Wednesday, February 26, 2020

Nutella Pancakes


Slathering chocolate-hazelnut spread on top of a stack is fine, but wouldn't you much prefer to stuff it inside? You know, for effect?

This recipe for Nutella pancakes will become your go-to on Saturday mornings. We don’t just slather chocolate-hazelnut spread on top of the pancakes. (That, friends, is a rookie move.) Rather, we’ve come up with a foolproof trick for getting a melty Nutella core inside every single flapjack.


INGREDIENTS:

6 pancakes

 6 tablespoons Nutella

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1½ teaspoons baking powder

¾ teaspoons baking soda

Pinch of salt

4 tablespoons butter, melted

1 cup buttermilk

Nonstick cooking spray, as needed

Maple syrup, for serving (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place 6 dollops of Nutella (1 tablespoon each) on the baking sheet, leaving room between each one. Using a knife or offset spatula, spread each dollop into a thin circle (about ⅛-inch thick and 2-2½-inches in diameter).

2. Transfer the baking sheet to the freezer and freeze the Nutella until it’s solid, at least an hour (or up to overnight).

3. When the Nutella rounds are frozen, make the pancakes. In a large bowl, whisk the flour with the sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt to combine. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the butter and buttermilk. Mix to combine.

4. Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Spray the hot pan with nonstick spray.

5. Ladle or scoop ⅓ cup pancake batter onto the hot pan. Place a Nutella round in the center, then spoon a little more pancake batter (1 to 2 tablespoons) on top.

6. Cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes, then flip the pancake and cook until it’s golden on the other side, 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove from the pan, set aside and continue with the remaining batter and Nutella rounds.

 7. To serve, stack three pancakes on each plate. Serve immediately with maple syrup on the side (if using).

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



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Tuesday, February 25, 2020

Strip Steak with Hasselback Potatoes

Hey folks,Coming up with dinner ideas for two (or four, or more) is often the most challenging part of cooking. Even seasoned professionals find themselves asking “what should I cook for dinner tonight?”

Whether you’re looking for ideas for healthy weeknight meals or a something a little more elegant for a special occasion, these easy date night recipes are all either perfect for two or can be easily divided. Or if you’re a fan of leftovers, make the full recipe and you’ll be all set for dinner another day.

Check out this recipe...

INGREDIENTS:

NEW YORK STRIP STEAK ( How to prepare it!)

1 1/2-inch strip steak (about 3/4 pound)

Kosher salt and pepper

2tsp. olive oil

4 cloves garlic, in skins

1 spring fresh rosemary

DIRECTIONS:

NEW YORK STRIP STEAK


1.Heat oven to 425°F. Heat medium cast-iron skillet on medium-high.

Season steak with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper.

Add oil to skillet, then add steak, garlic, and rosemary and cook until steak is browned, about 3 minutes per side.

2.Transfer skillet to oven and roast until steak is at desired doneness, 3 to 6 minutes for medium. Transfer steak to cutting board and let rest at least 5 minutes before slicing.

INGREDIENTS:

Hasselback Potatoes


Serves: 4 4 (250g) baking potatoes

2 tablespoons butter, melted salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese

1 tablespoon dried breadcrumbs

DIRECTIONS:

Hasselback Potatoes-


Preheat the oven to 220 C / Gas 7. Peel the potatoes, and place in bowl of cold water to prevent browning. Insert a skewer or thin knife along the bottom of the potato - this will prevent you from cutting through the whole way.

Make slices across the potato the short way about 3 to 6mm apart, making sure to cut down to the skewer but not all the way through the potato.

The slices should stay connected at the bottom.

Remove the skewer and return the potato to the bowl of water, and proceed with the remaining potatoes.

When all of the potatoes are cut, place them cut side up in a shallow baking dish or small roasting tin. Drizzle with half of the butter, then season with salt and pepper.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from the oven, and drizzle with the remaining butter.

Sprinkle cheese and breadcrumbs onto the tops of the potatoes, and season with a little more salt and pepper.

Return to the oven, and bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until golden brown and nicely roasted.

There you have it...a different way to have Steak and Potatoes...Eat well my friends...enjoy!
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Monday, February 24, 2020

White Chocolate Bread Pudding

It has been awhile hasn't it? almost a month...well I'm back with a super delicious desert/….

Need an idea for a perfect dessert? I have a perfectly delicious way to round out your meal. This bread pudding recipe is perfect for those who want an out-of-the-box dessert.

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups heavy cream

2 1/2 cups whole milk

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 egg yolks plus 1 whole egg

10 ounces chopped white chocolate or white chocolate morsels

1 1/1 cups toasted and coarsely chopped macadamia nuts

1 1/2 crusty French baguettes, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 14 cups)

Vanilla Bean Crème Anglaise, for serving


DIRECTIONS:

 1.Combine the cream, milk, and the sugar in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and bring just to a boil. Add the white chocolate chips and remove from the heat. Let sit for 5 minutes, undisturbed, then whisk until the chocolate is completely dissolved.

2.Whisk the egg yolks and egg together in a large bowl. Whisk in 1 cup of the hot cream mixture, then gradually add the remaining cream mixture and whisk to blend. Add the macadamia nuts and the cubed bread and set aside to soak for 30 minutes.

3.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and butter a large baking dish.

4.Transfer the bread pudding mixture to the prepared baking dish and bake in the center of the oven until the bread pudding is puffed, golden brown and set in the center, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and cool briefly before serving with the Vanilla Bean Crème Anglaise

 Enjoy!
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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