Wednesday, June 19, 2019

Cherry Tomato Mozzarella Saute



This is a side dish from the Southwest. It  is fast to fix and full of flavor. The mix of cherry tomatoes and mozzarella pairs well with almost any main dish you can think of.

Seriously...I've never had this before...but it looks delish...I think you should trust the recipe. It's really quite simple.


INGREDIENTS:

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/4 cup chopped shallots

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme

1 garlic clove, minced

2-1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese cut into 1/2-inch cubes

DIRECTIONS:

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat;

 saute shallots with thyme until tender.

Add garlic; cook and stir 1 minute.

Stir in tomatoes, salt and pepper; heat through.

Remove from heat; stir in cheese.

It can't get any simpler than that....

Enjoy!  Eat Well My friends!

Tuesday, June 18, 2019

Pangratto Pasta with Pepperoni

Author Emily C. says Blanket your pasta in hearty, spicy, fiery-red pepperoni pangrattato. It's my totally unorthodox version of the classic Italian garnish. The whole dish comes together easily: Make the pangrattato while the water heats. Prepare the sauce while the spaghetti cooks. Top each bowl with the spicy crumbs. In under 20 minutes, dig in at the table.


INGREDIENTS:

For the pasta:

 Kosher salt

12 ounces spaghetti

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

3 tablespoons lemon juice, divided

1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving


For the Pepperoni Pangrattato:

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 1/2 ounces pepperoni (either pre-sliced or the type sold in sticks), medium chop

1/2 cup panko Lemon zest from 1 large lemon

1/3 cup finely chopped parsley (well-dried to keep the crumbs crispy)

DIRECTIONS:

Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil.

1.Add 2 tablespoons salt and spaghetti; cook until al dente according to package directions. (Note that you'll reserve the pasta water; see step 4.)

2. While the water is heating, make the pangrattato: Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the pepperoni. Cook, stirring, until it starts to render its fat, about 1 to 2 minutes, then add the panko. Stir to evenly coat the panko in the rendered fat. Continue cooking until the crumbs are golden brown and the pepperoni is crispy, about 4 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the lemon zest and parsley.

3.While the spaghetti cooks, prepare the sauce: heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, cooking until pale golden, about 2 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high; add 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1/2 cup water to the pan. Cook 2 to 3 minutes longer, or until the volume has reduced by half.

4.Using tongs or a pasta ladle, transfer the spaghetti directly into the skillet. Add the Parmesan and toss again.

And there you have it...Enjoy!  Eat well my friends!


5.Serve in bowls and top with the pepperoni pangrattato and more Parmesan, if desired.

Friday, June 14, 2019

Chicken Fajitas.

It's been a few weeks hasn't it? Well I'm back...with a nice easy summer meal choice... Fajiatas are the perfect weeknight dinner. Minimal prep and minimal cook time means these can be on your table FAST. Feeling lazy AF? These Slow-Cooker Chicken Fajitas are even less work! Check it out..


INGREDIENTS:

 For the marinade

1/2c. plus

1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1/4c. lime juice, from about 3 limes 2tsp. cumin

1/2tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

 1lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3 bell peppers, thinly sliced

1 large onion,

thinly sliced Tortillas, for serving ..


DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl, whisk together 1⁄2 cup oil, lime juice, cumin, and red pepper flakes.

Season chicken with salt and pepper, then add to bowl and toss to coat.

Let marinate in the fridge at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.


When ready to cook, heat remaining tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Add chicken and cook until golden and cooked through, 8 minutes per side.

Let rest 10 minutes, then slice into strips.


Add bell peppers and onion to skillet and cook until soft, 5 minutes.

 Add chicken and toss until combined.

Serve with tortillas .

And there you have it...Enjoy!  Eat Well My Friends!

Food Safety Tips
Protect yourself against food-borne illnesses.


1. Use a "refrigerator thermometer" to keep your food stored at a safe temperature (below 40 degrees fahrenheit).

Cold temperatures slow the growth of bacteria. Ensuring that your refrigerator temperature stays at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or colder is one of the most effective ways to reduce your risk of food-borne illness. You can buy a refrigerator/freezer thermometer at appliance stories, home centers (i.e. Home Depot), and kitchen stores including online ones, such as Cooking.com.

2. Defrost food in the refrigerator, the microwave, or in cold water... never on the counter!

Perishable foods should never be thawed on the counter for longer than two hours because, while the center of the food may remain frozen, the outer surface may enter the Danger Zone, the range of temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees fahrenheit, in which bacteria multiply rapidly. If you’re short on time, use the microwave or you can thaw meat and poultry in airtight packaging in cold water. Change the water every half-hour so it stays cold and use the thawed food immediately.

3. Always use separate cutting boards for raw meat/poultry/fish and cooked foods/fresh produce.

Bacteria from uncooked meat, poultry, and fish can contaminate cooked foods and fresh produce. An important way to reduce this risk is to use separate cutting boards for raw meat/poultry/ fish, and cooked foods/fresh produce.

4. Always cook meat to proper temperatures, using a calibrated instant-read thermometer to make sure.

One effective way to prevent illness is to use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of meat, poultry, and egg dishes. The USDA Recommended Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures are as follows:

* Beef, veal, and lamb (steaks and roasts), fish - 145 degrees fahrenheit

* Pork and ground beef - 160 degrees fahrenheit

* Poultry - 165 degrees fahrenheit.

Cook meats like roasts and steaks to lower temperatures, closer to medium-rare, so that they retain their moisture. It is recommended that those who are at high risk for developing food-borne illness (i.e. pregnant women and their unborn babies, newborns, young children, older adults, people with weakened immune systems, or certain chronic illnesses) should follow the USDA guidelines.

5. Avoid unpasteurized/raw milk and cheeses made from unpasteurized milk that are aged less than 60 days.

Raw milk is milk from cows, sheep, or goats that has not been pasteurized (heated to a very high temperature for a specific length of time) to kill harmful bacteria that may be present. These bacteria, which include salmonella, E. coli and listeria, can cause serious illness and sometimes even death. The bacteria in raw milk can be especially dangerous to pregnant women, children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems or chronic illnesses. Raw milk cheeses aged 60 days or longer are okay, since the salt and acidity of the cheese-making process make for a hostile environment to pathogens.

6. Never eat "runny" eggs or foods, such as cookie dough, that contain raw eggs.

Even eggs that have clean, intact shells may be contaminated with salmonella, so it’s important to cook eggs thoroughly until both the yolk and the white are firm. Casseroles and other dishes containing eggs should be cooked to 160 degrees fahrenheit and you can use an instant-read food thermometer to check. Eggs should always be cooked fully and those who are at high risk for developing foodborne illness (pregnant women and their unborn babies, newborns, young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems or certain chronic illnesses should follow the USDA guidelines. If you can’t resist runny eggs or sampling cookie batter, use pasteurized eggs. They’re found near other eggs in large supermarkets.

7. Always wash your hands in warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds before handling food and after touching raw meat, poultry, or eggs.

You can pick up a lot of bacteria out in the world, so it’s important to always wash your hands before you eat or prepare food. You should also wash your hands after touching any uncooked meat, poultry, fish, or eggs, as the bacteria from these foods can contaminate cooked foods and fresh produce. Use soap and warm water and wash thoroughly for at least 20 seconds.

8. Always heat leftover foods to 165 degrees fahrenheit.

The USDA recommends heating all cooked leftovers to 165 degrees fahrenheit in order to kill all potentially dangerous bacteria.

9. Never eat meat, poultry, eggs, or sliced fresh fruits and vegetables that have been left out for more than two hours or more than one hour in temperatures hotter than 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you leave perishable foods out of the refrigerator or freezer for more than two hours they may enter the Danger Zone—the unsafe temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, in which bacteria multiply rapidly.

10. Whenever there’s a food recall, check products stored at home to make sure they are safe.

You should discard any food that’s been recalled because it’s associated with the outbreak of a food-borne illness. But, according to a survey conducted by Rutgers University during the fall of 2008, only about 60% of Americans search their homes for foods that have been recalled because of contamination. For more information on food recalls, visit the website Recalls.gov






Cavier & Vodka
Courtesy of The Lady (Bug) of the Household