Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Wednesday Night Special! Pork Cubed Steak


Tonight called for comfort food. Pork cubed steak over mashed potatoes and lots of gravy. I'll be giving you the recipes for the steak and gravy on this blog post.

2 lbs. cubed pork steak
1/2 cup self-rising flour
1/2 t. kosher salt
1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 t. granulated garlic
1/4 t. onion powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil


Place flour in a shallow plate or pin tin. Add seasonings and use a fork to mix thoroughly. Dredge the cubed steak in the flour and place on a separate plate while your bread the remaining pork.

Heat oil over high heat in a large skillet. When a drop of flour on the oil sizzles, you're ready to add in the floured cubed steak a few pieces at a time. Don't crowd the skillet and cook in batches. Lower the heat to medium-high.

It will only take a few minutes per side to cook. When the flour has browned and starts to get crunchy, you're ready to remove those from the skillet to a paper towel lined plate and continue cooking.

For the gravy:

2 T. butter
2 T. flour
2 chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste

In a medium skillet, over medium-high heat, melt butter. When it sizzles, add flour and stir to combine. Let cook for 1 - 2 minutes to cook the raw taste out of the flour.

Slowly pour in chicken broth, whisking constantly. Lower heat to low and allow the gravy to thicken.  Taste and season with salt and pepper.






Monday, September 24, 2018

Taco Tuesday: Ground Pork Mini Taco Boats


Old El Paso has developed a new taco shell idea: Mini Taco Boats which are the perfect handheld soft taco shell. These soft tortilla "boats" are an ideal size for parties, appetizers, or kids!

Tonight I filled mine with a base of seasoned ground pork and offered a variety of toppings. We'll build from the shell up and let you see exactly how the layers developed.

1 T. olive oil
2 pounds ground pork
2 envelopes taco seasoning
1 1/2 - 2 cups water
1 package Mini soft tortilla taco boats prepared according to package directions

My choice of toppings:
diced onions
diced red jalapenos
cilantro
shredded cheddar cheese
taco sauce
sour cream
shredded romaine

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add pork and break up with a wooden spoon. Coor, frequently stirring until pork has cooked through. 

Add seasoning and water and lower heat to medium. Cook until liquid evaporates. 

Now it's time to play with our food!

Place a few tablespoons of pork into the taco boat and add some chopped onion.


How about some heat and color from the red jalapenos?


I love cilantro!


It's time for the shredded cheese.


And a little taco sauce.


A few dollops of sour cream help to cool those jalapenos.


Instead of the regular iceberg lettuce, I sliced romaine into thin ribbons.


The next time you're planning a party or want to have fun with your kids at suppertime, consider trying these mini-taco boats. They're such a perfect size!

Saturday, September 22, 2018

Wing Wednesdays: Orange Ginger Glazed Wings


I'll start this blog post with a word of advice.  Buy an extra package of napkins when you go to the grocery to buy the ingredients for this meal.  You're going to need them.

I'm always on the lookout for new ways to prepare wings. Today I spied this marinade/sauce from La Choy Orange Ginger!  Decision made!

2 pounds chicken wings separated, tips removed
salt
La Choy Orange Ginger Sauce Marinade
For garnishing: sesame seeds, thinly sliced green onions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Spray a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray.

Place wings on the baking sheet in a single layer. Lightly sprinkle with salt.

Bake wings for one hour until cooked through and browned. Remove from oven and brush on the Orange Ginger Sauce. Return to oven for 5 minutes. For extra sticky goodness, add another layer of glaze and return to oven for another 5 minutes.  

Sprinkle with sesame seeds and top with thinly sliced green onions.


Tuesday, September 18, 2018

Taco Tuesday: Red Snapper Tacos with Kimchi


Talk about a blend of flavors and cuisines! Leftover pan-fried red snapper fillets loaded into a lime flavored taco shell with kimchi? No other condiments needed other than a spritz of fresh lime juice for topping. The red snapper was tender and flavorful, the taco shells added the perfect crunch with a slight lime flavor, and then the wonderful blend of textures and seasonings in the kimchi.

If you're not familiar with kimchi, here's an easy description. Kimchi (or Kimchee) is a traditional Korean dish made with Nappa cabbage, radishes, LOTS of seasonings (you can purchase either mild or hot varieties) which is fermented like kraut. Kimchi is loaded with Vitamins A, B, and C, plus it's a wonderful source of those "healthy bacteria" found in yogurt. 

As noted above, the red snapper was courtesy of a recipe I prepared over the weekend.  The recipe is found HERE.  I set these fillets aside before adding the lemon butter caper sauce for the sole purpose of using them in tacos for this recipe. 

To re-warm the red snapper, I simply added about 1 t. each butter and olive oil to a skillet over medium heat. Then, I let them re-warm about 2 minutes per side, remove from the skillet to a plate and carefully, cut the fish into bite-sized pieces with a fork.  

The tacos shells were warmed in the oven per package directions. I placed the Kimchi into the bottom of the taco shells, loaded them up with the red snapper, and then added a squeeze of lime.

This was a really, really, great taco!




Monday, September 17, 2018

Weekend Steak and Eggs: Grilled Strip Steaks with Over Easy Eggs


It's been quite a while since I've taken the time to have an enjoyable Sunday morning breakfast.  This past weekend I decided it was time to slow down the hectic pace a little bit. No, there are no potatoes, biscuits, toast, or grits on this plate.  It's protein time!

I started with two close to a pound each strip steaks. I lightly seasoned with sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and granulated garlic.

I revved up the gas grill to sear! and placed these room temperature steaks onto the grill. I missed the perfect grill marks on these two, but it was early! I cooked both of these to medium.


While the steaks rested......


.....I fried the eggs over easy in bacon drippings.  You do keep a jar of bacon drippings in the refrigerator for just such an occasion, right?

And here we go!


And that first cut with the fork...


And no, there was NO lunch on Sunday.  lol

Saturday, September 15, 2018

Red Snapper with Lemon Butter Caper Sauce


Red Snapper is my favorite fish by far.  I brought home several fillets after our last trip to the Gulf Coast.  This afternoon was the perfect time to enjoy.

6 - 4 oz. red snapper fillets
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
granulated garlic
2 T. olive oil
2 T. butter
1 medium shallot, minced
2 T. capers, drained
3 T. lemon juice
3 T. butter
1 medium lemon, thinly sliced
3 T. chopped parsley

Rinse red snapper and pat dry with paper towels.  Lightly season with salt, pepper, and granulated garlic on both sides.

Heat olive oil and 2 T. butter in a large skillet over high heat. When butter bubbles, add a few pieces to the skillet skin side down. I cooked three fillets at a time.

Lower heat slightly and let fish cook 4 - 5 minutes per side. The internal temperature of the fish should be 145 degrees F.  As fish is cooked, remove to a plate and continue cooking the remainder of the fish.

When fish is cooked, lower heat to medium, add shallots and capers and cook, continually stirring, for 2 - 3 minutes until shallots soften. Add lemon juice and 3 T. of butter along with the lemon slices.

Continue stirring until lemon slices soften, 2- 3 minutes. Add parsley, stir to combine.

Place red snapper onto a serving plate and carefully pour sauce over fish.  OR, plate one piece of fish per serving and top with sauce individually.

Thursday, September 13, 2018

Mediterranean White Bean and Artichoke Dip


I cooked dried Great Nothern Beans a few days ago. This is an entirely new dish made with the leftovers. We'll talk about the original recipe first.

1 lb. dried Great Northern Beans
Water to cover
2 - 3 T. bacon drippings
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste 
1 t. dried parsley

Dried beans cook best after soaking. There are two ways to soak:  overnight or a quick soak.  I used the quick soak method which is as follows:  Sort and rinse beans. Place beans in a large saucepan with 6 - 8 cups of water. Bring to a rapid boil on medium-high heat. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 1 hour. Drain and rinse beans and discard soak water.

After soaking, place beans in a large Dutch oven and cover with 6 - 8 cups water. Cover and bring just to boiling on medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently, with lid slightly askew, for 1 1/2 hours, occasionally stirring until desired tenderness. Add bacon drippings, salt, and pepper about halfway through the cooking time. You can also add a ham hock to the beans for the seasoning.

Now on to our featured recipe.  You'll need about 2 cups of leftover beans OR you can use 16 oz. of canned beans, rinsed and drained.

2 cups Great Northern Beans
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 t. dried Italian Seasoning
1 small jar diced pimentos
1 cup artichoke hearts, chopped
1 t. minced fresh garlic
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients, stirring gently, until well combined. Chill at least two hours to allow flavors to blend. Serve with sliced toasted French bread.

Monday, September 10, 2018

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Sunday, September 9, 2018

Around Lolly's Table: Pasta Night!


Regular readers of the blog know how much I adore Italian cuisine. So it stands to reason I love to prepare my table for these meals.  Years ago, I scored an excellent buy at Bed, Bath, and Beyond on this fun Pasta Bowl set. 

The table runner features colorful bunches of grapes. The purple napkins with napkin rings with a grape motif is a nice complement to the table runner.



The LARGE serving bowl is prepared to take on a family sized portion of your favorite pasta.


Each of the individual bowls has a colorful interpretation of an Italian favorite.






Wednesday, September 5, 2018

Wing Wednesdays: Peach and Jalapeno Jam Glazed Grilled Chicken Wings


Labor Day was anything but that at Chez Lolly.  I took a very rare, stay at home and do (almost) nothing) day.  Mid-afternoon, I decided it was time for some nibbles and fired up the gas grill for some wings. You can simply grill the seasoned wings like I did below, OR you can continue the deliciousness by brushing with a spicy jelly or peach and jalapeno jam.  The sweet spicy stickiness of the jam took these wings over the top.

2 1/2 - 3 lbs. chicken wings, separated and tips removed
granulated garlic
granulated onion
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Place the wings in a single layer on a baking sheet and liberally season both sides of the chicken.

Preheat gas grill on high until the temp reaches 500 degrees F. or prepare a charcoal grill.  When the grill is ready, place wings onto grill grates allowing ample room between the wings. Reduce the heat to medium.

Allow wings to cook, turning them over frequently with tongs until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.  You could stop at this step and have an amazing place of wings!


But.......why would you?

I moved all the wings to one side of the grill and placed a grill mat on top of the grates and reduced the heat to low.  I had recently canned some peach and jalapeno jam. Using a silicone brush, I glazed the wings with the jam and let them cook for another two or three minutes before turning them over and repeating the glaze on the opposite side.


Aren't these beautiful?


Tuesday, September 4, 2018

Shrimp Spaghetti Carbonara


Creamy, decadent, delicious. This is a meal for those special occasions.  Like making it through Tuesday!  Get all your ingredients prepped and ready before you begin cooking. As always, when you're cooking pasta, the FIRST step is to get that large pasta pot full of water and on the stove to begin to boil. 

The heat from the noodles, pancetta, and shrimp will cook the eggs and melt the cheese. If you're not familiar with the term "tempering", it's a method of heating the eggs with a small amount of the hot pasta water. That step will prevent the eggs from scrambling and allows them to cook into creamy goodness with the pasta.

1 lb. spaghetti noodles 
1 T. olive oil
4 oz. pancetta
8 oz. sliced mushrooms (your favorite variety)
2 t. minced garlic
1/2 t. salt
1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 large eggs
8 oz. heavy whipping cream
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup reserved pasta water
salt and pepper to taste
chopped parsley and additional Parmesan for garnishing

Cook spaghetti according to package directions. While noodles are boiling, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pancetta and let brown for 3 - 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add mushrooms and let cook for 4 - 5 minutes. Next, lower heat to medium, add in garlic and salt and let cook for one additional minute, stirring constantly.

Place shrimp into the skillet, and stir frequently, until they are cooked through and opague, about 4 - 5 minutes. 

While shrimp are cooking, whisk together the eggs, whipping cream, and cheese.

Drain spaghetti and whisk in the 1/4 cup reserved pasta water into the egg mixture.

Place pancetta/shrimp mixture into a large bowl. Dump in drained spaghetti to the bowl and, using tongs, mix together. 

Slowing pour in egg mixture, constantly mixing with the tongs until all noodles are completely coated.

Garnish with chopped parsley and additional Parmesan.  Serve immediately.


Monday, September 3, 2018

Around Lolly's Table: Fiestaware


I love to mix and match Fiestaware colors. It's always an adventure to see what colors work well together and which ones need a little tweaking. I started this table plan with a cream colored tablecloth and a table runner with rust and different shades of blue as the predominant colors.  

A quick trip to the Fiesta shelves, and here is the result!