Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Beef Stock/Broth


My husband smoked a gorgeous Prime Rib last weekend, and I saved the bones to make stock.  I have never actually made Beef Stock before so I checked out the Interwebs and found a recipe by Emeril Lagasse that looked like a good start. I changed it a bit to suit my needs and it is indeed the best tasting Beef Brother I have ever sampled!

I cannot wait to make some Beef and Barley Soup when the weather cools down.

Ingredients

Beef bones, sawed into 2-inch pieces
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
2 cups red wine
20 peppercorns
5 garlic cloves, peeled
5 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried leaf thyme
Water

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the bones on a roasting pan and roast for 1 hour (I used my Cast Iron Skillet

Remove from the oven and brush with the tomato paste. Lay the vegetables over the bones. Return to the oven and roast for 30 minutes.

Place the pan on the stove and deglaze with the wine, scraping the bottom of the pan for browned particles. Put this mixture in a large stock pot.

Add the peppercorns, garlic, and herbs. Season with salt. Bring the liquid up to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 8 hours up to overnight.

Strain the liquid and discard bones, place in a large bowl, refrigerate overnight.

The next day skim off any fat that has risen to the surface. .

Use immediately or freeze for later use.

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Breakfast Pigs in a Blanket (Sausage in Crepes)


 
I was watching one of my favorite Food Network Shows, The Sandwich King, and he made this recipe.  I immediately knew I would ask my husband to make it for me the following weekend.  I cook during the week and hubby is my weekend Chef.  I love Pigs In a Blanket and this looked delicious!

I used Chicken Breakfast Sausage to make it a bit healthier.  It is served with an Apple, Blueberry Chutney which hubby made with his own spin.  It was very tasty and will be on our weekend breakfast rotation!

For the Crepes

3 large eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons melted butter
1 large pinch salt

Breakfast Sausages of your choice
Mascarpone Cheese
2 Apples, we used Honeycrisp
Chutney
4 TBL Butter
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
1/4 cup water
3 TBL Sugar
2 cups diced Apples
handful of Blueberries
2 TBL Orange Juice
Cook the above ingredients till softened

For the crepe: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth. Add the flour in parts, then slowly add the milk, sugar, melted butter and salt. Let rest for 30 minutes.

Add 1/2 cup of the batter to a 12-inch nonstick skillet and cook crepe on one side for 2 to 3 minutes before flipping. Repeat for the remaining batter.

For the sausage: Heat an oiled cast-iron pan over medium heat and brown the sausage on all sides until cooked through, about 8 minutes, then remove and reserve. 

For the sandwich build: Lay out the warm crepes and place a sausage in the center, add a dollop of Mascarpone on top and roll like a pig in a blanket. Place some apple compote on top.



How to spatchcock a chicken or turkey!

Finishing some of Cheryl's drafts... Keeping spatchcocking simple. Using a VERY sharp cleaver or kitchen shears -- not scissors, carefu...