chris-mukkah

[chris-mukkah]

Spaghetti With Clams And Tomatoes 

This recipe was NOT made by me, but by my stepmother...I'll have to hand it to her, she outdid herself! https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/spaghetti-with-clams-recipe-1941008 Ingredients 1 pound dried spaghetti 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 shallots, thinly sliced (skipped) 5 to 7 cloves garlic, finely chopped 2 1/2 pounds Manila clams, scrubbed clean 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped 1/2 cup dry white wine 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced into small cubes Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 lemon, zested, for garnish (skipped)   1 can chopped tomatoes   dash of red chili flakes   dash of basil Directions In a large pot, bring to a boil 6 quarts of salted water. Add pasta, stirring constantly in the beginning to prevent it from sticking together. Cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large saute pan. When almost smoking, add shallots and garlic and sauté until soft and translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add the clams and wine. Cover and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes or until most clams have opened. Add 2 tablespoons chopped parsley. Whisk in butter to thicken sauce slightly. Drain pasta in a colander. Do not rinse pasta with water - this will remove the pasta's natural starches. Place pasta into the sauté pan with the clams and mix thoroughly. Check seasoning. Pour pasta into large serving bowl. Zest lemon over the dish, being careful not to zest the white part of the lemon, which is bitter. Garnish with remaining parsley. Serve immediately. ...Basically, take out the shallots, and saute the garlic with the olive oil - then add in the wine, herbs and tomatoes and add in the clams; then cover the pot and let it steam / boil until all the clams open! Not even all -that- spicy...very rustic and delicious! The best part is, the 'sauce' goes great with the spaghetti, so don't throw that out! Enjoy!                                                                                                                                                                                                    

[chris-mukkah]

Turkey Cutlets With Mushroom Cream Sauce*

*Also with sautéed Broccolini (Or "Broccoli Rabe" whichever comes first), not pictured Since I also help my dad at his condo, there's not much call for cream or milk (lactose intolerant) - But, ol' pangy knows how to get around that easy enough! Ingredients: 1 package turkey cutlets (you can also give these a quick tenderizing, I didn't bother) 2 eggs lemon-pepper seasoning 1/3 cup whole-wheat bread crumbs For the sauce: 1 package baby bella mushrooms, rinsed and chopped 1 tablespoon "Nature's Promise" butter 1/4 cup white wine 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 shallot, chopped 1/3 cup almond milk (if nut allergic, use soy milk or Lactaid) 1/3 cup yogurt 1/2 cup whole wheat crumbs (didn't have any flour on hand, so I had to use these to thicken the sauce instead...I also think if you have a stale focaccia bread - something that has a good bit of herbs in it - I'd recommend breaking that down and use the crumbs from that as well) 5 sprigs fresh sage, chopped 1-2 twigs of fresh lemon thyme, leaves removed salt and pepper to taste Basically, I treated this like a "chicken parmesan" but without the frying. But you want to do your sauce first, to get that out of the way, since those turkey cutlets cook very quickly! So first, get a medium sized sauce pan...turn the burner on to a medium high, and put in the butter (or some other natural sauté' oil), then coat... Sauté your garlic and shallot to translucent... Chop up your mushrooms, and give those a quick toss in the pan (about 5 minutes is fine) Put in your wine, then your yogurt, almond milk and breadcrumbs, then stir and get to a simmer As for the cutlets - Just get a large broiling pan...cover with foil... Coat the cutlets with egg (I put the lemon pepper in the egg mixture as well) and then bread them - you might also want to put on maybe a drizzle of olive oil to keep the cutlets from getting "crusty" Then have your oven on broil (or at least on 400 F or higher) and cook the cutlets for 6 minutes, and be sure to give them a quick flip at the 3 minute mark, that way both sides cook evenly DO NOT LEAVE YOUR OVEN UNATTENDED WHILE BROILING!   I know that's a dumb thing to say, but considering all of the cooking mistakes that I've made through the years...and this is one of them...yeah, I'll leave that there :P And once its done - just cut a small nick in the cutlet, you'll see that its pure white instead of pink, just plate and serve! The sauce came out rather well, but I think it still needs a bit of something - either more acidity (i.e. a lemon) or more earthiness (grated parmesan) - so this still needs another tweak the next time I make this. Enjoy at any rate! Updated tasting notes:  Confirmed, a nutty cheese like Parmesan or maybe a Havarti would give it that extra push! 

[chris-mukkah]

Baked Cod 'Almondine' With Polenta and Spinach* 

* With Romesco Sauce 2.0 - Recipe is from "Spain And The World Table" from the CIA (the Culinary Institute of America, not the spy group) The recipe itself is actually "Hazelnut-Crusted Halibut With Spicy Romesco" but I went with almonds instead...frankly, this would work for just about any firm white fish. For the Spicy Romesco: 1 ancho pepper (skipped/didn't have - but I did have a jar of leftover pureed roasted red pepper, about 1 cup) 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1/2 small jalapeno, stemmed and seeded (didn't use, but did add in 1/2 tsp cayenne plus 1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper) 2 cloves fresh garlic, peeled 2 1/2 tablespoons hazelnuts, toasted and skinned (went with almonds...did -not- toast them, next time I will do that to give the romesco a bit more depth.) Small handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped 2 small slices focaccia herb bread or other bread pan fried in olive oil (skipped, used seasoned breadcrumbs instead) 1 medium plum tomato, chopped (more like a handful of chopped cherry tomatoes) 1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar - here, I disagree - more like, 1 teaspoon sherry wine vinegar, its more authentic. salt and pepper to taste (skipped the salt, you don't need it and you won't miss it, trust me :B) For the Spinach (the actual recipe calls for kale, but...a leafy veg is a leafy veg is a leafy veg) 1 package baby spinach, rinsed and drained 1 large shallot, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 - 2 tablespoons olive oil fresh cracked pepper For the Cod: (Or halibut, for the hell of it :P) Four six-ounce halibut filets (in this case, 2 - 3 filets of cod) salt and white pepper 1/4 cup Mayonnaise 1/2 cup ground toasted hazelnuts (used the rest of the almonds) For the Polenta:   1 tube pre-made polenta (pre-made corn meal - look for it in your 'Italian' section of your grocery and if not, you can always make this with regular corn meal like "masa" for Mexican cooking...even grits would work!) 1 - 2 tsp olive oil fresh grated Parmesan salt and pepper to taste This *does* take a good bit of prep to cook and make, but as long as you get that done ahead of time, it all comes together quickly. First, preheat your oven to 400F Then start the romesco: Get a medium size bowl, as is... Then use a hand chopper or mini-blender, and chop the nuts with a teaspoon of olive oil, to a chunky consistency, and then put them in the bowl Then chop / puree the garlic to a paste, along with the tomatoes, stir in with the pureed red pepper Add in the cayenne / Aleppo / jalapeno pepper, finely chopped Stir with the sherry vinegar, bread crumbs until you have a thick consistency Add in the fresh chopped parsley, stir and then cover the bowl and leave in your refrigerator to rest and let the flavors develop.  If you want to cook this instead, use a small saucepan and leave it to simmer, covered - and use the parsley at the end - but, this is a sauce that's best meant to be used cold. For the kale / spinach - just use a large saucepan or nonstick wok... coat with oil, get to medium high on your burner... throw in the garlic and shallot and cook until translucent... toss in ALL of your spinach from the package.  It might look like it's overflowing, but keep in mind that will all cook down, so turn down the heat to low and toss the spinach around a few times while you have a cover over it.  (The extra water that's naturally inside the spinach will help it to 'steam') Once its done, just turn the heat off and leave it covered.  It'll still be hot by the time you put it all together! Whew...let's see, what else... For the polenta: You need either a grill pan (or even a Foreman grill, one or the other) and coat that with 1 tablespoon olive oil - get to a medium heat since a grill pan will heat up VERY quickly! Open the package of polenta, cut into small rounds - they need only 5 - 7 minutes, if that, to cook and get the grill marks you are looking for.  It'll take time, but no rush since by now your oven will be ready for the fish. For the cod: Oil a baking dish (I used a cookie sheet covered with foil, and brushed with oil - either way works) Season the fish with salt and pepper on both sides, then coat with the mayonnaise Coat the fish with the rest of your chopped hazelnuts (or almonds) Bake for 5 -7 minutes, until it turns white and flaky - and by then the polenta is ready! I used a large baking dish to put together the fish with the spinach (as seen above) and for the polenta, any kind of large dish is fine and you can grate some fresh Parm right on top, along with a good drizzle of olive oil (it's an Italian thing, don't knock it :P) And as for the romesco - just take that out of the fridge or, as stated previously, take off from the stove and add in the fresh parsley at the end, and put that right on the cod... Yeah, this is a labor of love but its very, VERY good. Enjoy!                                                            

[chris-mukkah]

Baked Honey-Mustard Salmon

...Seriously, this dish is so easy, a caveman can do it :P Ingredients: 1 large salmon (or enough to feed a hungry pangolin) 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard (the one I used had "Herbes de Provence" in it, but regular Dijon is fine) 2 tablespoons honey 1 - 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1 capful (about 1 tsp) white vinegar cracked pepper --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To make: First preheat your oven to 400F Get a large baking pan / cookie sheet / roasting pan with slots, cover with tin foil Brush on 1 - 1-1/2 teaspoons olive oil on the foil (you really won't need to use a whole lot of it, the salmon skin already has plenty of oil in it) Season the salmon with pepper both sides And in a smaller bowl, combine the mustard, honey, vinegar and garlic powder - and brush that right onto the salmon.  If you want a more pronounced taste, leave the marinade on (and the salmon in the refrigerator, covered) for 4 to 6 hours prior to cooking. But all you need to do is put that in the oven at 400F, for 10 - 12 minutes at the top rack...use at least 2 large spatulas to carefully flip the pieces over on the pan...and you'll know its done when the salmon is a more lighter pink and flakes off. So good!!! 

[chris-mukkah]

Baked Cod 'Almondine' With Polenta and Spinach*

* With Romesco Sauce 2.0 - Recipe is from "Spain And The World Table" from the CIA (the Culinary Institute of America, not the spy group) The recipe itself is actually "Hazelnut-Crusted Halibut With Spicy Romesco" but I went with almonds instead...frankly, this would work for just about any firm white fish. For the Spicy Romesco: 1 ancho pepper (skipped/didn't have - but I did have a jar of leftover pureed roasted red pepper, about 1 cup) 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1/2 small jalapeno, stemmed and seeded (didn't use, but did add in 1/2 tsp cayenne plus 1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper) 2 cloves fresh garlic, peeled 2 1/2 tablespoons hazelnuts, toasted and skinned (went with almonds...did -not- toast them, next time I will do that to give the romesco a bit more depth.) Small handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped 2 small slices focaccia herb bread or other bread pan fried in olive oil (skipped, used seasoned breadcrumbs instead) 1 medium plum tomato, chopped (more like a handful of chopped cherry tomatoes) 1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar - here, I disagree - more like, 1 teaspoon sherry wine vinegar, its more authentic. salt and pepper to taste (skipped the salt, you don't need it and you won't miss it, trust me :B) For the Spinach (the actual recipe calls for kale, but...a leafy veg is a leafy veg is a leafy veg :P) 1 package baby spinach, rinsed and drained 1 large shallot, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 - 2 tablespoons olive oil fresh cracked pepper For the Cod: (Or halibut, for the hell of it) Four six-ounce halibut filets (in this case, 2 - 3 filets of cod) salt and white pepper 1/4 cup Mayonnaise 1/2 cup ground toasted hazelnuts (used the rest of the almonds) For the Polenta:   1 tube pre-made polenta (pre-made corn meal - look for it in your 'Italian' section of your grocery and if not, you can always make this with regular corn meal like "masa" for Mexican cooking...even grits would work!) 1 - 2 tsp olive oil fresh grated Parmesan salt and pepper to taste This *does* take a good bit of prep to cook and make, but as long as you get that done ahead of time, it all comes together quickly. First, preheat your oven to 400F Then start the romesco: Get a medium size bowl, as is... Then use a hand chopper or mini-blender, and chop the nuts with a teaspoon of olive oil, to a chunky consistency, and then put them in the bowl Then chop / puree the garlic to a paste, along with the tomatoes, stir in with the pureed red pepper Add in the cayenne / Aleppo / jalapeno pepper, finely chopped Stir with the sherry vinegar, bread crumbs until you have a thick consistency Add in the fresh chopped parsley, stir and then cover the bowl and leave in your refrigerator to rest and let the flavors develop.  If you want to cook this instead, use a small saucepan and leave it to simmer, covered - and use the parsley at the end - but, this is a sauce that's best meant to be used cold. For the kale / spinach - just use a large saucepan or nonstick wok... coat with oil, get to medium high on your burner... throw in the garlic and shallot and cook until translucent... toss in ALL of your spinach from the package.  It might look like it's overflowing, but keep in mind that will all cook down, so turn down the heat to low and toss the spinach around a few times while you have a cover over it.  (The extra water that's naturally inside the spinach will help it to 'steam') Once its done, just turn the heat off and leave it covered.  It'll still be hot by the time you put it all together! Whew...let's see, what else... For the polenta: You need either a grill pan (or even a Foreman grill, one or the other) and coat that with 1 tablespoon olive oil - get to a medium heat since a grill pan will heat up VERY quickly! Open the package of polenta, cut into small rounds - they need only 5 - 7 minutes, if that, to cook and get the grill marks you are looking for.  It'll take time, but no rush since by now your oven will be ready for the fish. For the cod: Oil a baking dish (I used a cookie sheet covered with foil, and brushed with oil - either way works) Season the fish with salt and pepper on both sides, then coat with the mayonnaise Coat the fish with the rest of your chopped hazelnuts (or almonds) Bake for 5 -7 minutes, until it turns white and flaky - and by then the polenta is ready! I used a large baking dish to put together the fish with the spinach (as seen above) and for the polenta, any kind of large dish is fine and you can grate some fresh Parm right on top, along with a good drizzle of olive oil (it's an Italian thing, don't knock it :P) And as for the romesco - just take that out of the fridge or, as stated previously, take off from the stove and add in the fresh parsley at the end, and put that right on the cod... Yeah, this is a labor of love but its very, VERY good. Enjoy! 

[chris-mukkah]

Homemade Low-Salt Chili

So here's a little something... Ingredients: 1-2 tablespoons canola or blended oil 1 shallot, chopped 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1/4 lb ground bison meat 1 package ground turkey burger 1 can whole roma tomatoes, chopped and the juice reserved 1-2 tsp smoky paprika 1 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 - 1 tsp cayenne (optional, or add more if you like it hotter) 2-3 sprigs fresh lemon thyme 4 -5 fresh sage leaves, chopped squeeze of ketchup (about 1 tsp) 1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained 1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained dash of Italian seasoning blend fresh cracked pepper To make: Its basically a one pot meal - first, get a large saute pot or dutch oven pot and coat with oil Get said pot to a good medium high, put in the shallots and garlic, and cook those until they get translucent Put in your meat and just crumble it down, or use a wooden spatula to break up the meat, and brown it If theres anything sticking - that's when the tomatoes and the juice come in, stir around Add in the fresh herbs and beans DEAD LAST, that way they don't get mushy, and your liquid has enough time to cook down And if it's still a bit loose - since I didn't have tomato paste lying around - I added in a squirt of ketchup, which did not affect the taste at all. I let it cook down until it was good and thick (and chopped it with the wooden spatula a bit more, my dad can't handle solid foods very well) Very good, and no salt added - the herbs make all the difference and their freshness is key. Enjoy! 

[chris-mukkah]

Pan-Roasted Salmon With Stir Fried Brussel Sprouts 

And one more for you folks - it takes a bit of prep to make the sprouts, BUT the salmon is the easiest! For the sprouts: 1 package of Brussels sprouts, rinsed and cut into halves 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 2 shallots, chopped 1 - 2 tablespoons sherry (didnt have, used sherry vinegar) 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce 1 - 2 teaspoons sesame oil 1 - 2 teaspoons brown sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch 1 cup chopped hazelnuts (didnt have, used walnuts instead - and if nut allergic, just substitute with BACON :p) 1 - 2 tablespoons canola oil salt and pepper to taste For the salmon: 1 salmon with skin on (large enough to feed 3 - Id say about 4 - 5 pounds) lemon-pepper seasoning (I didnt bother with any salt, and this is a salt-free blend) 1 teaspoon canola oil 1 oven-proof saute pan a large piece of tin foil to cover To make: First, get a small bowl and combine the sherry, sesame oil, soy sauce, brown sugar and cornstarch and then set aside. Get a large wok / cooking pan, coat with at least one tablespoon of canola oil (or enough to coat the pan), get to medium high and saute the garlic and shallots until browned, and then put them in a separate bowl. Then get your pan to a higher heat (add in another coating of oil in necessary) toss in your Brussel sprouts, but don't stir them around -too- quickly; let them get a nice char, and then lower the heat back to a medium, and toss in the sauce and nuts and then get it to simmer!  Just give it a stir every once in a while, and let the liquids cook down. As for the salmon... First, get the oven itself going by preheating to 400F Get that oven-proof saute pan and coat with that one teaspoon of oil - that is ALL that you need because - Season the salmon with the lemon-pepper seasoning (or you can always go with Cajun blackening seasoning, Old Bay, garam masala, etc.) and then get the heat on the oven to high and sear the salmon, skin side down for 5 minutes. By then the oven should be ready - and then flip over the salmon and then loosely cover with tin foil (use oven proof gloves or at least very good and flexible pot holders) - and then bake right in the oven at 400 right on the top shelf for another 5 minutes. Your sprouts will be ready as well - they should have a good bit of 'bite' to them and not be mushy, so take out and plate - along with the salmon, which was cut into threes (vertical slices). Thats it - just serve hot and SO FREAKING GOOD Also, please don’t throw out the skin, that’s the best part :B Enjoy!                                                                                                                                                                                                    

[chris-mukkah]

Shrimp With Truffle Pasta And Lemon Cream Sauce

...Luckily, when I get to stay over to help my dad in Boston, I also have free range to cook stuff! Ingredients: 1 half box 'tubetti' porcini-truffle pasta (you can use regular pasta as well, linguine or spaghetti would work and then add truffle oil or porcini oil at the end) 1/2 bag frozen shrimp, thawed and shelled (Id recommend save and freeze the shells, they make great stock) 4-5 cherry tomatoes, sliced olive oil / canola oil spray dash of red chili pepper (optional) For the sauce: 1 cup almond milk (if allergic to nuts, use soy milk or regular low-fat milk instead) 1 egg 1/2 fresh squeezed lemon, plus zest couple of sprigs of fresh lemon thyme fresh cracked pepper fresh chopped parsley To make: Start with making the pasta first, since the water will take a bit of time to boil (used a large boiling pasta pot) For the cream sauce though, you will need a double boiler - or at the very least, two smaller pots that stack fairly well on top of each other.  The bottom pot will have the water, that you should get to a medium boil - and then to simmer, cover with the other pot.  (Make sure the bottom pot isn't full to the brim with water - you want at least a half of a pot of water in there) Then add the milk, stir, and whisk in the egg until creamy.  Then add the lemon juice, zest, and thyme, and cover - but keep stirring it from time to time so that you don't get egg chunks or egg drop soup!  If still too loose, leave the sauce uncovered and simmering for about 10 minutes or use 1 teaspoon of corn starch but KEEP WHISKING, that is key. The shrimp itself comes together pretty quickly - I had to cut it up to get more out of them, and sauteed the tomatoes along with them in a large saucepan at medium high until the tomatoes were semi mushy and the shrimp turned firm and pink - and once cooked, get them off the stove and cover. By that time the water was boiling...throw in the pasta and let cook for 6-7 minutes until al dente and then drain (but leave maybe 1/3 cup of the pasta water so that way nothing sticks...a measuring cup is your friend folks!) Then put the pasta on the plate...toss in the shrimp with the tomato...coat with the lemon sauce and then the fresh chopped parsley...and serve! So very good folks, will make again! 

[chris-mukkah]

Veal Rollatini

I bought these veal cutlets on a really good sale from a while ago....so, time to cook them :B I realize that eating/cooking veal itself is controversial.  You can always substitute boneless chicken tenders / thighs instead.   This comes from - https://theliteratechef.com/tag/veal-rollatini/ 2 lbs. Veal Cutlets trimmed for scaloppine (about 12 slices) (I used 5) ½ lb. Prosciutto di Parma (used about 8 slices) 3/4 lb. Italian Fontina cheese, sliced thinly (skipped) 12 basil leaves (used 2 -3 tablespoons pre-made pesto sauce) Freshly ground black pepper to taste 4 -5 chopped sundried tomatoes in olive oil (added in, the original recipe doesn't call for it) 2 eggs, whisked (used 1) 1 cup flour (used 1/2 cup) 6 tbsp. unsalted butter (used 3) 12 oz. + ¼ cup Dry Marsala (only used 1/4 cup vermouth) 12 sage leaves, finely chopped (used 6-7, whole) 4 tbsp. Veal Demi-Glace (didn't have, used 1/2 cup low-salt chicken stock instead) Preparation: 1.    Have the butcher slice and trim the veal for scaloppine, telling him you need 12 cutlets. 2.    Pat the veal dry on both sides and lay slices on a cutting board with the narrow end facing away from you. 3.    Sprinkle top with fresh ground black pepper to taste. 4.    Layer on two slices of Prosciutto di Parma. 5.    Cover prosciutto with sliced Fontina. 6.    Place one basil leaf on top of the cheese, at the end closest to you. 7.    Carefully roll up the veal and other ingredients away from you so that the narrow end is on the outside of the rollup. 8.    Secure each roll with two toothpicks. 9.    Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees. 10.    When all of the rolls are secured, dip them one by one, in the egg and then in the flour and set aside. 11.    In a 14 inch non-stick skillet, on high heat, melt the butter. 12.    When the butter is bubbling, add the floured veal rolls and brown for about 3 or 4 minutes turning every minute until all sides are lightly browned. 13.    Lower heat to medium, add the 12 oz. of Marsala, cover the pan and cook the veal rolls for 6 minutes, turning each roll after 3 minutes. 14.    To make the sauce, remove Rollatini from the pan and keep warm in the oven. 15.    Add remaining ¼ cup of Marsala, the sage and demi-glace to the pan, stir and reduce to desired thickness. Return veal rolls to the pan along with any accumulated juices and turn once to coat well with the sauce. 16.    Transfer the Rollatini to a serving platter,  pour the sauce over them and serve immediately. Remind your guests about the toothpicks. Keep in mind folks, since I was only feeding myself, the original recipe was cut in half!  I don't think you need all that wine either, go with maybe a 1/2 cup of wine (if using 12 cutlets) and the broth / demiglace to deglaze the pan. Once you've coated the veal with the egg and flour, cook for 2 - 3 minutes until browned, then let rest on a separate plate or more preferably a casserole dish (where it can be put into the oven for baking). The sauce comes together quickly, and if it's too thin, use the extra flour you have leftover (and chances are, you will have a good bit leftover) and whisk the sauce constantly so that you get a smooth sauce with no lumps!  (Your best bet is to use a sifter or just sprinkle the flour in, a bit at a time until you get the right consistency.) Then cover, and let cook in your oven for about 20 minutes, and serve with the simmering sauce! A guilty pleasure, but, oh so delicious... Enjoy! 

[chris-mukkah]

Pineapple Coconut Cream Pie

This comes from  https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/pineapple-pie-with-coconut-cream Pineapple Pie with Coconut Cream Recipe TOTAL TIME: Prep: 35 min. + cooling Bake: 35 min. + chillingYIELD:8 servings Ingredients 1-1/2 cups chopped fresh pineapple or canned pineapple tidbits 2 tablespoons plus 1 cup sugar, divided (only used 1/2 cup sugar) 1 package (5-1/4 ounces) coconut cookies (Skipped this and the butter, used a pre made pie crust) 1/4 cup butter, melted 12 ounces cream cheese, softened 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (didnt have, had to skip...luckily, I did have 1/2 cup extra cream cheese) 1/2 cup ground almonds (used 1/2 cup almond flour, same thing) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3 large eggs, lightly beaten 1/2 cup sweetened coconut (added in) 1/2 cup coconut cream (added in) COCONUT CREAM: 1 can (13.66 ounces) coconut milk 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract Directions 1. In a small saucepan, combine pineapple and 2 tablespoons sugar. Bring to a boil; cook 6-8 minutes or until liquid is almost evaporated, stirring occasionally. Cool completely. 2. Preheat oven to 350°. Place cookies in a food processor; pulse until fine crumbs form. Add butter; pulse just until blended. Press onto bottom and up sides of a 9-in. deep-dish pie plate. 3. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and remaining sugar until smooth. Beat in yogurt, almonds and vanilla. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until blended. Fold in pineapple mixture. Pour into crust. Bake 35-40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack 1 hour. Refrigerate pie and can of coconut milk at least 4 hours or until cold. 4. Place a mixer bowl and whisk attachment in freezer until cold, about 15 minutes. Turn chilled can of coconut milk upside down; open can. Pour off and discard liquid portion. Transfer solid portion remaining in can to chilled bowl. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla; beat until stiff peaks form. Serve with pie. Yield: 8 servings (2/3 cup coconut cream). Recipe Note Editor’s Note: Light coconut milk is not recommended for this recipe. Personally, this is good as is, you don't -have- to put the cream on top...though there's also whipped cream or Cool Whip, take your pick! The one thing that WILL take a good while is cooking down the pineapple. It says to boil down and cook for 8 minutes; no, more like 15 to 20 minutes and you need to keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't over-caramelize and stick to the pan (and then burn, in that order XD)! Cooked the pie for 45 minutes, so it depends on your oven (and if you are at a higher altitude, that will affect the cooking time as well) Other than that, yes, this is fattening and delicious, so there :P Enjoy!

[chris-mukkah]

Chicken Piccata 3.0

I'm actually rather proud of this attempt - and its also quite healthy, though it DOES take a good bit of prep! 6 - 8 chicken tenders (or whatever comes in a package) 2 eggs 1/2 to 3/4th cup of wheat breadcrumbs 2 sheets parchment paper 1- 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil salt and pepper to taste 1/2 lemon, for juice and zest 2 heaping tablespoons capers 1/2 cup white wine small handful of green onions / chives, chopped Make sure you get your tenders good and COLD from your fridge, not at lukewarm temp just left out since a.) that will prevent a lot of sticking to the parchment paper and b.) will also prevent foodborne illnesses Get one sheet - lay in out on a trusty cutting board or your cooking table - then plop those tenders on the paper...and then cover with the other sheet, and pound them nice and flat with a tenderizer/rolling pin/wine bottle...not too flat or you'll have carpaccio instead! Coat them with egg and then your breadcrumbs, then get a large saute pan and coat with the olive oil... Get the pan to medium high, then brown your chicken on both sides - (2 to 3 minutes, no more- they cook QUICK) and then, put in your wine, lemon and capers, and turn the heat down to simmer, and let your liquid cook down somewhat - (I actually put in a lot of liquid from the zucchini recipe that I posted previously, into the chicken) and then put in your green onions and cover - let it simmer for another 5 - 8 minutes and then serve! There will be plenty of sauce leftover, just cover the chicken with it and you're done! Enjoy!

[chris-mukkah]

Pumpkin Squares With Spiced Rum Frosting

This comes from the September/October "AllRecipes" magazine from "GingerP" but with a few tweaks! For the Pumpkin squares: 4 eggs (used 2) 2 cups white sugar (used 1 cup...its more than enough, and I wanted the pumpkin to speak for itself) 2 cups flour 1 (15 ounce) can pure pumpkin puree 1 cup vegetable oil (used 3/4 cup, its more than enough) 1 cup plain applesauce (doesnt call for it, but I added it because I wanted to cut down on the eggs used) 2 teaspoons baking powder 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon cloves (used ground, I do NOT recommend using whole...theyre way too potent) 1/2 teaspoon ginger 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon allspice (doesnt call for it, but I thought it would add a bit more "oomph") 2 teaspoons dark rum (also doesnt call for it, but since its good for the frosting, it should be good enough for the cake as well) For frosting: 3/4 cup butter, softened 3 cups powdered sugar 2 tablespoons spiced rum (or you can use milk if you want to avoid the alcohol) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract I did not do this, because, I absolutely LOATHE buttercream frosting in and of itself. Seriously...think about it...you are eating basically 1 -2 sticks of butter mixed with powdered sugar, thats really all that it is...no, just...no :P SO - 1/3 cup butter, melted 1 block Neufchatel low fat cream cheese 2 cups powdered sugar (just add it gradually, cup by cup when you stir it in, that way you don't end up looking like a powdered donut) 2 tablespoons spiced rum (or again, use milk if avoiding alcohol)

* 1 capful vanilla  apple pie spice (that you see on top, optional) To make: Preheat oven to 350 F; grease a 10 x 15 inch baking pan, set aside said pan Stir together eggs, sugar, pumpkin, applesauce, and oil in a large bowl until smooth. In a separate bowl, put in your flour, baking powder, spices, baking soda and salt until well blended. Then mix wet to dry until all that flour is gone and you have a decent batter. (The best part is, you won't need extra water - there was more than enough liquid to make a decent batter with!) Spread the batter in the prepared batter and bake for 20 minutes (I added an extra 5 minutes to be safe) and when you put a toothpick in and if it comes out clean, its done! Let cool for 5 to 10 mins and while its cooling... Get another bowl and mix together your cream cheese, butter, spices and rum (it helps to heat the butter up, makes stirring the cheese a lot easier) then cover and let set in your fridge for that 5 to 10 minute timeframe... Then take out, spread the frosting out on the cake with a spatula / butter knife, and top with a sprinkling of apple pie spice and serve! Enjoy! UPDATED TASTING NOTES: A very rich, dense, but very tasty cake! ~ What I would do differently: * Add 1 tsp vanilla to the frosting; the rum, as is in the frosting, was a bit off-tasting * Definitely use 1/2 cup oil instead of 3/4 cup...it wasn't oily-tasting but, was a bit 'heavy' * Stick with the sugar amounts I have, the original ones in the recipe are WAY too much.

[chris-mukkah]

Corn Bread Pudding, Two Ways

This is a recipe that comes from: https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/roasted-corn-pudding-in-acorn-squash/ But a bit more tweaked up :3 INGREDIENTS: 1 small acorn squash, cut in half lengthwise and seeded 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 cup milk 1 egg plus 2 egg whites (did 2 eggs straight up) 1/2 cup fresh corn (1/2 package of prepared corn bread) 1/2 cup chopped scallions (used dried chives, 1 tablespoon) 2 cloves garlic chopped (added in) 1 onion chopped (added in) 5 slices of maple BACON (added in) half of a jalapeno, seeded and finely diced (optional) 4-5 fresh sage leaves finely chopped (added in) pinch of nutmeg (used dash of paprika here) 1/4 teaspoon salt + pepper 1/3 cup shredded white cheddar (or other favorite cheese) - skipped, but dont let that stop you DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven at 375 degrees. Rub the orange flesh of the squash with the olive oil. Place cut side up on a baking sheet. You will want it to sit flat (and not tip), if you are having trouble just level out the bottom using a knife. If the squash is tilting on the pan, the filling will run out – bad news. Cover the squash with foil and bake for 40 minutes or until the squash starts to get tender. In a bowl combine milk, corn, jalapeno, eggs, nutmeg, salt and half of scallions. Fill the squash 3/4 of the way with the corn mixture and carefully place back into the oven, uncovered. Continue baking for 30 minutes or until squash is tender and pudding is set. Once baked, sprinkle inner cavity with cheddar and switch the oven to broil. Watch it carefully so the cheese only melts and does not burn. Serve with remaining scallions.

~ Not quite! ~ Because IF you were to follow the instructions to the letter, you would end up with....corn soup. (There were many comments stating this in the original post of the recipe.) To prevent this - I had a leftover package of corn BREAD already made / store-bought...and I thought...hmm, why not? So to start... 1 onion chopped + 2 cloves garlic chopped + 1 jalapeno, deseeded and chopped Saute' with olive oil until soft, season with salt and pepper for about 2-3 minutes Get a large bowl and put in that 1/2 package of cornbread into the bowl... Add in eggs, milk, (cheese if using), then the sauteed onions, garlic and jalapeno... The strips of BACON were put on a paper plate, covered and nuked in the microwave for 3 minutes until crispy, then cut up and thrown in the bowl... Mix with the chives (or scallions whatever) fresh sage and paprika... And when thats all mixed together (it'll look like a mushy batter, but not soup!) get the oven to 375 F... Get two acorn squash and cut them open with a serrated blade, and scoop out the seeds - I saved some for growing and the rest to make the toasted topping as you see here. Oil the squash as directed and bake for 40 minutes as instructed - and on a separate pan with some parchment paper on it, put those seeds on there...with some olive oil (about a tablespoon or so to coat) salt and pepper to taste and a tablespoon of maple syrup over the seeds and cook at the same time - by that time the seeds are done, BUT... Thats when you scoop in the corn bread pudding mix...and if theres any left over (and there will be) you put that into a separate casserole dish / baking dish (prepared with a smear of butter to make getting it out easier) Then you cook both of those for 30 minutes (not the seeds, those come last)... Take out and cool, and then put on the toasted squash seeds and OM NOM NOM Much better, upgraded recipe! Enjoy!

[chris-mukkah]

Part Homemade Italian "Chop Suey"

It was time to use some of the veggies we had growing in our garden, so here we go! 1 box farfalle (or you can use any pasta you want) 1 package ground turkey meat 3 tomatoes (garden) 1 vidalia onion 2 cloves garlic small handful of scallions (garden) 1 pepper (garden) salt and pepper to taste 1 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1/2 jar spaghetti sauce fresh thyme (garden) and small basil leaves (garden) Get a large pot of water for your pasta... And a large saute' pan for the turkey meat, coat the pan with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil and get to high - then put in the meat to saute' and get browned. If you get any extra liquid, get a turkey baster or sieve to drain the extra moisture. If you have a mini-chopper (or food processor), blend together the tomatoes, onions, scallions, garlic and pepper - but keep the fresh herbs behind until the end, they'll have more punch that way! Then add your 1/2 spaghetti sauce to the sauce... Let all of that cook down on simmer (like 1 or 2 on your stove dial) then get the water to boil. Add the pasta to the water, let cook for 15 minutes - by that time the sauce was cooked which is when I added all the fresh herbs at the end. Drain the pasta...find a large enough bowl to put it in...then throw on the sauce, and serve hot and fresh! Very tasty, will make again!

[chris-mukkah]

Grilled "Greek-Style" Pork Chops

More of a wing it recipe from yours truly! 4 thin-cut pork chops with bone in 2-3 tablespoons olive oil 2 cloves fresh garlic, chopped 2 - 3 teaspoons Greek "souvlaki" spice mix (oregano, thyme, black pepper, dried lemon peel) zest from 1/2 lemon (the 1/2 lemon itself already went into the grilled green beans) 2 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil salt and pepper put on both sides Just coat, and cover - leave in the fridge to marinate for at least 6 - 8 hours Then, since my grill was still going at 350 F, put on the throwaway grill pan and cook for 5 minutes each side... Then when the pork is firm and white, its done - just put on a serving plate and cover, let rest for 3 minutes and drain if there's any extra pork juices :B And then OM NOM NOM Enjoy !

[chris-mukkah]

Whole Wheat Pappardelle With Shrimp and Rustic Pesto 

When you have a very, very, very limited pantry! Ingredients: 1/2 bag leftover frozen shrimp, shells and tails removed 1 bag whole wheat pappardelle 4-5 green onions, chopped with ends removed salt and pepper to taste 2 tablespoons olive oil For the pesto: 1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 cup almonds (or any other nut is fine...if nut allergic, I'd go with using a gremolata or salsa verde instead) handful of fresh parsley salt and pepper 1/2 of a sardine packed in water (I prefer the olive oil ones myself, but had to go with what was there) - optional 1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper (if you cant find - its tough, because the country that had it, is pretty much obliterated by civil war - I'd go with using really good smoked paprika mixed with dried chili pepper) 1/2 Meyer lemon To make: First, get a large pot to boil your pasta in, enough water to fill it with some olive oil and 1-2 teaspoons salt. While you're waiting for that to boil, dethaw your shrimp simply by putting the bag under hot water for 5 - 10 minutes; when thawed, take the shells and tails off (you can always save those for shrimp stock as well!) I don't bother with deveining myself, but if you want to make the effort, get a small paring knife or, another sharp fillet knife and take it out head first. Get a large saute pan, coat it with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil, get to high...and then start with the chopped green onions that you have; saute' them for a few minutes, then lower the heat to medium and by then, the water will be at a good boil.  Throw in your pasta - whole wheat pasta doesn't take all -that- long, but 5 - 8 minutes to get to al dente. Thats where cooking your shrimp comes in, throw those on the saute pan, they only take 5 minutes, if that, to cook. When they get good and solid pink, that's when they're done, and then set the pan to simmer / low and squirt on a bit of lemon and cover to keep warm. Get your favorite blender, throw in your parsley, salt and pepper, olive oil, 1/2 sardine and almonds and grind to a rough paste.  If its still too "rough" or dry, add more olive oil.  Squirt with the rest of the lemon, stir well and get into a small bowl. Then get your pasta out...drain in a colander, pre-cut to your liking and toss in the pasta (I added in one or two tablespoons of olive oil, to keep it from sticking) and serve with fresh grated Parmesan (in the green bowl you see there, covered :B) Mix it all together, and its quite tasty! Enjoy! 

[chris-mukkah]

Mexican Street Corn Salad

This is from "The Chew" - http://abc.go.com/shows/the-chew/recipes/mexican-street-corn-salad-mario-batali

* Yes, I know about what happened to Mr. Batali, but I would rather focus on the recipe thanksokaybye :B

MEXICAN STREET CORN SALAD ingredients 1 tablespoon olive oil 6 ears of corn (shucked, kernels removed) 1/2 medium red onion (peeled, small diced) (here, I used 1/2 vidalia...those reds are too strong for me!) 2 garlic cloves (peeled, minced) (only used garlic powder) 1 cup grape tomatoes (cut in half) (1 big tomato, chopped) 4-5 radishes (thinly sliced) (Skipped, used chopped colored finger bell peppers) * Also used 1 avocado, with lime squeezed on it to keep from spoiling Kosher and freshly ground black pepper (to taste) SPICY MAYONNAISE DRESSING 1/2 cup mayonnaise (used 1/2 cup low fat olive oil mayo) 1/4 cup sour cream (used 1 cup greek yogurt, 2 %) 1-2 tablespoons olive oil 1 lime (zested and juiced) 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (used chili pepper and a bit of smoked paprika here) 1/2 cup fresh cilantro (chopped - but if you dont like / are allergic to cilantro, you can use chopped chives or parsley here) Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste) FOR GARNISH 1/2 cup cotija (crumbled) hot sauce (to serve) directions In a large cast iron skillet over high heat, add olive oil, fresh corn kernels and red onion, cook until slightly charred, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic, season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and let cool. In a large bowl, add the cooled corn mixture, grape tomatoes and radishes. In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, lime zest and juice, cayenne pepper, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Add the dressing to the corn, tomatoes and radishes. Fold to combine. Sprinkle the cotija cheese on top, drizzle with hot sauce and serve! Tip: Use leftover corn on the cob from your last backyard barbecue. My cooking notes: Very tasty, but I would change a few things I did on my end: Please note, I did not add in the garlic as is, but just garlic powder - I didn't want it to be overwhelmed. While it recommends scorching the corn, I used my leftover corn cobs that were boiled from a previous dinner....HOWEVER... I would recommend grilling the corn, peppers, onions until slightly charred and then let them cool, then add to the salad.  (Or smoked corn? Maybe another smoking bag might be worth a try)   Also, I would add in grilled sweet potatoes next time, or at least grilled and peeled nopales (its cactus thats used in a lot of Mexican cooking) and maybe some jicama as well for extra crunch. Other than that, a very interesting recipe!