Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Quick salmon and spinach

  Quick salmon and spinach


Ingredients
  • 1 x 125g SunRice Quick Cups White Rice in 40 Seconds Per Person
  • 300g fresh salmon fillet (boneless, skinless)
  • 200g baby spinach
  • 1 cup cream
  • 1 small garlic clove
  • salt and pepper to taste

Preparation method

1. Place spinach into a saucepan, pour over the cream and bring to the boil.

2. Cut salmon fillet into finger sized strips.

3. Once sauce is slightly thick add salmon, season with salt and pepper.

4. Bring to a gentle simmer until salmon is cooked.

5. Heat SunRice Quick Cup White Rice as per pack instructions and place onto a plates.

6. Serve with salmon and spinach.

10 Must-Have Pantry Items

  10 Pantry Items:

1. Large grain sea salt
2. Kosher salt
3. Black peppercorns
4. Extra virgin olive oil
5. Canola oil
6. Red wine vinegar
7. Sherry wine vinegar
8. Brown rice
9. Jasmine rice
10. Herbs de Provence


courtesy of Geoffrey Zakarian

Lamb Burger with Spinach and Feta Salad

 







Ingredients
 
For The Burger

1.5 pounds of ground lamb shoulder
1 tsp of each of the following
Toasted ground cumin
Toasted ground fennel seed
Cayenne pepper
Minced garlic
2 tbsp of chopped shallots
2 tbsp of chopped parsley
2 tbsp of whole fat greek yogurt strained of water
6 small pitas split and lightly toasted
Salt and pepper to taste

For The Salad

2 cups of baby spinach cleaned
Extra virgin olive oil
Juice of one lemon
1/4 cup of crumbled feta cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Sherry wine vinegar

Directions

Mix all of the non-salad ingredients, except the pita, together in a bowl until just combined. Form into 7 oz. patties about 3/4 inch thick.
When the grill is hot, season the lamb patties liberally with salt and pepper. Grill over medium high heat for 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium rare.
Let rest for a few minutes, while resting toss all of the salad ingredients together and season to taste with salt and pepper, fill the individual pitas with the lamb burgers and gently stuff the salad mixture on top. Serve immediately.

The last 3 Recipes courtesy of Geoffrey Zakarian.

Turkey Burger with Provolone Cheese, Thousand Island Dressing, and Crispy Shallots

   Serves 6


Ingredients

 2 pounds ground fresh turkey
12 slices of provolone cheese
6 potato rolls or brioche rolls
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 red onion sliced 1/4 inch thick for 6 slices
6 pieces of lettuce (preferably bibb)
1 pound of very thinly sliced shallots fried in canola oil until crispy
1/4 cup of thousand island dressing (buy prepared organic dressing)
2 tbsp of soft butter for the buns
3 tbsp of spicy chutney (store-bought)
Directions

Combine the turkey, spicy chutney, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Make sure to season generously because the turkey has little flavor on its own when cooked. Form into 7 oz. patties about 3/4 inch thick, prepare a hot grill and cook the turkey burgers for 3 minutes each side until cooked through. Place two slices of cheese on each burger and let melt thoroughly. Let rest in a warm place.
Meanwhile, butter and grill the buns so they are visibly browned and season them with salt and pepper.
Assemble the burger with the red onion and bibb lettuce, slather each side of the buns with a liberal amount of thousand island dressing and top the burger with the fried crispy shallots.

Beef Burger and Gingered Cole Slaw

Learn how to make beef, turkey and lamb burger variations from chef and restaurateur, Geoffrey Zakarian!

 Makes burgers for 6











Ingredients

3 Pounds Organic Grass Fed Prime Ground Beef
1 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons salted butter
1 large beefsteak tomato cut into 6 slices
12 Leafs of Butter lettuce
50/50 Mayonnaise Ketchup Mix (Hellman’s and Heinz preferable)
6 Slices White Cheddar
6 English Muffins (Thomas’ preferable)

Directions
Lightly oil your grill (preferably a charcoal grill). Form the beef into 6 patties and season both sides with salt and pepper. Cook the burgers, charring well on both sides, until almost but not quite done as desired ( 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium rare. Gas grills may require 1 to 2 minutes more total cooking.) At the same time, lightly grill. Top each burger with ½ tablespoon of butter and then add slice of White Cheddar on each patty. Transfer the burgers to a rack to rest for 5 minutes. Meanwhile slice in half the brioche buns and grill.Place a piece of butter lettuce on each bottom piece of brioche, then layer the hamburger, the mayo/ketchup mix, a slice of tomato, another piece of butter lettuce and finally the top portion of the roll. Skewer a long quartered half sour pickle on to the top of the bun.

Gingered Cole Slaw
Ingredients
1 small head of savoy cabbage, cored
1 large carrot
1 tablespoon finely minced ginger ( 1 1-inch piece)
1 ½ teaspoons finely minced garlic ( 1 small clove)
3 tablespoons Hellman’s Mayonnaise
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
¼ cup golden raisins
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
Fine sea salt, fresh ground pepper and sugar to taste

Directions
Shred the cabbage and julienne the carrot ( cut it into thin slivers). Combine the cabbage and carrots in a bowl. Add the ginger, garlic and mayonnaise and mix well. Heat the butter in a medium skillet over a medium flame. Add the raisins and cook until soft and golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add the warm raisins to the slaw, mix well, then season with the vinegar and salt, pepper and sugar to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Shrimp-and-Bacon-Stuffed Baby Potatoes













Ingredients

14 tiny new potatoes (about 1 1/4 pounds)
2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
1 tablespoonolive oil
1 teaspoon Old Bay® seasoning (seafood seasoning)
1 7 - 8 ounce package frozen peeled cooked shrimp, thawed, drained, and chopped
1/2 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded Gouda cheese (4 ounces)
5 slices bacon, crisp-cooked, drained, and crumbled
 1 teaspoon Old Bay® seasoning (seafood seasoning)*
1/4 cup snipped fresh chives (optional)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Using a small melon baller or a very small spoon, scoop out potato pulp, leaving 1/4-inch shells. Cut a thin slice from the bottom of each potato half so it stands upright. Place potatoes, cut sides up, in a 15x10x1-inch baking pan.

2. In a small bowl, combine mustard, oil, and 1 teaspoon Old Bay® seasoning. Brush insides of potato shells with mustard mixture. Bake about 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

3. Meanwhile, for filling, in a small bowl, combine shrimp, cream cheese, Gouda cheese, bacon, and 1 teaspoon Old Bay® seasoning. Spoon filling into potato shells, mounding slightly.

4. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes more or until filling is heated through and cheese is melted. Serve warm or at room temperature. If desired, garnish with chives.

Nutrition Facts (Shrimp-and-Bacon-Stuffed Baby Potatoes)
  • Calories 63,
  • Protein (gm) 4,
  • Carbohydrate (gm) 3,
  • Fat, total (gm) 4,
  • Cholesterol (mg) 24,
  • Saturated fat (gm) 2,
  • Monosaturated fat (gm) 1,
  • Sodium (mg) 168,
  • Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Monday, June 18, 2012

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Pie with Bacon

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Pie with Bacon Recipe

Prep Time: 1 Hr
Total Time: 1 Hr 30 Min
Makes: 8 servings

Bacon adds a twist to this chocolate and peanut butter pie that’s made using Pillsbury® pie crust - a distinctive dessert.

So I guess bacon is the new thing for sweets.  I have not tried it, but plan on making it.  I know that Burger King has out a bacon sundae.  Don't sound great but I'm going to give it a try.

INGREDIENTS

Crust
1 box Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box
1 egg, beaten
 
Bacon
6 slices bacon
 
Chocolate Sauce
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
1 bag (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
 
Cream Cheese-Peanut Butter Filling
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 container (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 large banana

DIRECTIONS

1 Heat oven to 450°F. Place 1 pie crust in ungreased 9-inch glass pie plate. Press crust firmly against side and bottom. Cut star shapes or other desired shapes from second pie crust. Attach to the edge of pie crust in pie plate with beaten egg; brush tops of shapes with beaten egg. Prick bottom and side with fork. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until light brown. Cool.                   
 
2 Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Arrange bacon slices on ungreased 15x10x1-inch pan. Bake about 15 minutes or until bacon is crisp and brown. Drain on paper towels. Crumble into small bite-size pieces. Reserve half of the bacon pieces for garnish.                   
 
3 Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, heat evaporated milk, chocolate chips and 1/2 cup sugar to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in butter and vanilla; set aside.                        
 
4 In large bowl, beat cream cheese, peanut butter and 1/2 cup sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gently stir in whipped topping until combined.                   
 
5 Spread 1/2 cup chocolate sauce over cooled crust. Sprinkle half of the bacon pieces over chocolate sauce. Slice banana and arrange over bacon pieces. Spread cream cheese-peanut butter filling over bacon pieces. Drizzle 2 tablespoons chocolate sauce over filling. Sprinkle remaining bacon pieces over top of pie. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Cover and refrigerate any remaining pie.

Thanks to Philsbury.com for the recipe.

Enjoy and I will let you know how it turns out.