag.

Salmon

            2 ½ # salmon filets

            1 lime thinly sliced

 Coat a large skillet with olive oil.  Sea salt the skin side of the salmon and let rest for 5 minutes.  Sauté skin side down then add the thinly sliced limes, then sea salt and fresh pepper the fish (the part facing you).  Remove the limes when done (with or without the fish being done).  Flip the fish and remove the skin.  Return the salmon to the skillet fat side down.  Crisp the skin and cook salmon to a medium.

Plating the dish

          Place the salmon on the plate.

            Place the salad.

            Fit rice in around the other components.

            Add crispy salmon skin garnish.

 

1-8-10  It's still extremely cold.  The new year has come and the holidays have passed.  Scott came home early from work because they were so slow.  Everyone "hunkering down" in the cold and staying close to home gave me an idea for a casserole.  Growing up a casserole was one of those things that showed up at family get togethers, church pot lucks and when things were thin and my mother  needed to feed us all on a budget but still satisfy us as a family.   My inspration was what I happened to have onhand but if one were to go and get everything for this dish at the store, the expense would be minimal.  For that reason I have named it "Peasant Turkey Casserole".  I'll admit that I cheated on the sauce for that part, but what are ya gonna do?

Peasant Turkey Casserole                             1lb ground turkey

3/4 sleeve crushed saltines                          1 finely chopped yellow onion

3 large cloves garlic                                    2 whole eggs

1/2 cup lowfat cottage cheese                      1/2 cup of parmesan cheese

1/2 cup tomato sauce                                   2T chopped parsley

1T chopped basil                                          2t oregano

1t onion powder                                            salt

pepper                                                         extra parmesan

Combine all above ingredients and mix by hand in a large bowl.  Let sit.

4 yukon gold potatoes sliced wafer thin         oil

Italian seasoning                                          salt

pepper

Coat potato slices in oil and seasonings

Line a lightly greased 9x13 casserole dish with potatoes on bottom and sides...Take the turkey mixture and drop entire batch into the center of the dish...Press out to the sides until uniform and top with remaining potato slices...Sprinkle with parmesan cheese...Bake in a 400 degree oven for 1 hour or until potatoes on top are nicely browned...Let cool...Cut into squares and top with Sweet Vermouth gravy...

Sweet Vermouth gravy

Halfway into cooking your casserole make a rue of butter and flour in a skillet...Adding ingredients one at a time and then stirring, combine 1/2 cup sweet vermouth, and fresh garlic, oregano, a couple dashes apple cider vinegar,  salt and pepper...Cook briefly and add milk to a nice gravy consistency...Thin with vermouth and water as necessary...You need to cook it for half an hour to remove the "floury taste".

1-3-10  We just had a big snow and the forecast is for it to be really cold for the next week.  I wanted to make something we could eat for our day off together and that was warm and comforting and that we could have to warm up quickly through the week for an easy meal.  This recipe ended up making four quarts of soup.  I tend to like enough for company.  If desired the entire recipe can be cut in half. 

Rosemary's gone wild  chicken soup

Ingredients:

1 bag of shredded carrots          2 yellow onions

5 cloves of garlic                    2 yukon gold potatoes

3lbs boneless, skinless chicken      1/2 bunch of celery

4 roma tomatoes                     1/2 stick of salted butter

1/8c olive oil                         1T oregano

3T rosemary                          2T season salt

1T chopped bay leaves               1/4c parsley

3T soup starter or boullion          2T Sea salt

4oz long grain wild rice              tobasco

3-4c water                           4c chicken stock

cracked black pepper

In a 5 qt soup pot sautee' onions and garlic in butter and olive oil...once onions become clear add celery..cook for five minutes...stir in soup starter and sea salt...add potatoes and carrots...

In a skillet brown diced chicken in olive oil with light salt...

Dice tomatoes and add to soup pot...add rosemary, bay leaves, parsley, oregano, seasoning salt and cracked pepper to taste...Add 32 oz chicken stock, one cup of water and three dashes of tobasco...simmer for ten minutes...

Deglaze skillet with the chicken in it with one cup of water and add to the soup pot... Add enough water to take to the four quart mark in pot and boil for ten minutes...add wild rice...reduce to simmer and cover...stir often....cook at a simmer for an hour and twenty minutes and check the wild rice..The soup is ready when the rice grains split and become tender. 

Hope you enjoy it!