Week 22, Recipe 5: Chocolate Banana Bread

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for the pan
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted
2 large eggs
3 very ripe bananas
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan. Mix together th flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt ina large bowl. IN another bowl, cream the butter until lightened, then beat in the chocolate, eggs, bananas, and vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients just until combined; do not overbeat.

Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake until a toothpick stuck into the center of the bread comes out almost clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for at least 15 minutes before unmolding.

Results: I have coarse kosher salt so I should've just used regular salt.  It didn't hurt the flavor but there were grains of salt every so often.  I don't really like chocolate so this was just okay to me.  Rashan liked it.

Week 22 Bonus Recipe: Slammin Salmon Croquettes & Grits

Rashan & I like to tag team on breakfast.  His grits are amazing, I usually handle the rest.  I made creamy dreamy grits a while ago so I suggested adding the cream at the water step instead of at the end like he normally does.  The salmon is a take on my mom's recipe.  The onions are essential for the crunch.  You could also use green onions or bell pepper but a crunch is what makes these amazing.

• 1 can of salmon, flaked & picked through for bones
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 a white onion, diced
• 1/2 cup italian seasoned bread crumbs (or regular)
• 1/4 cup sriracha
• 1 1/2 tbsp. black pepper
• 1 1/2 tbsp. garlic salt
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. butter

Directions: Combine first 7 ingredients.  If you put the patties together (I made 5 but you could easily get 8 smaller patties out of this) in advance and let them firm up in the fridge for 30 minutes they won't break on you so easily.

Melt olive oil and butter together in a skillet over medium high heat.  Fry on each side about 3-4 minutes until a beautiful brown crust forms.  While the croquettes are cooking, cook grits according to package directions, using half and half, cream or milk for half of the water.

Results: AWESOME!  I topped with some extra sriracha.  Make this soon!  :)

Week 22, Recipe 4: That's Shallotta Flavor Pasta

Recipe from Rachael Ray's Big Orange Book

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 10 shallots, halved and thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 1 pound whole wheat spaghetti
• 1 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
• 1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (a generous handful)

1. In a large skillet, heat the EVOO, 4 turns of the pan, over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden, 20 minutes.
2. While the shallots are cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the spaghetti and cook until al dente. Pour 3 ladlefuls of the pasta cooking water into the cooked shallots and stir. Drain the pasta and add to the shallots. Add the cheese and parsley, season with pepper and toss.
   
   Results: I added peas to the pasta.  I also added a touch of cream and chicken stock to the shallots.  This was more bland than I wanted it to be despite how great it smelled.  :(  And isn't my plating getting great? :)  It'd probably be amazing with chicken & mushrooms.

Week 22, Recipes 2 & 3: Olive Oil Chicken Confit with Anchovy-Parmesan Dressing & Garlicky Baked Butternut Squash

Chicken & Dressing recipe courtesy of the New York Times

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken cutlets (I used chicken quarters)
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

3 cups extra virgin olive oil, more if needed
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 shallots, thinly sliced
3 rosemary sprigs
1/2 bunch thyme
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
5 anchovy fillets (I used 3 sardines)
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, more to taste
Salad greens, for serving (I used spinach)

1. Season chicken well with salt and pepper. In a very large skillet or stock pot with a lid, heat oil over medium heat with half the garlic and all the shallots, rosemary, thyme and crushed red pepper flakes until oil reaches 175 degrees. There will be small bubbles on surface and around garlic.
2. When oil comes up to temperature, carefully slip in the chicken cutlets, making sure they are submerged in oil (add more oil if necessary and heat until it comes up to 175 degrees). Cover skillet or pot and turn heat off.
3. Let chicken rest for 10 minutes. Make a small cut into middle of a cutlet. If chicken is not done, turn heat back on and let temperature rise to 175 degrees. Turn heat off, cover pot and let rest for another minute or so until meat is cooked through. Drain chicken on paper towels; remove cooked garlic, shallots, herbs and red pepper flakes from oil and discard.
4. Prepare dressing by mincing anchovies and remaining garlic and mixing them together with a large pinch of salt until you get a rough paste. Put paste in bowl and whisk in the parmesan, lemon juice and another pinch of salt and pepper. Slowly drizzle in 7 tablespoons olive oil from pan. Taste and add more lemon juice or salt, or both, if needed.
5. Serve chicken over a bed of greens drizzled with anchovy dressing.
Yields: 4 servings.

Results: SO GOOD!!  It was one of my first times making dressing and I was DELIGHTED!  So yummy! But very ugly... lol.

Butternut Squash Recipe from Allrecipes.com

• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 3 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. In a large bowl, combine the parsley, oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Add squash and toss to coat.
2. Transfer to an ungreased shallow 2-qt. baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees F for 50-55 minutes or until squash is just tender. 

Results: I skipped the parsley & really could've skipped the parm.  Question... have you guys ever cooked with butternut squash?  OMG!!  TOUGHEST THING I'VE EVER CHOPPED!!!  I've cut bone that was more willing to do what I wanted.  Outrageous.  I saw something that said you don't have to peel it so I didn't.  It was just a little more crunchy in some spots.  This was my first time cooking this but not my last.  Very delicious.  The whole meal impressed me.  Don't you love it when you're cooking and you impress yourself?  Lolol.

Week 22, Recipe 1: Baked Gruyere & Sausage Oven Omelet

Recipe Courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis (She's trying to overtake Rachael Ray in my most-used recipes! Geez!)

• Butter, for greasing baking dish
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1/2 pound mild turkey sausage, casings removed
• 8 large eggs
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 1/2 cups (4 ounces) grated Gruyere cheese
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly butter an 8 by 8-inch baking dish.

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the sausage and cook until brown, about 5 minutes. Set the pan aside to cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt and pepper, to taste, until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add the red bell pepper, 1 cup of Gruyere cheese and 1/4 cup of parsley. Stir in the onion mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Cut the baked omelet into wedges and sprinkle with remaining parsley before serving.

Results:  I used cheddar instead of Gruyere b/c my Gruyere went bad on me. BAD GRUYERE! SHAME ON YOU!  I also used roasted red peppers.  My parsley was dried because I didn't have fresh.  Nevertheless, DELICIOUS!!!  I served mine with garlic toast.

Week 21, Recipe 6: Southern Scramble

When Rashan & I got to his mom's house Wednesday night, we were hungry and I wasn't sure what to eat.  But then his mom kept saying she had honey baked ham & greens.  It finally came to me that I should try a version of the restaurant Flying Biscuit's Southern Scramble.  They use turkey bacon instead of ham.

1 1/2 tbsp. butter

1 cup cooked collard greens
1 cup ham, diced
4 eggs
1 tbsp. milk
salt
pepper
Tiger sauce (or hot sauce), optional
1/2 cup cheddar cheese (plus more for sprinkling)

Warm the butter in the pan over medium high heat.  Add greens and ham to warm through.  While warming, whisk together eggs, salt, pepper, milk & tiger sauce.  Pour into pan over greens and ham.  Stir to lift up cooked portions of eggs.  Cooked to desired doneness.  In the last minute, add cheddar cheese and combine with other ingredients.

Results: YUM-O!  Rashan said it was even better than the one at Flying Biscuit!  & if he said it, it must be true.  He doesn't try to snow me when something doesn't work.  YAY!!  I'd probably use a bit more tiger sauce & cheddar next time but this was great!  :)

Week 21, Recipe 5: Peach Cardinal

Recipe from Tyler's Ultimate Cookbook

This looked so beautiful and simple in the book... but can someone please tell me how you get beautiful peach halves?  I know I had nectarines but still.  Maybe they weren't ripe enough.  This dish was way more tart than I like.  It was edible but I didn't really enjoy it. 

And look how not delicious it looks...  Yes, you're supposed to strain it but I WANTED big chunks of raspberries.  It's more about how terrible the peach looks... I was hoping this would be a recipe I could pull out semi-impressively for other people but w/o serious tweaks.. I won't.

Week 21, Recipes 2-4: Tyler's Ultimate Sunday Meat & Potatoes Dinner with Steamed Asparagus in a Paper Bag

My food goal on my list of 30 things to do before I turn 30 is to cook my way through Tyler Florence's Ultimate Cookbook.  So I tried 3 in one meal!

Ultimate Sunday Dinner Meat

Extra-virgin olive oil
3 lbs. top round, in one big hunk
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 onion, sliced
2 fresh rosemary sprigs
1/2 bottle dry red wine you wouldn't mind drinking
2 cups beef broth
2 bay leaves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Heat 2 count of olive oil in an oven-proof braising pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until smoking.  Season the meat well with salt & pepper, put in pan & brown 10-12 minutes.  Make sure it's well seared on all sides.  Remove meat from pan, put on plate.

Add onion, rosemary & thyme, stir & cook for about 5 minutes for a good sear on the onion.  Add wine, broth & bay leaves.  Bring to a simmer, return meat to pan.  Cover, put pan in oven until meat is fork tender, about 2.5 hours.

Put meat on platter.  Taste braising liquid for s&p, discard bay leaves.  Slice meat and serve atop a big spoonful of the potato purée.  Top with sauce, garnish each bowl with a drizzle of olive oil.

Results: SO GOOD!!  I'm not a big beef eater, particularly when it's not in a burger, but this was great!  I used a 70-30 Cabernet-Merlot.  It was certainly fork-tender.  Just pull the meat with a fork and it falls right into the juice.  Amazing.


Velvety Potato Purée

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 large Yukon gold potatoes, peeled & quartered
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil, optional

Warm the cream with the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until the butter melts; set aside.

Put the potatoes in a medium saucepan with cold water to cover. Bring to boil then add 1 teaspoon of salt and reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the potatoes are very tender. Drain. Pass the potatoes through a food mill or a ricer into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the warm cream and butter mixture until the cream is absorbed and the mixture is smooth. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper and finish them off by stirring in 1/4 cup olive oil.

Results: I didn't have a ricer so I just cooked the potatoes about 5 minutes longer, put them back in the pot to dry out then added the cream, butter, s&p (I forgot the olive oil) and mashed with a fork.  AMAZING.   So ridiculously delicious.  Easily some of the best mashed potatoes I've ever eaten as much as a lie as that sounds.  You should absolutely try these potatoes and make way more than this recipe calls for.  Just double the recipe.  You will want every bit of these potatoes.

Steamed Asparagus in A Paper Bag

• 1 pound medium asparagus, tough ends trimmed
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and cracked black pepper
• 1/2 lemon, sliced paper thin
• 1 bay leaf

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and arrange an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Get yourself a paper bag large enough to hold the asparagus comfortable. Throw the asparagus in there and drizzle the outside of the bag with olive oil to keep the bag from burning. Sprinkle the asparagus with the salt and cracked pepper and toss in the lemon slices and bay leaf. Close the bag, folding it over several times and creasing the folds well to hold the steam in. Put the pan on a baking sheet, drizzle it with more olive oil, stick it in the oven, and bake for 20 minutes.

Take the baking sheet out of the oven and set it on top of the stove. Set a serving plate next to the stove. Using a kitchen towel or a pair of kitchen tongs, raise the bag over the plate, open the bag, and slide the asparagus out onto the plate. Drizzle with a little more olive oil and serve hot.

Results:  Pretty basic asparagus.  Tasty.  Not extraordinary but I could make this again for the enjoyment of all who like asparagus.  Overall, this meal was a huge success!  I was very proud & would be overjoyed to make this again on an actual Sunday!  :)

Week 21, Recipe 1: Pasta with Blue Cheese Tomato Sauce

Recipe courtesy of The Pioneer Woman Cooks

• 1-½ pound Pasta (angel Hair Or Thin Spaghetti)
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 whole 28-ounce Can Diced Tomatoes, Drained
• Dash Of Sugar
• Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, To Taste
• ¾ cups Crumbled Blue Cheese
• ¾ cups Heavy Cream
• 4 cups Baby Spinach
• Half-and-Half, for thinning
• Extra Blue Cheese Crumbles, For Garnish

Cook pasta according to package instructions.

In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil. When hot, add minced garlic and cook for a minute. Pour in drained tomatoes. Add sugar, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Reduce heat to low. Stir in crumbled blue cheese. Add cream and stir, then a little splash of half-and-half if sauce is too thick. Cook for a minute or two, tasting and adding more seasonings as needed.

At the very, very, very last minute. toss in spinach. Immediately toss in the cooked and drained pasta. Serve immediately!

Results: DELICIOUS!!  I made this with mushrooms which I added at the same time as the tomato (I used a mix of fresh & canned fire roasted).  Next time I'd add the shrooms right after the garlic, before the tomato.  Rashan and I loved this.  I didn't need the half and half.  I would've liked this a little thicker actually but still tasted AWESOME!!  Served it with toasted italian bread topped with butter and garlic pepper.

Week 20, Recipe 4: Pork Chop with Cider Gravy, Sauteed Apples & Onions

Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray's Big Orange Book in the Meals for One section

• 1 (1-inch-thick) bone-in pork chop
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil)
• 1 small onion, yellow or red, thinly sliced
• 1 Gala or Golden Delicious apple,thinly sliced
• 2 to 3 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves finely chopped
• 1/2 lemon
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cloudy apple cider
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 corn muffin, split, buttered, and toasted

Season the chop with salt and pepper. Heat 1/2 tablespoon of the EVOO in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chop until golden, 3 to 4 minutes per side, tenting loosely with foil once you turn the chop. Remove the cooked chop to a plate and cover to keep warm. Add the remaining EVOO and the onions and apples. Season with salt, pepper, and the thyme and cook until just tender, 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Douse with juice of the 1/2 lemon and remove to the plate with the chop.

Add 1 tablespoon of the butter to the skillet and when it melts, whisk in the flour. Cook for 1 minute, stirring, then whisk in the cider and stock. Season the gravy with salt and pepper. Cook over medium-low heat for 3 to 4 minutes to thicken.
Serve the chop covered with apples and onions, the gravy poured down over the top, and the muffin alongside.

Results:  The chop was delish, the apple & onion were delish.  The gravy?  Way too cider-y for me.  I'm cider sensitive but DANG!  Very tart.  I would use either all chicken stock or 1/4 cup of cider in the future.  That picture shows a quarter of the apple.  Why does one person need that much apple??  Cooked with onion one apple seems like A LOT.  I omitted the corn muffin because I would've had to make too many for just me to eat.  I didn't have butter (about to move) so I used EVOO instead.  I also used thinner pork chops.  Thicker probably would've been better-- filled me up more.  Still pretty yummy.