My Dinners With Rachael

All good things

2010-01-19T19:24:00.002-06:00

Well. it has been awhile since I have last written off a meal i have cooked and sadly I have to say that I am ending My Dinners with Rachael for awhile. As some of my loyal readers know, I have been dieting for the last couple of years, and while I have lost over 250 pounds, it as been hard to diet, while cooking all of rachaels meals..........not that they are fattening.

With that said, I have enjoyed sharing my experinces in the kitchen, as I go through rachaels cookbooks, with you all and at some point, once i have dropped some more weight, I will be back...........me and my chief taste testers.......my cats.

Util then, everyone be well/

Passport to France

2009-11-19T21:34:00.002-06:00

Your everloving greened eyed chef here and as a few of my readers know, I had swine flu and have been trying to get over it. Pretty much gone except for a slight cough and just really tired. I was wanting to make something that would help in my recovery and remembered a show Rachael did where she made a great looking French Onion Soup, so i figured, hey why not.............

Ingredients
1 tablespoon evoo
2 tablespoons butter
6 medium onions, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup dry sherry
6 cups beef broth
4 thick slices crusty bread, toasted
2 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese

Heat a deep pot over medium to medium high heat. Work next to the stove to slice onions. Add oil and butter to the pot. Add onions to the pot as you slice them. When all the onions are in the pot, season with salt and pepper and 1 teaspoon fresh thyme. Cook onions 15 to 18 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender, sweet and caramel colored. Add bay leaf and sherry to the pot and deglaze the pan drippings. Add 6 cups broth and cover pot to bring soup up to a quick boil.

Arrange 4 small, deep soup bowls or crocks on a cookie sheet. Preheat broiler to high. Once soup reaches a boil, ladle it into bowls. Float toasted crusty bread on soup and cover each bowl with a mound of cheese. Sprinkle remaining fresh thyme on cheese and place cookie sheet with soup bowls on it under hot broiler until cheese melts and bubbles

The Verdict............well, I have to say this is a very tasty dish. the flavor was rich and the various ingredients really blended well together. I used broth for a more beefy flavor, but you could use beef stock too if you wanted less beef taste. You also could and roast to the soup as well for a bit more of a hearty dish.

The cats even got in on the acct, they all loved this dish and quickly lapped up a bowl. The dish took the full thirty mins to make, but is well worth the effort, so enjoy.

Quick Creamy Tomato Soup

2009-11-09T18:01:00.002-06:00

Well, your green eyed chef has been sick with the flu the last few days, but I am feeling much MUCH better, and needed to make something to eat and nothing makes me feel better when ill then soup. So I made Rachaels Quick Creamy Tomato Soup.

Ingredients
2 (15-ounce) containers, chicken or vegetable stock/broth (I used vegetable)
1 (28-ounce) can concentrated crushed tomatoes
1 cup heavy cream
Coarse salt and black pepper
20 leaves fresh basil, cut into chiffonade, for garnish
Soup toppers, for garnish(I used tortilla chips)

Combine broth and tomatoes in a medium saucepan over moderate heat. When soup bubbles, stir in heavy cream and reduce heat to low. Season with a little salt and pepper and simmer gently 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. With an immersion blender, puree soup. Serve bowls of soup with basil chiffonade and floating soup toppers.

The Verdict..........this was really good, I have not always been a fan of Tomato soup and was not sure going into this, exactly how it would turn out. Luckily, Rachael rarely steers me wrong and just to say again, this was good. I can also say this would go well with grilled cheese sandwiches......or sammy's as Rachael like to say. So enjoy.

Thanksgiving Leftovers

2009-10-31T23:29:00.004-05:00

Sorry it has been so long since my last post dear readers, so please forgive my missing a few posts.

With that said, I made quite a lovely little dish from Mrs. Rachael ray called Sausage, Kale and Cranberry Pasta...........

Ingredients
1 pound rigatoni
Salt
2 tablespoons EVOO
! pound Italian Sausage
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
3/4 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
3/4 cup dry red wine
1 1/4 pounds kale, stems removed and chopped
Black pepper
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup Romano cheese, 3 generous handfuls, plus some to pass at the table

Boil a large pot of water for the pasta. Add rigatoni and salt and cook to al dente or with a bite to it. Drain and reserve 2 ladles of pasta water.

While pasta cooks, heat evoo in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage, brown and crumble it, then add garlic and onions and cook until tender 5 to 6 minutes. Add cranberry sauce and wine and stir to combine then reduce a minute. Add kale in bunches and stir to wilt down. Add the reserved pasta water. Season the dish with salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste.

Add pasta to the pan with sausage and kale. Top pasta with cheese and toss with kale mixture to combine. Serve immediately with extra cheese for topping.

The Verdict.........why nothing short of awesome and of course I got two paws up from the cats, I think they ate more of this then I did. this was a very creative dish that had great flavor. I know when you first read the list of items, they might seem odd, but they blend well together.

Until tomorrow..........

small kitchen, big flavor

2009-10-20T20:05:00.002-05:00

Tonight was in the mood for mexican, so i made looked over a few of rachaels' offerings an decided on Taco Pockets.

Ingredients

1 1/3 pounds ground sirloin or ground turkey breast
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon (a palmful) ground cumin
1 tablespoon, (a palmful) dark chili powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper sauce
1 teaspoon (1/3 palmful) coarse salt,
1 tablespoon (1 turn around the pan) vegetable oil,
4(12-inch diameter) soft flour tortillas
1 cup mild taco sauce
1 heart of romaine lettuce, shredded
2 small plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 cups shredded monterey jack

Accompaniments:
Cut fresh seasonal vegetable pieces and strips
Assorted organic tortillas like blue corn, red corn or black bean
Prepared mild salsa, for dipping chips and vegetables, recipe follows

Combine ground meat with onion, garlic, spices, and salt and form 4 patties. Pan fry patties in 1 tablespoon oil over medium high heat for 7 minutes on each side.

To make a taco pocket, blister a flour tortilla on a hot griddle pan for 30 seconds on each side. Place tortilla on dinner plate and spread surface with 1 /4 cup mild taco sauce. Pile shredded lettuce, tomatoes and a handful of cheese in center of tortilla. Top veggies and cheese with cooked taco burger patty and wrap tortilla up and over patty on all four sides. Turn square pouch over and cut from corner to corner, making 2 taco pockets that will not crumble and drip like traditional tacos.

Serve taco pockets with cut fresh seasonal veggies, assorted tortilla chips and mild salsa for dipping.

So Mild Salsa:
1 tablespoon (1 turn around the pan) extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon (1/3 palmful) ground cumin
Salt and pepper
1 (15-ounce) can chunky-style crushed tomatoes
Heat a small saucepan over moderate heat and add oil, onions, peppers, and garlic. Season vegetables with cumin, salt, and pepper and cook for 5 minutes, until vegetables are just tender.

Remove the pan from heat and add canned tomatoes. Stir salsa to combine and transfer to a small serving bowl. Serve salsa at room temperature or chilled with veggies and assorted corn tortillas for dipping.

The Verdict...........the were awesome........fresh and very tasty.......even that cats gave this two paws up............I used ground turkey and te flavor was wonderful. This would be great item for a "taco bar" for a family get together or perhaps for having people over to watch the big game.

Until Tomorrow........

weekend celebration

2009-10-10T12:37:00.003-05:00

Well it has been a few days since your ever-lovin green eyed chef has prepared a dish, and for this I do apologize. But i am here and made Roast Pears with IceCream.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons softened butter
2 cans pear halves in syrup(can use canned, but I used fresh, it makes a difference)
1 lemon, zested and 4 lemon twists of rind
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 pieces crystallized ginger, chopped or grated
1 pint French vanilla ice cream

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the butter in the bottom of a shallow baking dish. Drain off 3/4 of the liquids from each can – pears should remain wet but not swimming in syrup. Add pears to the dish and season with lemon zest, nutmeg and crystallized ginger then roast 20 minutes. Serve warm pears with scoops of French vanilla ice cream on top, garnish with lemon twist.

The Verdict........this was a tasty dish, but not my favorite. It was nice, but to me pears are just not really a fruit to be served hot ala'mode, like say the apple or peach. Butt still it was tasty, but mot something I would probably serve at a dinner party.

Casual Treat

2009-10-03T21:30:00.002-05:00

Was not in the mood to make anything to difficult tonight, and was craving artichoke so I made Gorgonzola Spinach Artichoke Dip, it sounded like a warm filling treat for a chilly blustery fall day.

Ingredients
2 (10-ounce) boxes chopped frozen spinach
1 box frozen artichoke hearts
3 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch ground nutmeg, or to taste
1 cup Gorgonzola crumbles
1 1/2 cups shredded Asiago or Parmigiano-Reggiano
Pita crisps or Tortilla chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Defrost spinach 10 minutes on defrost setting in microwave then drain well by wringing out in dish towel. Defrost artichokes as well, 6 minutes on defrost in microwave then wring out and finely chop.

Heat a sauce pot with butter over medium to medium-high heat. Add garlic to melted butter and stir 1 to 2 minutes, then sprinkle in flour and combine 1 minute more. Whisk in stock and milk and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Thicken 2 minutes then remove from heat and melt in Gorgonzola. Stir in spinach and artichokes and half the shredded cheese then transfer to a small casserole and top with remaining cheese. Brown and bubble in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Serve pita crisps or Tortilla chips for dipping.

The Verdict.....pretty good dish, as good as any dip you get from many of the nations chain resturants, if not a little better. You could also use lowfat or nonfat items and this would still be really good.

I ended up with leftovers, so I will be serving this again during football tomorrow...GO NY JETS.......

Until tomorrow.............

Breakfast in Dublin

2009-09-29T04:36:00.002-05:00

Your everloving green-eyed chef could not sleep, so I got up and decided to cook breakfast. Looking over Rachaels offerings, Cream Eggs with Irish Cheese and Chives, caught my eye so I decided to give it a try.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small bits
8 large eggs
1/3 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper
1/2 pound Cheddar, shredded or diced
12 blades fresh chives, chopped

Heat a medium nonstick pan with butter over medium low heat.

Whisk eggs with cream and salt and pepper. Scramble eggs soft only, stir in cheese and chives and continue to cook a minute more then serve.

The verdict.......I liked these eggs and it only took about 6 mins to make. I am not sure if chedder is a 'irish' cheese, but the eggs were creamy and fluffy and really hit the spot. I had them over toast and it made for a delicious way to start the day. i could also see using sour cream instead of the cream, but that is just me.

As a side note, the cats liked these dish too :-)

Until Tomorrow.........

Simple Pleasures

2009-09-24T18:02:00.002-05:00

Today was a department wide "food-day" at work and it was a a typical one, where a few people took the time to prepare that perfect dish and the majority stopped at the store to buy a package of already made cookies or bread. A friend made a hotwing dip and as I sat at my desk surrounded by my grey cubicle walls, I thought about the effort she put into making the dip and how since she was making this herself, she wanted it to be perfect..........a perfect dish.........

This made my mind wonder to the part of the world where the people try to obtain perfection in all aspects of life........japan. In the quest for the perfect dish, no other place in the world quite reaches the zenith that japan strives for. It really is the little things that makes them stand out. With sushi, we Americans are thinking about the fish, but really it is the rice that is the most important part of sushi, so in japan, the rice must be perfect. It is this quest for perfection in the simplest of things that made me think, what of rachaels dishes would I consider, the perfect dish.............which dish, when cooked to it's perfect end, always puts a smile on the face of child and adult a like.......the it hit me......Grilled 4Cheese Sandwiches.........a good grilled cheese knows no equal among the young or old........a simple dish and yet prepared right, a dish that so much more then the sum of it's ingredients

Ingredients
2 tablespoons evoo
3 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic
8 slices crusty Italian semolina bread
1 cup shredded provolone
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano
1 cup shredded Asiago

In a small skillet over medium low heat, combine oil, butter and garlic. Cook garlic in butter and oil gently for 2 or 3 minutes. Remove garlic butter mixture from heat.

Place a large nonstick skillet on the stove over medium high heat. Using a pastry brush, brush 1 side of 4 slices of bread with garlic oil and place buttered side down in skillet. Top each slice with equal amounts of the 4 cheeses, distributing them equally over the 4 slices. Top each sandwich with another slice of bread brushed with garlic butter, buttered side up. Flip the grill cheese sandwiches a few times until cheeses are melted and gooey and bread is toasty and golden. Cut grilled 4 cheese sandwiches from corner to corner and serve.

The verdict..........perfection........I loved this particular cheese combination, it was savory, and had a wonderful aroma......this would go well with soup and you could even add some ham to this if you liked.

This would be the perfect item to eat after coming in from a cold, blustery winter day.

Until tomorrow.......

Apocalypse Wow

2009-09-20T20:37:00.002-05:00

Was in the mood for mexican, but with a twist, so I found Rachaels Vietnamese Burrito which upon first reading the recipe, it sounded like it would be fun to make.

Ingredients

Chicken filling:
26 ounces skinned, boneless chicken breasts
5 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon sugar
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks lemongrass, minced
1/2 cup soybean oil
1 tablespoon sesame seed oil
Fresh black pepper

Wrapping mixture:
10 large rice paper wrappers
1 package rice noodles, soaked in warm water until softened and drained
1 head romaine lettuce, cut into 3/4-inch lengths
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into thin strips
1/2 cup pickled daikon, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and sliced thinly
2 cups bean sprouts
1 bunch basil, cleaned and leaves picked
1 bunch mint , cleaned and leaves picked
1/2 bunch parsley, cleaned and leaves picked

Wash chicken breasts and pat dry. Combine all ingredients for the filling in a bowl, mix well and cover. Marinate for about 1 hour at room temperature. Preheat a grill. Grill chicken in pieces (cut to preference) until golden brown on both sides and cooked through.

Soak the wrappers, 1 at a time, in warm water until softened. Remove from the water and pat dry. Fill each wrapper with the chicken and all of the toppings. Roll the wrapper once over the filling. Tuck in the ends and roll completely. Press to seal. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling

The verdict.......Well this for me was a 60 min ,meal, since I had never made these before, it just seemed to take me forever..........but with that said, these were great and very filling. These are basically spring rolls if you have familiar with them. I used chicken thighs instead of chicken breast since I prefer a more tender cut. You could also use shrimp or pork instead of chicken, again just to repeat, these were very good.

Enternal Bliss

2009-09-18T10:53:00.003-05:00

On vacation today and was in the mood for something different for breakfast so I made Green Salad with Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette. I know it is an odd thing to make for breakfast, but like I said, youe everloving greeneyed chef was in an odd mood this morning.

Ingredients

2 teaspoons strawberry jam
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons evoo
Salt and pepper
1 pint strawberries, sliced
4 to 5 cups chopped romaine or mixed greens of any kind

Place jam in a medium bowl and whisk in vinegar then extra-virgin olive oil. Season the dressing with salt and pepper. Add the strawberries and greens to bowl and toss to coat evenly in dressing.

The Verdict........well, it took like 5 mins to make and it was really good. This was as good as any strawberry salad I have had out an any resturant. Very fresh and healthy. I could see adding some shredded mozzerella to this for some added flawor as well. This would make a wonderful first course for a dinner.

Until tomorrow.........

Soup's On Part Two

2009-09-12T13:00:00.002-05:00

Decided to make the second part of a soup and sandwich combo, so today it was Panini with Roasted Peppers. They are a rather healthy, low fat alternative to your average sandwich. Plus I love roasted peppers.

Ingredients
8 slices crusty Italian semolina bread
1 pound fresh or fresh smoked mozzarella, sliced
1 (8 to 10-ounce) container roasted peppers, drained
2 tablespoons green salad olives, sliced with pimientos
EVOO, for brushing

Make 4 sandwiches with the bread, cheese, roasted pepper, and a sprinkling of sliced olives; keep your ingredients in single layers.

Heat a nonstick griddle pan over medium heat.

Wrap a brick completely in foil.(I did not have a brick, so I used a heavy cast-iron skillet that I have and it worked just fine)

Brush sandwiches on both sides with oil. Place sandwiches on grill and top with the foil wrapped bricks. Use one brick per 2 sandwiches to weight down. Grill weighted sandwiches 3 minutes on each side. Split sandwiches corner to corner and serve.

The Verdict......I liked this sandwich alot, tasty and very easy to prepare, took me about 10 mins. For those who are not into the vegetarian thing, you could also add some canned chicken to this and I think it would be tasty too.

Until Tomorrow.........

Soup's On

2009-09-08T19:47:00.002-05:00

It was very cold today at work, as the air condition kept us all huddle together in our cubicles to try and stay warm. I think the brutal chill my job subjected me to, coupled with the quickly shortening daylight has put my in the mood for fall weather and with the chilly season almost upon us, I decided to make soup, specifically......Potato, Spinach and Tomato Soup.

Ingredients
3 cloves crushed garlic
1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons EVOO
2 quarts chicken broth
3 pounds all purpose potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 pound fresh spinach coarsely chopped
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, grated or ground
Salt and pepper
1 (28-ounce) can chunky-style crushed tomatoes or diced tomatoes in puree
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano

In a deep pot, saute garlic and onion in oil for 2 or 3 minutes. Add broth and bring liquid to a boil. As you slice potatoes, add them carefully to the broth. Cook potatoes 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The potatoes will begin to break up and thicken broth as the soup cooks. Stir in spinach in bunches as it wilts into soup. Season soup with nutmeg, salt and pepper, to your taste. Stir in tomatoes and heat through, 1 or 2 minutes. Remove pot from the stove to a trivet. Stir grated cheese into your soup and serve.

The Verdict.........I am a big fan of soup and being pretty much vegetarian, I use these ingredients a lot......with that said, this was a fantastic dish........the nutmeg added a unique and delicious flavor.

The cats even liked this one, as together they wiped out a bowl of this tasty treat.
I could see using pumpkin spice over nutmeg if you wanted, I could see that working really well. Also, being a single guy, I only used about 1/4th the ingredients, but wanted to provide the full recipe for those with families.

Until Tomorrow.......

Jackpot

2009-09-06T16:14:00.002-05:00

Well, I was in the mood for something a tad Mexican today, so i turned to rachaels Lucky 7 Layer Dip..........which I ate while watching Destination Truth.......Josh Gates....what a complete failure.

Ingredients
1 (15-ounce) can refried beans
2 tablespoons hot sauce
EVOO
4 scallions, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 (16 to 18 ounce) jar green chili or tomatillo salsa
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, a palm full, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can black beans
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 (16 to 18 ounce) jar chipotle salsa
2 cups sour cream
1 lime, zested and juiced
2 ripe avocados
1 lemon, juiced
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
Salt
2 plum tomatoes, diced
Pimiento stuffed jumbo Spanish olives, chopped
Tortilla chips

Heat refried beans in small nonstick pan over medium heat and season with hot sauce. Transfer the beans to a small, deep casserole dish. Scrape pan clean with rubber spatula and return to heat.

Add a little extra-virgin olive oil to the pan and raise heat to high. When the oil smokes, add the scallions and sear them, 2 to 3 minutes. Add green salsa to scallions and heat through. Add cilantro, remove salsa from heat, and layer on top of the beans.

Return the same pan to the stove, lower heat to medium and add black beans, heat through and season with cumin, layer on top of the green salsa.

Top the black beans with a layer of chipotle salsa. Mix sour cream the lime zest and juice and spread on top of the chipotle salsa.

Combine the meat of 2 ripe avocados with garlic, lemon juice, jalapeno and salt to form a chunky guacamole. Top the salsa with guacamole. Garnish the dip with the final layer of diced tomatoes and sliced olives.

The verdict.............it was pretty decent dip......not the best I have ever had, but it was good.......the only draw back is that it is pretty much all just mashed together and not really layered lookig, but again, for a party it would work just fine.

And Baby Makes Three

2009-09-04T20:53:00.002-05:00

Had to get back to my VegHead roots so tonight it was Orange Scented Broccoli and Cauliflower.........a couple of my fav vegetables.

Ingredients
1 head broccoli, cut into florets
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 navel orange, rind removed and reserved
Salt
3 tablespoons evoo
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 orange, juiced
Pepper
2 scallions, sliced

Bring a couple inches of water to boil in a large skillet and add the florets, orange rind and salt. Cover and simmer until tender, about 6 minutes. Drain broccoli and cauliflower, remove rind and transfer to a platter or bowl. Return pan to heat, add extra-virgin olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add shallots and cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add broccoli and cauliflower and turn to coat. Squeeze the orange juice over the pan and toss veggies again. Season the orange scented broccoli and cauliflower with salt and pepper, to your taste. Garnish with sliced scallions.

The Verdict.......this was a new combination of flavors for me. I have to admit the orange favor added a little extra something to this dish that I really enjoyed. I would never have thought of oranges with these other items, but it works well and i will make this again.

Until Tomorrow.......

Open All Night

2009-09-02T05:22:00.002-05:00

well, your ever loving green eyed chef, could not get to sleep last night.......I think because I have my fantasy football draft tonight(yes, I have a sport hobby outside of cooking)and it is quite stressful since it is basically the beginning of what always turns into another losing football season for me.

Anyway, around 2:30am I started craving a fruit and yogurt parfait from a local fastfood eatery but was too lazy to get dressed and drive myself there. So I looked in the fridge to see what I had and then looked through rachaels meals and found myself this quick and easy little gem.........Yogurt Crunch

Ingredients
6 cups vanilla yogurt
4 firm granola bars
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 pint strawberries, sliced with stems removed

Directions

Pour yogurt into a bowl. Add granola bars to a plastic food storage bag and crush. Add to yogurt along with nuts. Stir to combine all ingredients and transfer to cups. Top with strawberries and serve.

The verdict.......this quick and easy item(took less then 10 mins to make), really hit the spot and is pretty healthy to boot. Now I listed the entire recipe, but since I am cooking for one, I cut the ingredients down to about 1/5 the amounts.

For the granola bars, you could use whatever flavor you want, I used oats and honey and I also used toasted walnuts for the chopped nuts.

I also put the strawberries in the bowl first and use the yogurt mixture as a topping instead of what Rachael recommends.

But again, this was a great little item and can be used really for breakfast or dessert.

Until Tomorrow....................

Breakfast in Bed

2009-08-29T10:52:00.002-05:00

Decided to do "my breakfast with Rachael" instead of dinner, cause I was craving french toast or I guess "freedom toast" to appease my republican readers :-)

Now I am also going to include the Three Berry Compote portion since it is apart of the recipe, but I myself just topped my french toast with maple syrup, as I do not dig berries on pancakes or french toast.

Ingredients
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in a splash of water
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
8 slices stale white bread or 6 slices thick cut stale bread
Butter, for griddle pan
Warm maple syrup, powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar and/or fresh berries for topping

Preheat nonstick griddle or skillet over medium heat. Beat eggs very well, add sugar and beat again. Add cornstarch in water and beat that in, then add milk and nutmeg. Coat bread thoroughly in egg-milk mixture. Lightly butter hot pan with butter nested in paper towels. Add bread to the pan and cook slowly, 3 or 4 minutes on each side, 2 to 3 slices at a time. Serve hot with your favorite toppings or Three Berry Compote

Three Berry Compote:
1/2 cup sugar
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 cup water
1 pint strawberries, sliced
1 cup raspberries
1 cup blackberries
1/4 cup maple syrup or honey

Combine sugar, lemon and water in a small sauce pot. Over moderate heat, dissolve sugar into water. Stir in fruit, coating it in sugar water and bring the fruit and water to a bubble. Reduce heat and simmer 7 or 8 minutes. Remove fruit with a slotted spoon to a serving dish and add maple syrup or honey to the pan. Thicken syrup 5 minutes and pour over fruit. Serve with French toast, pancakes or waffles.

The Verdict........well first I have to say that I think this is the first of Rachaels items that did not call for EVOO, although I guess you could use it instead of butter on the griddle or frying pan in my case. But let me get back on point......this stuff rocked, it was crispy, flavorful, really sweet and really just perfect, so much that I might just make this again at dinner time tonight. To make this a bit healthier, i but you could use skim milk and egg beaters and I bit the great taste would not change at all.

Until Tomorrow......

Veggie Feast

2009-08-27T18:05:00.002-05:00

Felt like making soup tonight............so it's Pumpkin and Black Bean Soup.......sounded really interesting so here we go........

Ingredients
2 tablespoon evoo
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cups canned or packaged vegetable stock
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes in juice
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained
2 cans (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Coarse salt
20 blades fresh chives, chopped or snipped

Heat a soup pot over medium heat. Add oil. When oil is hot, add onion. Saute onions 5 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes, black beans and pumpkin puree. Stir to combine ingredients and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and stir in cream, curry, cumin, cayenne and salt, to taste. Simmer 5 minutes, adjust seasonings and serve garnished with chopped chives

The Verdict...........I like this flavor combination a lot, very tasty. I could also see thickening this with mashed potatoes, but overall i like this soup. cats on the other hand smelled it and slowly backed away, but hey, can't win the all.

Until tomorrow.......

I am back with a Southwestern Brunch

2009-08-25T20:40:00.002-05:00

Well, your ever-lovin green eyed chef is back from Eureka Springs and is well rested. I had a blast roaming among the hippie crowd looking at art and I even took some time to do a little fishing. I saw more wildlife then I have ever seen before.....I even found an old hummingbird feeder and got the thing up and running and damn if like 100 hummingbirds showed up all the time...........really kind of cool to see.

Anyway after a long drive back, i was really hungry so i made Roasted Red Pepper and Potato Egg Pie.

Ingredients
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and halved
1/2 cup evoo
2 medium Russet potatoes, peeled and halved, then thinly sliced across into half moons
1 small onion, halved, then very thinly sliced
1 small brown paper sack
8 large eggs, beaten
Salt and pepper

Preheat broiler to high. Place red pepper halves on a cookie or baking sheet. Place peppers under broiler and allow the skins to blacken all over, about 10 minutes.

While peppers are working, heat about 1/4 cup evoo in a medium nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add sliced potatoes and fry in oil until they begin to become tender, 5 minutes. Add onions and cook 5 minutes more. Remove potatoes and onions to a bowl using slotted spoon. Wipe out pan, return pan to heat and add remaining oil. Reduce heat to medium. Remove peppers from broiler. Leave broiler on. Place peppers in a brown paper sack and seal sack tightly. Allow peppers to stand and cool for a couple of minutes. Peel away charred skin and slice. Add peppers to potatoes and onions. Add beaten eggs to cooked vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Add mixture to the pan and cook until eggs settle and brown on the bottom. Transfer pan to broiler and allow the egg pie to brown on top and puff up.

Slide pie out of the pan and on to a serving plate. Cool slightly, then cut into 8 wedges and serve

The verdict..........well for starters the cats liked this.........but they have always had a very Pro-Egg stance, so no shock here. As for me, I thought this was a really flavorful dish, hearty, filling and the perfect dish when you are hungry yet wanting to stay healthy. The only thing I could see adding would maybe be sprinkling some cheese on top, like a Monterrey jack or Colby would work best.

Kudos to rachael on this one.

Until Tomorrow............

Vacation

2009-08-21T22:21:00.003-05:00

Just a short note that I am leaving on vacation and will not be back util next tuesday evening...........but i will be cooking rachael meals while down at Eureka Springs...............that's right your ever loving green-eyed checf is heading off the Hillbilly country....................anyway I will be jotting down notes on the meals I make, so i will be back with a multi post blog tuesday night.........unless something happens to me while in the backwoods of eureka.................on the plus side, the police will easily identify my body, cause I will be the only one wearing shoes:-)

Later Taters..........

tasty and guilt free

2009-08-20T20:36:00.002-05:00

Only need to make a dessert tonight and I wanted something light, so I made, Melon with Berries and Sorbet. Low fat and low cal.

Ingredients
1 cantaloupe, quartered and seeded
1 pint mango or strawberry sorbet
1/2 pint raspberries
1/2 pint strawberries, sliced
2 teaspoons sugar

Cut a thin piece of the skin off of the back of each wedge of melon to give the melon sections stability. Top each melon boat with a scoop of mango or strawberry sorbet. Toss berries with a little sugar and spill them down and over the sorbet and melon

The Verdict.........ok it's not the crustfree apple pie from the other night, nor is it chocolate cake..........but it is still pretty damn good and more importantly, it is healthy, so enjoy.

Until Tomorrow............

Holiday from being a veghead

2009-08-19T19:15:00.002-05:00

Well I was asked to make a non vegetarian dish, so that is what I am doing........Stuffed Steak with Prosciutto and Spinach.........I remember watching rachael make this one and always thought that it diid look fantastic.

Ingredients
1 (10-ounce) package chopped frozen spinach
3 tablespoons EVOO
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 small onion, chopped
1/2 small red bell pepper, 1/4 chopped, 1/4 cut into thin strips, for garnish
2 ounces prosciutto (about 3 to 4 slices), cut into ribbons
Coarse salt
Black pepper
1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano
2 pound eye round roast
Re-sealable plastic bag

Defrost spinach in microwave. Wrap in clean kitchen towel and wring chopped spinach dry.

Place a large skillet on the stove over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil-to hot skillet. Add garlic to oil. Add onion and red pepper, cook 1 minute. Lower heat to medium. Add the prosciutto and the spinach. Season with salt and pepper. Add bread crumbs and cheese to spinach. Turn off heat. Let stuffing cool.

To create the cavity for the stuffing, use a long sharp knife (like a boning knife), and cut a 1 to 2-inch hole through the center of the roast making a lengthwise slit. Turn the meat around and cut another slit in the same spot so that your knife completes the cavity. Insert a wooden spoon into the cavity to make sure the hole is even and goes all the way through.

Put the cooled filling in a re-sealable plastic bag and snip a hole in the corner of the bag. Pipe the filling into the cavity. You may need to push it along with your fingers to make sure that it goes all the way through.

Preheat nonstick skillet over high heat. Cut the roast into 6 even slices, being careful to keep the stuffing in each slice. Add 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil to the pan. Season the steaks with salt and pepper and sear in hot, nonstick skillet, 2 minutes on first side. Flip the steaks and sear for an additional 2 minutes then lower the heat to medium-high and cook until done (about 3 to 4 more minutes). Garnish with thinly sliced red pepper.

The Verdict.......this was great, even a vegetarian can admit that meat is good....for those readers who are not around a well stock grocer, if you cannot really find prosciutto, then bacon would work just as well. I would also say youy can use a flank or skirt steak too instead of round.

Also, the cats loved this, and I think from thier meows, that they are requesting seconds.

Until tomorrow........

Fillin' Groovy

2009-08-18T20:27:00.002-05:00

Ate a salad at Panera Bread tonight, but was in the mood for some dessert, so I was loooking through few of rachaels recipes and found Apples, No Pie, a la Mode. Now normally my favorite part of Apple pie with vanilla ice cream is the hot pie crust mixed with the cold ice cream....all I can say is YUMMY.....so a crust less pie i figure would be a tad different.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter
1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated or minced
3 Golden Delicious apples, quartered, cored and sliced
2 teaspoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 pint vanilla ice cream
1 canister whipped cream

Heat a skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the ginger and apples to warm butter, squeeze a little lemon juice over the pan and saute 4 to 5 minutes. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg to the apples and cook another 2 minutes. Spoon apples into dessert dishes and top with ice cream and whipped cream. Garnish whipped cream with a pinch more cinnamon or nutmeg.

The Verdict.......well if you read the list if ingredients, you could tell that there was NO WAY, that this would be bad and it was not. This was hot and delicious.

It was quick to make, I did cut the apples a bit smaller then Rachael called for, but it would not make a difference how you cut them.......this was DA BOMB.

Karen, since you will read this, you need to make this for your family THIS WEEKEND, and when they say "thanks mom this is great", you can say "don't thank me, thank the everloving green eyed chef from My dinners with Rachael"

Until Tomorrow.....................

Stay the Course

2009-08-16T16:24:00.002-05:00

Well, I was told at work by a friend that I had been slipping in my posting, and i have.........it is true. I explained that I have been dating and just not been able to cook at home, but today I am back on course and decided to make something that sounded rather different from Rachael...........Stuffed Roasted Strawberries.

Ingredients

12 extra-large strawberries (the bigger the better:-)

1 to 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1 teaspoon sugar, optional

Spray whipping cream

Cocoa powder, for garnishing

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Slice the tops of the berries off just below the stem. Cut the tips off (about 1/4-inch), so that the berries will sit upright. Next, use a small spoon or a melon ball scoop to hollow out the strawberries, working from their tops, in order to create a cavity in each one. Stuff some chocolate into the cavity of each strawberry and place them upright in a baking dish. Lightly sprinkle the berries with sugar, if using. Roast the berries until soft and the chocolate is melted, about 10 to 12 minutes.

To serve, place 3 strawberries on a dessert plate in a triangle. If the berries have given off liquid in the baking dish, spoon it over them. Spray a small mound of cream in the center of the berries, and top each berry with a rosette of cream. Sift a little cocoa powder over the plate, and serve!!!!

The verdict.......well, I have eaten chocolate dipped strawberries and thought they were ok, nothing fantastic, just ok..........but these were really REALLY good. It took some looking to find the massive strawberries needed but it was worth it.....plus this is a low fat and low calorie dessert, so over all this was a great dish.

Until Tomorrow...........

Hearty Fare

2009-08-11T20:01:00.002-05:00

Just made a snack dish tonight Roasted Garlic, Feta and Walnut Dip, Toasted Flat Bread. Sounded tasty..........also i was watching a new thirty min meals with rachael, and I think she has put on a little weight.....now all my readers do not get angry, she still looks cute as a bug in a rug......I just notice stuff like that, anyway on to the dish.

Ingredients
1 medium bulb garlic, end cut off, 1 clove reserved
1 tablespoon evoo, plus some for drizzling
1 cup walnut halves, toasted
1 1/2 cups feta cheese, crumbles
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, a handful of leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 large clove garlic, reserved from above, cracked away from skin
4 flat breads or pitas, cut into wedges and toasted

Preheat oven or toaster oven to highest setting. Pour oil over cut side of garlic bulb and rub into skin. Double wrap garlic in foil and roast 20 to 25 minutes in toaster oven or hot conventional oven.

Combine walnuts, feta, milk, oregano, parsley, black pepper, red pepper and garlic clove in food processor and pulse process until spread is smooth. Scrape spread into serving dish with spatula. Drizzle dip with evoo and serve.

When you remove garlic from the oven, turn heat off. Arrange triangles of cut pita or flat brad on a small tray or cookie sheet. Place bread into the hot toaster oven or conventional oven. The bread will be warmed through and lightly toasted in 5 minutes

The Verdict..........this was very tasty as is most of rachaels recipes. I could see using plain yogurt instead of milk if you wanted to make the dip a little creamier. The feta and walnuts made a nice flavor together, so I say make this dear reader at your next party or get-together.

Until Tomorrow...........