My mother-in-law makes some fantastic stuffed peppers and I had a craving for them today but couldn’t find any nice peppers at the grocery store today.  In a flash of inspiration, I grabbed some beautiful large zucchini and used it in place of the peppers.  It was a great light meal and easy to make and fun to take a family favorite and give it my own spin.  Enjoy!

Stuffed Zucchini

1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup quinoa
2 large zucchini
3 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 pound extra lean ground beef
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Salt
Pepper
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
1 pint grape tomatoes

Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly grease a 9 by 13 inch roasting pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In a medium sauce pan, cook the quinoa in vegetable broth for 15-20 minutes, until tender. Stir occasionally. Allow to cool.

Trim zucchini and halve each lengthwise. With a spoon, scoop out seeds and some pulp from zucchini halves, leaving a 1/4″ thick shell. Set aside.

In a skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil on medium-high until hot. Add onion and cook 3 minutes or until softened, stirring occasionally. Stir in garlic and red pepper and cook until fragrant. Add beef and cook 3 to 4 minutes or until no longer pink. Stir in oregano, cumin, cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Remove from heat. Stir in quinoa and half of mint.

On prepared pan, toss tomatoes, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and 1 teaspoon oil. Arrange zucchini halves, cut sides up, around tomatoes. Mound 3/4 cup beef filling in each zucchini half, packing tightly.

Place pan in preheated oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until tender. Place zucchini and tomatoes on a platter; sprinkle with remaining mint.

A note from the Accidental Chef: Stuffed peppers traditionally calls for rice instead of quinoa.  You may substitute rice or another grain of your preference.  If you use rice, the recipe is still gluten-free.

Kitchen Table Talk…

Have you ever experimented with a family favorite recipe?  If you try one of my recipes, please let me know what you thought by sharing a comment in the area below.  Or if you like this post, share it with your friends and family through your favorite social media service.

Happy Cinco de Mayo! Here are some more Mexican inspired treats for your Cinco de Mayo celebration.

Sausage and Potato Quesadillas

1 pound fresh chorizo or other sausages, casings removed
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cooking oil
1 large baking potato, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
3/4 teaspoon hot paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 6-inch flour tortillas
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
2 cups Monterey jack, grated

Heat the oven to 425°F. In a large nonstick frying pan, cook the sausage over moderately high heat, breaking it up with a fork, until browned, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the sausage from the pan. Pour off the fat from the pan.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the pan over moderate heat. Add the potato, 1/2 teaspoon of the paprika, and the salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes.

For each tortilla, put half of the sausage, potato, onion, cilantro, and cheese on the tortillas, spreading the ingredients all the way to the edge, and top with another tortilla. Repeat with the remaining sausage, potato, onion, cilantro, and cheese and cover with the remaining four tortillas.

Brush the tops of the quesadillas with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon paprika. Put the quesadillas on a baking sheet and bake until the cheese melts, about 5 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.

Roasted Red and Green Pepper Quesadillas

4 whole poblano peppers
2 large red peppers
1 large onion, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 pint grape tomatoes
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
16 (8-inch) soft-taco-size flour tortillas
4 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
5 ripe avocados
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Salt

Preheat broiler. In broiling pan lined with foil, arrange poblanos and red peppers in single layer. Broil 15 to 20 minutes or until blackened all over, turning occasionally to evenly blacken. Wrap peppers in foil; let cool.

Toss onion and tomatoes with oil until coated in a baking dish or pan; arrange in single layer. Broil 12 to 15 minutes or until onion is brown and tomatoes begin to burst, stirring once. Remove from broiler and cool in pan. Reset oven control to 200°F. Remove peppers from foil; peel off skin and discard. Remove and discard stems and seeds; finely chop peppers.

Prepare quesadillas: Arrange 8 tortillas in single layer. Divide Monterey Jack, cilantro, and chopped peppers among tortillas. Top with remaining tortillas.

Heat 10-inch skillet on medium until hot. Place one assembled quesadilla in skillet and cook 1 to 3 minutes or until bottom browns. Carefully turn and cook 1 to 3 minutes or until bottom browns. Transfer to clean large cookie sheet and place in oven. Repeat until all quesadillas are cooked.

Prepare guacamole: Cut avocados in half. Remove and discard seeds and peel, then transfer to large serving bowl. Add lime juice, onion and tomatoes, and ½ teaspoon salt. Using potato masher or fork, mash until just slightly chunky. Makes 5 cups guacamole.

Cut each quesadilla into sixths, and serve with guacamole on the side.

Cubano Quesadillas

Here’s one for the kids…. I make it at the cottage for my nephews often (usually omitting the dill pickle).

8 (6-inch) low-fat flour tortillas
1/4 cup yellow mustard
4 ounces thinly sliced Black Forest ham
8 slices sandwich-cut dill pickle
4 ounces thinly sliced roast pork from the deli
4 ounces thinly sliced part-skim Swiss cheese

Prepare outdoor grill for direct grilling on medium.

Brush 1 side of each tortilla with mustard. Evenly divide ham, pickles, pork, and cheese on 4 tortillas. The kids can help with assembly of the quesadillas. Top with remaining tortillas, pressing firmly.

With large metal spatula, place quesadillas on hot grill grate and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until tortillas on both sides are browned and Swiss cheese melts, carefully turning quesadillas over once. Transfer quesadillas to large cutting board; let stand 1 minute. Cut each quesadilla into 4 wedges to serve.

Kitchen Table Talk…

If you try one of my recipes, please let me know what you thought by sharing a comment in the area below.  Or if you like this post, share it with your friends and family through your favorite social media service.

I had some down time this weekend and decided to watch some tv.  Caught an episode of Two and a Half Men where Alan is annoyed with his girlfriend for using the x-ray machine on Mexican food.  She replies “Well, I wanted to know what’s inside a chimichanga!”  He asks “If you didn’t know what was in it, why’d you order it?!”  Her reply “‘Cause it’s fun to say ‘chimichanga’!”

Since you probably don’t have easy access to an x-ray machine, thought I’d share a recipe for Chicken Chimichangas, as well as a clip from YouTube showing how to roll a tortilla.

Chimichangas are fried traditionally but I decided to make a healthier version that’s baked, not fried. Enjoy!  We’re only a few days away from Cinco de Mayo.

Chicken Chimichangas

1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 (4 ounce) can green chilies, drained
3 cups cooked shredded chicken
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 tablespoon McCormick’s Montreal Brand steak seasoning (I know it’s a chicken recipe, but I like the steak seasoning)
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 tablespoon adobo seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic salt
8 whole flour tortillas (8 inch)
1 teaspoon butter
extra virgin olive oil
2 cups Mexican queso blanco

Cook chicken, shred and set aside.  You can either use left over roast chicken or boil a chicken breast and shred once cooked.  I prefer to use left over chicken roast but the boiled method will work in a pinch.

In large skillet, cook onion in butter until transparent.   Add shredded chicken, broth, salsa, chiles and all spices.

Bring mixture to a boil and then simmer at low-to-medium heat for about 15 minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed.  Heat tortillas in microwave to soften them.  Grease baking dish.

Scoop 1/2 cup of mixture into each tortilla and fold.  Place in dish seam side down. Brush lightly with extra virgin olive oil.

Bake at 425 for 10-15 minutes, or until lightly brown and top of tortilla is hard to touch.

Serve with white queso.

How to Roll A Tortilla

Kitchen Table Talk…

If you try one of my recipes, please let me know what you thought by sharing a comment in the area below.  Or if you like this post, share it with your friends and family through your favorite social media service.

When I was growing up, there was a little restaurant in one of the malls my mom used to shop in that made the most amazing empanadas.  They were so delicious, I would get excited when my mom said we were going down to the Cumberland Mall because I knew that I’d be having an empanada or two!

In honor of Cinco de Mayo, I’ll be posting a few authentic Latin American treats.  Enjoy!

Authentic Beef Empanadas

For the dough

3 cups flour
pinch of salt
2 teaspoons sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup chicken stock
1 whole egg
oil or shortening for frying

Beef Empanada Filling

2 pounds ground beef
2 small potatoes, diced into one inch cubes and boiled until soft
1 medium onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
5 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1/4 cup green olives, finely chopped
2 whole hard boiled eggs, coarsely chopped
1 cup beef broth
1/2 cup raisins, soaked in warm water for 1 hour (optional)
1 teaspoon oil

To make the dough: Mix the dry ingredients together.  Cut in the shortening with a pastry cutter or 2 knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal.  Whisk egg and mix into chicken broth. Mix the broth and egg into the flour mixture and knead until dough forms. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Lightly flour a surface and roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into 4-inch circles for small empanadas, 5-inch for medium ones or 6-inch for large ones. Place 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of the dough circle for small empanadas, 2 tablespoons for medium and 3 tablespoons for large.

Fold dough over to make a filled half circle and use a fork to press the edges together. Refrigerate uncooked empanadas for 3 hours.

Fry in 350 degree oil for 6-7 minutes or until golden brown.

To make the filling: Sauté the onions and garlic in the oil over medium heat for 1 minute.  Put the ground beef in and begin to brown.  When the beef is cooked through, add in the broth, green olives, raisins and bring to a simmer.  Let the liquid reduce until it’s almost gone.  Fold in the eggs and potatoes and place by the spoonful into your prepared empanada dough and cook accordingly.

Kitchen Table Talk…

If you try one of my recipes, please let me know what you thought by sharing a comment in the area below.  Or if you like this post, share it with your friends and family through your favorite social media service.

You now, some nights I just don’t feel like cooking.  Last night was one of those nights.  A friend of the family made some homemade sausages for me about a months ago and I had the last batch in my freezer so I thought I’d make a meal out of those.

I stared at the contents of my pantry for a few minutes when I finally opted for a can of mixed beans (even though I have a ton of dry beans to choose from – it would have taken too long) and a can of chopped tomatoes.

Fifteen minutes later, I had a hearty dinner ready to go and I didn’t have to spend too much time in the kitchen prepping it.

Sausage & Beans

4 whole sausages, any kind
2 whole cloves garlic, finely sliced
1 14oz can mixed beans, drained and rinsed
1 14oz can chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
fresh thyme sprigs (optional)

Pan fry sausages in a pan with olive oil and thyme and garlic.  Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the sausages are golden brown.  Be sure to stir occasionally so the sausages brown evenly.

Add the mixed beans and chopped tomatoes with their liquid.  Bring to a simmer.  Partially cover and cook for another 10 to 12 minutes.  Test a sausage to see if it is cooked through and remove from heat.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serve in bowls with corn bread or a gluten free crusty bread for those with gluten allergies.

Kitchen Table Talk…

If you try one of my recipes, please let me know what you thought by sharing a comment in the area below.  Or if you like this post, share it with your friends and family through your favorite social media service.

I miss pizza.  It’s one of the few foods I miss now that I’m gluten-free.  I’m actually surprised that I miss pizza because I rarely ate it before but there’s something about making pizza that brings back fond memories of my childhood.  My mum used to make pizza for us often.  And I spent many a weekend making pizza dough from scratch at the cottage for my nephews.  They loved helping me knead the dough.  I still make pizza every once in a while but not nearly as much as I used to – mainly because I haven’t been able to find a gluten-free recipe that comes close to my memory of pizza.  That is, until now.

Some of the flours may be tricky to find but if you’re in a larger city, then you should be able to find them at your local Whole Foods market.  The recipe below can be mixed in a bread maker.  I find that gluten-free crust isn’t as malleable as regular pizza crust so I prefer to mix it in the bread maker.

Enjoy!

Gluten-Free Pizza Crust

2/3 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup quinoa flour
1/3 cup potato starch
1/4 cup tapioca starch
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 tablespoon bread machine yeast
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups water
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 400F.

Combine sorghum flour, quinoa flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, sugar, xanthan gum, yeast and salt in a large bowl.  Mix well and set aside.

Pour water, olive oil and vinegar into the bread machine baking pan.  Select the dough cycle and start your machine.  As the bread machine is mixing, slowly add your dry ingredients.  Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the pan with a rubber spatula as it’s mixing to ensure all of your dry ingredients get incorporated.  Work quickly to ensure that all your dry ingredients are incorporated within the first two minutes.

Stop the bread machine as soon as the kneading portion of the cycle is complete.  Do not let your bread machine finish the full dough cycle.

Gently transfer dough to a prepared pan and spread evenly to the edges.  Do not smooth the top.

Bake until bottom crust is golden and crust is partially baked (about 10 to 12 minutes).  Add your favorite toppings and bake for an additional 10 to 12 minutes.

Kitchen Table Talk…

If you try one of my recipes, please let me know what you thought by sharing a comment in the area below.  Or if you like this post, share it with your friends and family through your favorite social media service.

I’m having my sister over for dinner on Good Friday.  We had planned to be at dad’s place for dinner but he has other plans.  Not to be swayed, I invited her over to my place for dinner.  We typically don’t eat meat on Good Friday and had planned to make fish for dinner at dad’s place.  My house, my menu: so we’ll be having beans instead.  It’s my honeyman’s family recipe: a Macedonian favorite!  I’ll probably substitute white kidney beans in place of the lima beans as that’s what I have on hand but the recipe traditionally calls for lima beans.  Enjoy!

Baked Lima Beans

1 pound lima beans
2 quarts water
1 large onion, chopped fine
1 large green pepper, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 cup stewed tomatoes
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon mint
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Soak beans overnight in cold water.  Pour off water and place in large saucepan.  Add 2 quarts water and bring to a boil.  Reduce to medium heat.  Boil for approximately 1 1/2 hour until beans are tender, stirring occasionally.  Drain beans and place in a casserole or roasting pan.

Saute onion, pepper and garlic in oil until soft.  Add tomatoes, paprika and salt.  Continue to cook for an additional ten minutes.  Pour fried vegetables over the beans and mix well.  Add enough water so that beans are not quite covered.  Sprinkle with pepper and mint and bake at 300F for about 1 hour.

Kitchen Table Talk…

If you try one of my recipes, please let me know what you thought by sharing a comment in the area below.  Or if you like this post, share it with your friends and family through your favorite social media service.

Yesterday was my Daddy’s birthday.  In honor of the day, I thought I would post a few recipes from the region where my dad was born: Veneto. Other than pasta, risotto is one of the most famous of Italian foods.
Risotto is a specific way of cooking rice. To make a true risotto, the rice must first be cooked in olive oil or butter.

The rice must be stirred so that it is evenly coated with the oil or butter, and cooked until it starts to become translucent. Another hallmark of a great risotto – the creaminess comes from the cooking process, not by adding heavy cream to the recipe (as I was just served in a restaurant last week). The famous texture of the risotto is achieved by adding the broth slowly (and I mean slowly, one spoonful at a time is traditional). The joke around my kitchen is that there’s a lot of love in risotto.

Authentic Wild Mushroom Risotto

Although a variety of wild mushrooms are often featured in traditional Venetian fare, I use what I can find easily at the grocery store: porcini, shitake and cremini, but any type of mushroom will do.  I don’t remember if my mum ever made risotto when I was growing up.  I’m sure she must have but I really don’t remember.

1 pound portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 pound wild mushrooms, thinly sliced
6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
2 whole shallots, diced
3 tablespoons olive oil or butter
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

In a saucepan, warm broth over low heat.

Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  A large electric skillet also works well for this recipe.  Stir in the mushrooms, and cook until soft, about 3 minutes.  Remove mushrooms and their liquid, and set aside.

Add remaining tablespoon olive oil or butter to skillet, and stir in the shallots.  Saute until translucent. Add rice, stirring to coat with oil, about 2 minutes. When the rice has taken on a pale, golden color, pour in wine, stirring constantly until the wine is fully absorbed. Add 1/2 cup broth to the rice, and stir until the broth is nearly absorbed. Continue adding broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring continuously, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente.  You may not use all of the stock called for in the recipe.  The amount of liquid requires varies based on your cooking temperature and the age of your rice (older rice tends to require more liquid).  The rice will take about 25 minutes to reach the desired texture but again, cooking temperature and age of rice will be a factor.  The only way to truly judge if the rice is ready is to taste it.  It should be firm but tender to the tooth (al dente).

Once the rice is al dente, remove from heat, and stir in mushrooms with their liquid and parmesan.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Pair with red wine (Amarone is my favorite Venetian wine) and serve.

This recipe yields 6 servings (1 cup servings)

Venetian Fusili with Peas, Bacon & Ricotta

The Veneto region is known for its heavier fare and beans are a common ingredient.  One of my favorite dishes growing up was pasta e fagioli, made with beans (fagioli) that we grew in our backyard garden.  Or maybe I just thought we grew them in our garden because my mum and I would sit on the back porch and shell a bushell of beans.  One of my least favorite dishes was pasta with peas and yet as the head of my own kitchen, ironically, it’s the one dish I make quite often.  My mum would use ham instead of bacon and I don’t think she would add ricotta but here is my version of a recipe from my childhood.

1 cup frozen peas
2 cups fusilli pasta (I use rice fusilli for a gluten-free variation)
6 strips of bacon
3/4 cup fresh ricotta cheese, crumbled

Cook peas in a large saucepan of boiling salted water for 1 minute or until bright green. Drain and set aside.

Cook pasta, following packet directions, until just tender. Drain. Return pasta to saucepan.

Meanwhile, cook bacon in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until crisp.

Add bacon, peas, ricotta, and salt and pepper to pasta. Toss over low heat until well combined. Spoon into serving bowls. Serve.

Kitchen Table Talk…

If you try one of my recipes, please let me know what you thought by sharing a comment in the area below.  Of if you like this post, share it with your friends and family through your favorite social media service.

My honeyman loves beef vindaloo.  In fact, whenever we have a special occasion (read: his birthday) it’s the meal I always prepare for him.  Last week, he was feeling a little blue so I prepared his favorite meal for him.  It’s sure to pick him up, whenever he’s down.  He’ll have a smile on his tummy, even if he doesn’t have a smile on his face.

The recipe does take some prep but it’s well worth it.  I use whole seeds for many of the spices and toast them in the oven and then crush using my grandmother’s pestle and mortar but if you’re unable to find the raw seeds, you can use pre-ground spices.  I’ve made the same recipe using pre-ground spices and it works just as well – just has a little less heat but still very tasty.

Authentic Beef Vindaloo

2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 1/2 teaspoon mustard seed
1 teaspoon fenugreek seed (can be omitted if you’re not able to find)
1 teaspoon cardamom seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorn
1 teaspoon coriander, ground
1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon brown sugar
5-10 dried red chillies (to taste)
4 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 whole onions, diced
1/2 cup water
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 1-inch cube fresh ginger, peeled, chopped
1 kilo beef meat, cubed
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
4 cups beef stock

To make the spice mixture: Spread cumin, mustard, fenugreek and cardamom seeds on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 °F until dark.  Using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, grind toasted seeds, peppercorns, coriander, cinnamon and cayenne pepper together.  Transfer ground spices to a small bowl.  Stir in salt, brown sugar and vinegar. Set aside.

To make the onion paste: Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add onions.  Cook onions, stirring constantly until a rich molasses brown.  Remove from heat. Using a slotted spoon, remove the onions from the saucepan draining the oil back into the pan.  Transfer the onions to a blender.  Puree the onions while slowly adding water (about 3 teaspoons) to make a smooth paste.

To make the vindaloo paste: Mix the onion paste into the spice mixture and set aside.

To make the garlic paste: In a clean blender, blend garlic and ginger.  Add water slowly (about 3 teaspoons) while blending to make a smooth paste. Set aside.

Marinate beef chuck in the vindaloo paste for 3 to 4 hours.  Reheat the oil in the saucepan over medium heat.  Add the garlic-ginger paste.  Stir constantly until the paste turns a light brown.  Add beef chuck browning lightly on all sides.  Turn heat to medium and add 1 tablespoon ground coriander and 1/2 teaspoon turmeric and stir to mix.  Add water (or stock).  Stir and bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until meat is tender (about 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours).  ??Serve hot over basmati rice.

VARIATION: If you’re pressed for time, you can skip the paste step.  Just combine all your spices, the vinegar and water in a large bowl and marinate your beef chuck for 3 to 4 hours.  When you’re ready to cook, heat the oil and saute your diced onion and minced garlic until the onion is translucent, add your beef chuck and brown and then add your water or stock and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Well here I am on the other side of Christmas.  Dinner on Christmas Eve was a success!  Fifteen members of my family went home to await the arrival of Santa Claus with full bellies and visions of mincemeat pies dancing in their heads.

I had promised to take pictures… and of course, forgot!  But I can share the menu and some of the recipes (at least for the items I made).

Antipasto

Veggie tray: One of my Christmas platters filled to the brim with bite sized pieces of broccoli, cauliflower, baby carrots, celery, cucumber, red peppers and grape tomatoes.  I had a small bowl of spinach dip for my sister-in-law who likes to dip her veggies.  The rest of us made do with raw.

Deli plate: The classic staple on my family’s dinner table.  Prosciutto and salami.  I also had a small serving dish with bocconcini and another with olives.

Cheese platter: Another festive platter filled with bite sized pieces of 5 year old aged cheddar, 2 year old aged white cheddar, swiss cheese, parmesan, and brie.  Rice crackers and bread sticks were in handy reach of all the different platters.

Appetizer

Minestrone Soup

BBQ Meatballs (for my nephews)

1 pound ground beef
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
1 large egg
1/4 cup barbecue sauce

Combine ingredients.  Form into 1-inch meatballs.  Brown in skillet.  Drain.  Serve with tomato sauce or barbecue dipping sauce.  Can be made one day ahead and reheated.

Entree

Vegetarian Lasagna courtesy of my sister

Prime Rib Roast

I honestly don’t know how many pounds my prime rib roast weighed.  I know it was 8 bones.  That’s what I asked the butcher for when I went to pick up the cut of meat.  It’s hard to give precise measurements for seasonings but I’ll post the basic quantities for a smaller roast and you can adjust as required.  I let the prime rib rest uncovered in the bottom of my fridge for two days before roasting.  Makes the meat much more tender.

3 pounds beef
2 tablespoons paprika
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
olive oil

Mix seasonings together.  Rinse beef and pat dry.  Rub roast liberally with olive oil.  Pat roast liberally with seasonings.  Insert meat thermometer.  Cook in roasting pan on low heat (200F to 250F) until roast hits internal temperature of 145F.

Sides

Caesar salad

Milestones Salad

My sister-in-law eats at Milestone’s often and always orders this salad.  While I don’t know the real recipe, she said my version is just as good as that in the restaurant.

4 cups mixed baby green salad
12 whole strawberries, hulled and halved
1/2 cup walnut halves, carmelized
1 tablespoon goat cheese
honey dijon dressing, to taste

Mix first four ingredients.  Toss with honey dijon dressing minutes before serving.  Variation: I added a handful of dried cranberries and a handful of sunflower seeds for an extra special treat.

Scallop Potatoes, courtesy of my sister-in-law

Roast Potatoes

Dessert

Believe it or not, people had room left over for dessert.  I spent a few hours in the kitchen the day before our Christmas eve dinner baking up a storm.  Cheesecake, chocolate brownies, macaroons and almond butter cookies.  I also picked up some desserts at the bakery.  I haven’t quite mastered Greek pastries yet and didn’t think this was the year to try LOL

There was also a big fruit platter: strawberries, honeydew melon, cantaloupe and pineapple.  As well as a billowing bowl of oranges, apples and pears.

And my nephew got his little hands on the chocolate covered profiteroles and proclaimed them “Soooo good!”

No one went hungry, that’s for sure!  And my parents and brothers left with a week’s worth of leftovers.  I have a fridge full of leftovers too.  Keep an eye out for the leftover recipes LOL

Happy holidays!  I hope you were able to enjoy good food and laughter with family and friends.