Savor That

Vegetable Paella

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Alright, so the other week the taste tester was told to lower his cholesterol by adapting to a more vegetarian diet. Well, this should be interesting because he  doesn't eat a lot of vegetables. He will eat a salad, yes but eating a side of a vegetables...only time he eats his vegetables is when I hide vegetables into a dish and he can't really see what kind of vegetables he is eating but he knows they are vegetables.(and surprising he will eat them that way) The doctor gave him a name of a cookbook for him to get and try some of the recipes. I looked at it and they didn't really "wow" me. Then I logged on to the power of the internet and checked out "cookie and kate" a vegetarian based site with some "wow" recipes.

I came across this recipe, vegetable paella, from the site and thought it sounded pretty good - and boy was it ever!!! Even the taste tester enjoyed it!!

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Instant Pot Cooking

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A few months back we purchased an instant pot. Wow! the time it takes to cook and the flavor and tenderness of the meat – so tender and flavorful! we cooked ribs in it and literally the meat was falling off the bone! and it took 45 minutes!! Its fun to put things together and then open the lid to a flavor packed meal in no time!!!

There is no picture to go along with this but this recipe is so darn goooooood!! I have been craving chicken with olives and yellow rice for awhile and I wanted to make something that had some depth of flavor. I came across this recipe for the instant pot. Artichokes, olives and chicken! All winners in my book, so I gave it a try!! I will be making this again, but with some variation – maybe with some white wine? It’s good as it is but there’s always room for WOW!!

(Look for the recipe in the recipe tab…..)

Norwegian Meatballs

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So the other day my dad was talking about meatballs that his mother use to make (she was Norwegian) and that started some meatball research. I finally found a recipe that would be simple and would have a powerful flavor punch! This is definitely a keeper and my dad and I both agree that we need to triple the gravy. We like it saucy and the gravy is really simple enough to make, in fact the next day we made another batch of the gravy in less than 30 minutes.

The gravy could be used in other dishes with some modifications....my dad and I are already thinking about another dish we could use the gravy on.....stay tuned for that

Cooking with Dad

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The last day or so my dad and I have been cooking up a storm in his kitchen. We made a Shepard's pie from the cookbook we got from Scotland last fall, and was it ever so delicious!! Shepard's pie is such a great comfort food it just satisfies the soul like no other....Then the next day after our bellies were full we made apple fritters. (recipe came from the Scotland cookbook) and there's nothing like freshly fried pastries that make you go - oh my goodness- and want another. These fritters would be good with ice cream- or your morning coffee.

WARNING- apple fritters look like  fried chicken (they didn't photograph well) and I didn't get a picture of the Shepard's pie finished, just the meat and veggies- and trust me, it was DELICIOUS!!

 

Sous Vide

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The past couple of years I've heard a lot about the cooking method "sous vide" and just dismissed it thinking it was just a cooking fad and will be gone soon. I didn't fully understand it- cook everything in water?! what?! so are you boiling it?! What I gathered you are cooking in  water making sure the meat, in a vacuum sealed bag is submerged and the temperature is low and constant ensuring that the inside is properly cooked without overcooking the outside, and to retain moisture.

We have done pork a number of times and its so moist and tender its absolutely insane how good it is. We did a lamb for Easter and it cooked for about 23 hours- it was insanely tender and delicious!!

So after my hesitation with sous vide for so long and cooking with it for a few months, I can safely say I'm hooked! its an amazing little tool!!

the picture is the lamb we cooked for Easter, 23 hours of pure deliciousness!!

Sunday Night Family dinner

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For the past couple of weeks my dad has been making dinner on Sundays for us to join him. Its been quite the treat- the first one was chicken and dumplings, and the second was lasagna. He hit it out of the park with that! The cheese was perfectly cooked, and the sauce - even though he doctored up the pasta sauce it tasted like it was cooked for hours  and it was an old family recipe. One serving was not nearly enough- you had to get seconds just to satisfy the taste buds.

I brought over a salad - and of course cannoli's. They were good- but the lasagna stole the show- as it should. What's for dinner next Sunday, Dad?!

Food, Life and Mako

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Cooking food and photographing food are so different. I love cooking and I thought- what can be so hard with photographing food. Everything! There's the lighting, the angle, shutter speed, styling food to make it appetizing....Phew...who knew? I didn't, but its a learning process and I want to believe I'm getting better at it. All I know its constant work and whatever doesn't look good - my dog, Mako loves the oops! Loves it!! I think he's getting a bit spoiled because sometimes he looks at his food and thinks, "seriously"?
Just recently, we went on a shopping trip to PetSmart and he picked out his own bone - could it be his culinary taste is a bit over the top from all the oops he has eaten?! or is it we just got a dog that is gourmet? I think we got a gourmet, spoiled dog

Red Beans and Rice

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The taste tester and I have been to New Orleans a number of times and I just can’t get enough of all the deliciousness the city offers. Red beans and rice, jambalaya, gumbo, shrimp and grits, beignets, muffulettas….Just to name a few. I started with trying to recreate the red beans and rice-I thought, red beans and rice, easy enough…..well, kind of. If its done right this dish really packs a powerful flavor punch. All throughout New Orleans there’s a buzz- a savory buzz – of roux’s and the holy trinity- I’ve heard arguments that someone had the better roux.-(that was an interesting conversation I happened to over hear) Apparently, roux’s are the absolute base of jambalayas and gumbos- and you have to use the holy trinity in your cooking- which is onion, celery and green pepper.
This dish I didn’t make a roux, but I did use the holy trinity with other spices and the taste tester was in complete flavor awe! Plus, it came together rather quickly. I made it the day before so all the flavors can mingle and in hopes it would be all that more delicious the next day. It was. I would definitely do that again.

Spicy Sausage with Red pepper cream sauce

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spicy pasta

Some dishes are all about the sauce and this one is no different. A good sauce can make or break a good dish. I like the creamy-ness of this sauce (I would have liked it with a little more kick ) but for the general population and my taste tester (some times he likes some kick but not too often)  this variation will do. I added some spicy sausage so I had my ounce of spicy-ness. It comes together rather quick so its a nice weekday meal

Easter

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Easter ham

We just had a small Easter but it was big on the feast! We did a ham this year instead of lamb. I like lamb but I wanted a change, plus my dad made some ham soup with the leftovers (equally as delicious) The ham was a baked ham with a brown sugar, rum and cayenne glaze. It wasn't spicy at all or too overly sweet. I would say the sweetness was just right - it had a over so slight sweetness. So good! and it made a great gravy with the pan juices!!

rhubarb trifle

For dessert was a rhubarb pistachio trifle. A couple of factors played into this. 1. My dad is a huge fan of rhubarb 2. I didn't want anything too sweet 3. Rhubarb just seemed like a nice spring dessert to have for Easter.

I did this the day of but the recipe called for the day before. If I had read the recipe through I would have known this and made life easier for me. It was still delicious but I realize it would have been that much more delicious if I made it the day before. Live and learn I guess.