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Well, in pursuit of the per fect spaetzle, I’ve tried yet another variation and I think I’m in love.
So, there I was, standing in front of an open fridge looking for spaetzle inspiration when I saw the bacon. A little lightbulb went off in my head. Eureka! Bacon spaetzle, and let me tell you it tastes just like a lower fat version of pasta carbonara!
Spaetzle with Bacon
2 cups all purpose flour
4 eggs
1 3/4 cup milk
3 tbsp sour cream
1/3 cup very finely chopped crisped bacon
1 tbsp salt and pepper
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp finely chopped parsley
1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add about 1 tbsp of salt to the pot.
2. Measure the flour into a bowl. In a separate bowl combine the eggs, milk, sour cream, salt and pepper. Whisk well until combined.
3. Add the wet mixture to the flour and mix thoroughly, then add the finely chopped bacon.
4. When the water has boiled, press the spaetzle dough through a spaetzle press or use a spatula and colander by pressing the dough through the holes of the colander, into the boiling water.
5. When the noodles have risen to the top, remove them and set aside.
6. Garnish with Parmesan and parsley.
 You may be familiar with the name “Toad in a Hole.” This quintessential English breakfast dish is basically a hunk of sausage buried in a rich egg custard and then baked. Did I mention the use of lots of butter or oil? Well, this healthified version uses crumbled turkey sausage instead of pork, light cheese instead of full fat and an egg reduced custard that does not lack for flavor. Try it this weekend for a nice change for breakfast!
Individual Breakfast Casseroles
4 individual sized souffle dishes or ramekins, I used french onion soup bowls!
3/4 pound turkey breakfast sausage, removed from the skins
2 eggs
1 cup skim milk
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup light cheese blend (cheddar, Italian, Mexican whatever)
3 green onions, sliced thin
1. Pan fry the sausage until no longer pink then set aside on paper towels to absorb any residual fat.
2. While sausage is frying, combine the milk, eggs, flour and salt in a bowl and whisk until thick and smooth.
3. Divide the sausage between your four dishes, placing the sausage in a layer on the bottom.
4. Divide the cheese between the dishes, and then the green onion.
5. Top with the egg custard mixture and bake at 400f for about 20-30 minutes or until puffy and light brown on top.
6. Serve right away with a fresh fruit salad!
Per Serving: 351 Calories; 16g Fat (42.3% calories from fat); 21g Protein; 29g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 160mg Cholesterol; 525mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 2 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 2 Fat.
Ever wonder what to do with zucchini that is a little bit different from your usual preparations? Well, here is a recipe for zucchini carpaccio that is refreshing, delicious and makes great use of zucchini.
Zucchini Carpaccio
(serves 4)
4 small zucchini or about 1lb
4 tbsp good quality olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice (fresh squeezed)
1 tsp capers, chopped fine
1 tbsp finely chopped basil
salt and pepper
Parmesan for shaving over the top
1. Using a mandolin, thinly slice the unpeeled zucchini into paper thin slices. Arrange them in a single layer in a circular pattern on chilled salad plates. Slightly overlap the zucchini slices to make a circle.
2. While constantly whisking, add the olive oil to the lemon juice in a slow drizzle until thickened. Add the basil and capers then season with salt and pepper.
3. Drizzle the dressing evenly over the sliced zucchini and garnish with freshly shaved Parmesan.
 Photo by Franz Conde Carpaccio is simply raw meat prepared in a particular way. For many, the idea of ingesting raw meat is unpalatable, especially in a state where barbecue reigns supreme. Carpaccio however, has evolved to mean more the style of preparation rather than the original raw beef dish.
Carpaccio was first served in 1950 in Harry’s Bar in Venice to a woman who, based on the recommendation of her doctor, would only eat raw meat. The original dish was very thinly sliced raw beef with a dressing of mustard sauce. The owner of the establishment called it Carpaccio because the dish reminded him of paintings by Carpaccio.
Today carpaccio can be made with a variety of meats, fish and even fruits and vegetables. As long as the ingredients are sliced paper thin and arranged in a circular pattern on a serving plate it may be called carpaccio. A dressing of some kind is almost always present. Chefs the world over are continually experimenting with various ingredients hoping to come up with the next famous carpaccio.
Sometimes confused with ceviche, carpaccio and ceviche are very different. While they both begin raw, a ceviche uses acids to cook the proteins. Carpaccios are prepared and served raw and always plated in a circular pattern.
Carpaccio can be enjoyed at home though the less intrepid home cook may want to start with a carpaccio of vegetables or fruits, either of which would make a stunning starter to any dinner party on a hot evening.
So it was a lazy Sunday afternoon when I realized that the leftover turkey I had planned for dinner had been nibbled at (substantially) and I was without a plan for dinner. Then the dreaded question struck: what’s for dinner? A moment of panic ensued and then I calmed and rationally debated with myself on weather to go simple or elaborate. I think I fell somewhere in the middle though many would consider making homemade gnocchi to be anywhere near simple.
Inspiration struck. I would make gnocchi, use up the last of my fresh tomatoes, use up the last of that white wine, make good use of that last lonely leek…and grilled shrimp. Of course I had to pull out some trusty previously grilled and frozen chicken for hubby who won’t go near shrimp. Some tragic childhood experience…but I digress.
The result was a fabulous, fresh tasting and comforting dish perfect for one of the last days of summer.
 Gnocchi with Grilled Shrimp in a Fresh Tomato Sauce
For the gnocchi:
2 lbs russet potatoes, skin left on and boiled until tender. Leave them whole
1 cup flour plus some extra
1 tsp salt
1 egg
1. When the potatoes are cool, remove the skins and press them through a ricer into a large bowl. Let them cool to room temperature. Do NOT try to rice cold potatoes unless you have huge biceps.
2. Dust the potatoes with the cup of flour using a fork to combine until all coated.
3. Make a well in the center of the potatoes and mix in one raw egg, slowly incorporating the potato from the sides of the bowl until all is mixed.
4. Turn the gnocchi out onto a floured surface and gently knead the dough slowly adding flour until it no longer sticks to the board or your hands.
5. Divide the dough into 4 sections and roll out each section into a long log. Cut the logs into 1/2 inch sections then continue until all the dough is cut.
6. Working with one at a time, using your thumb or finger press the gnocchi down along a cheese grater or other gadget to put ridges or holes into them.
7. When all are prepped, working in batches slowly add them to salted gently boiling water. Remove them from the water as they rise to the top and drop them into a large frying pan with 2 tbsp of melted butter in it. This is so they don’t stick. Lightly brown them if you like, they’re yummier that way! serve with the sauce.
For the Sauce:
1 leek, sliced
1 shallot, sliced
3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 tbsp butter
1 lb fresh tomatoes
1 cup dry white wine
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tiny pinch of red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1. Clean the leek and slice into rounds and cook the sliced shallot, leek and garlic in the butter until softened.
2. Add the tomatoes and white wine and simmer until the tomatoes have dissolved, leaving some chunks behind is great for texture. Let simmer about 30 minutes or until slightly thickened.
3. Add the balsamic and red pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chopped parsley and basil before serving.
4. Serve on top of the hot gnocchi with grilled shrimp or sliced grilled chicken.
Not to toot my own horn but I think that dinner invitations to my feasts ought to be the hottest ticket in town! HA! How pretentious does that sound? I only wish that my self-confidence matched my ego!
Nonetheless, last night we had hubby’s cousin and her son over for dinner. And, it’s fall. Fall for me means short ribs! How can you turn down the meaty, juicy, tender, fall-off-the-bone experience that is a perfectly cooked short rib? The easy answer is that you can’t! I serenaded my guests last night with just such short ribs in addition to oven roasted baby carrots with pearl onions in thyme butter and billowy garlic mashed potatoes. I finished with a caramelized banana, Irish lace cookie and vanilla ice cream. I did myself proud.
Just one technical note about the short ribs. I’ve used both boneless and bone-in short ribs and MUCH prefer the bone in variety. The meat that close to the bone is just full of the connective tissue that breaks down in a good, slow braise and is tender beyond compare. Sure, you have more fat to deal with but the taste is well worth it.
Succulent Braised Short Ribs
4 lbs bone in short ribs
2 tbsp vegetable oil
salt and pepper
3 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
3 celery sticks, cleaned and cut into chunks
1 large onion, peeled and cut into chunks
4 large cloves garlic, smashed
2 cups red wine, I used Merlot
2 tbsp beef base
2 cups water or so
1 tsp dried thyme
3 dried bay leaves
1. Rinse the short ribs in warm water to remove any bone chips. Then pat them dry and sprinkle them lightly on both sides with salt and pepper.
2. Heat the oil in a stainless steel frying pan or heavy dutch oven until nearly smoking and working in batches sear both sides of the short rib until dark brown and caramelized over a high heat. Don’t overcrowd your pan or you won’t get a good sear. And nonstick pans generally can’t get as good a sear as a stainless pan.
3. Set the short ribs in an oven-safe casserole dish with tight fitting lid. Toss the vegetables into the hot oil and let them brown for a few minutes; add the veggies to the beef when done.
4. Remove any excess oil from the pan and turn the heat down to medium. Add the red wine and deglaze the pan. Add the wine to the casserole along with any bits from the bottom of the frying pan.
5. Add the beef base, bay leaves and thyme to the pan. Add enough water to be about halfway up the short ribs and vegetables. More and you will dilute the sauce, and any less and you won’t get a good braise. The meat and vegetables will give off a fair bit of liquid.
6. Put the lid on tight and bake in a 350 oven for about an hour. Then stir and turn the heat down to 325F and continue to bake for another 1 1/2 to 2 hours. You know its done when the meat has totally fallen off the bone and the meat is VERY tender.
7. Remove the meat from the liquid and strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer or colander. You want to get out all the chunks of soft carrot, onion and celery.
8. Pour the strained liquid into a saucepan and heat over medium high heat for about 15 minutes or until it has reduced by a third. You can thicken it up with a bit of cornstarch slurry if you want at this point.
9. Adjust seasonings and pour back over the beef and put back into the oven for 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
10. Enjoy over mashed potatoes or spaetzel!
Hubby and I had the rare occasion to utilize the services of a babysitter in order to have a date night. What?!?! I know, seriously! He’d been working so many overtime hours on a project at work that they gave him a nice hefty gift card to Gumbo’s, a local legend here in these parts.
We had been to Gumbo’s years ago based on the recommendation of a friend. I was underwhelmed then but well hey, a gift card is a gift card, right? If nothing else I could choose from a great wine list and enjoy some shrimp because well, shrimp are hard to mess up.
So we get to Gumbo’s and there’s this HUGE notice on the door saying that they’re not honoring this certain gift card because they’re not affiliated with the Gumbo’s in downtown Austin any longer. So, humph. Strike one. Here we have this wonderful gift card and can’t use it. Ok, what to do…what to do. Well, I say, we’re here. The babysitter is there, we might as well eat.
We get to the desk and find out that the reservation we’d made DAYS ago somehow didn’t show up on their list of reservations. She informed Matthew that she put our name on her list. Now picture this. It’s raining like crazy outside, it’s 7:30 on a Friday night and the waiting room is PACKED. So I march up to the desk and ask how long it’s going to be, and vocally, though politely, express my dismay at the situation. She assures me we’ll be next and I can hear the grumbles of hungry patrons behind me. Tough, I think. You should have made a reservation. For all the good that did us!
So we get seated. Now some might call the dining room quaint, but I call it tiny. And cramped. And loud. Very loud. Did I say loud? So we order. Here’s a link to the site if you want to see the full menu: www.gumbosroundrock.com
I had a grilled shrimp dish served over a cream sauce. Matthew had a spinach salad. The shrimp were not bad but they had that chloriney taste to them that comes from having been brined. Yuck. The ‘cajun’ seasoning on them was almost enough to cover the taste but the cream sauce was nothing more than a bland puddle on the bottom of my plate. But when we combined the yummy bread and the garlicky compound butter with the sauce then we had a winner!
Matthew’s salad was the poorest excuse of a spinach salad I think I’ve ever seen. He had this sad looking puddle of greens on his plate/bowl scattered with some chopped strawberries that my son could have chopped nicer. Then this obnoxious scooped ball of goat cheese. Now had they mentioned goat cheese on the menu he wouldn’t have ordered it. As it was, it was gross and just sat there like a vacant eyeball staring at us.
For dinner I ordered the Fish St. George that is described as:
FISH ST.GEORGE
fish of the day, pan sautéed in lemon pepper flour and butter, deglazed with white wine,and topped with sautéed crabmeat & scallions in Creole herbs & spices over herb butter garlic cream sauce
It came with gorgonzola mashed potatoes. I had the trout. Much to my dismay the salmon was Atlantic (achem, farmed) and for these prices I’d certainly expect wild salmon. Anyhow, my dinner arrived and was this sad looking beige on beige plate of food. My trout fillet was topped with crabmeat sure, but it was as far from lump as one can get. Sysco canned crab. Yum. There wasn’t a scallion to be found though the green would have been a welcome change to my beige plate of food. Again, the flavors were boring. Boring. Did I say boring?
Matthew had the: CHICKEN-MUSHROOM
grilled chicken breast, served over creamy mushroom, bacon, and garlic sauce pasta
Mostly because he’s a sucker for anything creamy and anything bacon. Well his dinner cost $14.00 and was the saddest puddle of overcooked noodles topped with dried out chicken that I’d seen in a long time. And not even a huge portion. You could have had the same, well cooked meal at Cheesecake Factory and come home with enough for lunch the next day.
Pathetic is the only thing I can say about our meal and yet people continue to laud this place and line up for it in droves. DROVES I say! Do yourself a favor Austin, go to Truluck’s instead. At least there you get much better quality food for the same price and the service is spot on.
Don’t even get me started about the service at Gumbo’s. So now we’re stuck with this gift card; I can only hope the downtown location is better. By the reviews I’ve read it seems to be.
Thank god for the bread…at least it was decent.
There’s a little cafe in Orangeville, Ontario that I like to go to when visiting my family. They have manage to maintain the same high standards since opening, and their food truly is a delight. One of my particular favorites is their soup of the day. The soups are always high quality, home made and interesting. Upon my last visit I tried a red potato and boursin soup that I just had to go home and recreate. I’m sure it’s not spot on, but it was damn good and is a refreshing change from typical heavy, chunky potato soups that taste more of potato than anything else. Try this soup, it’s easy and delightful!
Creamy of Red Potato and Boursin Soup
2 lbs red potatoes, cleaned and peeled. Leave some peel on the potatoes.
4 cups chicken stock, low sodium or homemade
2 leeks, cleaned and sliced
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 head garlic, roasted (cut the top off the garlic to expose some of the cloves, then drizzle with olive oil and bake in a 400F oven for about 20 minutes or until cloves are soft and golden brown)
1/4 cup cooked chopped bacon – about 3 slices
4 oz Boursin (this is a cream cheese with garlic and herbs in it)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
pinch cayenne
salt and pepper
sliced green onion for garnish
1. Boil the trimmed and cleaned potatoes in enough water to cover them. Add salt to the water and boil until soft, about 20 minutes.
2. While the potatoes are cooking, sautee the leeks in the butter in a deep pot. Sautee until soft but don’t let them brown.
3. Add the chicken stock and roasted garlic to the pot with the leeks.
4. Add the potatoes to the chicken stock and vegetables and add the crumbled bacon and parsley. With an immersion blender or regular blender, puree until smooth and thick.
5. Add the cream and enough milk to make the soup slightly thicker than the consistency of cream but not as thick as a chowder, or to your desired level.
6. Add the cayenne and bring back up to a gentle simmer then remove from the heat and stir in the boursin cream cheese. Season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately with sliced green onion or chopped parsley as a garnish.
Long, hot days of summer have driven me far, far away from my stove and oven, and the steamy air has robbed my brain of all but the very least creative ideas for meals. It has only been with the recent approach of fall’s cooler air and school starting again (when I can send one of my distractions off to distract others) that I’ve begun turning once again to my love of food.
That being said, the following pork chop recipe is simple to make yet has complex and layered flavors using things you likely already have on hand.
I prefer using loin chops for this recipe, butterflied or otherwise. The only caveat to using these chops in a pan-based cooking application is their tendency to quickly dry out. To avoid this, cook your pork chops until they are still slightly pink in the center (just a blush mind you) then pull them out. Don’t be squeamish, pink pork has long been safe and is vastly underrated.
Pork Chops with Tarragon and  Tomato-Green Onion Relish
4 pork loin chops (the thicker the better)
2 tbsp dried tarragon
1 tbsp garlic powder
salt and fresh ground pepper
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced fine
1/2 cup diced fresh tomato
1/4 cup sliced green onions, white and green parts
1. Sprinkle the pork chops with the tarragon, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
2. Heat a pan large enough to hold the pork chops in one layer and add the butter and olive oil.
3. Add the pork chops and brown on medium high heat, turning once when they are lightly browned.
4. Remove the pork chops and add the wine and minced garlic to the pan and deglaze, reducing the wine by about half.
5. Put the chops back into the pan and cook on medium low heat until cooked through. Cover with a lid if the chops are thick.
6. Turn the heat off and top with the diced tomato and green onion. Cover with lid until ready to serve. Serve by drizzling the pan juices over the chops.
This recipe is for a twist on oven baked chicken. Gone are the dried out, bland and unexciting chicken pieces of yore, and welcome to moist, tasty, chicken with a gravy that is to die for!
Oven Baked Chicken
(serves 4-6)
12 chicken thighs with bone and skin
1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
salt and pepper
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 yellow onion, sliced thin
4 cloves of garlic, sliced thin
3 tbsp all purpose flour
water or chicken stock
2 tbsp sour cream
1. Preheat your oven to 350F. Rinse the chicken thighs and cut off any large hunks of fat, but be sure to leave the skin on. This is what is going to help keep the chicken moist and make great gravy.
2. Lightly salt and pepper the chicken thighs then put the panko crumbs into a shallow dish and coat the thighs in panko breadcrumbs by pressing them down to help the panko stick.
3. Heat the oil over medium high in a large skillet. Without crowding your pan and working in batches adding more oil when necessary, brown both sides of the thighs then place them in a single or double layer in an oven safe baking dish. Repeat until all the chicken is browned.
4. Scatter the thinly sliced onion and garlic over the chicken, cover tightly and bake for 45 minutes for a single layer of chicken, 1 hour for a double layer.
5. When cooked, remove the chicken from the dish. Using a spatula, transfer any pan drippings to a small pot if your baking dish is not suited for the burner. Add the flour into the pan drippings and stir into a paste. Turn the heat to medium and allow the flour to cook for 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of the water or chicken stock in a slow stream and allow the mixture to bubble, whisking constantly. This will take about 3 minutes. Adjust thickness by adding a bit more liquid if it’s too thick.
6. Turn the heat off and let the gravy sit for a few minutes. Adjust for salt and pepper then add the sour cream just before serving.
Serve with garlic mashed potatoes and a great, fresh green vegetable.
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fect spaetzle, I’ve tried yet another variation and I think I’m in love.
