Slow Cooker Tips

May 20th, 2010 by chefkevin

Tips for Using Your Slow Cooker: A Friendly Year-Round Appliance
by Phyllis Pellman Good,
Author of Fix-it and Forget-it Cookbook: Revised & Updated: 700 Great Slow Cooker Recipes

1. What to buy

  • A good standard size for a household of four is a 4-quart slow cooker. If you often cook for more, or you like to prepare sizable roasts, turkey breasts, or chicken legs and thighs, you’ll want a 6-quart cooker.For parties or buffets a 1½ to 2-quart size works well for dips and snacks.
  • Cookers which allow you to program “On,” the length of the cooking time, and “Off,” are convenient. If your model doesn’t include that feature, you might want to get a digital appliance timer, which gives you that option. Make sure the timer is adequate for the electrical flow that your cooker demands.
  • A baking insert, a cooking rack, a temperature probe, and an insulated carrying tote are all useful additions offered with some models. Or you can buy some of them separately by going to the manufacturers’ websites.

2. Learn to know your slow cooker

  • Some newer slow cookers cook at a very high temperature. You can check the temperature of your slow cooker this way:
    1. Place 2 quarts of water in your slow cooker.
    2. Cover. Heat on Low 8 hours.
    3. Lift the lid. Immediately check the water temp with an accurate thermometer.
    4. The temperature of the water should be 185°F. If the temperature is higher, foods may overcook and you should reduce the overall cooking time. If the temperature is lower, your foods will probably not reach a safe temperature quickly enough, and the cooker should be discarded.

3. Maximizing what a slow cooker does best

  • Slow cookers tend to work best when they’re ⅔ full. You many need to increase the cooking time if you’ve exceeded that amount, or reduce it if you’ve put in less than that.
  • Cut the hard veggies going into your cooker into chunks of about equal size. In other words, make your potato and carrot pieces about the same size. Then they’ll be done cooking at nearly the same time. Softer veggies, like bell peppers and zucchini, cook faster, so they don’t need to be cut as small. But again, keep them similar in size to each other so they finish together.
  • Because raw vegetables are notoriously tough customers in a slow cooker, layer them over the bottom and around the sides of the cooker, as much as possible. That puts them in more direct contact with the heat.
  • There are consequences to lifting the lid on your slow cooker while it’s cooking. To compensate for the lost heat, you should plan to add 15-20 minutes of cooking time for each time the lid was lifted off.
    On the other hand, moisture gathers in a slow cooker as it works. To allow that to cook off, or to thicken the cooking juices, take the lid off during the last half hour of cooking time.
  • Use only the amount of liquid called for in a recipe. In contrast to an oven or a stovetop, a slow cooker tends to draw juices out of food and then harbor it.
    Of course, if you sense that the food in your cooker is drying out, or browning excessively before it finishes cooking, you may want to add ½ cup of warm liquid to the cooker.
  • Important variables to remember that don’t show up in recipes:
    • The fuller your slow cooker, the longer it will take its contents to cook.
    • The more densely packed the cooker’s contents are, the longer they will take to cook.
    • The larger the chunks of meat or vegetables, the more time they will need to cook.

4. Debunking the myths

  • Slow cookers are a handy year-round appliance. They don’t heat up a kitchen in warm weather. They allow you to escape to the pool or lake or lawn or gardens — so why not let them work for you when it’s hot outdoors. A slow cooker fixes dinner while you’re at your child’s soccer game, too.
    So don’t limit its usefulness. Remember the dozens of recipes-beyond-beef-stew in this collection!

    One more thing — a slow cooker provides a wonderful alternative if your oven is full — no matter the season.

  • You can overdo food in a slow cooker. If you’re tempted to stretch a recipe’s 6-hour stated cooking time to 8 or 10 hours, you may be disappointed in your dinner. Yes, these cookers work their magic using slow, moist heat. Yes, many dishes cook a long time. But these outfits have their limits.
    For example, chicken can overcook in a slow cooker. Especially boneless, skinless breasts. But legs and thighs aren’t immune either. Once they go past the falling-off-the-bone stage, they are prone to move on to deeply dry.

    Cooked pasta and sour cream do best if added late in the cooking process, ideally 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time if the cooker is on high; 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time if it’s on low.

5. Safety

  • A working slow cooker gets hot on the outside — and I mean the outer electrical unit as well as the inner vessel. Make sure that curious and unsuspecting children or adults don’t grab hold of either part. Use oven mitts when lifting any part of a hot cooker.
  • To prevent a slow cooker from bubbling over, either when its sitting still on a counter, or when its traveling to a carry-in dinner, fill the cooker only ⅔ full.
    If you’re going to exceed that limit, pull out your second slow cooker (what — you have only one?!) and divide the contents between them.

The above is an excerpt from the book Fix-it and Forget-it Cookbook: Revised & Updated: 700 Great Slow Cooker Recipes by Phyllis Pellman Good. The above excerpt is a digitally scanned reproduction of text from print. Although this excerpt has been proofread, occasional errors may appear due to the scanning process. Please refer to the finished book for accuracy.

Reprinted from Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook. © by Good Books (www.GoodBooks.com). Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2010 Phyllis Pellman Good, author of Fix-it and Forget-it Cookbook: Revised & Updated: 700 Great Slow Cooker Recipes

Author Bio
Phyllis Pellman Good is a New York Times bestselling author whose books have sold nearly 10 million copies.

Good’s cookbooks have also appeared on the USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists. She is the author of Fix-It and Forget-It Lightly: Healthy, Low-Fat Recipes for Your Slow Cooker; Fix-It and Forget-It 5-Ingredient Favorites: Comforting Slow- Cooker Recipes; Fix-It and Forget-It Recipes for Entertaining: Slow-Cooker Favorites for all the Year Round, and Fix-It and Forget-It Diabetic Cookbook: Slow-Cooker Favorites to Include Everyone (with the American Diabetes Association), all in the series.

She and her husband, Merle, live in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

For more information about Phyllis Pellman Good, visit www.Fix-ItandForget-It.com and www.facebook.com/fixitandforgetit.


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It’s Greek to Me Greek Salad

May 16th, 2010 by chefkevin

It’s Greek to Me Greek Salad
By Chef Susan Irby,
Author of Substitute Yourself Skinny: Cut the Calories, Keep the Flavor with Hundreds of Simple Substitutions!

it’s greek to me greek salad
CALORIE SAVINGS 263

Substitutions such as reduced-fat or nonfat feta cheese save on calories and fat; however, cutting back on the amount of extra-virgin olive oil in dressings is another key factor in keeping your recipes slimming.

½ head red leaf lettuce, washed, dried, and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 English cucumber, diced
2 large tomatoes, diced
¼ cup chopped red onion
¼ cup chopped red bell pepper
¼ cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
½ cup reduced-fat feta cheese crumbles
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano leaves
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Sea salt to taste
Black pepper to taste

1. In a large mixing bowl, toss together the lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, olives, and cheese. Separately, in small bowl, whisk together the oregano, oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Pour over the lettuce mixture and toss well to coat.

2. Serve on salad plates as an entrée or side dish.

SERVES 4
Serving size: ¾ cup		 CALORIES PER SERVING
Original recipe: 440
SYS recipe: 177		 NUTRITIONAL BREAKDOWN
Fat: 15g
Carbohydrates: 8g
Protein: 4g
Sodium: 469mg

Skinny Secret
This recipe has so many great flavors in it that you can skip on the heavy salad dressing, which can add up to over 500 calories to an otherwise light salad.

From Substitute Yourself Skinny by Chef Susan Irby, Copyright © 2010, F+W Media, Inc. Used by permission of Adams Media, an F+W Media, Inc. Co. All rights reserved. Photos by Albert Evangelista.

The above is an excerpt from the book Substitute Yourself Skinny: Cut the Calories, Keep the Flavor with Hundreds of Simple Substitutions! by Chef Susan Irby. The above excerpt is a digitally scanned reproduction of text from print. Although this excerpt has been proofread, occasional errors may appear due to the scanning process. Please refer to the finished book for accuracy.

Author Bio
Chef Susan Irby has worked with multiple Master Chefs including George McNeill, Todd English, and Ming Tsai. Known as the Bikini Chef, specializing in “figure-flattering flavors,” Chef Susan is host of The Bikini Lifestyle with Susan Irby The Bikini Chef on KFWB News Talk 980 in Los Angeles and author of The $7 a Meal Quick & Easy Cookbook, The $7 a Meal Healthy Cookbook, and Cooking with Susan. She has cooked for several celebrities including Patrick Swayze, David Spade, Kate Sagal, and Bill Handel, and appeared on The Patti Gribow Show and KLAC Los Angeles and numerous other media outlets. She lives in Orange County, CA.

For more information, please visit www.susanirby.com.
Become a fan of the Bikini Chef on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.


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Five Basics from the Refrigerator

March 13th, 2010 by chefkevin

Five Basics from the Refrigerator

Pancetta
Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Cheese
Eggs
Ricotta Cheese
Spinach or Lettuce

I always have a chunk of pancetta, un-smoked bacon, on hand. I use it to give flavor to lean cuts of meat when sautéing. I like it mixed with onions when I am making a risotto, or use it with eggs to make a frittata.

A hunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino knows no bounds in the kitchen. Eaten out of hand with a glass of wine, it is pure heaven and the simplest antipasto when guests drop in. And if that were not enough, when it is grated it is perfect not only over pasta, but also mixed into vegetables or soups. When it is shaved, it is the perfect special “something” on top of a salad or in a panino.

If you have eggs, you have it made. Eggs are a near perfect food; boil them, poach them, fry them, turn them into a frittata. Or make eggs in purgatory with tomato sauce and serve them on a bed of wilted spinach and supper is fine and full of richness with little effort.

Ricotta cheese… what can I say? Eat it as is for a healthy lunch, or serve it warm with honey and nuts for dessert; use it in fillings, or make a ricotta, Parmigiano-Reggiano and spinach sauce for pasta. On Sunday mornings I like to treat my family to ricotta cheese blintzes.

Got lettuce? Mix the leaves with good olive oil, salt and pepper, and top with fried pancetta croutons. Throw on a sliced hard boiled egg, and lunch is ready!

And all of that is within the five basic ingredients in the fridge…

The above is an excerpt from the book
“Ciao Italia Five-Ingredient Favorites: Quick and Delicious Recipes from an Italian Kitchen”
 by Mary Ann Esposito.

Copyright © 2009 Mary Ann Esposito, author of Ciao Italia Five-Ingredient Favorites: Quick and Delicious Recipes from an Italian Kitchen

Author Bio
Mary Ann Esposito, author of Ciao Italia Five-Ingredient Favorites: Quick and Delicious Recipes from an Italian Kitchen, is the creator and host of the long-running PBS series Ciao Italia, celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2010. She is the author of eleven successful cookbooks, including Ciao Italia Slow and Easy and Ciao Italia Pronto! She lives in Durham, New Hampshire.

For more information, please visit www.CiaoItalia.com.


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“Waste Not, Want Not” and Make it Delicious!

February 21st, 2010 by chefkevin

“Waste Not, Want Not” and Make it Delicious!
By Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali,
Author of Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy: A Feast of 175 Regional Recipes

There is no more appropriate time than now to think about how and why we cook. Food is a way of connecting with the people who surround us. Through it, we communicate emotions like love, compassion and understanding, and there is no better opportunity to communicate with our children than at the table. It’s where we can discuss our values of life that are important to us as individuals, as a family and as a part of the world we live in.

As overconsumption and greed have come to haunt us, now is a time for reflection. We should be looking back at the generations before us to understand their approach to the table. Growing food, shepherding animals, foraging for the gifts of nature is all part of respecting food. Nothing needs to be wasted. Bread can be recycled and used in soups, casseroles, lasagnas and desserts. Water is carefully conserved as in the pasta recipe I share below where the same water in which vegetables are cooked is used to cook the pasta that follows, and then that is saved for soups or for making risotto.

When one respects the food we prepare, it also leads to a more sensible and balanced intake of proteins, legumes and vegetables.

So “waste not, want not” and make it delicious!

Excerpt from Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy (Alfred A. Knopf, 2009)

FRESH CAVATELLI WITH CAULIFLOWER
Maccarun ch’I Hiucc

Serves 6

Cauliflower is one of my favorite vegetables, and I regret that many people don’t sufficiently appreciate its unique flavor and nutritional value. This is not the case in Molise, where it is cooked often and creatively, as exemplified by the following two simple vegetarian pasta dishes. The first recipe, maccarun ch’i hiucc, is zesty with garlic and peperoncino.

½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the pasta pot

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

7 plump garlic cloves, peeled and sliced

½ teaspoon peperoncino flakes, or to taste

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 large head cauliflower, cut in small florets

1 batch (1½ pounds) Fresh Cavatelli (preceding recipe), or 1 pound dried pasta

1 cup freshly grated pecorino (or half pecorino and half Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano, for a milder flavor)

Recommended equipment: A large pasta pot; a heavy-bottomed skillet or sauté pan, 12 inch diameter or larger

Fill the large pot with salted water (at least 6 quarts water with 1 tablespoon salt), and heat to a boil.

Pour the olive oil into the skillet, set over medium-high heat, and scatter in the sliced garlic. Let the garlic start to sizzle, then toss in the peperoncino and parsley; stir and cook for a minute. Ladle in a cup of the pasta cooking water, stir well, and adjust the heat to keep the liquid in the skillet simmering and reducing gradually while you cook the cauliflower and pasta.

With the pasta water at a rolling boil, drop in the cauliflower florets, and cook them for about 3 minutes, until barely tender. Drop in the cavatelli, stir, and return the water quickly to a boil. Cook another 4 to 5 minutes, until the cauliflower is fully tender and the pasta is al dente (if you are using dried pasta, it will, of course, take longer).

Lift out the florets and cavatelli with a spider or strainer, drain briefly, and spill them into the skillet. Toss well, to coat all the pasta and vegetable pieces with the garlicky dressing, then turn off the heat, sprinkle over the skillet the grated cheese, and toss again. Heap the cauliflower and cavatelli in warm bowls, and serve immediately.

CHOCOLATE BREAD PARFAIT
Pane di Cioccolato al Cucchiaio

Serves 6

This recalls for me the chocolate-and-bread sandwiches that sometimes were my lunch, and always a special treat. And it is another inventive way surplus is used in Umbrian cuisine, with leftover country bread serving as the foundation of an elegant layered dessert. Though it is soaked with chocolate and espresso sauce and buried in whipped cream, the bread doesn’t disintegrate, and provides a pleasing textural contrast in every heavenly spoonful.

8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

8 ounces country-style white bread, crusts removed

½ cup freshly brewed espresso

2 tablespoons dark rum

2 tablespoons sugar

1 ½ cups chilled heavy cream

1 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Recommended equipment: A large rimmed tray or baking sheet, such as a half-sheet pan (12 by 18 inches); a spouted measuring cup, 1 pint or larger; 6 parfait glasses or wineglasses, preferably balloon-shaped

Put the chopped chocolate in a bowl set in a pan of hot (not boiling) water. When the chocolate begins to melt, stir until completely smooth. Keep it warm, over the water, off the heat.

Slice the bread into ½-inch-thick slices, and lay them flat in one layer, close together, on the tray or baking sheet.

Pour the warm espresso into a spouted measuring cup, stir in the rum and sugar until sugar dissolves, then stir in half the melted chocolate. Pour the sauce all over the bread slices, then flip them over and turn them on the tray, to make sure all the surfaces are coated. Let the bread absorb the sauce for a few minutes.

Meanwhile, whip the cream until soft peaks form, by hand or with an electric mixer.

To assemble the parfaits: Break the bread into 1-inch pieces. Use half the pieces to make the bottom parfait layer in the six serving glasses, dropping an equal amount of chocolatey bread into each. Scrape up some of the unabsorbed chocolate sauce that remains on the baking sheet, and drizzle a bit over the bread layers. Next, drop a layer of whipped cream in the glasses, using up half the cream. Top the cream layer with toasted almonds, using half the nuts.

Repeat the layering sequence: drop more soaked bread into each glass, drizzle over it the chocolate sauce from the tray and the remaining melted chocolate. Dollop another layer of whipped cream in the glasses, using it all up, and sprinkle the remaining almonds on top of each parfait. This dessert is best when served immediately while the melted chocolate is still warm and runny.

©2010 Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali, authors of Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy: A Feast of 175 Regional Recipes

Author Bio
Lidia Matticchio Bastianich, coauthor of Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy: A Feast of 175 Regional Recipe, is the author of five previous books, four of them accompanied by nationally syndicated public television series. She is the owner of the New York City restaurant Felidia (among others), and she lectures on and demonstrates Italian cooking throughout the country. She lives on Long Island, and can be reached at her Web site, www.LidiasItaly.com

Tanya Bastianich Manuali, Lidia’s daughter and coauthor of Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy: A Feast of 175 Regional Recipe, received her Ph.D. in Italian Renaissance art history from Oxford University. Since 1996 she has led food/wine/art tours of Italy. She lives with her husband and children on Long Island.


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Sourdough Bread- How Do I Make It?

March 8th, 2009 by chefkevin

I had a question from my good friend Darlene in Ottawa today about how to make sourdough bread. I’m not a total bread expert, but I have friend that are…

Dennis Weaver and the folks over at Prepared Pantry have been at this game for years, and I refer to them for these kinds of technical bread questions. This from their site…

“Sourdough simply uses wild yeast in place of commercial yeast to leaven the bread. It relies on the wild yeasts that are in the air all around us and cultures those yeasts in a warm, wet environment created with water, flour, and sometimes other components.

When creating a sourdough starter, we always felt like we were on an expedition trying to trap invisible yeastie beasties with our flour and water concoctions. Because we couldn’t see the beasties, we were never sure what we had captured. While usually successful, we never felt like we were in control. Maybe that is the way sourdough bread should feel, a symbiosis with nature.

But there is an easier way: use commercial yeast in the starter. I know, that’s heresy to the sourdough bread zealot but we only care about the bread. Using commercial yeast is easier, it’s the alcohol from the long cool fermentation that creates the sourdough-like flavor, and the wild yeasts will eventually take over the starter anyway. Because it’s easy, it’s no big deal if you abandon your starter after a few weeks; you can readily start another when you’re back in the mood or have the time.”

Here is the link to their site that will walk you through it step-by-step…
How to make Sourdough Bread

Enjoy Darlene!… and everyone else of course :)

Yours in Food & Friendship,
Chef Kevin
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Salmon Burger Recipes

February 20th, 2009 by chefkevin

Hey There…

I had a request a while ago for a salmon burger recipe, so I sent along a couple. Here is what I sent out

Here are a couple different salmon burger recipes for you…

One is on my site here…
“Fresh Salmon Burgers with Tomato Tartar Sauce”

It’s a nice recipe using fresh salmon, tomato, mayo, capers, etc. Light and tasty… not that hubby will mind either way :)

There are a lot of different salmon recipes on the site. Just search with “salmon” and see what you come up with.

As far as a potato style burger/patty goes, I don’t have a recipe done up, but here is the way I would “throw” them together…

Cook a couple decent sized potatoes. Mash them in a bowl. Add an equal amount of cooked salmon (or more). I like lots of fish in my fish cakes, so I’d go at least 50/50 and probably even more salmon than that.

Sauté a small onion and “some” garlic (you knew that was coming :) in a bit of butter and add that to your potato/salmon.

Add 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill (or 2 tsp dry), and a bit of fresh (or dry) thyme. Season with salt & pepper and mix together. It should hold together like any other fish cake. Fry as you normally would… in a bit of butter on medium until well browned.

If you’re adventurous chop/mash a few capers and mix them in. They’re really salty so be sure to reduce the salt you add accordingly.

I hope you find a place to use these… 

Yours in Food & Friendship,
Chef Kevin


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Garlic-Miso Chicken

February 15th, 2009 by chefkevin

Hey there!

Just finished dinner with my brother & sister-in-law… OMG was it ever good! I did the simplest chicken dish in the world, and the flavor was outstanding! Garlic & Miso Rubbed Chicken with Sweet Potato & Apple Mash. Check this out…

Take a fresh (or totally defrosted) whole chicken. Wash & pat dry. Place in a roaster pan. Loosen the skin on the breast so you can get your fingers under it and rub fresh minced garlic all over the breast. Also, rub some on the rest of the bird (legs, etc)

Now, take a tbsp of light brown ‘miso’ paste (fermented rice or bean paste), stir in a tbsp of olive oil and rub it everywhere you can see… even on the chicken… LOL! Seriously, though… rub all the outside of the bird. Season with pepper and thyme and roast uncovered for about 45 minutes at 350F. Pour in 1/2 cup of white wine, cover and roast another 1 1/2 hours, or until it’s totally tender.

Remove the chicken to a plate or platter and cover. Pour the stock into a pan and add a couple cups of “real” chicken stock (NOT powdered stock or cubes). Bring to a simmer and carefully stir in a couple tbsp of white rice flour. Add a bit of organic tamari sauce or soy sauce for flavor & color. Is it ever good!

“Note: To get all the health benefits of miso fermentation, you really shouldn’t boil it after adding to a dish. This chicken was roasted with miso and had all the flavor, but lacked nutrients lost at high heat. I usually adjust with a bit more miso at the end of cooking the gravy/sauce, but this time I used a bit of organic tamari sauce. You could just as easily add a bit more dark miso instead of light.”

For the sweet potato… take a couple sweet potatoes or yams. Peel, dice and cook them in the microwave until tender. Meanwhile, take a chopped onion and begin to saute it in a little butter. Add two apples (peeled & diced), a clove or two of garlic, an inch of fresh ginger (minced), 1 tsp cinnamon and 1 tsp of dry sage. Season with a little salt & pepper. Saute until the apple is tender. Puree the potato & sauteed “stuff” in a food processor and place in a dish to bake for a few minutes.

What a wicked meal it was. A few glasses of wine and some fresh apple crisp for dessert (for the guests anyway) and life is good!!!

Let me know if you try it and how it works for you… we absolutely luved it :)

Yours in Food & Friendship,
Chef Kevin


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Lobster Newburg recipe

February 5th, 2009 by chefkevin

Hi All…

My dedicated foodie Barb in Greenwood has a potluck coming up soon and wanted a recipe for a nice scallop casserole. Here’s my recipe for Lobster Newburg that works no matter what you use it for… on pasta, for a lasagne or casserole… Change up your seafood any way you want…

Lobster Newburg


Serves 6-8:

 

Ingredients:

 

·         ½ cup butter

·         1 medium onion, minced

·         3 cloves garlic, minced

·         1 tsp paprika

·         ½ tsp dry mustard

·         ½ tsp salt

·         ½ tsp white pepper

·         ¼ tsp nutmeg

·         ¼ cup flour

·         ½ cup dry sherry

·         2 cups seafood stock (or bottled clam juice)

·         2 cups milk or cream

·         1 cup of grated Jarlsburg or Swiss cheese

 

·         2 cups cooked lobster, cut into bite size

 

·         1 ¼ lb dry linguini or fettuccini

·         Bit of olive oil

 

Garnish: Parmesan & chopped green onion

 

Method:

In a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat, sauté onions in butter until translucent and lightly browned. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute.

Sprinkle seasonings over the top and stir in. Stir in flour. Add sherry and stir in. Add seafood stock & milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Add grated Jarlsburg cheese and heat through.

 

Taste and season as necessary. Add cooked lobster and stir until heated through.

 

Meanwhile, bring 4 – 6 litres of water to a boil. Add a tablespoon of salt, then stir in the linguini. Boil, stirring occasionally for 7 – 8 minutes, or until al dente. Drain and toss with a drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately with Newburg sauce.

 

 

Chef’s Note: This recipe also makes a great sauce for seafood lasagna, or served over vol au vente (puff pastry shells).

 

Recipe Courtesy of Chef Kevin Wagner

Enjoy Y’all!

Yours in Food & Friendship,
Chef Kevin


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Creamy Chocolate Dream Squares

February 3rd, 2009 by chefkevin

Hey There…
 

Here’s my Mom’s recipe for a simple, but really nice, dessert…

Creamy Chocolate Dream Squares

Makes an 8 x 8-inch pan Prep time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients:
Crust:
½ cup butter or margarine
2 tbsp icing sugar
1 cup flour

Filling:
½ cup + 1 tbsp butter or margarine
2/3 cup sugar
2 1/4 tbsp cocoa
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup whipping cream, whipped

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 350° F. Lightly butter an 8×8 pan.

Mix the crust ingredients together well, and press into the pan. Bake for 15 minutes; then cool completely.

Sift together sugar and cocoa. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugar & cocoa until well blended. Add vanilla and the eggs, one at a time. Beat until fluffy. Spread over the crust and top with whipped cream.

Chill and serve, garnished with chocolate curls, toasted nuts, etc…

Source: The Chef Group – Chef Kevin Wagner

“Traditional homemade recipe from Mabel Wagner… (A.K.A. Chef Kevin’s Mom)”

 

Lemme know how you like it :)

Yours in Food & Friendship,
Chef Kevin


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Spice Crusted Catfish with Strawberry Sauce

February 3rd, 2009 by chefkevin

Hey There…

Here’s a very nice, and very wacky, recipe for catfish (or most any white fish you have). Had it in class a couple weeks back… yum!

Spice Crusted Catfish with Strawberry Sauce

Makes 8 x 4 oz servings Prep time: approx. 1 hour

Ingredients:

2 lb catfish or Basa fillets
Salt & Black Pepper
1 tbsp mild chili powder
1 1/2 cups strawberry preserves
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup chili sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp horseradish
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup flour
1 cup milk
1/2 cup safflower or canola oil

Method:

Place fillets in large shallow dish. Season fish with salt, black pepper chili powder; cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

Meanwhile; in small saucepan, combine strawberry preserves, vinegar, soy sauce, cocktail sauce, garlic and horseradish; simmer sauce over low heat stirring occasionally.

When fish has marinated, blend cornmeal and flour in shallow bowl. Season with a bit of salt & pepper if desired. Place milk in a bowl. Dip catfish in milk and dredge in cornmeal mixture, coating on all sides. Re-dip in milk and crumbs if you want a double coat.

Heat oil in heavy skillet over medium-high heat; when hot, add catfish and sauté until browned on both sides. Drain well on paper towels; keep warm. Spoon 1/4 cup sauce on each plate; top with catfish fillets. Garnish with sliced strawberries and chopped parsley, if desired.

Source: The Chef Group – Chef Kevin Wagner

Adapted from www-dot-allrecipes.com

 

Lemme know how you like it :)

Yours in Food & Friendship,
Chef Kevin


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