This is a very easy recipe for those who like Asian style chicken. It's certainly a big favorite around my house and there's nothing to preparing it. The greatest effort is remembering to prepare your marinade 12 to 24 hours ahead of time for cooking the chicken.
INGREDIENTS
2 Pounds of Chicken (Skin On - Use Thighs, Drumsticks or Breasts)
1/2 Cup Soy Sauce
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar (Packed in measuring cup)
3 Tablespoons Finely Chopped Fresh Ginger Root
1 Tablespoon Finely Chopped Fresh Garlic
1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
2 Teaspoons Sesame Oil
2 Tablespoons Honey
MARINADE
Put all ingredients except the chicken into an oven safe baking dish. Whisk until mixed completely.
PREPARATION
Place the pieces of chicken into the baking dish, making sure you turn them in the marinade so they are completely coated. Put the dish in the refrigerator and leave chicken to marinate for between 12 and 24 hours. Turn the chicken pieces at least once so the marinade works it's way evenly into the chicken.
COOKING
IMPORTANT!!! When preparing to cook the chicken, remove the oven safe baking dish from the refrigerator and allow it to warm up at room temperature for about half an hour, so it doesn't break going into the hot oven!!!
Preheat the oven to 475 F degrees. Make sure all of the chicken pieces are skin side up in the baking dish. Move an oven rack to the middle of the oven for baking. Place the baking dish into the oven and cook for about 40 minutes, or until the chicken is a dark brown in color.
When the chicken is baked, set the oven to Broil and place the baking dish under the broiler for between 3 and 5 minutes so the skin on the chicken will become crispy and dark in color.
Your chicken is ready to serve and is excellent with steamed rice as a side dish. Enjoy!!
If you have questions, you may email me at: stan.kain@gmail.com. You may also like to follow my recipe blog on Google +, so you get the latest recipes as I add them or make changes. Please share your experience with this dish, if you enjoy it, on G+ and feel free to share the recipe with friends and family.
Saturday, November 26, 2016
Sunday, November 20, 2016
What You Need To Know About Buying Beef....Save Money...Better Meat!
I find that people today seem to know little about buying beef....or at least are misinformed by advertising and a misunderstanding of meat safety. I want to share some information with you which will help you save money and get far better cuts of beef, no matter what cuts you are buying today. None of this information is really special, but things we have always known in the past. Sadly, the push today is for the meat industry to save expense by pushing lower quality meat through the market and our expense.
I come from a long line of cattle people....my great grandfather having owned the first butcher shop in Tucson, Arizona...back when it was still Arizona Territory. My grandfather was also a cattleman, specializing in show and breeding stock cattle. I grew up on a ranch, back in the 1940's and 50's where we raised beef cattle, as well. While we raised and sold commercial beef, we always butchered our own, as well and took the time to have the best.
I walk into the meat section in a grocery store today and look over the selection. It's just not the quality of meat in those neatly packaged little plastic packages I remember. Bright red, tough cuts of meat being pushed onto consumers and prices far above what it's really worth. It's all "fresh" beef...and you don't see a word about "aged" beef, unless you want to go to a specialty shop and pay three or four times the price of the grocery store. If you do, you won't see that bright red stuff in the package, either. Same if you're dining out. Go to an expensive, top quality steak house and order "aged beef." You'll pay the price and you'll see the difference!
So, what's the difference, you may ask. Well, this "fresh" meat you find advertised is straight from the slaughterhouse to the market. It's artificially processed to have that nice bright red color you've been told to seek. And it's so fresh, I always say, "they haven't even notified the next of kin yet." It's not good meat!!! It's tough and it lacks flavor.
"Aged beef," on the other hand, is tender, flavorful and a dark brown in color...not bright red. Why don't we get aged beef? It's expensive for the processing plants and grocery stores. Their profit lies in slaughtering the animal and selling the meat as quickly as possible. Properly aged beef has to be hung in a cool room for about 42 days before it's really at it's best and time is money. A poor quality cut of beef, properly aged...can be better than the best fresh Kansas City Strip Steak you can buy...if you know the secret to aging.
When I was a kid, we would slaughter one of our cattle for our own use. Lacking cold storage space at home, we would take the freshly slaughtered carcass to the butcher shop in town, which rented locker space for customers. The carcass was hung in a cool room....sawdust on the floor...for 42 days...then be cut up and packaged for our use. The carcass was not frozen but just kept cool. The meat would darken in color and often you would even see a coating of "fuzz" build up on the meat which was removed before being cut into steaks, roasts and other cuts for our use. Contrary to what you may have been led to believe, this is not harmful in the least!!
So, what does this all mean for you? Well, armed with knowledge, you can take advantage of advertising and misinformation to save money and dine on quality beef. I love going to the grocery store and looking at packages of fresh beef, all with little, "Use By" dates on the package. Generally, packages within a day or two of the code date are marked down...sometimes by up to half....and state it must be "used or frozen within a day or two." Often, you''ll note that the bright red color of the meat is fading to a darker tone. That's the beef you're looking to buy!! You're going to take it home, but you're not going to use it that day, nor are you going to freeze it! You're going to prepare quality aged beef to serve your family and once you try it, that's all you're going to want to have!
All you need is some spare space in the refrigerator....and once you get the hang of this, you may even want to pick up an old used refrigerator for the garage, just for aging beef, if you eat a lot of it. Oh, and salt! You're going to need a lot of salt!! Rock salt, pink Himalaya salt, whichever you prefer. And I'll be sharing another tip for tender beef, so you'll want a lot of coarse Kosher salt, as well. I promise you won't regret it!
First, let's get to the aging process. Bring your "soon to be out of date" beef home and fill a shallow dish with the rock salt or pink Himalayan salt. Set the meat on a rack, just above the level of the salt...the salt helps remove the moisture from the air around the beef. "Cool rooms" in commercial aging plants often have "salt walls" to help with this process and no, it won't make your cut of meat dry. Now, all you need is patience!!! Let that beef rest in the refrigerator for 42 days....time for it to properly age completely. That, "Use By" date is a joke! Don't take my word alone for it. Here's a great YouTube video which explains the entire process so you can see for yourself how it works. You're going to end up with very tender, high quality and flavorful meat to serve and enjoy. This is a process called, "dry aging," and there is another called "wet aging," but dry aging is easy to do.
Dry Aging Beef At Home
Now, here's another great tip for beef, if you want to quickly turn a tough cut of fresh beef into a tender and flavorful meal. Here's you're going to use the coarse Kosher salt and you'll only need about one hour for each inch of thickness of the beef you're using. You won't believe the difference! And no, the beef will not be salty when you finish...the salt stays on the surface of the meat and you wash it off before cooking. The salt merely seals the meat and breaks down the fibers of the meat, making it very tender. Forget about buying meat tenderizer....this works way better!!! Here's a short video giving you a comparison between a plain fresh cut of cheap beef and a the same piece of meat which has been through the salting process. Trust me, my kitchen is well stocked with salt!
Tenderize A Cheap Cut Of Beef In One Hour!
I really hope you will enjoy this information and give it a try. You can save a lot of money when buying beef at the high prices today and actually end up enjoying the beef you serve. It's a process used for many, many years in the industry before profit became the key motivation. Back when people demanded quality.
If you have questions, please feel free to email me at: stan.kain@gmail.com You may also follow my recipe blog here. Please share your experiences with my recipes and tips, if you enjoy the result. And, feel free to share with family and friends!!!
I come from a long line of cattle people....my great grandfather having owned the first butcher shop in Tucson, Arizona...back when it was still Arizona Territory. My grandfather was also a cattleman, specializing in show and breeding stock cattle. I grew up on a ranch, back in the 1940's and 50's where we raised beef cattle, as well. While we raised and sold commercial beef, we always butchered our own, as well and took the time to have the best.
I walk into the meat section in a grocery store today and look over the selection. It's just not the quality of meat in those neatly packaged little plastic packages I remember. Bright red, tough cuts of meat being pushed onto consumers and prices far above what it's really worth. It's all "fresh" beef...and you don't see a word about "aged" beef, unless you want to go to a specialty shop and pay three or four times the price of the grocery store. If you do, you won't see that bright red stuff in the package, either. Same if you're dining out. Go to an expensive, top quality steak house and order "aged beef." You'll pay the price and you'll see the difference!
So, what's the difference, you may ask. Well, this "fresh" meat you find advertised is straight from the slaughterhouse to the market. It's artificially processed to have that nice bright red color you've been told to seek. And it's so fresh, I always say, "they haven't even notified the next of kin yet." It's not good meat!!! It's tough and it lacks flavor.
"Aged beef," on the other hand, is tender, flavorful and a dark brown in color...not bright red. Why don't we get aged beef? It's expensive for the processing plants and grocery stores. Their profit lies in slaughtering the animal and selling the meat as quickly as possible. Properly aged beef has to be hung in a cool room for about 42 days before it's really at it's best and time is money. A poor quality cut of beef, properly aged...can be better than the best fresh Kansas City Strip Steak you can buy...if you know the secret to aging.
When I was a kid, we would slaughter one of our cattle for our own use. Lacking cold storage space at home, we would take the freshly slaughtered carcass to the butcher shop in town, which rented locker space for customers. The carcass was hung in a cool room....sawdust on the floor...for 42 days...then be cut up and packaged for our use. The carcass was not frozen but just kept cool. The meat would darken in color and often you would even see a coating of "fuzz" build up on the meat which was removed before being cut into steaks, roasts and other cuts for our use. Contrary to what you may have been led to believe, this is not harmful in the least!!
So, what does this all mean for you? Well, armed with knowledge, you can take advantage of advertising and misinformation to save money and dine on quality beef. I love going to the grocery store and looking at packages of fresh beef, all with little, "Use By" dates on the package. Generally, packages within a day or two of the code date are marked down...sometimes by up to half....and state it must be "used or frozen within a day or two." Often, you''ll note that the bright red color of the meat is fading to a darker tone. That's the beef you're looking to buy!! You're going to take it home, but you're not going to use it that day, nor are you going to freeze it! You're going to prepare quality aged beef to serve your family and once you try it, that's all you're going to want to have!
All you need is some spare space in the refrigerator....and once you get the hang of this, you may even want to pick up an old used refrigerator for the garage, just for aging beef, if you eat a lot of it. Oh, and salt! You're going to need a lot of salt!! Rock salt, pink Himalaya salt, whichever you prefer. And I'll be sharing another tip for tender beef, so you'll want a lot of coarse Kosher salt, as well. I promise you won't regret it!
First, let's get to the aging process. Bring your "soon to be out of date" beef home and fill a shallow dish with the rock salt or pink Himalayan salt. Set the meat on a rack, just above the level of the salt...the salt helps remove the moisture from the air around the beef. "Cool rooms" in commercial aging plants often have "salt walls" to help with this process and no, it won't make your cut of meat dry. Now, all you need is patience!!! Let that beef rest in the refrigerator for 42 days....time for it to properly age completely. That, "Use By" date is a joke! Don't take my word alone for it. Here's a great YouTube video which explains the entire process so you can see for yourself how it works. You're going to end up with very tender, high quality and flavorful meat to serve and enjoy. This is a process called, "dry aging," and there is another called "wet aging," but dry aging is easy to do.
Dry Aging Beef At Home
Now, here's another great tip for beef, if you want to quickly turn a tough cut of fresh beef into a tender and flavorful meal. Here's you're going to use the coarse Kosher salt and you'll only need about one hour for each inch of thickness of the beef you're using. You won't believe the difference! And no, the beef will not be salty when you finish...the salt stays on the surface of the meat and you wash it off before cooking. The salt merely seals the meat and breaks down the fibers of the meat, making it very tender. Forget about buying meat tenderizer....this works way better!!! Here's a short video giving you a comparison between a plain fresh cut of cheap beef and a the same piece of meat which has been through the salting process. Trust me, my kitchen is well stocked with salt!
Tenderize A Cheap Cut Of Beef In One Hour!
I really hope you will enjoy this information and give it a try. You can save a lot of money when buying beef at the high prices today and actually end up enjoying the beef you serve. It's a process used for many, many years in the industry before profit became the key motivation. Back when people demanded quality.
If you have questions, please feel free to email me at: stan.kain@gmail.com You may also follow my recipe blog here. Please share your experiences with my recipes and tips, if you enjoy the result. And, feel free to share with family and friends!!!
Thursday, November 17, 2016
Let's Roast A Perfect Turkey
Well, we're on the countdown now for Thanksgiving and it takes time to prepare the perfect turkey, so I think we should get started. I want to share my way of making sure everyone truly enjoys the Thanksgiving bird for dinner.
Most likely, your turkey is frozen, as is mine. So, we should think ahead. An average size turkey...say 14 -16 pounds, is going to need to be removed from the freezer and placed into the refrigerator for two days so it may thaw slowly. Let's note that on the calendar!! Nothing worse than trying to work with a half frozen turkey! Of course, if you're a bit late and the turkey isn't completely thawed, you can always immerse it in cold water for a few hours and finish the thawing. Just leave the turkey in the sealed plastic wrap to make sure water doesn't get inside while the turkey is immersed.
Once the turkey is thawed, we'll move onto the next step, which you may not be familiar with doing, but will greatly enhance the bird! And we're going to need an additional day, so make sure that turkey is thawed in time!!
The morning before Thanksgiving, remove the thawed turkey from the refrigerator. Now, remove the turkey from the plastic wrap and rinse the turkey under cold water. Rinse the inside and outside of the turkey and don't forget to remove the package of giblets packed inside the turkey! I don't know how many people have managed to cook that little package inside the turkey, not realizing it's there! If you boil those giblets before making your stuffing...dice them up and add them to the stuffing mix...it's a nice addition, too. Or if you have cats, they sure love the boiled giblets, if you don't want to use them.
Now that you have the turkey all rinsed and dried, we're going to carefully loosen the skin from the meat on the breast and legs of the turkey. Be gentle and try to not tear the skin. Go slowly while doing this, separating the thin membrane separating the meat from the skin.
Take a small mixing bowl and pour in a generous amount of KOSHER SALT. Only use kosher salt, as it is much coarser than regular table salt. Now, you may add some pepper and seasonings of your choice to the kosher salt...Rosemary, Basil...whatever you like. Mix the salt, pepper and seasonings together. Pat the turkey down well to remove any moisture from the surfaces..you can use papere towels to do this. Take about 2 teaspoons of the salt/seasoning mixture and rub it all over the inside cavity of the turkey, using your hands. Make sure you thoroughly rub all surfaces. Now, using another 2 teaspoons of the salt/seasoning mix, lift the skin of the turkey and rub the breast meat and leg meat with the mixture. Again, rubbing all surfaces and being gentle so as to not tear the skin. When finished, pull the skin back into place on the turkey and follow the same procedure, rubbing the salt/seasoning mixture onto the surface of the turkey skin. Rub well into the area between the legs and body of the turkey and the wings, as well. Now, put the turkey back into the refrigerator, uncovered....until the following morning when you are ready to stuff and roast the bird.
Before stuffing the bird, remove it from the refrigerator and pat all surfaces dry....very dry. Remember to pat down the cavity inside the bird, as well.
NOTE: Don't worry about the salt you put on the turkey!!! It's not going to make it too salty! And when you pat the bird dry, the excess salt will be removed. Here's what this brine treatment is going to do. It's going to assure you that your turkey will be moist and juicy after you roast it...not all dried out....and it's going to assure you that the skin on the roasted bird is going to be very crispy and nice!
Now, you're free to stuff the bird with your favorite type of stuffing. I like to use a very moist stuffing mix...not too dry.
With the turkey stuffed and ready to go, I melt butter in a saucepan. I use a syringe type baster/injector and infuse the breast and legs with the melted butter. Inject deeply into the meat and slowly, moving around with the needle to get good dispersal of melted butter into the meat.
Now, I preheat the oven to 425 F degrees, with the cooking rack being set in the bottom 1/3 of the oven. I like clean up to be simple, so I always use one of the disposable aluminum pans for roasting the turkey. And, helping maintain moisture in the bird, I also put the bird inside one of those roasting bags before placing it into the aluminum pan. Again, clean up is easy and the bird stays moist. Seal the roasting bag and reduce the temperature in the oven to 350 F degrees. Place the turkey into the oven and begin roasting. The rule of thumb is to allow about 13 minutes per pound for your turkey to adequately roast.
For safety sake, make sure you have a meat thermometer handy. Check the legs and breast of the turkey, plunging the meat thermometer deeply into the meat to make sure the internal temperature reaches 165 F degrees. Do the same with the stuffing inside the turkey. You want to see 165 F degrees there, as well. This way, you know all bacteria has been killed and your guests are going to enjoy your turkey dinner instead of food poisoning!!!
Once the turkey is ready, I cut the roasting bag open along the top, exposing the breast, legs and wings. I like very crispy skin on the turkey...one of my favorite parts of the meal, so I brush the skin on the breast, legs and wings with more melted butter. I put the turkey back into the oven for about 20 minutes, allowing the skin to thoroughly brown and become more crispy. Once done, out of the oven!
Allow about 20 minutes for the turkey to "rest" after coming out of the oven before you carve it. That will allow all the juices time to settle and surface and the turkey will carve much more easily! Ready to serve!!
That's it...a perfect Thanksgiving turkey, my way. I hope you enjoy and remember, if you roast a chicken during the year, the same process works wonderfully there, as well.
If you have any questions, feel free to email me at: stan.kain@gmail.com You may also follow my recipe blog here on G+ for updates and more recipes. And share your experience on G+ if you try my methods and recipes and also share with family and friends!!
Most likely, your turkey is frozen, as is mine. So, we should think ahead. An average size turkey...say 14 -16 pounds, is going to need to be removed from the freezer and placed into the refrigerator for two days so it may thaw slowly. Let's note that on the calendar!! Nothing worse than trying to work with a half frozen turkey! Of course, if you're a bit late and the turkey isn't completely thawed, you can always immerse it in cold water for a few hours and finish the thawing. Just leave the turkey in the sealed plastic wrap to make sure water doesn't get inside while the turkey is immersed.
Once the turkey is thawed, we'll move onto the next step, which you may not be familiar with doing, but will greatly enhance the bird! And we're going to need an additional day, so make sure that turkey is thawed in time!!
The morning before Thanksgiving, remove the thawed turkey from the refrigerator. Now, remove the turkey from the plastic wrap and rinse the turkey under cold water. Rinse the inside and outside of the turkey and don't forget to remove the package of giblets packed inside the turkey! I don't know how many people have managed to cook that little package inside the turkey, not realizing it's there! If you boil those giblets before making your stuffing...dice them up and add them to the stuffing mix...it's a nice addition, too. Or if you have cats, they sure love the boiled giblets, if you don't want to use them.
Now that you have the turkey all rinsed and dried, we're going to carefully loosen the skin from the meat on the breast and legs of the turkey. Be gentle and try to not tear the skin. Go slowly while doing this, separating the thin membrane separating the meat from the skin.
Take a small mixing bowl and pour in a generous amount of KOSHER SALT. Only use kosher salt, as it is much coarser than regular table salt. Now, you may add some pepper and seasonings of your choice to the kosher salt...Rosemary, Basil...whatever you like. Mix the salt, pepper and seasonings together. Pat the turkey down well to remove any moisture from the surfaces..you can use papere towels to do this. Take about 2 teaspoons of the salt/seasoning mixture and rub it all over the inside cavity of the turkey, using your hands. Make sure you thoroughly rub all surfaces. Now, using another 2 teaspoons of the salt/seasoning mix, lift the skin of the turkey and rub the breast meat and leg meat with the mixture. Again, rubbing all surfaces and being gentle so as to not tear the skin. When finished, pull the skin back into place on the turkey and follow the same procedure, rubbing the salt/seasoning mixture onto the surface of the turkey skin. Rub well into the area between the legs and body of the turkey and the wings, as well. Now, put the turkey back into the refrigerator, uncovered....until the following morning when you are ready to stuff and roast the bird.
Before stuffing the bird, remove it from the refrigerator and pat all surfaces dry....very dry. Remember to pat down the cavity inside the bird, as well.
NOTE: Don't worry about the salt you put on the turkey!!! It's not going to make it too salty! And when you pat the bird dry, the excess salt will be removed. Here's what this brine treatment is going to do. It's going to assure you that your turkey will be moist and juicy after you roast it...not all dried out....and it's going to assure you that the skin on the roasted bird is going to be very crispy and nice!
Now, you're free to stuff the bird with your favorite type of stuffing. I like to use a very moist stuffing mix...not too dry.
With the turkey stuffed and ready to go, I melt butter in a saucepan. I use a syringe type baster/injector and infuse the breast and legs with the melted butter. Inject deeply into the meat and slowly, moving around with the needle to get good dispersal of melted butter into the meat.
Now, I preheat the oven to 425 F degrees, with the cooking rack being set in the bottom 1/3 of the oven. I like clean up to be simple, so I always use one of the disposable aluminum pans for roasting the turkey. And, helping maintain moisture in the bird, I also put the bird inside one of those roasting bags before placing it into the aluminum pan. Again, clean up is easy and the bird stays moist. Seal the roasting bag and reduce the temperature in the oven to 350 F degrees. Place the turkey into the oven and begin roasting. The rule of thumb is to allow about 13 minutes per pound for your turkey to adequately roast.
For safety sake, make sure you have a meat thermometer handy. Check the legs and breast of the turkey, plunging the meat thermometer deeply into the meat to make sure the internal temperature reaches 165 F degrees. Do the same with the stuffing inside the turkey. You want to see 165 F degrees there, as well. This way, you know all bacteria has been killed and your guests are going to enjoy your turkey dinner instead of food poisoning!!!
Once the turkey is ready, I cut the roasting bag open along the top, exposing the breast, legs and wings. I like very crispy skin on the turkey...one of my favorite parts of the meal, so I brush the skin on the breast, legs and wings with more melted butter. I put the turkey back into the oven for about 20 minutes, allowing the skin to thoroughly brown and become more crispy. Once done, out of the oven!
Allow about 20 minutes for the turkey to "rest" after coming out of the oven before you carve it. That will allow all the juices time to settle and surface and the turkey will carve much more easily! Ready to serve!!
That's it...a perfect Thanksgiving turkey, my way. I hope you enjoy and remember, if you roast a chicken during the year, the same process works wonderfully there, as well.
If you have any questions, feel free to email me at: stan.kain@gmail.com You may also follow my recipe blog here on G+ for updates and more recipes. And share your experience on G+ if you try my methods and recipes and also share with family and friends!!
Monday, November 14, 2016
Hot Smoked Mackerel
This morning's project has been smoking some freshly frozen Mackerel I picked up yesterday at the Asian market. They have a lot of fish you don't normally find in regular stores...and it's right out of the ocean into ice...so you bring them home frozen, clean them and use them as you wish. And, they sell fish very cheap! These three nice fish cost me $6.00. Gutted them, removed the heads...then packed them in rock salt in the refrigerator to cure....wash off the salt, let them set up...then into the smoker with wet Hickory chips. Low heat and a lot of smoke...and you can see the finished product! They look and smell wonderful!
 |
| Mackerel ready to be cleaned and heads removed |
 |
| Packed with coarse salt to cure in the refrigerator |
 |
| Into the smoker with wet Hickory chips on a hot bed of coals |
 |
| And the finished smoked Mackerel ready to be eaten or stored |
Vegetarian French Dip Sandwich
As you've probably come to recognize, if you follow my recipes, I'm a big fan of sandwiches and Portobello mushrooms. Here's another great one I think you will enjoy.
INGREDIENTS
3 Portobello Mushroom caps
1 Medium White Onion
1 Cup Vegetable Broth
2 Sandwich Rolls (6 inch)
4 Slices Provolone Cheese
2 Cloves Garlic (minced)
2 Tablespooons Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
1 Tablespoon Worcester Sauce
1/2 Teaspoon Thyme
1/4 Teaspoon Liquid Smoke
1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper
Horseradish Mustard
PREPARATION
Thin slice the Portobello mushroom caps into strips. Slice the White Onion into rings, then cut the rings in half. Mince the cloves of Garlic.
Put 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil into a skillet. Add the onion rings on low-medium heat and stir occasionally until the onions are cooked and transparent. Once the onions are done, add the minced garlic and cook for an additional two minutes...continuing to occasionally stir. Remove the onions and garlic, putting them on a separate plate.
Add another tablespoon of Olive Oil to the skillet, increase the heat to medium and add the Portobello mushroom slices. Cook them for about 5 minutes until they start to brown. Turn the mushroom slices over and cook an additional 5 minutes on the other side.
Now, add the cooked onion rings to the skillet, with the mushroom slices. Add the vegetable broth, Worcester sauce, Soy sauce, Thyme, Liquid Smoke and black pepper. Bring to a simmer, and continue to stir and cook for about 5 minutes, until the liquid is reduced to about half what you started with.
Now, open the Sandwich rolls and spread the Horseradish Mustard on the inside surfaces of the buns. Using a slotted spoon so you can drain the mushroom/onion mix and divide up the mushrooms and onions onto the inside of the sandwich roll. You may press lightly on the mushroom/onion mix to remove as much juice as you can before spreading them onto the buns. Place the Provolone Cheese on top of the mushroom/onion mix and place the open face buns under the broiler, just long enough for the cheese to melt. Remove from the broiler and close the sandwich up to serve. You may elect to slice the buns in half, making 2 3 inch long pieces.
Take the juice in the skillet and pour into cups to use as dipping juice for the sandwiches. Enjoy!!
I hope you enjoy these sandwiches. If you have any questions, please email me at: stan.kain@gmail.com You may also subscribe to follow my recipe blog. And, please share on G+ if you enjoyed the recipe and share it with family and friends, as well!
INGREDIENTS
3 Portobello Mushroom caps
1 Medium White Onion
1 Cup Vegetable Broth
2 Sandwich Rolls (6 inch)
4 Slices Provolone Cheese
2 Cloves Garlic (minced)
2 Tablespooons Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
1 Tablespoon Worcester Sauce
1/2 Teaspoon Thyme
1/4 Teaspoon Liquid Smoke
1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper
Horseradish Mustard
PREPARATION
Thin slice the Portobello mushroom caps into strips. Slice the White Onion into rings, then cut the rings in half. Mince the cloves of Garlic.
Put 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil into a skillet. Add the onion rings on low-medium heat and stir occasionally until the onions are cooked and transparent. Once the onions are done, add the minced garlic and cook for an additional two minutes...continuing to occasionally stir. Remove the onions and garlic, putting them on a separate plate.
Add another tablespoon of Olive Oil to the skillet, increase the heat to medium and add the Portobello mushroom slices. Cook them for about 5 minutes until they start to brown. Turn the mushroom slices over and cook an additional 5 minutes on the other side.
Now, add the cooked onion rings to the skillet, with the mushroom slices. Add the vegetable broth, Worcester sauce, Soy sauce, Thyme, Liquid Smoke and black pepper. Bring to a simmer, and continue to stir and cook for about 5 minutes, until the liquid is reduced to about half what you started with.
Now, open the Sandwich rolls and spread the Horseradish Mustard on the inside surfaces of the buns. Using a slotted spoon so you can drain the mushroom/onion mix and divide up the mushrooms and onions onto the inside of the sandwich roll. You may press lightly on the mushroom/onion mix to remove as much juice as you can before spreading them onto the buns. Place the Provolone Cheese on top of the mushroom/onion mix and place the open face buns under the broiler, just long enough for the cheese to melt. Remove from the broiler and close the sandwich up to serve. You may elect to slice the buns in half, making 2 3 inch long pieces.
Take the juice in the skillet and pour into cups to use as dipping juice for the sandwiches. Enjoy!!
I hope you enjoy these sandwiches. If you have any questions, please email me at: stan.kain@gmail.com You may also subscribe to follow my recipe blog. And, please share on G+ if you enjoyed the recipe and share it with family and friends, as well!
Saturday, November 5, 2016
Another Great "One Pot" Italian Dinner
I've had a lot of really positive feedback on the Italian "One Pot" dinner recipe in the recipe blog. Simple, quick, inexpensive and healthy....as well as vegetarian. Since it's been so popular, I thought I would offer another variant to it you may enjoy.
INGREDIENTS
12 Ounces Thin Spaghetti
12 Ounces Fresh Cherry Tomatoes
4 1/2 Cups Water
1 Medium White Onion
1 Cup Sliced Fresh Mushrooms
1 Cup Frozen Spinach
4 Cloves Garlic
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Dried Oregano
1 Tablespoon Dried Basil
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
Parmesan Cheese (Dry Shredded)
PREPARATION
We're going to use a large, deep skillet to prepare this dish. Add water and spaghetti to the skillet, together with the Oregano, Basil, Salt and Pepper. After thinly slicing the onion into rings, add them to the skillet. Cut the Cherry Tomatoes in half and add them, as well. Finely chop the cloves of Garlic, or if you prefer, use minced garlic and add that to the skillet. Now, add the thinly sliced Mushrooms to the rest of the ingredients.
Heat the skillet on a burner with Medium High heat, bringing the ingredients to a boil. Stir occasionally to mix the ingredients and keep the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the skillet. Make sure you turn and separate the pasta so it doesn't stick together. At a brisk boil, the water will evaporate, the pasta will become al dente in about 10 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the frozen spinach, mixing it into the rest of the ingredients.
Place servings into platters and generously sprinkle with the grated Parmesan Cheese. A delicious, filling meal ready in a matter of minutes! Enjoy!
If you have questions, please feel free to email me at: stan.kain@gmail.com You may also follow my recipes on the Recipe Blog. And, be sure to share if you enjoyed the meal and share the recipe with family and friends!
INGREDIENTS
12 Ounces Thin Spaghetti
12 Ounces Fresh Cherry Tomatoes
4 1/2 Cups Water
1 Medium White Onion
1 Cup Sliced Fresh Mushrooms
1 Cup Frozen Spinach
4 Cloves Garlic
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Dried Oregano
1 Tablespoon Dried Basil
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
Parmesan Cheese (Dry Shredded)
PREPARATION
We're going to use a large, deep skillet to prepare this dish. Add water and spaghetti to the skillet, together with the Oregano, Basil, Salt and Pepper. After thinly slicing the onion into rings, add them to the skillet. Cut the Cherry Tomatoes in half and add them, as well. Finely chop the cloves of Garlic, or if you prefer, use minced garlic and add that to the skillet. Now, add the thinly sliced Mushrooms to the rest of the ingredients.
Heat the skillet on a burner with Medium High heat, bringing the ingredients to a boil. Stir occasionally to mix the ingredients and keep the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the skillet. Make sure you turn and separate the pasta so it doesn't stick together. At a brisk boil, the water will evaporate, the pasta will become al dente in about 10 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the frozen spinach, mixing it into the rest of the ingredients.
Place servings into platters and generously sprinkle with the grated Parmesan Cheese. A delicious, filling meal ready in a matter of minutes! Enjoy!
If you have questions, please feel free to email me at: stan.kain@gmail.com You may also follow my recipes on the Recipe Blog. And, be sure to share if you enjoyed the meal and share the recipe with family and friends!
Friday, November 4, 2016
Easy Greek Chicken Dinner
This is a delicious, healthy and easy to prepare dinner, using just one baking sheet. If you marinate the chicken ahead of time, you can have dinner on the table in about half an hour. Enjoy a mild Greek flavor to the dinner table.
INGREDIENTS
12 Ounces Baby Red Potatoes
12 Ounces Fresh Asparagus (or Green Beans)
6 Chicken Thighs (Bone in/Skin On)
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
3 Garlic Cloves
Juice from 1 Lemon
1 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Oregano
Kosher Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon Parsley
MARINADE
Prepare a marinade, using a large zip lock plastic bag. Pour the marinade, consisting of the Olive Oil, minced Garlic Cloves, Lemon Juice, Red Wine Vinegar, Oregano and Salt and Pepper to taste. Add the chicken thighs to the bag, mix well in marinade and place in the refrigerator for at least one hour. Turn the bag occasionally to ensure the chicken thighs are thoroughly marinated.
PREPARATION
Wash and cut the Red Potatoes in half. Place them, flat side down on a baking sheet which has been sprayed with non-stick oil. Arrange the Asparagus between and around the potatoes, forming a single layer of vegetables. Now drizzle some Olive Oil over the potatoes and Asparagus, as well as salt and pepper to taste. Remove the chicken thighs from the marinade and place them on top of the layer of vegetables in a single layer.
Preheat the oven to 375 F degrees and place the baking sheet into the oven for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. When the thighs are completely cooked, move the baking sheet under the broiler and broil for about 5 minutes or until the skin on the chicken thighs is crispy and slightly blackened.
Place chicken and vegetables on a serving dish, topping with parsley for a pleasing appearance. Ready to serve!
I hope you will enjoy this quick and inexpensive meal. It's certainly one I enjoy around here. If you have questions, please feel free to email me at: stan.kain@gmail.com You may also follow my Recipe Blog on Google+ for the latest updates and new recipes as I add them. If you enjoy the meal, please share on G+ and share with friends and family!
INGREDIENTS
12 Ounces Baby Red Potatoes
12 Ounces Fresh Asparagus (or Green Beans)
6 Chicken Thighs (Bone in/Skin On)
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
3 Garlic Cloves
Juice from 1 Lemon
1 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Oregano
Kosher Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon Parsley
MARINADE
Prepare a marinade, using a large zip lock plastic bag. Pour the marinade, consisting of the Olive Oil, minced Garlic Cloves, Lemon Juice, Red Wine Vinegar, Oregano and Salt and Pepper to taste. Add the chicken thighs to the bag, mix well in marinade and place in the refrigerator for at least one hour. Turn the bag occasionally to ensure the chicken thighs are thoroughly marinated.
PREPARATION
Wash and cut the Red Potatoes in half. Place them, flat side down on a baking sheet which has been sprayed with non-stick oil. Arrange the Asparagus between and around the potatoes, forming a single layer of vegetables. Now drizzle some Olive Oil over the potatoes and Asparagus, as well as salt and pepper to taste. Remove the chicken thighs from the marinade and place them on top of the layer of vegetables in a single layer.
Preheat the oven to 375 F degrees and place the baking sheet into the oven for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. When the thighs are completely cooked, move the baking sheet under the broiler and broil for about 5 minutes or until the skin on the chicken thighs is crispy and slightly blackened.
Place chicken and vegetables on a serving dish, topping with parsley for a pleasing appearance. Ready to serve!
I hope you will enjoy this quick and inexpensive meal. It's certainly one I enjoy around here. If you have questions, please feel free to email me at: stan.kain@gmail.com You may also follow my Recipe Blog on Google+ for the latest updates and new recipes as I add them. If you enjoy the meal, please share on G+ and share with friends and family!
Tuesday, November 1, 2016
Beef Free Beef Stroganoff
With cooler weather coming on, we start looking for warming, hearty meals. One simple meal I enjoy this time of year is Beef Stroganoff. Inexpensive to make, filling and comforting food. If you follow my recipes, you know that I'm really getting away from beef. I'm not some sort of radical vegetarian, as I do eat meat and I don't strictly follow vegetarian practices, but I find beef to be harder to digest, the less I eat of it and prices are outrageous, at least to me.
As an alternative to beef in many of the foods I prepare, I've found Portobello mushrooms to be my favorite and rapidly becoming a major item on my grocery list. The taste and texture of these beautiful mushrooms satisfies that desire for "meat" in many of my recipes and this Stroganoff is no exception! If you like Beef Stroganoff, I really think you will love this dish!
INGREDIENTS
8 Ounces Uncooked Pasta Noodles
1 White Onion
1 3/4 Cup Beef Broth
3/4 Pound Sliced Portobello Mushrooms
3/4 Pound White Button Mushrooms
1/4 Cup Red Wine
1/4 Cup Sour Cream
1 Tablespoon Worcester Sauce
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
3 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon White Vinegar
2 Teaspoons Dry Parsley
1/2 Teaspoon Thyme
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
Black Pepper to taste
PREPARATION
Boil the pasta noodles, as usual, not overcooking them, as they will cook a bit more before we're finished. Drain and set aside. Dice the White Onion. Cut the White Button Mushrooms in half. Cut the slices of Portobello Mushroom into thin slices about the same size as you would beef, if you were going to use it in the Stroganoff.
Now, let's start making the Stroganoff!!!
Using a large saucepan, put in the Olive Oil and add the diced White Onion. Put on medium high heat and saute the onions for about 3 minutes. When the onions are soft, add the flour to the saucepan, stirring continually until well blended. Continue cooking for a few seconds.
Slowly, add the Beef Broth, Red Wine and Worcester Sauce. Keep stirring while the sauce thickens and bubbles. Now, add the Portobello and White Button mushrooms, Thyme and Salt. Stir and mixe the ingredients well and continue to cook until the mushrooms shrink in size and moisture is released from them. Now, add the White Vinegar and reduce the heat to simmer the mix for about 4 - 5 minutes.
When ready, add the drained pasta, Sour Cream, Black Pepper, one more Tablespoon of All Purpose Flour and Parsley. Continue to simmer for an additional 5 minutes, stirring to mix the ingredients completely.
Place the servings of Stroganoff on dinner plates and if you like, garnish with more Parsley. Ready to serve!
If you're a real hard core vegetarian, you probably know you can find "beef free" beef broth and alternatives for non dairy sour cream. I don't go to this extreme, but for real vegetarians, there are those options to avoid all non-vegetarian ingredients.
I hope you will give this dish a try and discover the wonderful taste and texture of the Portobello mushrooms as an alternative to using real beef. I am sure it will be satisfying!
If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at: stan.kain@gmail.com Likewise, you may follow my Recipe Blog on Google+ getting new recipes and updates as I add them. I try to add new recipes quite often. And, if you enjoy the recipes, please share them on G+ and with family and friends!!!
As an alternative to beef in many of the foods I prepare, I've found Portobello mushrooms to be my favorite and rapidly becoming a major item on my grocery list. The taste and texture of these beautiful mushrooms satisfies that desire for "meat" in many of my recipes and this Stroganoff is no exception! If you like Beef Stroganoff, I really think you will love this dish!
INGREDIENTS
8 Ounces Uncooked Pasta Noodles
1 White Onion
1 3/4 Cup Beef Broth
3/4 Pound Sliced Portobello Mushrooms
3/4 Pound White Button Mushrooms
1/4 Cup Red Wine
1/4 Cup Sour Cream
1 Tablespoon Worcester Sauce
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
3 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon White Vinegar
2 Teaspoons Dry Parsley
1/2 Teaspoon Thyme
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
Black Pepper to taste
PREPARATION
Boil the pasta noodles, as usual, not overcooking them, as they will cook a bit more before we're finished. Drain and set aside. Dice the White Onion. Cut the White Button Mushrooms in half. Cut the slices of Portobello Mushroom into thin slices about the same size as you would beef, if you were going to use it in the Stroganoff.
Now, let's start making the Stroganoff!!!
Using a large saucepan, put in the Olive Oil and add the diced White Onion. Put on medium high heat and saute the onions for about 3 minutes. When the onions are soft, add the flour to the saucepan, stirring continually until well blended. Continue cooking for a few seconds.
Slowly, add the Beef Broth, Red Wine and Worcester Sauce. Keep stirring while the sauce thickens and bubbles. Now, add the Portobello and White Button mushrooms, Thyme and Salt. Stir and mixe the ingredients well and continue to cook until the mushrooms shrink in size and moisture is released from them. Now, add the White Vinegar and reduce the heat to simmer the mix for about 4 - 5 minutes.
When ready, add the drained pasta, Sour Cream, Black Pepper, one more Tablespoon of All Purpose Flour and Parsley. Continue to simmer for an additional 5 minutes, stirring to mix the ingredients completely.
Place the servings of Stroganoff on dinner plates and if you like, garnish with more Parsley. Ready to serve!
If you're a real hard core vegetarian, you probably know you can find "beef free" beef broth and alternatives for non dairy sour cream. I don't go to this extreme, but for real vegetarians, there are those options to avoid all non-vegetarian ingredients.
I hope you will give this dish a try and discover the wonderful taste and texture of the Portobello mushrooms as an alternative to using real beef. I am sure it will be satisfying!
If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at: stan.kain@gmail.com Likewise, you may follow my Recipe Blog on Google+ getting new recipes and updates as I add them. I try to add new recipes quite often. And, if you enjoy the recipes, please share them on G+ and with family and friends!!!
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