Tag Archives: food

Wine on Wednesdays – House Wine

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Over the years, I have worked at a lot of restaurants. At various times, I have been the general manager, the executive chef, the sommelier, the bartender, the server, and many other positions.

Most restaurants have a house wine, which is the wine you receive if you just ask for a “red” or a “white”. It’s usually — although not always — the cheapest wine option. And it almost invariably tastes just terrible.

As a consumer, I don’t judge a restaurant by how awful its house wine tastes because if guests don’t care enough to look at a wine list or ask for a favorite brand, they deserve what they get.

Even if what they get comes out of a jug. Or even a box. Which it frequently does, even in the best fine dining restaurants.

(A quick aside: Never drink wine out of a box unless you enjoy having horrible headaches the next morning. Box wines are the Chicken McNugget of the winemaking world: You don’t ever want to see how they are made.)

That’s why when I found this brand called “House Wine”, I was intrigued. It turns out this wine is nothing like your typical “house wine” because while it is completely affordable, it tastes amazing.

House Wine is one of a handful of brands made by the Magnificent Wine Company, which is based in Walla Walla, Washington. While many people think of that as onion and potato country, it also is home to the Washington’s famed Columbia Valley wine growing region.

The company is a partnership between Charles Smith, of K Vintners, who is something of a living legend among syrah fans, and Andrew Browne, the wunderkind founder of the Precept Wine brands. It also makes a chardonnay, White House Wine; a sauvignon blanc, Fish House Wine; and a cabernet suavignon, Steak House Wine.

House Wine is mostly cabernet sauvignon, but also has merlot, malbec, syrah and petit verdot, all grown in Columbia Valley. It is a nicely balanced wine that is neither jammy nor meekly bland, but a nice place in between. Even though it is made mostly with cabeneret sauvignon grapes, it has qualities of the laid back merlot.

And it was definitely affordable at $7.99/bottle, which is, of course, my self imposed upper limit for budget wines. Any restaurant would do well by serving House Wine as their house wine.

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On a separate note, I found myself in a Trader Joe’s the other day and I couldn’t help but to pick up a bottle of their house brand, Charles Shaw, perhaps better known as “Two-Buck Chuck.” although it now costs a whopping $3/bottle.

I had this wine many years ago and remembered that I didn’t like it. But given the concept of this budget wine blog, I thought I would try it again to see if I was mistaken. After all, if “Two Buck Chuck” was at all drinkable, I could recommend it to those people seeking affordable wines.

Sadly, this is not the case. I now remember why I didn’t like this wine. It tastes like barrel dregs. It’s bitter and has a persistent unpleasant aftertaste. It is a waste of $3.

Trader Joe’s has plenty of other good, affordable wines, so do yourself a favor and walk past the enormous display of “Two Buck Chuck” and pick yourself up something drinkable. The only positive thing I can say about this wine is that at $36/case, you can afford to pick up a dozen bottles to fill the holes in your wine rack until you can replace them with better wines.

Just don’t get tempted to drink a bottle.

Barbeque Pork Chops

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Probably the thing I miss most in the winter is not being able to use my grill or smoker.

It’s not that I can’t use them exactly. They are operable. They can be turned on.

The problem is the sun. It goes down too early, long before the time I normally make dinner. And I can attest from experience that grilling in the dark is not really a good option.

That’s why I love to find a barbeque recipe that can be made indoors. This one is an inexpensive, reduced fat version of breaded pork chops, with a BBQ bent.

Fried pork chops, chicken or chicken fried steak are some of my favorite things to eat, but unfortunately they are too high in fat to have very often, if at all. Usually once or twice a year at a family party is my limit.

But in this version, the pork chops are fried in only a very small amount of oil and most of the cooking is done in the oven. This is hardly a no-fat recipe, however, because potato chips and pancake mix is used in the breading, both of which are loaded with fat, plus the BBQ sauce is mostly high fructose corn syrup. So I won’t pretend this is health food.

Still, it’s a trade-off I’m willing to make in order to enjoy barbeque in the middle of winter. I served this with Rosemary Roasted Red Potatoes and steamed broccoli, and it was a delicious, wonderful mid-winter treat.

Barbeque Pork Chops

1 cup barbeque flavored potato chips (about 1 oz)

1/2 cup pancake mix

1 egg, beaten

2 TBS BBQ sauce

6 boneless pork loin chops 1/2 thick (about 1-1/2 lbs)

1 TBS vegetable oil or shortening

3/4 cup BBQ sauce

1. Place BBQ chips in 1 gallon plastic freezer bag and crush with rolling pin. Add pancake mix, seal bag and shake well.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and 2 TBS BBQ sauce. Dip pork chops into egg mixture, then place in bag and shake to coat with breading. I realize this is just like Shake & Bake, from the 1970s. You could just dredge the chops in the breading if you preferred. Me, I liked the irony.

3. Preheat oven to 375F. Put cast iron skillet on the fire. When hot, add oil. When smoking, add pork chops a couple at a time and fry on both sides until just golden brown. Set aside on sheet pan. When all pork is marked, place sheet pan in oven and bake 25 minutes. To plate, nap the chops with BBQ sauce, leaving most of the breading exposed.

Pork is still relatively inexpensive — the chops were about $2/lb – compared to beef, which has been insanely high lately, so this worked out to be a pretty inexpensive meal as well.

What do you do in the kitchen during winter to keep sane? Share your ideas in the comments section below. And thanks for looking at my blog!

Jamaican Jerk Pork Sandwiches

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Jamaican jerk pork or chicken is sort of the island equivalent of barbeque. Traditionally, it is cooked over a wood fire on makeshift ovens made of steel drums cut lengthwise.

Nowadays, “jerk” refers to the combination of seasonings used to flavor the meat prior to cooking, mostly allspice, thyme, cinnamon and black pepper. Scotch bonnet peppers, among the hottest of all peppers, also are traditionally used, but many pre-mixed dry rubs available for purchase either skip or tone down this ingredient. The seasoning mix I used was not spicy hot at all.

While the origin of the term “jerk” is vague, it most likely came from the Spanish conquisatdors, who ate “charqui”, or dried smoked meats, during their long journey across the Atlantic. The term “jerky” also comes from this word.

Although jerk meats normally are cooked over an open wood flame like barbeque, most Americans wouldn’t associate jerk flavor with the barbeque you find on the continent. For one, Jamaican jerk seasoning isn’t sweet, it’s savory. Plus it lacks the vinegary tartness of traditional BBQ.

But it is still delicious and has been growing in popularity in recent years, perhaps because of travellers who tried it while vacationing in the Carribean were anxious to spread word of this interesting and delicious dish.

In this version, the meat isn’t even grilled. Instead, it’s cooked all day in the crock pot. But the flavor of the jerk seasoning is still at the forefront and I love the way slow-cooked meats fill the whole house with a tantalizing aroma, making me look forward to dinner all day.

Another thing I liked is that pork shoulder is one of the least expensive cuts you can buy. I bought a  7 lb bone-in shoulder and cleaned it myself and it was only $1.19/lb! Half went in the freezer for another time.

I served this with oven baked sweet potato fries, which are the easiest thing in the world to make. They are one of our favorites!

Jamaican Jerk Pork Sandwiches

2-3 lb boneless pork shoulder

1 medium white onion, julienned

3 TBS Jamaican jerk seasoning

1/2 cup chili sauce

1/2 cup water

1 can Mexican corn (corn with red pepper)

2 TBS salsa

1 cup shredded green leaf lettuce

Fat free sour cream (on the side)

1/2 cup chopped cilantro (one the side)

8 whole wheat pitas

1. Spray crock pot with cooking spray. Trim pork of excess fat and cut into 2 inch cubes. Place pork and onion in crock pot, sprinkle with jerk seasoning, cover with chili sauce and water and stir.

2. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.

3. Use two forks to pull pork apart. It will shred easily. Meanwhile, drain corn and combine with salsa in a small bowl.

4. To assemble sandwich, place a good amount of the pork in a pita, add corn relish, top with lettuce and garnish with cilantro and sour cream.

Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries

3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into sticks

2 TBS EVOO

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp fresh cracked black pepper

1/2 tsp granulated garlic

1/2 tsp onion powder

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss until sweet potatoes are evenly coated. Pour out onto a baking sheet and bake at 375F for 45 minutes. Super delicious!

Do you make any recipes with the flavors of the Carribean? Share your ideas in the comments section below. And thanks for looking at my blog!

Wine on Wednesdays – Me and Wine

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Like many people, I used to think drinking wine was for snooty Europeans and people with too much money. I had always been a proud beer drinker.

But in 2000, I became general manager of a fancy casino steakhouse. Knowing nothing about wine other than I didn’t like it, I gave myself a crash course in oeneology so that I could knowledeably talk about wines and food pairings with my employees and guests. I bought a bunch of books and ventured into mysterious parts of the liquor store I had never visited before: the wine aisles.

What I quickly discovered was that I really loved wine. I loved its rich history, its nearly endless varietals and brands, and most importantly its taste. Good wine tastes great, it’s a true pleasure to drink, much more so than beer. And an appreciation for good wine can make life better.

I enjoy red wine more than white, with pinot noirs, zinfandels and shirazes at the top of my list. And while I enjoy good wine, I can’t afford fine wine. I never spend more than $10/bottle, and except for a special occasion, I usually limit myself to $7.99/bottle or less. Usually far less.

Fortunately, there are many, many very good wines available at that price point. There also are a lot of truly bad wines at every price level. As a result of years of trial and error, I’ve been able to weed out those ones, and have compiled a rotation of 25-30 wines that are very inexpensive but also very good.

In this “Wines on Wednesday” feature, I will be identifying some of the best value-priced wines I have found since first discovering my passion for wine 12 years ago. I will describe some of the best places to find good, cheap wines, and how to pair wine with food to enhance even the everday dining experience.

Today, I want to start with one of my all-time favorite wines: Coppola Rosso, a red table wine produced by a vineyard owned by Francis Ford Coppola, director of two of my all-time favorite films, “The Godfather” and “Apocolypse Now”.

Although it’s nice that this wine is made by someone whose films I respect, it’s even nicer that this wine is super delicious and also very affordable. The discount liquor store near my house sells it for $6.99/bottle, or $5.97/bottle after the 15% discount you get if you buy six wines or more at a time.

In general, when a wine is made from one type of grape — such as the cabernet sauvignon, merlot or chardonnay grape, for example – it is designated as a “varietal” and can be called a cabernet, a merlot or a chardonnay.

But when a blend of different grapes is used, a wine can only be called a “red table wine” or a “white table wine.” Although Coppola Rosso is a table wine, it tastes  like a good California zinfandel, which are known for their earthy vegetable-like flavors.

Coppola has said that with his Rosso (Italian for “red”) he was trying to capture the flavor of the everyday, versatile Italian paisan red wines his grandparents used to drink. This wine definitely fits that bill. I’m a paisan and I could absolutely drink it everyday.

Coppola Vineyards make a variety of wines, including a Coppola Bianco, a white table wine, and a Coppola Talia, a sweet white wine named for his sister, the actress Talia Shire who played Rocky Balboa’s girlfriend in the “Rocky” series (“Adriaaaaaaaan!”). It also makes some more expensive, exclusive wines.

If you are looking for a really good, cheap red wine that goes with just about anything, you can’t go wrong with Coppola Rosso. It is versatile, delicious and definitely affordable.

Is there an affordable, delicious wine that you enjoy? Please share your discovery in the comments section below. And thanks for looking at my blog!

A Christmas Miracle

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Each year, from roughly the day after Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve, our house is converted into an insane asylum.

Between the planning, gift shopping, wrapping, decorating, cooking, and entertaining, for about a month our ordinary lives are shoved aside while our days become filled with a frenzy of hyperactivity. Invariably, my diet and exercise routines go out the window. Even the dogs, perhaps sensing the heightened  stress levels, are more irritable than usual.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Then, suddenly, it all comes to a screeching halt on Christmas Day.

Families are reunited. Feasts are enjoyed. Gifts are unwrapped. And, if only for a few hours, peace reigns on earth. Each year, we are rewarded with this Christmas miracle.

So from my family to yours, with heartfelt gratitude for reading and supporting my blog, and with every good wish for a happy and safe holiday, I wish you a miraculous Christmas and a happy New Year!

A programming note: This is my 100th blog post since launching Budget Cooking Blog last August. Hurray! I will be taking the next week off to recharge my batteries and will begin posting the next 100 blogs after the New Year.

 

Broiled Tilapia with Meuniere Sauce

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Tilapia is one of those fish you never heard of 20 years ago, but today is everywhere.

This is because commercial tilapia farming is a booming industry which is driving the price of tilapia down, while the supply of fresh fish from the world’s oceans is dwindling, causing prices of other fish to skyrocket. Walk into any grocery store or fish market these days and you will find tilapia available at half the price of most other fish.

Tilapia is a neutral flavored fish. It lacks the distinctive taste of, say, tuna or salmon. But this can be an advantage because it easily takes on the flavors of whatever you prepare with it. Consider it to be the potato of the fish world because in itself it is pretty flavorless, but it serves as an excellent catalyst to other flavors.

For example, you can make blackened tilapia for a fraction of the cost of blackened red snapper and the flavor will be comparable because most of the taste comes from the blackening agent anyway. Just don’t try to sell tilapia as red snapper or you could get in trouble.

I made my tilapia with one of the simplest of sauces, meuniere sauce, which is composed of browned butter, lemon juice and chopped parsley. “Meuniere” is French for “miller’s wife,” or a peasant woman. It’s called this because it is the type of simple sauce the lower classes would make at home, rather than fancier sauce enjoyed by the aristocracy.

Fun fact: Restaurants did not become commonplace until post-Revolution France, when the chefs who formerly cooked for the aristocracy suddenly had to find new ways to support themselves. They began to open public houses where people could pay to enjoy the gourmet dishes that formerly could only be consumed by kings and other royalty.

Meuniere also refers to the method of preparing fish by lightly dredging it in flour then pan frying it in clarified butter. But to simplify things, I just sprayed my tilapia with pan spray and seasoned it with salt, pepper and paprika. Lay it out on a sprayed sheet pan, put it under the broiler for about five to seven minutes and you are ready to go.

To make the meuniere sauce, simply heat up a saute pan and add 2 -3 TBS of whole butter and swirl it around in the pan until the butter starts to turn brown, about 2 minutes. Squeeze in the juice of half a lemon and a handful of chopped parsely. That’s it! Easy, right?

I also served this tilapia with rice that I cooked in my rice steamer. I love my rice cooker because it is the simplest thing in the world to use. You just pour in the rice, salt and pepper and water or stock and turn it on. The rest is automatic.

To dress the plate up a little, I pressed the cooked rice into a ramekin and turned it upside down to form a timbale. I’ve done this before in this blog with couscous salad.

But the really fun part of this dish is the assorted steamed vegetables. This is an easy way to make a big batch of colorful, tasty vegetables in a hurry, especially if you are cooking for a lot of people, such as in a banquet kitchen.

Assorted Steamed Vegetables

3-4 carrots, peeled and cut on the bias

1 broccoli crown, cut into peices

1 zucchini, cut into half moons

1 yellow squash, cut into half moons

2 TBS butter

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp fresh cracked black pepper

1. Bring a big pot of water to a boil. Add the carrots and boil for 4 minutes. Then throw in the broccoli and cook for 3 more minutes. Then throw in the zucchini and yellow squash and cook for 2 more minutes.

2. Strain in colander and return to pot. Add butter, salt and pepper, replace lid and shake pot to distribute.

In restaurant kitchens, I would make this using a 50 lb sack of carrots, and two cases each of broccoli, zucchini and squash. It would all cook in a steam-jacketed 55 gallon tank and could be used to serve banquets of up to 400 people. Super easy peasy.

What kind of paisan cooking do you enjoy most? Share your thoughts in the comments section below. And thanks for looking at my blog!

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

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Here’s something you may not know: Chicago has an enormous Polish population.

There are more Poles living in Chicago than in Warsaw. The influence of this population is evident everywhere, especially where I live. Many store signs are in both English and Polish, and there are certain markets where no English is posted or spoken. When you walk in, it’s like being teleported to a store in Poland.

One of my fondest memories growing up was in 1979 when Pope John Paul II, the first Polish pope, visited Chicago and climbed onto the roof of a high school only a few blocks from my house to greet a massive crowd of mostly Polish followers.

Poland has one of the richest cultures and proudest histories in the world. And Polish cuisine is among my favorites, even though my ethnic background is Irish.

Full disclosure: My first wife’s family was Polish and my daughter is half Polish. Back in those days, I used to look forward to family parties because it meant lots of delicious Polish food — kielbasa, pierogis, kolatchkies and today’s recipe, gołąbki (ga-WOOM-key) or stuffed cabbage rolls.

These are delicious and so easy to make. They bear a strong similarity to stuffed green peppers, but the tanginess of the cabbage adds a whole other level of flavor.

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

6-7 whole cabbage leaves

3 cups cooked whole grain rice

1 lb ground beef or turkey

1 TBS EVOO

1/2 white onion, medium dice

1/2 green pepper, medium dice

1 cup shredded cabbage

1 clove garic, crushed

4 oz can tomato sauce

2 TBS Italian seasoning, separated

1 tsp sugar

Sea salt

Fresh cracked black pepper

1 TBS hot sauce

1. Bring a pot of water to boil. Add cabbage leaves and boil until softened, about 4 minutes. Drain in colander then return to pot and cover with cold water to stop the cooking process.

2. Place cast iron pan on the fire. When hot, add EVOO. When smoking, add onions, green peppers and shredded cabbage and cook until onions just start to brown, about 3 minutes. Add ground beef or turkey and cook until meat is browned, about five minutes, stirring occasionally. In the last minute of cooking, stir in the crushed garlic and Italian seasoning.

3. To make the sauce, combine the tomato sauce, Italian seasoning and sugar in a small pot and cook together for about five minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Preheat oven to 350F. In mixing bowl, stir together the meat mixture, rice and about half the sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Lay a cabbage leaf on a cutting board and spoon about 2 TBS of the mixture into the center. Roll up into a log shape and fold the flaps underneat to seal. Place in a baking dish. Repeat with the remaining cabbage leaves.

5. Cover cabbage rolls with the remaining sauce, then cover with foil and bake 35 minutes. Let cool for a couple of minutes before serving.

These are a great meal all by themselves because the protein, starch and vegetable are all contained in the individual cabbage roll. But they also go great with some seared kielbasa sausage and a couple of pierogi.

What ethnic cuisines are popular where you live? Share your story in the comments section below. And thanks for looking at my blog!

Chicken Breast Stuffed with Mushroom Duxelle

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People often ask me what is my favorite dish to prepare as a chef. The answer is the onle that peope will love the most and that will make the restaurant the most money.

When I was a banquet chef, this dish was among the most popular for weddings, awards banquets and other catered affairs. It is very easy to make in bulk, especially if you have a big work table and can set up an assembly line.

The mushroom duxelle can be made ahead of time, as can the pesto. I would prepare huge batches of these, and then knock out hundreds of stuffed chicken breasts in an afternoon. Commercially, I used a shredded gruyere cheese, but for home use I substituted a simple cheddar and jack combination. You can really use any type of cheese you like.

When I made this at home, I served it on a potato latke and sauced it with some sour cream I put into a squeeze bottle, then garnished it with scallions. But in the banquet kitchen, I would serve these napped with a chicken veloute sauce, with rosemary roasted red potatoes and a combination of steamed carrots, broccoli, zucchini and yellow squash.

Honestly, once you master this dish, you can make a fortune catering banquets. People love it. Plus, for the home cook, it is easy to make many of these at the same time if you entertaining or hosting a dinner party.

Chicken Breast Stuffed with Mushroom Duxelle

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup basil pesto

2 TBS EVOO

4 oz container fresh button mushrooms, chopped fine

1/2 medium white onion, small dice

3-4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 TBS Italian seasoning

Sea salt

Fresh cracked black pepper

1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar and Monterey jack cheeses

1. To make mushroom duxelle, put cast iron pan on the fire. When hot, add the EVOO. When smoking, add onions and cook about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until all the liquid in them is evaporated and they start to brown, about 7 minutes. For the final minute of cooking, stir in the garlic and Italian seasoning. Remove from heat and let cool a little. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

2. Place chicken breasts on cutting board. If they are large, cut them in half horizontally,as if you were cutting a deck of cards. Each serving should have about 6 oz of chicken. Place a plastic freezer bag over the breast, then pound it with a meat tenderizer or a rolling pin so chicken breast if flattened out to about the size of your hand.

3. Preheat oven to 350F. Rub both sides of the breast with pesto. Place about 2 TBS of the duxelle mixture and about a TBS of shredded cheese in the center of each breast then roll up into a log shape, tucking the ends underneath to form a seal. Spray a sheet pan with pan spray, then lay each chicken breast seam side down on the pan. Arrange stuffed breasts so that they are not touching — you want the heat to surround them on all sides so they cook evenly. Just before they go into the oven, rub them with a little more pesto. Bake for 35 minutes, then remove from oven. Let rest about 3 minutes before cutting.

4. To serve, cut each breast at bias into about 4-5 medallions, then shingle on the plate over potatoes, rice or whatever starch you are using. Nap with sauce or serve unsauced.

To make the potato latke, shred a leftover pre-cooked baked potato then mix with 1/2 onion, diced small, and salt and pepper. Heat a small cast iron pan. When smoking, add some vegetable oil and let it get smoking hot. Melt a teaspoon of butter in the oil, then place the shredded potatoes in the pan and pat down slightly with a spoon or spatula. Fry about 4 minutes, then invert onto a plate. Get the cast iron pan back up to temperature, add fresh oil, a tab of butter, and slide the potato uncooked side down back into the pan. Finish frying and invert onto a sheet pan.

You can make multiple latkes ahead of time and line them up on a sheet pan. When ready to serve, reheat for about 10 minutes at 375F. These can serve as a delicious base for many different entrees, or serve them by themselves with a little sour cream or apple sauce, and garnish with sliced scallions or chives.

Wow, I’m really giving away all my chef secrets today! Thanks for looking at my blog!

Mediterranean Olive Loaf

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In winter time, I like a homemade bread that can stand up to sturdy soups and stews, but not so heavy that it is a chore to eat.

That’s why I love this Mediterrean olive loaf. It has the texture of a good whole wheat bread without the treacly denseness of a pumpernickel or heavy rye. Plus it’s so easy to make.

Mediterranean Olive Loaf

Mediterranean Olive Loaf

There’s no greater cooking pleasure than making bread with your own hands. There’s something for all five senses — sight, smell, sound, touch and taste. Okay, maybe not so much sound, but four out of five isn’t bad!

This loaf is peppered with tiny specks of black olive. I also use the water the olives come packed in to make the loaf a deeper, satisfying grey-brown. And the fennel seed topping gives it just the right hint of licorice flavoring.

Like all breads, you can make this loaf into any shape you want. I chose the rounded ball, but it easily can be rolled into a long loaf, formed into rolls or placed into a traditional Pullman loaf pan. It would be really interesting to try it as a flatbread or even a pizza crust.

"This loaf is peppered with specks of black olive ..."

"This loaf is peppered with tiny specks of black olive ..."

I used medium whole black olives, but you could really use any kind of olive, including kalamata or green olives. Just remember to remove any pits ahead of time.

Mediterranean Olive Loaf

1-1/2 cups lukewarm water (baby bath water temperature)

1 TBS active dry yeast (or one envelope)

2 TBS honey

2 TBS molasses

2 TBS vegetable shortening (or butter)

3 TBS nonfat dry milk powder

1-1/2 tsp sea salt

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup rye flour

6 oz can medium black olives, sliced

1 TBS EVOO

1 TBS corn meal

1 egg, beaten

1/4 tsp coarse sea salt

1/2 tsp fennel seed

1. Pour the water from the olive can into a measuring cup then add enough water to bring it 1-1/2 cups. Heat in microwave until lukewarm, about 15 seconds on high. Pour into Kitchen Aid bowl (or mixing bowl) and whisk in yeast, honey, molasses and shortening. Let let sit until mixture begins to bubble, about five minutes. Meanwhile, combine milk powder, salt and the flours together in a separate bowl.

2. Attach the dough hook attachment to the Kitchen Aid (or just use a wooden spoon). Set to low speed, then slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. When combined, increase speed to medium and mix until dough is formed, about two minutes. Finally, add olives and mix until combined.

3. Flour a work surface and roll out dough. Knead with your hands for a few minutes, adding additional flour if necessary. The dough should be slightly tacky, but not sticky. Grease the bottom and sides of a clean mixing bowl with the EVOO, then place the dough in the bowl, rolling around so all sides are greased. Cover with a clean dish towel and let rest in a warm draft-free place until doubled in size, about an hour. Punch down, then let rise for another 30 minutes.

4. Spray a sheet pan with pan spray then dust with corn meal. Punch the dough down again, let it rest a minute or two, then cut in half with a sharp knife. Form the two loaves into whatever shape you want then place them on the sheet pan. Cover the loaves loosely with the dish towel and let proof about 30 minutes.

5. Preheat oven to 375F. Using a sharp knife, make 1/2 inch deep slits every two inches or so, then brush loaves with the egg wash and sprinkle with the coarse sea salt and fennel seeds. Place pan in oven and cook 30-35 minutes. You can tell that the loaves are done when they give a hollow sound when thumped on the bottom. Cool loaves on wire rack.

Do you have any favorite accompaniments to winter soups and stews? Why not share them in the comments section below? And thanks for looking at my blog!

 

Chicken Florentine Casserole

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Casseroles are experiencing a renewal in popularity.

Maybe it is the economy or because people have less time to cook, but casseroles haven’t been this popular since, well, the last big recession in the early ’80s.

What makes casseroles popular during tough economic times is that they are inexpensive to make and are an efficient and delicious way to repurpose leftovers. They also are extremely convenient for people on the go because they can be made days or even weeks ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator or freezer, then just popped into the oven to heat through.

Casseroles can be broken down into three parts: The protein, the starch and the topping.

The protein is usually chicken, tuna, ground beef or ground turkey, but vegetarian casseroles are becoming increasingly popular as well. The starch can be macaroni noodles, egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or anything else starchy and filling. The topping will make or break the casserole.

This particular casserole owes much of its success to having been made the day after I made jalapeno cornbread to accompany another dish (Hoppin’ John, which didn’t turn out good enough to write about. I’ll try it again another time). The surplus cornbread — which had been taken to a whole new level with the addition of creamed corn — was simply crumbled over the top. But the sweet, creamy flavor of the topping perfectly complemented the saltier, iron-rich flavor of the chicken and spinach filling.

Chicken Florentine Casserole

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast

6 oz box frozen spinach, defrosted and squeezed

6 oz dry egg noodles (1/2 bag)

1 envelope powdered onion soup mix

12 oz fat free cottage cheese

1 egg

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 tsp granulated garlic

Sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

3-4 large peices of jalapeno cornbread (you can substitute 3/4 cup of bread crumbs and 2 TBS unsalted butter mixed together with a biscuit cutter or just your fingers)

Dash Worchestershire sauce

Dash hot sauce

1. Preheat your oven to 375F. Put your cast iron pan on the fire. When hot, add EVOO. When smoking, season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and carefully place into the pan. Cook until golden brown, turn over with tongs and place the entire pan in the oven to finish cooking, about 12 minutes. Remove, let cool, then cut into large dice. This can be done up to a day ahead of time.

2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add egg noodles and cook about one minute less than what the package directions call for. The noodles will continue to cook as the casserole bakes, so you don’t want to boil them all the way or they will be mushy. Strain and stop the carryover cooking by rinsing the noodles under cold water.

3. In a mixing bowl, mix together the cottage cheese, egg and spinach. Add cooked egg noodles, cream of chicken soup, onion soup packet, chicken, granulated garlic, Worchestershire and hot sauce. Use a spatula to fold everything together until completely mixed. Spray the inside of a casserole dish with pan spray, then pour the mixture into the dish and top with crumbled cornbread or bread crumb mixture. Cover. Casserole can be frozen indefinitely or stored in refrigerator up to three days before cooking.

4. Preheat oven to 350F. Place covered casserole in oven and cook until bubbling, about 40 minutes or until center reads 360F or higher on an kitchen thermometer. Cooking time will be longer if you start with a frozen casserole. Remove cover and cook another 10 minutes to toast the topping. Remove the casserole from the oven. Let rest at least five minutes before cutting into it to help preserve some of the shape of the casserole. If you cut into it right out the oven, the casserole will be gloopy on the plate.

What kinds of casseroles are you starting to see again? Share your thoughts in the comments section below. And thanks for looking at my blog!