Beer Marinated Flank Steak & Aji Sauce

One of my best girlfriends is Peruvian. I have been in love with Peruvian food ever since I tasted an alfajores, a sweet cookie made with Dulce de leche. I'll have to get her to teach me how to make these cookies, because she does make the best. Note to self, get Liz to teach me how to make those cookies. However, another favorite of mine from Peruvian food is Aji Sauce. It's a blend of jalepeno, cilantro & spices...I love dipping my bread into it. Here's a recipe that was similar to the many dishes of Peruvian cuisine!

Beer-Marinated Flank Steak & Aji Sauce
Adapted from Bon Appetit
Ingredients:
2 1 1/3-pound flank steaks
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
Coarse kosher salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
11/4 cups thinly sliced green onions (about 6)
1 12-ounce bottle dark beer *I used Newcastle*
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
Aji Sauce

Preparation:
1. Using sharp knife, lightly score flank steaks about 1/8 inch deep on both sides in a crisscross pattern at 1/2-inch intervals. Place steaks in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish.
2. Sprinkle steaks on both sides with oregano and cumin and generous amount of coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. Drizzle olive oil over both sides of steaks, rubbing oil and spices into meat. Add green onions, beer, and Worcestershire sauce, turning steaks several times to coat both sides. Cover and chill at least 3 hours, turning occasionally. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.
3. Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Brush grill rack lightly with oil. Grill steaks to desired doneness, 3 to 4 minutes total per side for medium-rare, turning steaks 1/4 turn after 1 1/2 minutes to form crisscross grill marks, if desired.
4.Transfer steaks to cutting board; let rest 5 minutes. Thinly slice steaks across grain. Transfer to platter and serve with Aji Sauce.

Aji Sauce
Adapted from Bon Appetit
Ingredients:
1/2 cup coarsely chopped seeded jalapeño chiles (about 4 large)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped green onions (about 2 large)
1/3 cup coarsely chopped sweet onion (such as Maui or Vidalia)
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons (or more) red wine vinegar or fresh lime juice
3/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:
Combine jalapeño chiles, green onions, sweet onion, and cilantro in processor; puree until paste forms, scraping down sides of bowl with rubber spatula several times. Add 2 tablespoons vinegar and process until mixture is blended but some texture still remains. Transfer to small bowl. Stir in 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and more vinegar to taste, if desired. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

Review: Average...I rather go out to eat at my local peruvian restuarant.

Pumpkin Waffles

Another pumpkin post for my pumpkin loverrrrrs! Breakfast is not only the most important meal of the day, it's my favorite meal of the day. I love scrambled eggs, pancakes, french toast, corned hash, omelettes, muffins, bacon, sausage, and more...I could go on and on. I had pumpkin pancakes saved in my google reader for sometime to make for breakfast, but Eric does love waffles more. Eric even made a special visit to the store for me since my SACO cultured buttermilk blend had dried out, big oops that I forgot to refrigerate after opening. I'll remember that tip for next time I purchase it. The hardest part of this recipe is whipping up the egg whites if you don't have a KA mixer, let it do the work for you. I also used the wrong beater blade, note to self - wire whip blade. I did add 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar to get the extra fluff of the egg whites. The fluffy egg whites mixed with the waffle mix really accentuate the lightness of the waffle. The pumpkin puree does weigh the mix down a bit, but the fluffy egg whites take that affect away. It does make a big batch of waffles, I think this recipe can make about 10 to 12 waffles. Maybe I'll be having pumpkin waffles for dinner tonight?


Pumpkin Waffles
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
4 large eggs, separated
2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons, unsalted butter - melted for brushing on waffle iron

1. Preheat oven to 250°F and preheat waffle iron. Sift together flour, brown sugar, baking powder and soda, salt, and spices. Whisk egg yolks in a large bowl with buttermilk, pumpkin, and butter until smooth. Whisk in dry ingredients just until combined.
2. In a mixing bowl with a whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites until they hold soft peaks (as in, far softer than the over-beaten whites). Folk them gently into the waffle batter, until just combined.
3. Brush waffle iron lightly with unsalted butter and spoon batter (less than 3/4 cup for my Cuisinart) into waffle iron, spreading quickly. Cook according to manufacturer’s instructions.
4. Transfer waffles to rack in oven to keep warm and crisp. Make more waffles in same manner.

Review: Absolute heaven, add a little sprinkle of confectioners syrup, and a side of crispy bacon...it's a great Sunday breakfast. What can I say, I love pumpkin.

Spiced Pumpkin Bread

"Heeeeello lovvvvvveeeeeer! (in my best Carrie Bradshaw voice) Remember that "Sex and the City" episode where she sees the most adorable Manalo Blahniks in the window and cooed dirty talk to the most beautiful and expensive high heels ever. Well, I'm having that kind of moment with pumpkin. Crazy connection, but I'm in LOVE with pumpkin. I picked up 6 cans of organic pumpkin at my local farmers market, and I was super uber-duber excited to make more good treats with pumpkin. After searching all my pumpkin recipes, I've realized I did not have one for pumpkin bread. SLAP ME someone!!!

After my extensive research on Epicurious, Foodnetwork & Martha Stewart...I decided to go with the one I found on Epicurious. I checked out the reviews since I second-guess my recipe pick because I didn't want this pumpkin to go to waste! Bon Appetit has been my new favorite recipe finder for everything. I finally subscribed to the magazine, and will be getting it next month. This is the best pumpkin bread that I have tasted, rich, balanced, velvety, and perfect blend of spice. That's everything nice...about pumpkin! I took this lovely batch to work, and it was gone with 10 minutes. Everyone said it was the best pumpkin bread they have had.



Spiced Pumpkin Bread
Adapted from Bon Appetit

Ingredients:
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup applesauce
3 large eggs *I used cage free*
1 15-ounce canned pumpkin
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 10 inch loaf pans. Beat sugars, oil and applesauce in large bowl to blend. Mix in eggs and pumpkin. Sift flour, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt and baking powder into another large bowl. Stir into pumpkin mixture in 2 additions. Mix in walnuts, if desired.
2. Divide batter equally between prepared pans. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Transfer to racks and cool 10 minutes. Using sharp knife, cut around edge of loaves. Turn loaves out onto racks and cool completely.

Review: Easy. Sweet. Delicious. WINNER! I know shoes and pumpkin are a far stretch from each other, but my inner Carrie Bradshaw couldn't help it. Kisses to pumpkin!

Chicken, Cheddar, & Apple Sliders

Another wonderful original recipe provided by a fellow nestie, Joelen. She always has fun and exciting dinner parties, that makes me wish that I lived in Chicago to be part of her cool cooking group! What drew me instantly to this recipe is the use of ground chicken and cheddar cheese, healthy and delicious. Ground turkey could be substituted here, if you don't want to use chicken. But honestly, I don't think the applesauce would compliment turkey as well. Turkey and cranberries maybe, hmmm - another slider idea for my favorite holiday, Thanksgiving.


Chicken, Cheddar & Apple Sliders
Adapted from Joelen's Culinary Adventures

Ingredients:
1/2 cup chunky applesauce
2 lbs ground chicken
1/2 cup shredded white cheddar cheese
1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tablespoon poultry seasoning
Salt & pepper to taste
Dinner Rolls - Hawaiian Bread

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place 2 lbs of ground chicken, 1/2 cup applesauce & 1/2 cup shredded cheese in a bowl and mix well. Add to the bowl 1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup milk, 1/2 tablespoon of poultry seasoning. Season to taste with salt & peopper. Carefully combine all the ingredients until fully incorporated.
3. *There are a couple options to prepare - I chose bake.* Press the chicken, cheddar and apple mixture into the bottom of a jelly roll pan until flat and even. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until cooked through. Cut the baked chicken into squares, the same size as your dinner rolls. Place in the dinner roll bottoms, top with the dinner roll tops and serve.

Review: YUMMY, it was a perfect and easy weekday dinner to prepare. It would be great for entertaining while watching football or the ALCS games between Yankees & Angels! Thanks again Joelen for creating such a wonderful dish.

Turkey Pumpkin Chili

An awesome wonderful fellow nestie, Cara, posted this on her blog. Once I saw the title, I knew that I had to make it. I couldn't resist the pumpkin and turkey combination. I did make a couple changes to Cara's original recipe, changed the chili powders (only because I never have chili powder - just a random variety of other ones) and added butternut squash. I forgot to add the frozen corn at the end, too! The velvety mix of the pumpkin & chopped butternut squash adds a rich texture to the chili. It just melts in your mouth, and the lovely hint of cinnamon gives a perfect balance of sweet & savory. I took Cara's recommendation to add the pumpkin ale, and I've been drinking it all week long. It's my new fave beer to drink (and I don't like beer).

This makes a good-sized batch, and I brought half of it to my girlfriend, Angel. She is home resting from her arm surgery, and I knew this would be a nice taste of homecooking for her while she recovered. I still had enough to share with another pumpkin fan from work, already wanting the recipe!

Turkey Pumpkin Chili
Adapted from Cara's Cravings

Ingredients:
1 cup chopped onion, I did a mix of red & sweet mayan
3 to 6 cloves of garlic, minced
2 medium sized bell peppers, diced (any color)
1 lb ground turkey
1.5 tsp ancho chili powder
1.5 tsp new mexico chili powder
1 tbsp cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp Mexican oregano
1 small can diced green chiles
15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
14 oz can fire roasted tomatoes, diced
15 oz can pumpkin puree, or 2 cups homemade
1.5 cups of butternut squash, diced small
12 oz bottle of pumpkin ale
2 tbsp fresh chives, chopped finely

Directions:
1. Add 2 tablespoons of Extra virgin olive oil and place over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for about 5 minutes, until just softened. Add the garlic and bell peppers, and cook about 5 minutes more until tender.
2. Add the ground turkey and cook until browned, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Season with salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, and oregano.
3. Add Pumpkin Ale in after the vegetables and turkey are cooked and let most of the liquid evaporate before adding the remaining ingredients.
4. Stir in remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes to blend flavors and add the fresh chives in.

Review: Loved this chili, I love that it's savory and not too sweet. Pumpkin surely does make everything better! Thanks again Cara for creating a yummy recipe!

Pumpkin Butterscotch Cookies

Hmmmm, it's October and my favorite best friend is back in town, pumpkin. Oh how I have missed you, and I've been eyeballing my oven for sometime to use you secretly for everything sweetly named recipe with "pumpkin." I can't explain how much I love pumpkin because its just one of those fall flavors that I absolutely love and can't get enough of. It's like I have "pumpkin fever" and the only cure for my aching madness is to enjoy something pumpkin.

Starbucks has Pumpkin Spiced Lattes, I had one early this month. I had a pumpkin spice muffin from Mimi's Cafe that was delicious, like a bite from heaven. However, I've been reading that there is a Pumpkin Shortage across my cooking board, and that's the worst news possible. Most farmers have lost one third of their crop due to bad weather and lots of the pumpkins rotting out. Luckily, I have been able to come across canned pumpkin and sugar pumpkins in my farmers markets. I'll be stocking up on canned pumpkin so I'll have plenty for those "just in-case" moments. I made these pumpkin cookies last night as a treat for my husband's office, and for me to indulge on the buttery sweetness of butterscotch cookies. Be ready with a glass of milk for these, they are cake-like cookie-ness will tempt you to go back for more, and more!


Pumpkin Cookies
Adapted from Joy of Baking & seen on Joy the Baker
Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
1/2 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 cup butterscotch chips

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and place oven rack in the center of the oven. Line baking sheets with silpat.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves & salt.
3. In the bowl of the KA mixer, beat the eggs and sugar until light and smooth (about 2 minutes). Beat in the applesauce, vanilla extract, and pumpkin puree. Add the flour mixture and beat just until incorporated. Using a cookie scoop place small mounds of batter onto the prepared baking sheet.
4. Baked for about 15 - 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cookie comes out clean.

Review: Sweet, buttery, and cake-like. Heavenly.

Veal Osso Bucco

I was in the mood for something tender, juicy and rich for dinner. The previous weekend, my husband cooked a wonderful steak dinner. I still had veal shanks leftover from our Anniversary dinner, and with the cold weather changing, a roast was the ideal meal to cook up. Veal osso bucco is an all time classic dish that I absolutely love because most of the cooking time is just roasting in the oven. The little details of browning the veal shanks, adding all the elements and deglazing the pan are the foundation of this wonderful dish. Minimal effort is needed to prepare this meal.

Sidenote: My coworker's husband is the one who gave this recipe to me originally and I thought this would be a great opportunity to try it out. Thanks again KB & CB for a wonderful recipe.

The Historic Strater Hotel - Veal Osso Bucco
Adapted from Historic Strater Hotel

Ingredients:
Two 10- to 12- ounce veal shanks
Seasoned Flour
2 ounces olive oil
1 clove garlic, sliced
1 shallot, chopped
4 leaves fresh sage, no stems
1.5 branches fresh rosemary, no stems
2 ounces Marsala wine
2 ounces white wine
16 ounce can tomatoes (whole Roma, coarsely chopped)
2 cups beef stock
2 ounces tomato paste
Salt & pepper

Preparation:
1. Season veal shanks and dredge in flour. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Pan fry veal shanks 2 to 2 minutes on each side in the dutch oven. Remove from oil and place on cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
2. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven. Saute garlic & shallots to a golden color. Deglaze pan with marsala and white wine. Add herbs, tomato paste, canned tomatoes, and beef stock. Heat until simmering. Check seasonings and add salt and pepper to taste if needed.
3. Add veal shanks to pan and push them to the bottom. Make sure the shanks are covered in sauce by at least 1/4 inch. If not, add additional beef stock or water to raise the liquid level. Cover pot and place in oven for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. It is done when the meat pulls clean away from the bone. Degrease the sauce upon removing from the oven.

Serves 2.

Review: This was a great comfort dish to indulge on, the cooking and preparation time is minimal. I love the simplicity of this dish, and the herbs accentuate the tender meat. The meat is fall-off-the-bone tender, it just melts in your mouth. I'm still oohing and ahhing for this meal.

Grilled Turkey Burgers with Cheddar & Smoky Aioli

Oh man, I love In-N-Out Burger. Animal style cheeseburgers (or double double for you brave souls), animal style fries & that Neapolitan milkshake!! (I'm drooling, are you?) Okay, I'm slapping myself back to "nutrition" and "health" and "calorie-counting" mantra for a better me. This healthy meal felt like an In-N-Out burger, but good for your hips and lips.


Grilled Turkey Burgers with Cheddar & Smoky Aioli
Adapted from Epicurious

Ingredients:
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 cup low-fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for brushing
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 pound ground turkey
1/4 breadcrumbs
4 1/3 -inch-thick red onion slices
1 large or 2 small red bell peppers, quartered
4 slices extra sharp cheddar cheese
4 sesame-seed hamburger buns
Butter lettuce

Preparation:
1. Toast cumin seeds and coriander seeds in small skillet over medium-high heat until aromatic and slightly darker in color, shaking skillet often, about 1 1/2 minutes. Cool. Finely grind toasted seeds in spice grinder or in mortar with pestle. 2. Whisk mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, smoked paprika, garlic, and ground spices in small bowl. Season aioli to taste with salt and pepper. TIP: Aioli should be made 1 day ahead. **The flavors can also meld together more, it thickens up after it's refrigerated.
3. Place turkey in medium bowl. Add 2 tablespoons aioli; mix gently. Using damp hands, divide turkey mixture into 4 equal portions, then form each into scant 3/4-inch thick patty, about 3 1/2 inches in diameter. Using thumb, make small indentation in center of each burger. DO AHEAD: Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and chill.
4. Prepare skillet on medium high. Sprinkle burgers with lawry's seasoning salt & freshly ground pepper. Cook turkey burgers, cook until almost cooked through, about 4minutes on each side.
5. In an another medium pan on medium high heat, carmelize the onion slices and bell pepper pieces until slightly brown, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
6. Top each burger with 1 cheese slice and grill until meat is cooked through and cheese melts, about 1 minute longer. Place 1 turkey burger on each of 4 bun bottoms. Add carmelized onions & red bell pepper on top. Top each with dollop of aioli and some butter lettuce. Cover burgers with bun tops and enjoy!

Review: Juicy and tasty, almost as good as a In-N-Out burger...without the extra calories.

California Tri-Tip Chili

This past week my husband's work held a chili-cook-off competition. My husband was eager to participate and determined to make the best chili possible. We've been researching recipes, and tasting ones that we love. Pinks Hotdogs has the best chili hot dog ever. We love the sweet and smooth velvety chili - it's heaven on top of a hot dog, it's worth waiting 2 hours in line to get that darn hot dog. Also our other top choice for chili is Ruby's Diner, they serve chili cheese fries at the Angel Stadium that are too die for. It's a meal in itself that contains a basket of golden crunchy fries with savory velvety chili topped with chunks of shredded tender beef, green onions and cheddar cheese. OMG, it's heaven. Using our heads, we tried our hardest to find a recipe similar to both of our top favorite chili's. It was quite impossible with the endless chili recipes out there, not even a copy-cat version is available for Pinks or Ruby's Diner.

However, we decided to make one of our favorite chef's ultimate chili, Tyler Florence's Ultimate Chili. But after looking at several of the reviews, and looking at the ingredients - I was leery about it. My husband had reviewed several recipes, and handpicked this one to make. But I did more research, and found a great one on Epicurious that might match our taste buds. I switched it up on him at the last minute and he wasn't aware of the new recipe until the night he prepared it. But I had to convince him that this recipe would be a winner. It's pretty hard to find a no-bean chili with tri-tip, and most chili's are made with sirloin or ground beef. We changed the main ingredient because the original asks for brisket. It's not a meat choice that we prefer, and tri-tip was the key ingredient found in our Ruby's Diner chili. This chili does take some serious time to make, and my husband did most of the work for this one. I just bought all the ingredients and prepped the butternut squash for him. If you have the time, please make this chili, it is sure worth eating!

*Disclaimer: Husband won the chili cook off competition, bragging rights to him were rewarded. I'm not taking credit for this recipe, but I'm proud of my husband. He's a great cook, too!


California Tri-Tip Chili
Adapted from Epicurious

Ingredients:
Chili:
3 large dried ancho chiles
3 ounces bacon & pancetta, diced
3/4 pounds yellow onions, chopped (about 2 cups)
2 to 3 lb tri-tip roast, cut into 2 1/2- to 3-inch cubes
Coarse kosher salt
3 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoons cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
3/4 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1 10-ounce cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes
3/4 of 12-ounce bottle dark ale beer *We used Newcastle*
1 4-ounce can diced roasted green chiles
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro stems
2 cups 1 1/2- to 2-inch chunks seeded peeled butternut squash

Preparation:
1. Place chiles in medium bowl. Pour enough boiling water over to cover. Soak until chiles soften, at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Sauté bacon & pancetta in dutch oven over medium-high heat until beginning to brown. Add onions. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle beef all over with coarse salt and pepper. Add to pot; stir to coat. Set aside.
3. Drain chiles, reserving soaking liquid. Place chiles in blender. Add 1 cup soaking liquid, garlic, chili powder, cumin seeds, oregano, coriander, and 3/4teaspoons coarse salt; blend to puree, adding more soaking liquid by 1/4 cupfuls if very thick. Pour puree over tri-tip in pot. Add tomatoes with juices, beer, green chiles, and cilantro stems. Stir to coat evenly.
4. Bring chili to simmer. Cover and place in oven. Cook 2 hours. Uncover and cook until beef is almost tender, about 1 hour. Add squash; stir to coat. Roast uncovered until beef and squash are tender, adding more soaking liquid if needed to keep meat covered, about 45 minutes longer. Season chili to taste with salt and pepper. Tilt pot and spoon off any fat from surface of sauce.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cool 1 hour. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled.

Review: One of the best chili's that I have tasted, the addition of the butternut squash is so amazing. I'm so in love with this vegetable, roasting the butternut squash in the last hour gives the chili so much depth. We were questioning the addition of butternut squash with the chili if it would hold well, comparing it to potatoes - it does not have that bland taste or the mushiness of a sweet potato. The nuttiness and creaminess of butternut squash blends perfectly with the chili. We're already planning to make another batch of chili. YIPEE!

Four Cheese & Beer Bread

I wanted something savory and hearty for my husband's chili that he prepared for his chili cook-off. He had saved me a bowl of soup, and I needed something to compliment the strong flavors of my savory chili. The original recipe made two large loaves of bread, so my version is cut in half. This bread is moist and cheesy, and you won't be able to stop at one slice. Also, it was easy to prepare and the smell of the chili & bread baking was intoxicating our entire house, my stomach was growling the entire time!

Four Cheese Beer Bread
Adapted from The Knead for Bread & seen on Brown Eyed Baker

Ingredients:
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons Johnny's Garlic Seasoning
3/4 cup sour cream
1 cup room temperature beer
1/4 cup tomato juice
1 1/2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
1 beaten egg
1 cup gruyere cheese, grated
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated finely
1 cup white cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Preparation:
1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, dry mustard & garlic seasoning. Whisk them all together.
2. In a small bowl, add 1/2 cup of white cheddar & gruyere cheese, 1/4 cup of parmesan & sharp cheddar cheese and set aside for the topping of the bread.
3. Add the rest of the cheeses to the flour mixture. Using your fingers, mix the cheese so all of it is coated in flour.
4. In a medium bowl, combine the beer, sour cream, tomato juice, egg, and worcestershire sauce and mix. Slowly add the liquid to the dry ingredients and mix with a whisk. Do not over mix.
5. Pour the mixture into a greased 9 x 5 loaf pan and press down with a spatula. Sprinkle the reserved cheese on top of the bread.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes or until done. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing from pan. Place on wire rack to cool.

Review: Hmmmm, cheese and bread? That's a wonderful treat to enjoy and to dip into my chili. Perfect, and hearty. Take another look at it, the crusty cheese on top is perfect for chili.

Eric's Ribeye Steaks

Whenever I get the opportunity for my husband to cook for me, I love it. He's always my number one taste tester in all dishes that I prepare for him. His flavor palate is great and he's always truthful and very helpful for any of my dishes. It's nice when I get to take a break from the kitchen, and watch on the other side as he prepared the meal for me. (I also think this lets me enjoy the meal more, too). This past week, he prepared a memorable steak dinner. My mouth is still drooling for more of that juicy ribeye steak. Thanks again to my husband for preparing such a wonderful meal.

Tip: Make sure when you purchase your ribeyes, look for the marbling - that's the secret to the juicness of a steak. Take a good look at the texture of the steak, and if there is no fat visible, it will not be flavorful, only leaner and more tender. Check for small streaks of fat, look for ones that are kind of patterned to a rainbow. If you're not sure, just ask your butcher for assistance.



Eric's Ribeye Steaks
Original Eric Recipe

3 Tablespoons of unsalted butter
Dash of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 to 4 sprigs of thyme
3 cloves of garlic, smashed
2 8 ounce boneless ribeye steaks,
Kosher salt - enough to cover the steaks like snow
Freshly ground pepper - to taste

1. Generously season the steaks with salt and pepper on both sides.
2. Heat cast iron skillet to medium-high. Add butter & olive oil with garlic and thyme until the butter turns gold in color, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the steaks to the skillet, turning once, until steak is desired doneness, 5 minutes on each side for medium-rare. Baste steak constantly on second side with butter from the pan until done. 10 mins of cooking time will yield medium rare but will vary based on pan and technique.

Review: What a real simple man-made meal, delicous and wonderful pretty muchs sums up this meal. I loved that he used the cast-iron skillet instead of the barbeque. I love the nuttiness from the butter, completely covered in the steak, and the thyme and garlic Hmmm, my next step - when can I get him to make this meal again for me?

Panko-Crusted Chicken with Mustard-Maple Sauce

I'll admit that I hate spending more than 45 minutes preparing a meal on a weekday, because the weekends are reserved for more elaborate meals. Real simple meals that I can make in less than 30 minutes seem so Rachael Ray but as long as they taste great and have lots of flavor. However, the good news this is not a Rachael Ray inspired dish, only the concept. I came across this recipe because I didn't have to shop for any of the ingredients, they were already in my pantry! Also, the abundance of Italian parsley in my garden needed to be used for a dish, and this was perfect for it. I served this dish with Betty Crocker Julienned Potatoes that look like boxed macaroni and cheese, and grilled asparagus. This is definitely quick and easy meal to prepare and the sweetness from the sauce really compliments the panko chicken. Sweet and savory are my favorite flavor combos, and this dish really delivers it.

Panko-Crusted Chicken with Mustard-Maple Sauce
Adapted from Epicurious

Ingredients:
2 8-ounce skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut crosswise in half
1 large egg
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons Honey Dijon mustard
1 cup panko
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup low-salt chicken broth
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Preparation:
1. Cover the chicken with parchment paper, using a meat mallet pound the chicken to 1/3-to 1/2-inch thickness.
2. Whisk egg, parsley, and 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard in large bowl. Place chicken in egg mixture; turn to coat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Dip each chicken piece in panko; turn to coat.
3. Heat 3 tablespoons butter in large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, cook until brown and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.
4. Meanwhile, whisk broth, syrup, coarse-grained mustard, and remaining 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard in glass measuring cup.
5. Transfer chicken to plates. Add broth mixture to skillet; boil until reduced to 3/4 cup, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of chilled unsalted butter; whisk until melted. Spoon sauce alongside chicken.

Review: This was wonderful and a nice change from my normal chicken dinners. The sweet and savory sauce compliments the crispy chicken. I will add this to my staple menu.

Cream of Fresh Tomato Soup

Oh fall, I love you. I love you because of the flavors, falling of the leaves, pumpkin spice lattes and the wonderful filling comfort food. Soup is one of those meals that I love during cold nights. However, in SoCal...that's in my sweet dreams. We are still pushing 90 degree days, and fall weather won't really happen till maybe later this month. One of my favorite soups to enjoy is tomato soup with a grilled cheese. I feel like a little kid whenever I have it, I like to dunk my grilled cheese in my soup...it's just heavenly. This soup from Ina Garten is a great way to use up those tomatoes from your garden, and basil, too. I love the simplicity of this soup and the flavors really come together. It's best paired with some crackers or my favorite grilled cheese with prosciutto.

Cream of Fresh Tomato Soup
Adapted from Ina Garten

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped red onions (2 onions)
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
4 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes, coarsely chopped (5 large)
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup packed chopped fresh basil leaves, plus julienned basil leaves, for garnish
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
3 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup heavy cream

Directions
1. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions and carrots and saute for about 10 minutes, until very tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, sugar, tomato paste, basil, thyme chicken stock, salt, and pepper and stir well. Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes, until the tomatoes are very tender.
2. Add the cream to the soup and use a hand blender and mix until smooth. Reheat the soup over low heat just until hot and serve with julienned basil leaves.

Review: This soup is excellent, rich, creamy and I loved it. Secret is make your own stock, it doesn't taste the same when you use store bought or those chicken broth. Thanks Ina!