Garlic & Herb Standing Rib Roast

Hey People...It's been awhile hasn't it?   Yeah...I've been busy...Anyway...I've got a delightful and delicious new recipe for you....Garlic & Herb Standing Rib Roast...
An alternative holiday meal...

A standing rib roast makes a grand statement at the table. You do not need to ask your butcher for a frenched roast (one that has had the meat stripped from the bones); A regular standing rib roast will work just as well.


INGREDIENTS:



1 (5-pound) standing rib roast, trimmed Cooking spray

 1 1/2 tablespoon(s) chopped fresh thyme

1/2 teaspoon(s) salt

1/4 teaspoon(s) freshly ground black pepper

 4 clove(s) garlic, minced Parsley sprigs (optional)

Roasted garlic heads (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Place roast on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Combine thyme, salt, pepper, and 4 garlic cloves; rub over roast. Bake at 450 degrees F for 45 minutes.
3. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F (do not remove roast from oven). Bake roast at 350 degrees F for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a thermometer registers 145 degrees F (medium-rare) or until desired degree of doneness. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing. Garnish with parsley and roasted garlic, if desired.

What do you think?  Pretty fly eh?

ENJOY!  Eat well my friends.

Cincinatti Chilli

With just a few days before Thanksgiving...You would wonder why am I even thinking about anything other than Turkey and other thanksgiving related dishes wouldn't you?  Well, look...you all will have a whole weekend to indulge in those type of things....but tonight!!! Tonight, maybe you want to chill a little with something different... Cincinatti Chilli.

Cincinnati has a unique spin on chili — they serve it over spaghetti. Typically the chili is just made with meat, no beans, but we couldn't resist adding beans to add fiber and nutrients. Serve with sliced cucumber and red onion with lemon juice and olive oil.


INGREDIENTS:
8 ounce(s) whole-wheat spaghetti

1 tablespoon(s) extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound(s) (90-percent or leaner) lean ground beef

1 medium onion, diced

2 tablespoon(s) chili powder

1/2 teaspoon(s) ground cinnamon

1 can(s) (15-ounce) crushed tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted

1 can(s) (14-ounce) reduced-sodium beef broth

1 can(s) (15-ounce) kidney beans, rinsed

1/2 cup(s) chopped fresh cilantro, divided

DIRECTIONS:
Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef, onion, chili powder, and cinnamon. Cook, stirring and breaking up lumps with a spoon, until the onion is beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a lively simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce is thickened, about 15 minutes.

Stir beans and all but 2 tablespoons cilantro into the sauce. Cook, stirring, until heated through, about 1 minute more. Serve the chili over the pasta. Garnish with the remaining cilantro.

Yields: 4 servings, about 1 1/4 cups pasta and 1 1/4 cups chili each

Total Time: 35 min

Prep Time: 20 min

ENJOY!.....Eat well my friends!

Apple Blintz

Dessert time again!  I just have a sweet tooth...Either that or I want to try bold new foods for breakfast...I think it's a little of both....Here is my recipe for Apple Blintzes.

These sweet little pies have a lovely filling that combines tart and sweet apples with farmer cheese and cinnamon.

INGREDIENTS: 

• 1 1/2 tablespoon(s) all-purpose flour
• All-purpose flour, for dusting
• 1 pound(s) all-butter puff pastry
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and coarsely grated
• 1 Pink Lady apple, peeled and coarsely grated
• 3 tablespoon(s) sugar
• Sugar, for dusting
• 1/2 cup(s) farmer cheese
• 1/8 teaspoon(s) cinnamon
• 1 pinch(s) salt
• 1 large egg, beaten

DIRECTIONS:

1. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry to a 12- by 16-inch rectangle and cut out twelve 4-inch squares. Transfer the squares to a baking sheet and freeze until firm, 10 minutes. In a bowl, toss the apples with the sugar, farmer cheese, cinnamon, salt, and 1 1/2 tablespoons of flour.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Brush the edges of the squares with the egg and mound 2 tablespoons of the apple filling on each one. Fold to form triangles and press to seal. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.
3. Using a fork, crimp the edges of the triangles. Brush the tops with egg and sprinkle with sugar. Cut 3 small slits in each to release steam. Bake until golden and crisp, about 30 minutes, shifting the pans halfway through. Let cool, then serve.

Enjoy! EAT WELL MY FRIENDS!

Whole Wheat Penne Pasta with Sausage & Broccolli

Here is a nice pasta dish that will set off your evening quite nicely.....Best thing about it...It's a one dish meal that features meat and veggies and a starch all in one.

INGREDIENTS:

12 ounce(s) whole wheat penne pasta

 1 large bunch broccoli, cut into florets

12 ounce(s) hot Italian turkey sausage

1 pint(s) grape tomatoes, each cut in half

1/2 cup(s) (loosely packed) fresh basil leaves, chopped

1/4 cup(s) freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

DIRECTIONS:
Heat large saucepot of salted water to boiling on high. Add pasta and cook as label directs, adding broccoli when 3 minutes of cooking time remain. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water; drain pasta and broccoli.

Meanwhile, thinly slice sausage on the diagonal. In 12-inch nonstick skillet, cook sausage on medium 7 to 8 minutes or until it begins to brown, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes and cook 5 minutes longer, stirring.

Stir pasta, broccoli, and 1/4 cup pasta cooking water into sausage mixture in skillet; heat through, adding additional cooking water if needed. Remove from heat; stir in basil and cheese.

Have a glass of wine with this-

Enjoy! Eat Well My Friends!

Marmalade Glazed Orange Cheese Cake

Now that the election is over and it's time indeed to move on....can we all just .......Have a nice dessert?? and maybe some coffee, regardless of your political persuasion and just chill out???  That's a rhetorical question and I already fear the answer....but I am going to post a peaceful, time out dessert for a nice afternoon for you to offer as a peace offering for your friends who may have a different political opinion from yours...Marmalade Glazed Orange Cheese Cake.

This showpiece cheesecake celebrates one of this time of year's brightest gifts: the orange. It is exceptionally rich and creamy-tasting, but lower in saturated fat than a traditional cheesecake. The secret is to replace most of the cream cheese with pureed cottage cheese. Be sure to let the food processor do its job and process the cottage cheese until it has a silky texture. I'm not a big cheesecake eater, but even I liked this.


INGREDIENTS:

 

• 20 : vanilla snaps or wafers (see Ingredient note)
• 1 tablespoon(s) canola oil
• 2 1/2 cup(s) low-fat (1%) cottage cheese
• 12 ounce(s) reduced-fat cream cheese (not nonfat), cut into pieces
• 2/3 cup(s) granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup(s) packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup(s) cornstarch
• 1 large egg
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 cup(s) nonfat or low-fat plain yogurt
• 4 teaspoon(s) freshly grated orange zest
• 2 tablespoon(s) orange juice
• 1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoon(s) orange marmalade
• 2 tablespoon(s) orange liqueur or orange juice
• Mint sprigs

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Put a kettle of water on to boil for the water bath. Wrap the outside of the pan with a double thickness of foil.
2. To prepare crust: Grind vanilla snaps in a food processor. Add oil and process until the crumbs are moistened. Press crumbs evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
3. To prepare filling: Puree cottage cheese in a food processor (use a clean workbowl) until smooth, scraping down the sides once or twice. Add cream cheese, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cornstarch. Process until very smooth. Add egg, egg whites, yogurt, orange zest, orange juice, and vanilla; process until smooth. Pour over the crust.
4. Place the cheesecake in a shallow roasting pan and pour in enough boiling water to come 1/2 inch up the outside of the springform pan. Bake until the edges are set but the center still jiggles when the pan is tapped, 50 to 60 minutes.
5. Turn off the oven. Spray a knife with cooking spray and run it around the inside edge of the pan. Let the cheesecake stand in the oven, with the door ajar, for 1 hour. Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and remove the foil. Refrigerate, uncovered, until chilled, about 2 hours.
6. To glaze and garnish cheesecake: Shortly before serving, combine marmalade and orange liqueur (or juice) in a small saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring, until melted and smooth. Place cheesecake on a serving platter and remove pan sides. Brush glaze over the top of the cheesecake. Make a slit in each orange slice, then twist and wrap it into a rosette. Garnish cheesecake with the orange rosettes and mint.

(Don't Sweat The) Tips & Techniques:

 Make-Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 5. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Ingredient Note: To avoid trans fats, look for wafers without hydrogenated canola oil, such as My-Del Vanilla Snaps (found in natural-foods stores and large supermarkets).

Have a cup of coffee with this!


Enjoy, Eat and drink well my friends!

Liver And Onions

Years ago....my fiance, now my lovely wife of 24 years cooked a meal for me... Liver and Onions was the meal.  Now I had eaten liver and onions in the school cafeteria and in the Air Force for years and it had been the kind of meal that I could take or leave, but when she made it for me...It was extra specially good.. They say that love mixed with anything makes it better...perhaps, but here is a recipe for Liver and Onions...

(Note: It'll never taste as good as my wife's...but you can try! LOL!)


INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound sliced liver, half inch thick
• 2 large onions
• 1 teaspoon chopped marjoram
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon parsley flakes
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• ice cold milk

Cooking Utensils:

1 large heavy or cast iron skillet

1 small mixing bowl

1 medium food storage container

1 measuring spoons

DIRECTIONS:

As always the key to great cooking is to be prepared and to use quality ingredients.

1. Prepare your liver 1-hour before cooking.
2. Rinse sliced liver under cold running water and place in ice-cold milk for about 40 minutes.
3. Peel and slice onions, then set aside.
4. In a small mixing bowl combine together chopped marjoram, thyme, parsley flakes, seasoned salt, prepared mustard and black pepper. Crush and mix all of the ingredients together to form your seasoning mixture.
5. After about 40 minutes, remove sliced liver from milk and pat dry with paper towels. Coat each piece of liver first with seasoning mixture and then with flour.
6. Heat vegetable oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the liver to your desired doneness.
7. Removed cooked liver and place on a warmed plate until onions are done. Place onions into skillet, season with salt and pepper and brown, turning occasionally.

Enjoy! Eat Well My Friends