Best Hummus Ever

September 2, 2020January 8, 2016 by Michel

Best Hummus Ever!

My Best Hummus Ever recipe is going to become a go to dish for you when you see how gosh darn easy it is to make it yourself! Chic peas, tahini paste, garlic, olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and salt in a food processor, purée until smooth and violà you have an amazing dip. Wait, there is one caveat to this best hummus ever recipe. My secret to a silky, smooth homemade hummus is removing the skins from the chic peas. This is actually a very easy task that will take you about five to ten minutes and it makes all the difference in the texture and taste for your hummus. It’s still quicker than taking that trip to the market for the already prepared hummus.

Hummus is such a versatile kind of dip where you can change it up in so many ways to get a new flavor. You can add a teaspoon of cumin to give it a bright, floral and lemony flavor. You could add in smoked paprika, hot sauce, or even throw in some roasted red peppers when you go to purée the chic peas for a beautiful reddish roasted pepper hummus. The options really are endless so don’t be afraid to have some fun here.

Biting the bullet and buying the jar of Tahini paste is totally worth it because it will last a long, long time and you will get many, many hummus dishes from this! For all you local followers I buy my jar of Tahini paste at FoodWorks Natural Market in Guilford, CT.

If you like this best hummus ever recipe you may want to try my Michigan Sauce, yogurt chicken kabobs and tzatziki, beef bourguignon where you make an amazing Indian spiced tomato-cream dish on the 2nd day or Sea bass with green goddess sauce. Then you can end the meal with the cake that won’t last or an apple sauce-caramel sundae!

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INGREDIENTS:

1 can chic peas – garbanzo beans drained, rinsed and with skins removed (I used Goya)
3 tbsp – In the show I said 1/4 cup but I actually think 3 tbsp is better (a little milder)… Tahini has a strong flavor.
Food Works in Guilford has Tahini Paste (note: this is a good investment because it will last a long, long time and you will get many, many hummus dishes from it 🙂
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 ex-large garlic clove put thru press for a fine mash
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt – will add 1/4 tsp at a time
1-3 tbsp water
a few dashes of Siracha or your favorite hot sauce (you can find Siracha near the Tabasco in the store)

DIRECTIONS:

Drain, wash and remove the skins from the chic peas by gently squeezing the peas between your fingers to loosen and remove the outer skins
Put the chic peas, tahini paste, a garlic clove put thru garlic press, olive oil and fresh lemon juice in the food processor and run for 1 minute
Stop and scrap down the sides of the processor
Add 1/4 tsp of sea salt, 1 tbsp of water and purée 1 minute
Stop and taste, you will probably need to add 1 tsp sea salt more and 1 tbsp water getting it to thin it out a bit (adding the water aerates the dip lightening it up)
Run the processor for 1 more minute
Check to make sure hummus is the thickness you want – you may want 1 tbsp more of water
Turn out hummus into a bowl and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil
And, OR Sprinkle with paprika, OR top with 2 tbsp chopped kalamata olives or cucumber salad in the center of the hummus
Serve with blue chips, pita or naan
CUCUMBER SALAD: 1/4 cup finely chopped European cucumber, 2 tbsp finely chopped cherry tomatoes, 1 tbsp finely chopped kalamata olive and red onion, 1 tsp olive oil, 1 tbsp finely chopped cilantro and a sprinkle of s & p – combine all ingredients in a sm bowl

Michigan Sauce at Kathleen’s

March 16, 2019September 3, 2015 by Michel

Michigan Sauce at Kathleen’s

We make this incredible Michigan sauce in the show with ground turkey, but many who make this savory sauce make it with ground beef! Michigan sauce is made from simmering ground turkey, warm water, French’s Yellow Mustard, Franks Hot Sauce, Hunts Tomato Sauce, chili powder, ground cumin all awhile mashing the ground meat with a potato masher to achieve a tender, fine sauce.

Now you may think that adding a whole 5 oz. bottle of Frank’s Hot Sauce to this homemade Michigan sauce would make it really spicy but it doesn’t at all. The amounts of all the flavorful ingredients are pretty perfect here giving you this nicely balanced combination. You get hints of citrus and floral from the ground cumin, a bit of a kick from the cayenne in the Frank’s Hot Sauce and a little tang from the French’s Yellow Mustard. Lets not forget the chili powder that gives it the right amount of earthiness to complete the circle. Now you know how important it is to me that you always season a dish as you go along but here there is no need for salt or pepper because all of the ingredients added into this recipe take care of that.

These Michigan Sauce recipes go back for generations and are very special to an Upstate New Yorker such as Kathleen and her family. I feel honored that they were willing to share their family recipe that they hold so dear to them so that I might be able to share it with all of you.

Over the years there have been legends and tales going around of how this delicious Michigan Sauce recipe began. One says that the Coney Island hot dog met a sauce made from a woman in Nashville who married a man from Detroit and they moved to Plattsburgh, NY. They started selling hot dogs with this sauce and called them “Michigans”. The other says it was a couple from Detroit that moved to Plattsburgh, NY. But if you ask some of the locals they will insist that “Michigans” have nothing to do with Detroit! Back in the 1920’s is when the the first “Michigan” stand opened up but Clare and Carl’s is the one very well known to people which opened in the 1940’s along Lake Champlain. To this day, Clare & Carl’s keeps the car hop service that made it popular a half century ago.

A typical “Michigan” is garnished with chopped onion and a line of French’s Yellow Mustard on the top. If you to go into Clare and Carl’s they would ask you if you want your Michigans “with” or “without”, referring to the chopped onions of course. You might reply, I would like two Michigans “with-buried”. This would mean you want onions and they are to be under the sauce. Now you know how to properly order your Michigans when you are in Upstate New York.

Even though this special meat sauce is an Upstate New York summer tradition I think this is the perfect dish for football season! Not to mention it’s a total make ahead dish so you won’t miss any of the game tending to that darn stove. This Michigan sauce also freezes really well so make sure to take advantage of that and make an extra large batch like Kathleen’s mom, Shirley, does for future meals and get together’s. Thank you again Shirley and Kathleen for enlightening us with your lovely Michigan sauce recipe.

Hope you enjoy the show! You may want to try and make some refreshing Pavlova for dessert to go with this savory Michigan sauce!

Ingredients:

1 lb. Ground turkey
1 cup warm water – Add 1/2 cup in the beginning and add 1/2 cup after adding the Hunts Tomato Sauce
1 heaping tbsp French’s yellow mustard
1- 5 oz. bottle Franks Hot sauce (whole bottle)
8 oz. can of hunts-plain tomato sauce plain or garlic
3 tsp ground cumin
3 tsp chili powder
1 small chopped Vadalia sweet onion – chopped for garnish or a Michigan “with-buried” (if you don’t get this you need to watch the show) 🙂
1 pkg Deutschmacher Frankfurters (mild and delicious) OR Red Hots
Hot dog rolls

Directions:

Add 1/2 cup water to 1 lb. ground turkey (beef) in a large sauté pan on medium/low
Continue to mash these two for 10 minutes while simmering with a potato masher
Change to a fork to further mash ground turkey to a finer mash for 5 minutes
Stir in 1 heaping tbsp French’s Yellow Mustard until it disappears into turkey mixture
Stir in 1 whole 5 oz. bottle of Frank’s Hot Sauce until it disappears into turkey mixture
Stir in 1- 8 oz. can of Hunt’s tomato sauce
Add in another 1/2 cup of warm water
And then stir in 3 tsp chili powder and 3 tsp ground cumin
Let this simmer on low for 1/2 hour
Then mash a little more with the potato mash to make sure you have a fine texture.
You can let simmer for another 1/2 – 1 hour til a thick consistency
The more you let it simmer the more the flavors develop
This sauce freezes really well for future meals
Serve in a bowl with a drizzle of French’s Yellow Mustard and some chopped onions on top OR on top of a steamed hot dog in a bun with a drizzle of French’s Yellow Mustard and some chopped onions on top …YUM!

Yogurt Chicken Kabobs, Tzatziki & Toum at Maria’s

March 24, 2020June 5, 2015 by Michel

Yogurt Chicken Kabobs, Tzatziki & Toum At Maria’s

Wow, this gourmet yogurt marinated chicken kabob recipe is the most scrumptious marinade I have ever had on chicken. It will be my new favorite marinade for summer grilling! There is really nothing to putting together this marinade and the results are outstanding. The grilling goes really quickly here too because you cube up the chicken into small pieces so it only takes about 7-8 minutes for each side on high heat. I know I will be baking my chicken with this marinade over the winter months. Maria got this yogurt-marinated chicken kabob recipe from epicurious.com and of course making a couple of adjustments as I go through my own test kitchen adding in the fresh ground coriander and the “smoked” Spanish paprika giving it that hint of something extra that I was looking for.

The combination of these three gourmet recipes together are packed full of flavor! My favorite is actually having this dynamic combo on some warmed or toasted naan adding in a chewy soft texture to this heavenly dish. Using the toum, the garlic Lebanese sauce as a baster for the breads and vegetables when you are grilling in a no brainer.

This homemade gourmet sauce called toum is such an unusual sauce because it’s hard to initially imagine how such a thick and creamy texture can come about from peeled garlic cloves and vegetable oil! You must be patient with this recipe as the slow drizzling of the vegetable oil is crucial in the emulsification of this garlic-oil combo but the efforts are well worth it. Watching the show to see how I get the sauce thick and foamy I hope will help clarify the “how to’s” of it. This toum sauce will last up to 2-3 weeks in your frig and who’s better than you with this little hidden gem just waiting to put a flavor punch of silky garlic on your sauteed veggies, garlic breads, meats, fish, chicken… the options are really endless.

Maria’s homemade tzatziki sauce is a recipe I’m sure you will love and want to add to your go to recipes for summer. The way she has you drain the whole fat Greek Yogurt makes this sauce even creamier and gives your mouth a smooth silky texture yet refreshing at the same time with the grated cucumber, and vinegars and fresh lemon juice. This sauce can easily be used as an amazing dip with pita chips. It’s similar to my cucumber & Vadalia onion salad but definitely different. So nice to have a couple different styles to choose from.

This Mediterranean night of exotic spices and flavorful recipes will not be easily forgotten. You just may start to crave these homemade dishes sooner than you think. I hope you enjoy the show and the gourmet yogurt marinated chicken kaobs, tzatziki and toum recipes.

INGREDIENTS for Yogurt Chicken Kabobs:

1 tsp ground red pepper flakes
1 tsp (Spanish) smoked paprika
1 tsp (Hungarian) sweet paprika
2 tsp coarse kosher salt
1 tsp fine ground black pepper
2 tbsp tomato paste
6 garlic cloves peeled and smashed
2 whole lemons thinly sliced
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
1 cup whole milk Greek Yogurt
2 1/2 lbs. chicken thighs
1 package extra-long wooden skewers
1 package cherry or grape tomatoes
1 or Vadalia sweet onion sliced into 1″ pieces

Mediterranean Yogurt Chicken Kabobs DIRECTIONS:

Take first 11 ingredients in above list and add to large mixing bowl
Mix everything with a spatula then add in chicken pieces and toss to coat
Cover with saran and pop into the frig for 24 hours
Cover 2 cookie tray with foil and begin to place pieces of marinated chicken
Place chicken thigh pieces on BROIL for 10 nminutes, then flip & broil 10 minutes more
Be sure to keep an eye on them so as not to burn
Remove tray and let cool to touch while broiling other tray of chicken thigh pieces
When all chicken can be handled place 3 cooked pieces onto each wooden skewer
OR you can grill…
OPTIONAL: Skewer cherry tomatoes and onion alternating pieces
You can also alternate chicken, tomato, onion, chicken and repeat
Grill on high for 7-8 minutes on each side (even with veggies in the mix)
Serve grilled chicken and tomato/onion on naan or pita bread with tzatziki, and hummus or rice ….YUM!

INGREDIENTS for Tzatziki Sauce:

1 16 oz. container of whole fat Greek yogurt
1 English cucumber
1 garlic clove put thru garlic press
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
juice from 1/2 fresh lemon
2 tbsp good extra virgin olive oil in sauce and some to drizzle on top at the end

DIRECTIONS for Tzatziki:

Slice cucumber in half-length wise, then in half crosswise
Scoop out middle seeds and discard
Grate cucumber halves into a large bowl
Put cucumber gratings into a Ziploc baggie and add 1/2 tsp salt, let sit for 1 hour or over night
Unseal a small corner of the Ziploc & drain water from baggie squeezing the grated cucumber
Add grated cucumber to a medium bowl, and pat dry with paper towels to remove any excess water
Add fresh dill, garlic, s&p, cumin, lemon juice and Greek yogurt to grated cucumber, mix til creamy texture
Drizzle 2 tbsp good extra virgin olive oil on top and voilà you have tzatziki

INGREDIENTS for TOUM – Lebanese Garlic Sauce:

1 cup peeled white garlic
2 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

DIRECTIONS for Toum: Approx Time 12 minutes

Add 1 cup peeled garlic and salt to food processor and pulse 3 times
Scrape down sides
Begin the garlic-vegetable oil emulsion by SLOWLY beginning to drizzle in the oil – This will take about 12 minutes to slowly drizzle in all of the oil
When you have reached adding in 1/2 cup of oil you will need to stop and scrap sides one last time then start up processor again and resume adding in oil, at about 1 cup of oil mark begin to add 2 tsp of lemon juice – KEEP food processor going the WHOLE TIME
Go back and forth from oil to lemon juice until it’s finished (I begin to add 3 tbsp of lemon juice at a time after about 1 1/2 cup of oil mark)
You should see the volume doubling then quadrupling
At this point the toum will be thick and foamy
Since the food processor has been running for a while now you will need to let it COOL and put into a container but DO NOT seal at this point because any condensation will ruin the texture of the toum and all your hard work
Just loosely cover with a paper towel til COMPLETELY COOLED
At this point you can seal with a top
It will last in the frig for a couple of weeks
Serve with the yogurt marinated chicken kabobs, sauté vegetables, brush on grill items, naan, pita bread, ciabatta for garlic bread … the options are endless ENJOY 🙂

Bloody Mary Shrimp & Mango-Curry Shrimp At Nancy’s

March 16, 2019May 28, 2015 by Michel

Bloody Mary Shrimp & Mango-Curry Shrimp At Nancy’s

Bloody Mary Shrimp & Mango-Curry Shrimp in Wonton Cups

These two homemade shrimp appetizer’s are fun and delicious! Bloody Mary Shrimp and Mango-Curry Shrimp in wonton cups will soon be on your go to list for summer appetizers! My good friend Nancy passed these wonderful recipes on to me which she found at epicurious.com. They certainly have a an enormous assortment of recipes there to choose from and sometimes it can be overwhelming finding the ones you like so I feel fortunate to have a fellow foodie pass these on.

These two shrimp appetizer’s just might be the easiest and most delicious recipes you’ll have this summer. The Bloody Mary shrimp is so flavorful with all the same condiments that make up “the” cocktail including the vodka but in little nibble sizes. Serving up this appetizer on a spoon makes for a lovely presentation too. You can find these spoons at party stores and sometimes even at Stop & Shop.

The Mango-Curry Shrimp in wonton cups is another winner with a variety of fresh flavors from the green curry sauce to the mango chutney which both come prepared from the specialty section of the grocery store totally saving you time in the prep department …Hallelujah! You know me with the mayo thing … as much as I love my Hellman’s Mayo I do like to cut the mayo with some plain Greek yogurt to give it a little tang and a wonderful fresh texture so I give you that option in the list of ingredients for this appetizer.

It was an enjoyable day shooting this show and having my good friend Nancy share with us a couple of her favorite appetizer’s that she frequently entertains with. We will definitely be back cooking with Nancy this summer and visiting her garden to pick heirloom tomatoes for that scrumptious homemade Tomato Tartan! Hope you enjoy the show and let me know how you like the Bloody Mary Shrimp & Mango-Curry Shrimp appetizer’s.

Ingredients For THE BLOODY MARY SHRIMP:

1 pound medium shrimp in shell, peeled and de-veined
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced celery (2 -3 ribs)
1 cup thinly sliced scallions (about 6)

Directions For THE BLOODY MARY SHRIMP:

Bring a large saucepan of salted water (2 tablespoons salt for 2 quarts water) to a boil.
Add shrimp, then remove from heat and let stand in water until cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Drain in a colander and cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
Cut shrimp into thirds and transfer to a large bowl with celery and scallions.

Ingredients For THE SAUCE:

1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup vodka (preferably Absolut Peppar)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons bottled horseradish (not drained), or to taste
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Tabasco OR Siracha (also found where the tabasco is shelved at the store)
S&P to taste

Directions For THE SAUCE:

Whisk together all sauce ingredients
Just before serving, stir sauce into shrimp mixture.
Spoon 2 shrimp pieces with vegetables and sauce into each soup spoon and arrange spoons on a platter.

NOTE: Shrimp can be cooked and tossed with vegetables 4 hours ahead, then chilled in a sealed bag. Sauce can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Mix the sauce and shrimp right before serving.

Ingredients For THE MANGO-CURRY SHRIMP:

12 wonton wrappers (from one 12-ounce package), each cut into squares
Vegetable oil
1/3 cup mayonnaise OR split the 1/3 cup mayo in half with Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
5 teaspoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons mango chutney
1 teaspoon Thai green curry paste (Thai green curry paste is available at Asian markets and in the Asian foods section of some supermarkets)
12 ounces peeled cooked medium shrimp, coarsely chopped
1 cup Fresh cilantro leaves coarsely chopped

Directions For THE MANGO-CURRY SHRIMP IN WONTON CUPS – Pre-Heat oven to 325º:

Preheat oven to 325°F.
Place wonton squares on work surface and brush lightly with oil
Press each into miniature muffin cup, oiled side down
Bake until wonton cups are golden brown, about 10 minutes
Cool completely in tins -Can be made 3 days ahead
Remove cups from tins and store airtight at room temperature
Whisk mayonnaise, chopped fresh cilantro, lime juice, chutney, and curry paste in medium bowl to blend
Stir in shrimp. Season salad to taste with salt and pepper. (Salad can be prepared up to 1 day ahead – Cover and refrigerate
Place wonton cups on serving platter
Spoon 1 tbsp shrimp salad into each cup
Garnish with cilantro leaves

Gourmet Caesar Salad

March 14, 2019April 6, 2015 by Michel

Gourmet Caesar Salad

Caesar salads are probably one of my favorite salads of all time. So many wonderful flavors and textures in this combination from the crunchy garlic croutons (shown below) to the sharpness of the Reggiano Parmesano shaved on top. Then there’s a creaminess with the grated Parmesan and dijon in the actual dressing itself and a tang from the lemon and Dijon. Let’s not forget about that savory flavor in the undertones that you just can’t put your finger on with the anchovy paste and Worcestershire sauce. This Caesar salad is a winner all around!

You will really like how perfectly simple this recipe is and how you can totally make the croutons ahead of time, even weeks ahead. One of the reasons I love this recipe is the make ahead concept which makes our busy lives more enjoyable. You can make my homemade garlic croutons weeks ahead and keep them fresh in a Ziploc baggie in the freezer. Then make my gourmet Caesar salad dressing the morning of your event storing it in a container in the refrigerator until needed. Last but not least the romaine, which you can clean and cut up the night before storing that in a Ziploc baggie while taking the air out ensuring the freshness as I show you in my VIDEO. Cutting up the romaine into 1/2″ strips is key to serving this at a party or picnic making it easy to eat and eliminating the need for unnecessary utensils.

Now there’s the whole dilemma on whether or not to use a raw egg yolk. If I am having a small group of foodie friends over I would definitely add in a raw egg yolk to my Caesar salad dressing because it makes it that much more decadent. If you have never tried it with a farm fresh or organic egg yolk yet you should definitely treat yourself! When I do use an egg yolk I drizzle in the full half cup of olive oil and also add in an extra tablespoon or two of rice wine vinegar and lemon juice . Adding in a tablespoon extra of each will give it a nice balance. It’s basically to get the desired thickness you want because that added yolk offers up an extra thick and creaminess to the dressing this way you thin it out a pinch. For the most part when I make this gourmet Caesar salad for parties and picnics where I’m not sure if there will be someone there with an allergy I play it safe and omit the raw egg. And NO, I am not worried about salmonella with the raw egg because I only use farm fresh eggs directly from the farm or organic brown eggs from the food market. The ONLY time I would buy bulk white eggs from the store is when we are boiling and dyeing eggs for a holiday like Easter. You have to be picky about your ingredients, even the eggs are very important.

A large shallow dish like the one I have in the photos and in my video show is a great investment for salads like this. I have found many gorgeous platters and bowls like this at very economical prices at stores like Home Goods and TJ Max…you should definitely check out those deals! When I have many friends over for dinner I often serve the Caesar salad in that large shallow bowl and if it’s a more intimate dinner party I even plate up individual size portions which also make for a pretty presentation.

Not only can this bold full flavored salad hold up on its own as an appetizer but you can certainly pear it up with some crab cakes, lazy mans lasagna, lobster mac & cheese, or some pulled beef taco’s and ending with chocolate eclairs would just put it over the top!

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CAESAR SALAD DRESSING

CAESAR SALAD DRESSING RECIPE:

1 large/2 medium cloves of garlic put thru garlic press
1 egg yolk farm fresh or organic brown eggs ONLY – EGG YOLK OPTIONAL
1 Tbsp Dijon – Grey Poupon or Maille
1 Tsp anchovie paste
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fine blk pepper
2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar “seasoned” (this comes original or seasoned …I prefer seasoned)
between 1/3 – 1/2 cup good olive oil
1/4-1/3 cup grated Reggiano Parmesan
2 good dashes of your favorite hot sauce (I use Siracha in this recipe)

DIRECTIONS for the CAESAR DRESSING:

In a medium bowl add garlic thru press, anchovie paste, salt, pepper and Dijon
Mash these items together with the back of a spoon to combine and form a paste in a wooden bowl
Transfer paste to a large glass bowl
Add in 2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce, dash of Siracha and rice wine vinegar/ lemon juice mixture
Separate egg yolk from white and add to glass bowl (EGG YOLK OPTIONAL) and whisk immediately
Then very slowly whisk in olive oil so it emulsifies JUST DRIZZLE IN DROPS AT A TIME or IT WILL NOT EMULSIFY and you will have to start over
NOTE: Adding in the egg yolk makes it super easy to emulsify the dressing
Lastly, whisk in 1/3 grated Reggiano Parmesan
Put the dressing into a canning jar for ease and pop it into the frig til you are ready to use
Be sure to take out 30 minutes before you use the dressing so it can come to room temperature
Will be good for a few days in the frig

DIRECTIONS- for Assembling the Caesar Salad:

Cut ends off of romaine hearts then cut them in half length wise
Wash and spin leaves
Lay the leaves down on paper towels to catch any additional moisture
Put 3 or 4 pieces at a time layered on top of one another and slice into 1/2″ strips which make it ideal for a party so there no need for a knife
Here you can put the cut romaine pieces into large freezer Ziploc baggies and into the frig til you are ready to assemble the Caesar salad OR
Put into a large shallow bowl, add dressing, and toss
Top with shredded Parmesan and Italian garlic croutons (shown below) and mangia-mangia!

Garlic Croutons

INGREDIENTS FOR GARLIC CROUTONS: Makes 12 -13 cups of Croutons – 1 Ex-Lg Ziploc Freezer Baggie of Croutons:

1- 1 1/2 large loafs of good Italian bead (14-15 cups croutons-use 1/2 stick butter and 3 tbsp olive oil if you have 10 cup of bread cubes)
- 4 large garlic cloves put thru garlic press
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3/4 stick butter (salted) melted
- 4 tsp garlic granules (not powder) – Sprinkle 2 tsp per cookie tray
- 1 tsp salt
- A couple dashes of your favorite hot sauce Siracha -you can find this with the other hot sauces at the super market
- 2 cookie trays

DIRECTIONS FOR GARLIC CROUTONS:

Pre-heat oven to 400º
Slice bread into 3/4″ slices length wise
Then slice into 3/4″ squares, you don’t want them to be perfect – that’s what’s lovely about hand made croutons they don’t look like they came from a box
Melt 3/4 stick of butter
In a large mixing bowl add 1/4 cup olive oil, 3/4 stick melted butter, 4 garlic cloves thru garlic press, 1 Tsp salt, and whisk to mix
Divide this mixture into two and pour onto the 2 cookie trays spreading them evenly all over the tray
Divide up Italian bread cubes into 2 and put onto the 2 cookie trays right on the olive oil mixture
Stir the cut up bread cubes all around the cookie tray to evenly coat and soak up all of the olive oil mixture. I use a pastry scraper (see photo) to do this…a tool which I use a lot!
NOW sprinkle 2 Tsp of garlic granules on each of the cookie trays filled with Italian garlic croutons
Put into the oven for 12 minutes til golden
IMPORTANT – they go quickly at the end so you really need to watch them so they don’t burn
Let the Italian garlic croutons cool before putting them into a Freezer Ziploc baggie
I usually keep them on the counter for a few days then throw them into the freezer to store and keep fresh

Arancini Reuben Balls

March 29, 2020March 14, 2015 by Michel

Arancini Reuben Balls

My homemade Arancini Reuben Balls are absolutely gourmet. Arancini balls, also called risotto balls, are an Italian appetizer made with left over risotto, stuffed with mozzarella and prosciutto, then breaded and deep fried! Oh boy, they are out of this world. They are crispy on the outside, and creamy and cheesy on the the inside. You can eat them plain or serve them with a tomato sauce.

My homemade Arancini Reuben Balls are made with risotto, diced corned beef, Swiss cheese, cream cheese and sautéed jalapeño’s to incorporate that “popper” flavor! I serve them with my gourmet thousand island dressing which I make with Greek yogurt and a creamy horseradish to compliment the corned beef. The flavors of the risotto balls paired up with the thousand island dressing are outstanding!

Do you remember having poppers? You know, those deep fried jalapeno’s stuffed with cream cheese? Wow, I used to love those little morsels and I haven’t had them in ages so that’s why I thought it would be fun to put a twist on my Risotto Reuben Balls. It was a great idea too because the cream cheese lightens up the risotto balls and the jalapeno’s give it that something extra special!

You’ll be so happy when you make these homemade gourmet Arancini Reuben Balls with your left over St. Patrick’s Day corned beef. They freeze up really well too which will make for a nice little treat at a later date although I highly doubt you’ll have any left behind.

My thousand island dressing is fantastic as a dip for my baked sweet potato fries too. You might want some other appetizer’s to go along with the Risotto Reuben Balls like my crab cakes, or bloody Mary shrimp. You could even serve them as an appetizer to a homemade pasta dinner served with a Caesar Salad and some chocolate pecan pie for dessert! Hope you enjoy the show 🙂

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Risotto Ingredients and Directions – Total time to make approx. 30 minutes:

I halved my recipe specifically for the Arancini Reuben Balls but I usually make full a full recipe, double the amount below

1 cup Arborio Rice
3/4 cup finely chopped sweet onion
2 tbsp butter and a drizzle of olive oil
1/3 cup white wine
4 cups hot chicken broth – homemade or store bought
1/2 cup grated Reggiano Parmesano

Directions:

In small pot heat 4 cups chicken stock til simmering
Add onion to medium size pot to 1 tbsp. butter & sauté on low til soft
Stir in 1 cup Arborio rice and sauté til the rice looks chalky
Add in 1/3 cup white wineat a time, keep stirring, when wine is absorbed begin to add in 4 cups of simmering chicken stock ONLY 1/2 cup at a time-it will be approx 4 minutes for each addition
ONLY add in chicken stock when previously addition is completely absorbed while STIRRING all the time
Stir in 1 tbsp butter and 1/2 cup Reggiano Parmesano after the last of the chicken stock is absorbed, then let cool to make Arancini Reuben Balls.

Ingredients- Makes 20 – 1 1/2″ Arancini Balls:

1 1/4 cup diced into 1/4″ pieces of corned beef
2 cups cooked risotto (see below for recipe my recipe for risotto)
4 oz. softened cream cheese
1/4 cup grated and packed Jarlsberg swiss cheese
1/4 cup grated and packed mozzarella cheese
2 jalapeno’s finely diced and sauteed just til barely softened 2 minutes
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 lg eggs
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs

Directions for Arancini Reuben Balls:

Put all of the above ingredients into a large bowl and stir with spatula til mixed
Use cookie scoop and from balls, roll in hands after scooping to get nice and round
Whisk eggs in a med. bowl
Add bread crumbs to another and begin the dip formed risotto balls into egg and them into bread crumbs and place on dish
Put breaded risotto Reuben balls in frig for 20-30 minutes
When the Reuben balls are chilled heat 1/2″ vegetable oil in medium size pan and begin to heat on low for 5 minutes and then turn up to med/high to 350º
Add in Arancini Reuben Balls in 2 batches into hot oil
Fry for about 2 minutes and then turn over for another 2 minutes til golden
Remove to cookie rack covered with paper towels to absorb excess oil
Plate up Arancini Reuben Balls with my homemade gourmet thousand island recipe below 🙂

This Thousand Island Dressing is great on Reuben Wraps also

INGREDIENTS FOR THOUSAND ISLAND DRESSING:

1/2 cup Greek yogurt
2/3 cup Hellman’s mayonnaise
1/2 cup ketchup
1 Heaping tbsp finely chopped cornichons
1/3 cup sweet relish
1 Heaping tbsp grated sweet onion
1 Heaping tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
3 tbsp creamy horseradish
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp “seasoned” rice wine vinegar
1-3 dashes of Siracha

DIRECTIONS:

Put all ingredients into a large bowl and whisk til combined

Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing

February 8, 2021March 4, 2015 by Michel

Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing

I can’t think of anything more annoying then being out at a restaurant where they serve up a beautiful mescaline salad or heirloom tomatoes with blue cheese dressing from a bottle! My homemade gourmet blue cheese dressing recipe is gosh darn easy to make and all done in the food processor!

I have been making this homemade blue cheese dressing for over 20 years and it’s one of my favorite recipes. I love all blues whether they are pungent, and or creamy from Stilton, to Maytag, Danish, and Gorgonzola, and to die for sweet and creamy Cambozola. Last but not least is my Italian Gorgonzola Dolce which I make an incredible pasta sauce with (that’s not really “last” …the list of great blues goes on and on). Not to stray from the homemade blue cheese dressing recipe but you really ought to check out my gourmet Gorganzola Dolce Cream Sauce & Fresh Thyme that I serve on pasta or gnocchi featured on May 15, 2014 which you can make in 5 minutes blind folded!

The Chart House Restaurant makes one of my favorite blue cheese dressings and that’s where my recipe was hatched from. Of course, I changed up amounts, procedures and ingredients adding in several others until I got the taste I wanted and this is how I have been making it for over 20 years. My homemade blue cheese dressing is slightly chunky, on the creamier side where you sprinkle extra crumbled blue to the top of your salad at the end. The consistency is really a matter of personal preference. You can actually make it as smooth or chunky as you want by “pulsing” only when blending the ingredients in the food processor. You can also pulse til smooth in the food processor, then throw in a handful of crumbled blue and finish with a gentle mix using a spatula… it’s your prerogative to change it up how you see fit. I offer up the great list of ingredients and now you can be creative on texture!

buffdip I always make this dressing when I make my chicken wings or when I buy blue for my Buffalo Chicken Dip that’s always the first appetizer gone at my parties! Serving the blue cheese dressing up with the chicken wings and all of my favorite veggies on the side you can’t go wrong. Another great dinner idea would be layering grilled beef or chicken fillets, a couple of thickly sliced heirloom tomatoes, a drizzle of my homemade blue cheese dressing and a sprinkle of crumbled blue with crispy chunks of bacon on top of that … hot diggety! When you see how easy and crazy good this blue cheese dressing is you will never be happy with bottle again!

icemohito You may want to add in some other yummy appetizers like Homemade Salsa, or Spanakopita with Metaxa Mojito’s, and for an entré try Homemade Potato-Ricotta Gnocchi, easier than you think to make! You certainly shouldn’t forget dessert of Honey-Dripping Baklava or Death by Chocolate Meringue Pie! 🙂

cookedspan chcomerg

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup of Gorganzola, Danish or Maytag crumbling blue cheese
NOTE: lately I love using PRE-CRUMBLED Gorganzola or Blue Cheese, comes in a convenient plastic container
PLUS 1/3 cup blue cheese extra for mixing in after pureed and sprinkling on top for garnish when you plate the salads
1 cup Hellman’s mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1 tbsp each olive oil & “seasoned” rice wine vinegar
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 tsp Siracha
1 tsp Colemans Dry Mustard
1/4 tsp each salt & pepper
1 Recipe Buffalo Chicken Wings

DIRECTIONS:

Put all above ingredients into food processor except 1/3 cup blue cheese and pulse slowly for 15 seconds until you get the desired smoothness
Pour a medium size bowl, 2 tbsp of crumbled blue and sprinkle the rest on top

After all this cheesiness you may want to try my Perfectly Chocolate” Hershey Cakes, my chocolate crackle cookies, or chocolate pecan pie! YUM!

wholepiepecan

Cucumber Salad

March 16, 2019December 27, 2014 by Michel

Cucumber Salad

This homemade cucumber salad is my version of tzatziki sauce which is a Greek cucumber yogurt dip except I use 1/2 Greek yogurt and 1/2 sour cream. My mother has been making this dish since I was little although mine is a somewhat different version. You can have it as a side with lunch or dinner or even jazz up chicken and steak sandwiches or vegetarian dishes with humus and mango salsa and or guacamole…YUM! . It’s really refreshing and bright on your palate. The Vadalia onion, which is the sweetest, is a wonderful addition to a Tzatziki sauce and fresh dill is always best. The cucumber and onion can be grated instead of sliced to make it more of a sauce then a side dish.

I use thinly sliced cucumbers instead of grating here, garlic, onion and cumin granules in this gourmet sauce which really develop nicely in flavor as you let them sit for a bit. This homemade cucumber salad is certainly not for summer only! I promise you will be delighted with my cucumber salad recipe…let me know what you think. Enjoy.

Ingredients:

2 cucumbers peeled with thin stripes left on them (only 3 – 1/4 ” stripes) AND sliced PAPER thin on Mandolin or carefully with a knife
1 lg Vadalia onion sliced paper thin with mandolin or sharp knife
1/2 c. Greek yugurt
1/2 c. sour cream
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp seasoned rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp garlic granules
1 tsp onion granules
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt to release water from cucumbers and onions
s&p to taste at the end

Directions:

Put sliced cucumbers and onion into a lg Ziploc with 1/2 tsp salt and let sit for 1-2 hrs. or over night
Gently squeeze cucumber-onion mixture and drain liquid from Ziploc
Put into a lg mixing bowl with the next 8 ingredients like in photos
Mix with spatula
Add desired s&p
Can chill and serve or serve immediately …mangia mangia

Curry-Yogurt Dip

March 16, 2019May 12, 2014 by Michel

Curry-Yogurt Dip

This curry-yogurt dip is an elegant and refreshing way to have serve your vegetables. I really like this combination of the earthy asparagus and the lemony curry-yogurt dip. This dip was originally made with mayo only but mixing the two, half mayo and half yogurt gives you the best of both worlds. The creaminess from the mayo an the tang from the yogurt makes for a refreshing dip. The stalks on the asparagus are peeled with a potato peelers before you blanch them. This gives a vibrant green color and a nice feel when you bite into the asparagus not to mention putting in that little extra effort makes for a lovely presentation.

Ingredients:

1 asparagus recipe from sun-dried tomato aioli and asparagus
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 cup mayo
2 Tsp curry powder
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbps Rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp champagne vinegar
Juice from 1/4 lemon
A few dashes of Tabasco (optional)

Directions:

Place all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and whisk
Place into a small serving bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour to let the spices develop together
Serve with large room temperature asparagus

If you like this curry-yogurt dip & asparagus you may want to other apps like:

Vodka Sauce with Coconut Cream

October 28, 2022May 7, 2014 by Michel

Vodka Sauce with Coconut Cream

Who said homemade vodka sauce couldn’t be gluten free…well here it is and it tastes amazing! I came up with this recipe when I was catering. A few clients here and there want a penne alla vodka sauce dish that’s gluten free. So I make this vodka sauce exactly like the regular vodka sauce except I substitute the wheat penne pasta with rice penne pasta. And if they are lactose sensitive I switched out the heavy cream with coconut cream and coconut milk.

When making my vodka sauce I use my homemade gourmet tomato basil pasta sauce which I usually make the day before. If you like a thicker, chunkier texture to the sauce you would puree the first can with the sauteed vegetables and then other can you would pulse only a couple of times.

When you add in the vodka, the extra dry vermouth and the grated Reggiano Parmesan at the end it takes the Asian flair off it and transforms it into the Italian arena. I promise you will love this sauce and not think for a moment that it is even gluten free.

You can also watch my How To Make Vodka Sauce VIDEO by clicking here. This video adds shrimp at the end which you can omit or decide to add if you feel so inclined…it’s delicious!

INGREDIENTS:

1 can coconut cream OR 1 c. heavy cream
8 cups pasta sauce
(1 lb. raw, peel and de-veined extra large shrimp- if making with the shrimp)
1/2 cup vodka
1/4 cup extra dry vermouth or white wine
5 dashes or so of Siracha or your favorite hot sauce (optional)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 -3/4 cup of Reggiano Parmesan
Truffle oil (optional) (Star Fish Market has the best called La Truffiere Tartufo Bianco – a white truffle oil that’s amazing)
Red pepper flakes for garnish if you want more heat
1 lb. gluten free penne or rigatoni pasta

Directions:

Make 1 lb. of penne pasta or gnocchi
Pour the coconut cream into a sauce pan and turn on to medium heat whisking slightly to help loosen up coconut cream
Add tomato pasta sauce into the cream
Add S & P to taste (1/2 tsp salt)
Add 1/4 of the vodka and 1/4 cup vermouth or white wine
Simmer for about 10 minutes on low to let alcohol burn off
If having with shrimp add now…
Add the raw shrimp and bring to a simmer for 3 minutes more
You can add in a several dashes of Siracha or your favorite hot sauce here …it’s OPTIONAL
When reduced slightly take off the heat
Whisk in 1/2 -3/4 cup of Reggiano Parmesano
Pour pasta into a large serving bowl pour all but 1 CUP of sauce over pasta
Sprinkle with Parmesan and red pepper flakes
Put the extra sauce in a canning jar and into frig for reheating the next day if you have any pasta left over which most likely won’t be the case
Or you can just pop it into the freezer for a nice little dish at a later date …enjoy!

You may want to make one of these to go with your pasta: