Blueberry Almond Baked Oatmeal

Couldn't let the month go out without one sweet treat....Check this out!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Weis Quality Non-Stick Cooking Spray

• 3 cups Old Fashioned Quaker Oats

• 1/2 cup milled flaxseed

• 3/4 cup sliced almonds, divided

• 2 tsp. Weis Quality Ground Cinnamon

• 1 tsp. Weis Quality Iodized Salt

• 2 large Weis Quality Eggs

• 2 1/2 cups Weis Quality 1% Milk

• 1/3 cup Golden Blossom Honey

• 2 tsp. Weis Quality Pure Vanilla Extract

• 1 cup frozen Weis Five Star Blueberries (unthawed) or fresh blueberries

DIRECTIONS:

 1.     Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with non-stick spray.
2.      In a large bowl, stir the oats, flaxseed, ½ cup almonds, cinnamon and salt together to blend; set aside.
3.     In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, honey and vanilla; add to oat mixture and stir to combine.
4.     Gently fold in the blueberries.
5.     Pour mixture into the baking pan; sprinkle evenly with reserved almonds and bake 30 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
6.     Serve warm or cool thoroughly and cut into single-serve bars.

Now you know what I say...Wash this down with a cold glass of milk-

Enjoy! Eat well my friends!

Cheesey Pesto Grits

I really had to do my research to find this recipe....It's a new take on an old favorite..Grits.....

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 (2 lb) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
• 3 cups water
• 1 cup cornmeal or instant polenta
• 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons store-bought pesto
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• salt and black pepper
• steamed baby broccoli, to serve

DIRECTIONS:

• Place the squash in a roasting pan and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Place in a preheated oven, at 400°F, for 20–22 minutes, until tender.
• 2Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a skillet, add the onion and sage, and season with salt and black pepper, then cook over low heat for 16–18 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden.
• 3In a separate saucepan, bring the water to a boil, then add the cornmeal or polenta in a steady stream, whisking continuously. Simmer over low heat for 10–12 minutes, until bubbling and cooked.
• 4Remove the squash from the oven, add the pine nuts, and coarsely mash with a fork. Stir the butter, pesto, cheese, onions, and squash into the grits, then serve with broccoli.

What do you think of that? Huh? I'm going to do something here I've never done before...If any of you are reading this and try it...Please write me back and tell me how it was...


 Enjoy! Eat and Drink Well My Friends!

Bi-Partisan Cookie

Just what is the bipartisan cookie? Will members of Congress be eating it this winter?  Just joking...Why don't we look into this recipe and you decide for yourself-

INGREDIENTS:

• 1-1/8 cups all-purpose flour
• 2-1/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup (1/2 stick) vegetable shortening (such as Crisco butter flavor)
• 3/4 cup crunchy peanut butter
• 1/2 tablespoon light corn syrup (such as Karo)
• 3/4 cup plus 1/8 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup plus 1/8 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs

• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup M&M's candies
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup mint chocolate chunks, optional

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a bowl, whisk together flour, rolled oats, baking soda, and salt.
• 2In a stand mixer, beat butter, shortening, peanut butter, and corn syrup on a high speed until fluffy and creamy. Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract, and mix until well-combined. Add eggs, one at a time, until thoroughly mixed. Turn speed down to low, and beat in flour mixture until combined. Then, stir in white and milk chocolate chips, M&M's, walnuts, and, optionally, the mint chocolate chunks.
• 3Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto lined cookie sheets. Bake for 12 to 17 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, and then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
• 4Mint chocolate and peanut butter do go well together. It sounds like an odd pairing, but it works, sort of like how the mint and walnuts go together in Michelle Obama's cookie recipe. If you're feeling bold, add the mint chocolate to this recipe. Otherwise, simply leave it out.

Of course with cookies, I suggest milk...

 Don't eat too many...

Enjoy! Eat well my friends!

Late Night Coffee Brined Chicken

Despite the title of this post...You can enjoy this chicken dish anytime of day....

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 4 -5 lb whole organic chicken
• 2 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 cups 1% milk
• 1/2 liter hot, freshly brewed bold coffee
• 3 ounces kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorn
• 3 star anise
• 1 teaspoon whole cloves
• 2 juicy navel oranges, halved
• 15 ounces ice

DIRECTIONS:

• Combine salt, peppercorns, star anise, and cloves in a small pot. Lightly crush spices with the back of a large spoon. Squeeze orange halves over mixture, and then add halves. Pour hot coffee over mixture, stir and cover pot with lid. Allow brine to steep for ten minutes.
• 2Meanwhile, pat chicken dry, removing giblets and neck. Place chicken in a 2 gallon sized zip lock or other plastic bag.
• 3Place the ice in a large bowl. Add coffee brine and stir until ice melts. Pour brine in bag with chicken (including oranges), seal and allow mixture to sit at room temperature for two to three hours. Then pat chicken dry and let it dry out for an hour in a bowl placed in the refrigerator.
• 4Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• 5Remove chicken from refrigerator, pat dry and rub both sides with brown sugar.
• 6Heat butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat, brown chicken on both sides. Add milk, cover, and transfer to oven. Cook for an hour with the lid. Remove lid. Continue to cook for another 30-40 minutes, or until internal temperature of chicken is 165 degrees.
• 7Pull meat off the bones and serve with wilted greens and rice. Be sure to spoon some of the sauce over the meat, if desired!

Enjoy! Eat well my friends!

Lamb Shank

Say you are home and you want to cook your lady or your man something special for the night....How about trying this...Lamb shank Confit...

INGREDIENTS:

• Preliminary cooking of lamb shanks
• 4 lamb shanks weighing about 400-500 g
• (approx. 1 lb)
• 250 ml (1 cup) duck fat
• 2 cloves garlic (peeled)
• 2 branches rosemary
• Brine (2 cups of salt per
• 4.5 L /1.2 gallons of water)
• Sauce
• 250 ml (1 cup) lamb jelly
• (from cooking the shanks)
• 500 ml (2 cups) tomato sauce
• 200 ml (3/4 cup) lamb stock

DIRECTIONS:

• 1Soak the shanks in brine for 4 hours.
• 2Remove the shanks from the brine. Insert half of a clove of garlic in each one. Place the shanks, rosemary and duck fat in a sous-vide cooking bag. Remove all of the air from the bag and submerge in simmering water. Cook for 6 hours. The meat is cooked when it comes easily off the bone. Set aside in a cool place.
• Sauce
• 1Collect the jelly base from the bottom of the bag used to cook the shanks and add to a saucepan. There should be approximately 250 ml (1 cup). Add the tomato sauce and lamb stock. Bring to a boil and reduce by approximately one half. Set aside. You can also save the duck fat that remains in the bag for other cooking uses.
• Lentils
• 1Boil the lentils in water for approximately 40 minutes until they are soft. Drain.
• 2Never add salt to water when cooking legumes.
• 3Lay out the onion and mushrooms in the bottom of a bowl and cover them with the warm lentils. Cover and leave for 5 minutes. The heat from the lentils will be sufficient to soften the onion and mushrooms. Mix the olive oil and the red wine vinegar in with the lentil mixture. Add salt.
• Garlic cream
• 1In a saucepan, simmer the garlic in the cream for 45 minutes over low heat. Run the mixture through a blender, then pass it through a fine sieve to get a nice smooth cream. Set aside.
• Final cooking of the lamb shanks
• 1Place the shanks and the sauce in a large ovenproof skillet and reheat in the oven for approximately 20 minutes at 300°F, basting them often so they are nicely glazed.
• 2Place the shanks on top of the lentils. Coat the shanks with the sauce from the skillet. Drizzle the garlic cream sauce over the dish. Garnish the shanks with slices of marinated tomatoes and finish with a few twists of the pepper grinder.

I would suggest a white wine for this-

Enjoy...Eat Well My Friends!  and then-

 Well...you know!  Happy Valentines Day!

Braised Beef Lasagna

I'm into comfort food now of days...It's cold outside and I need some stick to your ribs,make me feel good and fill me up kind of food...And that's just what Braised Beef Lasagna is..

Check out this recipe-

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tbsp chopped Italian parsley
• 2 tbsp chopped basil
• 4 cups Braised Beef Ragout
• ¼ tsp salt
• 475 g ricotta
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 2 tsp finely chopped anchovies(optional....I don't eat fish,so I wouldn't be including this)
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp pepper
• 360 g fresh pasta sheets

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 375F.
• Combine parsley and basil and stir 2 tbsp into ragout mixture. Season with salt and set aside.
• Combine ricotta with milk, 2/3 cup of Parmesan, anchovies, nutmeg and pepper.
• Spoon 1 cup ragout over the bottom of an 8 x 10 ovenproof casserole dish and spread to the edges. Top with a layer of pasta sheets (heavily overlapping the pasta sheets and trimming edges as needed). Spread on another cup ragout and spoon ” of the ricotta mixture over top. Top with another layer of pasta, ragout and ricotta. Add the last layer of pasta. Spoon remaining ragout and ricotta over and sprinkle with remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan.
• Cover dish with foil and bake for 30 min. Then remove foil and bake 15 min longer or until sauce is bubbling. Let stand 10 min and sprinkle with remaining 2 tbsp parsley and basil before serving.

I'd have a nice cold beer with this...

Enjoy!  Eat well my friends!

Chicken Chilli with Beer and Hominy

Hey babies.. I discovered this too late to post for the Super Bowl but...here is a chicken dish for the future that doesn't involve frying or hot wings..Chicken Chilli with Beer and Hominy.

INGREDIENTS:

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

6 bone-in chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 pounds)

Kosher salt

Black pepper

1 sweet yellow onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped

2 jalapeños, finely chopped

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 28-ounce can crushed San Marzano tomatoes

DIRECTIONS- 

1. In a large Dutch oven or saucepot, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. In batches, add the chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Pour off some of the fat from cooking the chicken and return the pot to medium heat.
2. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and heat until the oil begins to shimmer in the pan. Add the onions, garlic, red bell pepper and jalapeños and season with salt. Stir in the cumin, oregano, chipotle chili powder and tomato paste until the vegetables are well coated in the seasonings. Return the chicken to the pot and add the crushed tomatoes, beans, beer and hominy. Simmer over moderate heat until chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes.
3. Using kitchen tongs, remove the chicken from the pot and let cool slightly. Discard the skin and shred the meat into bite-sized pieces. Place the shredded pieces into the pot, and simmer until the chili thickens slightly with the meat. Taste to adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
4. To serve, ladle the soup into warmed individual bowls, and serve with sour cream, chopped onions and cilantro.

Mmmmm that looks and sounds good doesn't it? Enjoy! Eat Well My friends!