Braciole with Orecchitte

It was a picturesque day today.  It was one of those beautiful Spring days that it would have been nice to play hooky from daily life; but, alas, things needed to get done to get ready for the week.  I chose something that could simmer all day with little attention.  I remember having this Old World dish when I was young.  Being the youngest child of a working mother, I was the only one who needed a baby sitter while everyone else was old enough to head off to school. Speaking mostly Italian, Mrs. Detore treated me daily to lunches such as Pastina with butter, or warm Polenta with cream.  Both were lovely, however the best was when she had her rich red sauce simmering and would pull out a meatball, or on occasion this lovely stuffed Braciole.  I hadn't thought of those days in years.  I forgot about standing on the stool with an over-sized floral apron singing in Italian thinking I was big and bad!  I hadn't thought of those days in years.  When I came across this recipe it conjured up such lovely memories.

Braciole with Orecchiette
printable recipe

2 c. stale Italian bread cut in 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 c. milk
1/4 c. olive oil
4 cloves of garlic
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
3 T. tomato paste
3-1/2 c. tomato puree
5 c. water
2 bay leaves
1-1/2 lb. thin sliced beef bottom round.  Cut in 1-12 pcs.
10-12 thin slices of prosciutto
1 T. parsley
1/2 c. grated romano cheese
6 oz. provolone cheese
salt
1 lb. orecchiette pasta

Combine the bread cubes with the milk.  Stir to coat.  Let sit for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile make the sauce.  Smash 2 of the garlic cloves and mince the other 2 and set aside.
Heat the oil on medium high heat, saute the smashed garlic and the red pepper flakes until the garlic softens.

Add the tomato paste and heat until sizzling.

Add the puree, bay leaves and water.
Bring to a boil, turn the heat down and simmer for 20 minutes.

Cut the provolone into 10-12 2-to-3 inch-long pieces.
Mix the parsley, romano and the 2 minced garlic cloves to the milk soaked bread.  Work it all together.

Place one of the beef slices between 2 pieces of plastic wrap or into a large ziplock bag.  Pound thin to about 1/8 inch.  Repeat for all slices.

Lay out the beef.  Place a layer of prosciutto on the slice.

Spread with some of the bread mixture.

Lay a provolone stick horizontally across the beef.

Tightly roll up the beef and secure with toothpicks.

Put the braciole into the sauce.  Cover and simmer for an hour.

Uncover, stir and continue simmering until the beef is tender and the sauce thickens, about another hour.
Discard the bay leaves, add salt if necessary.
Cook orecchiette according to package directions.
Place the braciole in a casserole and cover with half of the sauce.
Add the cooked pasta to the remaining sauce.
Serve braciole over the pasta and sprinkle with grated romano cheese.

Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Pudding Cookies

I am on my own for dinner tonight so it won't be anything exciting.  We had a problem with our furnace today so I decided to bake something to warm up the kitchen.  The last batch of these are in the oven.....holey moley these were worth making just to make the house SMELL good!  Cinnamon and pumpkin, love that smell!  This is a simple recipe that was being passed around Pinterest in the Fall.  Yea, yea, I hear ya....no I will no justify eating a batch of cookies in place of dinner....although they do have many of the food groups!

Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Pudding Cookies
printable recipe

3/4 c. butter, softened
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. sugar
1 (3.4 oz) pumpkin spice instant pudding mix
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
2-1/4 c. flour

1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Stir together flour, cream of tartar and baking soda and set aside.
In a large bowl cream the butter, sugars and pudding mix.

Stir in the eggs and vanilla.

Add the flour mix slowly and incorporate well.

In a small bowl mix the remaining sugar and cinnamon.

Roll cookies in 1" balls.  Next roll them in the sugar mix.

Bake on a parchment lined cookie sheet 8-10 minutes.

Lime Crusted Cod

I know it is Junk Food Friday, however, it was more important for me to use what I had so it would not go to waste.  I didn't miss a decadent fried food, or a cheesy pizza because I concentrated on good flavor.  I actually wasn't sure what I was doing until I started.  My plan was completely different and I got caught up into a simply enjoying combining flavors and textures.  I took out a few things and put away a few things and this is my final product.  No real recipe; simply what I used, what I had, and what I knew how to cook.

Lime Crusted Cod
because it was my own, I did not make it printable!

4 (4-6 oz) cod fillets
salt and pepper
olive oil
2 T. unsalted butter, divided
1/4 c. seasoned dried bread crumbs
2 T. grated Parmesan
zest of 1 lime
juice of 1/2 lime
1 T. parsley

Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Brush a bit of olive oil in a small casserole.  Arrange the fillets.
Melt 1 T. of butter and drizzle over the fillets.
Sprinkle the lime zest on the fish.

Melt the remaining 1 T. butter.
Add to the bread crumbs along with grated cheese, lime juice, salt and pepper.

Heap the mixture over the fillets.

Bake for 12-15 minutes until flaky.
Serve with lime wedges.

I served with roasted sweet and white potatoes, along with sauteed fresh green beans and grape tomatoes (which stole the show).
As delicious and healthy as this was, I am disappointed I didn't take advantage of Junk Food Friday!!  Hmmm, I am thinking this evening calls for an Irish Coffee to settle down with!!

Berry Chicken Salad with Cayenne Pecans

I don't have a lot of time tonight to describe my day or dinner; so, I will simply jump into it.

Berry Chicken Salad

Salad greens
Cucumber, sliced
Red Pepper, chopped
Green Pepper, chopped
Grape Tomato
Strawberries, sliced
Blueberries
1 Skinless, boneless Chicken Breast
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper
Crumbled Bleu Cheese
1 c.  Pecans
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
12 tsp. salt
Your favorite Balsamic Dressing

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Split the chicken breast in half horizontally.
Place in a small oven proof baking dish. Drizzle with a bit of oil on both sides.  Season with salt and pepper.

Bake for 20-30 minutes.

Slice in thin slices.

In a small skillet on medium heat, carefully melt the sugar.

Stir in the cayenne, salt and pecans.  Stir to coat the nuts.

Lay out on wax paper to cool.  Break into pieces.

Arrange vegetables and fruit on a plate.  Top with chicken, cheese and pecans.  Drizzle with dressing.

Sorry so simple.....but honestly this is a great combination!

Tilapia with Lemon-Garlic Sauce and Creamy Risotto

Tonight's dinner ranks in the top 5 so far in 2014's challenge.  I am sharing 2 recipes with you tonight because they go together beautifully.  I score a bonus point tonight because I have never made a Risotto.  It always intimidated me.  Anytime I saw someone on television make it, they emphasized that it was difficult to get just right.  Well, I am not sure what 'just right' is with Risotto, but this, excuse me, was damn delicious!  The hearty rice paired beautifully with the delicate Tilapia in its light sauce. I chose a fresh spring pea as a side. Simply steamed their sweet snap complimented the soft textures of the risotto and fish.   I know this sounds all foody, but the writer in me stems from my mother's tutelage, therefore, I need to pull out the formal sentence structure (and the damn, although she usually said sh&^!).

Tilapia with Lemon-Garlic Sauce
printable recipe

4 Tilapia fillets
salt & pepper
3 T. flour
2 T. butter, divided
1 T. olive oil
1 T. minced garlic
2/3 c. chicken stock
2 T. parsley
1 T. fresh lemon juice

Sprinkle fish with salt & pepper.

Place flour in a shallow dish. Dredge both sides of the fillets lightly.  Save the left over flour.
Heat a skillet on medium-high.  Add 1 T. butter and the olive oil. Swirl together as the butter melts.
Add the fish to the pan.  Cook 2 minutes per side or until fish flakes easily.

Remove from the pan to a warm plate.
Add reserved flour and garlic to the pan. Cook until the flour is lightly browned.
Add the stock, stirring with a whisk.  Bring to a boil.  Cook 2 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 1 T. of butter, parsley and lemon juice.

Serve sauce with the fish.

Creamy Risotto
printable recipe

3/4 c. Arborio Rice
3 c. Chicken Stock
2 tsp. olive oil
2 tsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. minced shallot
1 T. Cream
2 T. grated Parmesan

In a bowl soak the rice in the stock for 20 seconds, swirling with a whisk.
Strain the rice from the stock.

In a heavy bottom pan, heat the olive oil.  Add the rice and toast until it smells nutty.

Add the garlic, shallot and starchy stock, reserving 1/2 c.
Bring to a boil.  Give the mixture a final stir, lower the heat and cover the pot with a lid.

Cook gently for 10 minutes.  Stir the mixture.

Cook for an additional 10 minutes.
Add the reserved stock, cream and cheese.  Stir until creamy and thick.

The only thing missing from this meal was a crisp glass of white wine!

Soy Braised Pork and RIce

I am almost embarrassed to tell you how inexpensive this meal was (of course, I keep the Asian condiments on hand all the time, so I am not counting more than a few pennies per serving for them).  I should have told you I spent hours on tonight's meal because it was one of those stay at home, do a bit of this, and a bit of that, days knowing you weren't going anywhere and you don't plan on anyone stopping by.Yet it was a day I got a lot accomplished.  The day was perfect for this one pot meal.

Soy Braised Pork and Rice
printable recipe

4 tsp. dark sesame oil, divided
12 oz. pork shoulder, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 T. minced garlic
1 c. water,
2 T. soy sauce
1-1/2 T. rice vinegar
2 tsp. sweet chili sauce
1 c. finely chopped onion
2/3 c. sliced carrot
10 oz. mushrooms.  I chose Shitake and Oyster.
1 c. jasmine Rice
2-1/2  c.chicken stock
1 c. frozen peas
1/4 c. thinly sliced green onion

   Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add 2 tsp. sesame oil to the pan; swirl to coat. Add pork to the hot oil; cook for 5 minutes, turning to brown all sides.

 Add garlic to the pan; cook for an additional minute, stirring constantly.  Stir in 1 c. water along with the soy sauce, rice vinegar and chili sauce.

Bring mixture to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes or until the liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally.  Remove the pork from the pan.

  Return the pan to a medium-high heat.  Add the remaining 2 tsp. oil.  Swirl to coat.  Add onion and carrot; saute for 3 minutes.

Add the rice and mushrooms, cook another minute stirring frequently.

Stir in the pork and chicken stock.

Bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes until rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.   Stir in the peas,  Sprinkle with green onions when serving.

For less than $2.50 per serving, great Asian flavor and incredibly low fat and high in whole grain, this is a winner!