Thursday, December 30, 2010

shrimp curry salad...at kitchen! kitchen!



Shrimp Curry Salad
Just simply delicious shrimp curry salad with toasted
walnuts, apples, and green onions.
A salad for our "after christmas day" dinner.
 For the curry dressing recipe check out my previous posting for "Curried Turkey". The only difference is that I added a 1/4 cup of diced granny smith apples instead of dried fruit and raisins. Make this your own and it would be an absolute delight for sure!

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

simply pomegranate dressing......at kitchen! kitchen!

Simply Pomegranate Dressing
Our dressing for the "After Christmas day" dinner.
A simply simple recipe............
2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon of water
1 tablespoon of dijon mustard
1/4 to 1/2 of fresh pomegranate "red pearls"
1 teaspoon salt
A dash of white pepper
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2-3 tablespoons of honey
Mix everything in a bowl except for the "pomegranate pearls" and whisk vigorously - then add the "red pomegranate pearls:.....Its great for anything and everything!!!

Monday, December 27, 2010

chicken wings and sausage--a one pot meal ......at kitchen! kitchen!

Chicken wings and sausage - a one pot meal
Great reward comfort food after digging out of the snow.
Watching my son shovel the driveway - which seems endless, made me think of what I could make that is both delicious and satisfying for lunch. A great one pot meal comfort food was the answer. And what I have on hand that day were.........

1 pkg. of chicken wings seasoned with the "My Amazing Dry Rub" - see previous posting
1 red pepper - sliced
1 med. size zucchini - sliced into 1/2" thick
1 medium size sweet onion - quartered
3 small yukon gold potatoes - thickly sliced
1 hot Italian pork sausage sliced
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon of cardamon powder and 3 whole cardamon smashed a little
1 teaspoon cumin powder
2 tablespoon butter milk
Mix everything in a large cast iron pan (or a large oven proofed pan) except for the sausage.
Roast at 350F on a preheated oven for 1 hr. -- halfway through the roasting stir everything and add the sausage and continue roasting.
Broil for 10 minutes for additional browning.

Sunday, December 26, 2010

an "after christmas day dinner".... at kitchen! kitchen!

A lively "after christmas day dinner"

Our "After Christmas Day Spread"
A roasted rib-eye, shrimp curry salad, roasted potatoes 
on a bed of carmelized onions with a pomegranate dressing.

RECIPES TO FOLLOW at a LATER DATE.
Our Christmas eve was spent with our neighbor, Steve and Peggy Barranca and family, of a lovely dinner of seafood pasta, and fruta di mare. A very special Italian tradition of seafood dinner. Thank you for having us! While our christmas day was spent with the Bugges in Brooklyn, a tradition every christmas day since our kids were toddlers. The Bugges prepared a traditional Norwegian dinner of an assortment of cold cuts, herrings, gravlax, swedish meatballs, shrimp salad, red cabbage, boiled potatoes, and of course the roasted pork with a golden crackling skin that is just screaming of yumminess!  So, it was just right for me to make an "after christmas day dinner" at my own home to share with all of you.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Shhh!... It's a secret twist! ---turkey meatballs.....at kitchen! kitchen!..

Turkey Meatballs with a Secret Twist
Shhh.. the "secret twist" are capers and caramelized onions.
Turkey Meatballs with a Secret Twist
Finished off with Parmigiano  Reggiano.
Another repeat of the TURKEY MEATBALLS and this time with a twist by adding CAPERS (rinsed and drained) and CARAMELIZED VIDALIA ONIONS. It may be another turkey meatballs, but with the added capers and caramelized vidalia onions, your palate welcomes the taste of the sweetness of the caramelized onions and a hint of the vinegary capers.
You may serve this with pasta, potatoes or have those baguettes ready to soak up the sauce.
Just lovely!!
For recipe see previous posting of "TURKEY MEATBALLS"
CARAMELIZED ONIONS....
1 VIDALIA ONIONS sliced thinly (it may seem a lot but these will cook down)
1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil and a tablespoon of butter
A pinch of kosher salt
Heat up a medium pan with olive oil and butter, throw in the onions, add a pinch of salt and stir on medium heat until caramelized to golden brown about 10-15 minutes. Let cool and scatter around the top of the meatballs.
CAPERS......
1 tablespoon of capers rinsed in cold water and drained
Sprinkle around the top of the meatballs with caramelized onions. (caramelized onions and capers are great enhancers on any dish especially meat dishes- those flavors just love to dance around your palate).

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

gravlax sandwich....hold that hunger down!.....at kitchen! kitchen!

Sandwiches with thin slices of gravlax on scrambled eggs with homemade mayonnaise,
delicate thin slices of cucumber, and dill on a toasted whole grain bread.
A sure quick way to hold that hunger down.

Monday, December 20, 2010

Frittata of roasted peppers and onions.... at kitchen! kitchen!

A Frittata of roasted red peppers and onions
A great dish to serve when you're in a rush.
See my previous posting of Frittata and just add
a roasted red pepper and you're good to go.
Now this is what I call a great mommy's time out!
An Italian Pinot Grigio 2009 quite delicate and fruity.
Excuse me, while I enjoy a well deserved break.

Friday, December 17, 2010

Holiday greetings to all from kitchen! kitchen!


Christmas will soon be upon us
A time of reflection, love, and friendship
A gathering of family and friends
The sound of laughter ringing in our ears
The children's excitement feels the air of what is to come.
May all of you have the magic that this holiday season
brings and the most bountiful of heart and spirit
may be yours all through the year!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS !
And to all my readers and followers....... Thank you!


Wednesday, December 15, 2010

bison pate wrapped in pastry.....at kitchen! kitchen!

Bison Pate Wrapped in Pastry
Wonderfully seasoned with rosemary, thyme, allspice, and
some roasted pistachios makes this a wonderful
appetizer to serve to good friends and family.
You start with.......
1 pkg. of ground bison (about a 1.25 lbs.)
1 small onion finely chopped
1 clove of minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon of mince fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon of fresh thyme
1 teaspoon ground allspice
A few pieces of thinly sliced ham from the deli (for wrapping or strips of bacon)
1/4 cup chopped ham
Kosher salt
Black pepper
1/4 cup of roasted pistachios roughly chopped
1egg- whisked lightly with 1 tablespoon buttermilk
1 tablespoon Cognac ( don't fret over the cognac - use white wine instead )
Sautee the onions, garlic, rosemary, thyme, allspice and season with salt and pepper. Let cool before adding to the meat.
Mixed everything gently including the cognac/or wine in a bowl and form into a meatloaf shape. Take the thinly sliced ham/or bacon and wrapped the meat completely and place it inside a terrine/or meatloaf pan. Fill a large deep pan with 1 inch of hot water and put the terrine/meatloaf pan covered into the center of the hot water bath and cook for 50 minutes in a preheated oven at 350 F. Refill hot water if needed. Allow the pate to cool completely.
Make a pate brisee (google for the recipe on the net)
Wrapped the entire cooled pate in pastry and poke a small hole on top of the pastry and brush with egg wash. Bake for 20-30 minutes until the pastry is golden brown. Chill the pate for at least overnight before serving.
For a more robust dressing - serve with a little dollop of.........
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
3 tablespoon mayonaise with some melted blue cheese
Mix until thoroughly incorporated
For a lighter fare....a little mayonnaise on top and your favorite fruit spread
Lovely!

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Turkey Sausage......at kitchen! kitchen!

Turkey Sausage With Mashed Potatoes/Baby Peas
A wonderful comfort food.
What you need are.....
1 pkg. of ground turkey
Amazing dry rub for seasoning the ground turkey
1 teaspoon of chopped fresh sage or rosemary
1 teaspoon of fresh thyme
1 minced onion
2 cloves of minced garlic
2 tablespoons of buttermilk
1 egg - slightly beaten
1/4 cup of bread crumbs
1/4 cup of canola oil
Combine all of the above ingredients except for the canola oil in a large bowl. Microwave a small amount of the seasoned turkey to taste and test the seasoning.
Form about 2 tablespoons into and oval shape and and set aside.
Heat the canola oil in a large pan until it's smoky hot and brown each one on all sides until fully cooked. Do not crowd the pan. Cooking time is about 12-15 minutes. Set aside and cover with foil.

In the meantime... let's take care of the potatoes....
4-6 potatoes - boiled, salted and drained of water
2 cups of thawed baby peas (heat with butter in the microwave for 40 seconds).
1/2 cup heated milk
1/4 stick of butter
Mash the potatoes and add the heated milk and 1/3 stick of butter. Mix in the baby peas. Add more butter if necessary.
Serve with some green salad.

Monday, December 13, 2010

potato salad and more.....a symphony of taste....at kitchen! kitchen!

Potato salad and more- playing a delightful symphony of taste
Roasted potatoes on a bed of baby arugula that lends
its' peppery taste, carmelized onions, a scattering slices of
fresh figs for that delightful sweet taste, and large chunks  
of crumbled goat cheese for a bit of saltiness.
Finished off with a simple dressing
of fresh  lemon, dijon mustard and olive oil. 
The wonderful taste of sweet, salty, tangy and peppery
plays this delightful symphony  in your palate.
It's not only delightful but easy to prepare too.....this is what you need......

8 medium size yukon gold potatoes
A package of baby arugula
6-8 small fresh figs cut in wedges
1 large vidalia onions
4-6 oz. of real good goat cheese (it pays to spend a little more for a good goat cheese)
1 lemon
1 tablespoon of dijon mustard
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt

Peel and cut the potatoes into 1/2 inch thick season with salt and completely coat with olive oil and put on a large baking sheet without overlapping the potatoes.
Roast the potatoes in a 350F preheated oven for 45-50 minutes until just tender. Then put under the broiler to brown them - just enough to give the potatoes their roasty, golden color. Set aside and let cool. (do not try to remove the potatoes while still hot or you will end up with half of them in the pan). Meanwhile......
Sliced the onions and cook them in a hot pan with olive oil until carmelized. Set aside.

For the dressing;
A squeezed of one fresh lemon
A tablespoon of dijon mustard
3-4 tablespoons of olive oil
A pinch of salt
Combine all of the above in a bowl and mix thoroughly

Now comes the best part..... getting everything together by way of layering  them......
On a large serving platter create a large and plentiful nest of baby arugula for the cooled potatoes to nestle in. Sprinkle some of the dressing around the potatoes, followed by a scattering of the carmelized onions, figs, and the crumbled goat cheese. Sprinkle the rest of the dressing.
Now, that's what I call a delightful symphony of taste that plays beautiful music in your palate.



Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Quinoa shrimp salad- simply delicious !...at kitchen! kitchen!

QUINOA SHRIMP SALAD
Mixed with dried cranberries, golden raisins and toasted
chopped hazelnuts; and a sprinkling of shredded carrots and cilantro is.....
SIMPLY DELICIOUS!
See previous posting of Quinoa salad for recipe. This is just another spin on what you can do with that wonderful grain by adding some grilled shrimps. Enjoy!

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

A blanket of sweet grape tomatoes and capers... a lovely pairing!...at kitchen! kitchen!

Pan fried fish blanketed with sweet grape tomatoes & capers.
A pan fried fish fillet warmed with a blanket of sauteed tomatoes with capers.
A sprinkling of home made honey mustard vinaigrette to the
cucumber-boston lettuce salad added another dimension to the dish.
Check out previous posting of fish fillet in "A Duet of Flavors"......for this dish of 4 pieces of flounder fillets.

  • 2 cups of grape tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup of capers (rinsed and drained)
  • A tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
  • A pinch of kosher salt

Use the same pan you cooked the fish in (remove some of the oil) and add a tablespoon of olive oil.  Add the tomatoes to the pan scraping all the bits and pieces that those lovely fillets left behind and a pinch of salt.  Stir on medium heat and try to pop some of the tomatoes for them to open up and to let out their juices.  Continue stirring for 3-4 minutes until it gets a little saucy (add more olive oil if you think it's a bit dry).  Add the capers and stir for a minute or two. Pour over the fish and viola! A blanket of grape
tomatoes and capers.

Monday, December 6, 2010

spiced pumpkin bread but I call it a pumpkin cake.....at kitchen! kitchen!

Call it a "pumpkin bread" or a  "pumpkin cake"
A bread or a cake it's just as yummy.
The aroma of the spices in this cake is so
 "christmas-sy" that you wish you were a kid again
waiting for santa to slide down the chimney.
Spiced Pumpkin Cake With
Cream Cheese and Sugar Glaze with sparkles
at Kitchen! Kitchen! for Tarts & Quiches
Email: jaenwitt@aol.com

Friday, December 3, 2010

curried turkey ...at kitchen! kitchen!

Curried Turkey
Our version of Ina Garten's curried chicken with our
own personal twist. Served with toasted
pita bread.
Just as lovely and delicious!

Google Ina Garten's "curried chicken" at foodnetwork and make it your own as we did at kitchen! kitchen!

Pan Seared Lamb shoulder with Moroccan dry rub ...at kitchen! kitchen!

Yukon gold potatoes, grape tomatoes,  poblano pepper, and
red onions seasoned with Moroccan dry rub and a sprinkling
 of olive oil getting ready to be oven roasted.
Lamb shoulder pan seared to its golden brown goodness
with roasted potatoes, tomatoes and poblano pepper
becomes an all in one dish Sunday dinner.
Doing a one dish meal is the most uncomplicated thing you can do.  Less dishes to do, and everything is there at your picking to enjoy.
I have this Moroccan dry rub that consisted of crushed dry pepper, coriander seeds and whole black pepper.
THIS IS HOW I STARTED....BY PREPARING ......
4 pcs. of lamb shoulder steaks
1/4 cup of Moroccan dry rub toasted in a pan and crushed in your mortar & pestle.  Add 1-1/2 tablespoons of course or sea salt (Kosher salt) to the Moroccan dry rub and set aside.
1 tablespoon of olive oil for your non-stick pan
Season generously the lamb pieces with the crushed dry rub and chill for 1/2 hour.
PREPARE THE SIDE DISH of ......
6 Yukon gold potatoes cut in half
1 pint of grape tomatoes
1/2 of red onion sliced thick
1/2 of poblano pepper cut in half
4 crushed garlic
Some olive oil
Combine all of this in an oven proof pan.  Season with the salted dry rub and sprinkle some olive oil.  Toss to make sure that everything is well coated with olive oil. Roast in the oven for 1 hour at 350 degrees F. until the potatoes are golden and some of the tomatoes have popped opened.
NOW LET'S GO BACK TO THE LAMB.....
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan, sear each side and all round until golden brown about 5-6 minutes on each side. Set in a serving platter and cover with foil to keep the juices in for 10 minutes or so. Uncover and spoon over the roasted tomatoes, onions and pepper including all the wonderful juices in the pan (this will serve as your sauce) and scatter the potatoes around the dish. You may serve this with couscous or rice.
The smoky, toasty taste of the toasted Moroccan spices just permeates with goodness in your taste buds.
Wasn't that an easy and satisfying Sunday dinner? I think so too!

Monday, November 29, 2010

a parade of holiday desserts.....at kitchen! kitchen!....

A Parade of Holiday Desserts
Clockwise: Maple apple cake with sugar frosting, pumpkin cheesecake
with maple pecan glaze, chocolate truffles, chocolate cupcakes
with edible gold leaf, and almond butter crunch.
(Sorry, the red christmas balls are not edible!)

pumpkin cheesecake with maple pecan glaze....at kitchen! kitchen!...


Pumpkin Cheesecake With Maple Pecan Glaze
Absolutely light and decadent!
 Special order only
at Tarts and Quiches.
For information email: jaenwitt@aol.com
This is kitchen! kitchen's! version of Paula Dean's pumpkin cheesecake and Anne Thorton's maple pecan glaze all done with a twist to make it kitchen! kitchen's! own repertoire of desserts for Tarts and Quiches. The crust is our original.
It is light and decadent !!!!

Abegail's chocolate cupcakes with gold leaf....at kitchen! kitchen!...for Tarts & Quiches!

Abegail's Chocolate Cupcakes With Edible Gold Leaf
This chocolate cupcakes with edible gold leaf
are available only by special order at
Tarts & Quiches
email: jaenwitt@aol.com

Maple apple bundt cake... at kitchen! kitchen!.....

Maple Apple Bundt Cake with Sugar Frosting and Sparkles
Giada's maple apple bundt cake as interpreted by kitchen! kitchen! with sugar frosting and a sprinkling of sparkles for the festive occasion! It is delicious and great for breakfast next day!!! Google for her recipe and make it your own just as we did at kitchen! kitchen!

gravlax galette.....at kitchen! kitchen!...

Gravlax Galette
A flaky crust with cream cheese and topped with delicately thin slices of
cured salmon, dill and a scattering of thin slices of
red onions.
The gravlax (cured salmon) galette was served as an appetizer at our thanksgiving dinner. This is so easy to put together.
Google the web for recipe on GRAVLAX (a Scandinavian cured salmon) or you may use smoked salmon that is readily available and already sliced.
WHAT YOU NEED......
A package of frozen pie dough (the one that gives you a flaky crust) - follow the instruction in rolling out and preparing the dough on the package or (google for a pate brisee dough recipe on the web).
8 oz. cream cheese at room temperature
Chives
Bunch of dill roughly chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
Half of red onion- thinly sliced
AND HERE IS HOW TO.........
Combine the cream cheese and chopped chives in a bowl and spread evenly on the baked dough. Arranged all the salmon slices on top; add the chopped dill and onions. Chill until ready to serve. You will wow your guests!

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

my blond pork chop...... kitchen!.....kitchen!

Blond Pork Chop
Smothered with a sauce of sweet onions and mustard.
 A sprinkling of pomegranate balsamic vinegar
added another layer of sweet vinegary taste to the dish,
then... a wonderous burst of flavour comes to your mouth!!!
What makes this my "blond pork chops? Simply by........
6 medium size 1" thick pork chops
Amazing dry rub
Extra virgin olive oil
1-1/2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
Chopped parsley for some "geenery"
1 large sweet vidalia onion sliced
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon of pomegranate balasamic vinegar (or any sweet fruity flavour balsamic vinegar)

Preheat oven to 275 F temperature
Prepare a cast iron pan (or a large non-stick oven proofed pan) large enough to fit all six chops and brush the pan with some olive oil.
Season the chops with the amazing dry rub and line them in your prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes. Half way through, flip the chops.
Continue cooking on the stove top for another 8-10 minutes until cooked through without browning them.
Set aside and cover with foil for the juices to regroup.
In the same pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil and throw in the onions. Give it a pinch of salt and cook until soft (if the pan starts to dry up - add a little water). Add the mustard stirring for another 2-3 minutes. By then the pork chops that you set aside have released some of their wonderful juices, add them to the pan, and stir in the pomegranate balsamic vinegar. Let simmer for a minute and add some chopped parsley.
Sliced the pork chops thinly and pour the onion and mustard sauce over them. Any leftovers will be great for sandwiches the next day!

Monday, November 22, 2010

almond butter crunch .....at kitchen! kitchen!

Almond Butter Crunch
This whole almond butter crunch is drizzled with tempered chocolate.
We certainly don't skimp on almonds when it comes to our butter crunch.
The roughly chopped almonds are almost left whole for that big chunk of a bite. 
We want you to savor the wonderfully toasted almonds on every bite and
the decadence of the drizzled chocolate will have you
 reaching for another, and another.
Be warned, it's ADDICTIVE.
Great for the holidays.
Only by Tarts and Quiches at kitchen! kitchen! email: jaenwitt@aol.com


Sunday, November 21, 2010

Just as good and easy as the yellow rice....at kitchen! kitchen!

Chicken Over Brown Rice
Drizzled with pomegranate balsamic vinegar
Just as Good and Easy as the yellow rice.
 I had some leftover brown rice from the previous night and made it exactly as I did with yellow rice. It is just as good and easy.
For recipe - follow the recipe on "baked chicken over yellow rice" posting and drizzle with pomegranate balsamic vinegar.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

curried vegetable & red rice combo.....at kitchen! kitchen!....

Curried vegetable and red rice nestled on a bed of lettuce with baked chicken.
Simply delicious and satisfying.
It's simply easy to do......

1-1/2 cups of cooked organic red rice (any red rice will do-follow cooking instruction in the box). **also see previous posting of" black rice**

For the VEGETABLES.......
1 red sweet bell pepper diced/cubed
2 small carrots cubed/and precook in the microwave for 2 minutes covered with a wet paper towel.
3 small Yukon gold potatoes (precook in the microwave for 2 minutes like the carrots)
1 medium size zucchini cubed
1/4 cup any dried fruit
1/4 cup raisins
1 small red onion chopped
1 tablespoon minced ginger
4 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoonful of Greek plain yogurt
1 tablespoon of GARAM MASALA
1 teaspoon curry powder
A sprinkling of red dry crushed pepper
Kosher salt
Olive oil
**Follow instruction on the "Butternut squash vegetable curry" on previous posting ** Put in the potatoes and carrots (these veges needs to cook a bit longer) first before putting in the rest of the vegetables. Garnish with scallions or cilantro
For the baked chicken......
Your favorite chicken parts
1 tablespoon greek yogurt
Season with Amazing Dry Rub generously and coat with with Greek yogurt - allow to marinade for an hour,. Sprinkle some paprika and Garam Masala on top and baked for 1 hour at 350 F until golden.
**Great for curries are any root vegetables, cauliflower, or broccoli - make this your own...you'll love it!

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

comfort food....of collard greens....at kitchen! kitchen!

Delicately sauteed collard greens with  thick diced ham and smoked kielbasa
 Its' slight bittter will surely delight your palate
I was first introduced to this simple dish of collard greens served as a side dish, in a restaurant in some small town in Kentucky on a road trip with friends. Collard greens has a slight better taste and normally served with barbecues. Well, not at kitchen! kitchen! This simple vegetable was the main attraction that evening at my kitchen. The dish reminds us of the simple life at the farm, of animals tucked in for the night in the barn, of the good earth and its' bounty. Nothing fancy, just a simple wonderful comfort food.

Here's what you need.....

2 bunches of collard greens
1/4 cup of browned bacon (thick bacon or ham) in my case, I had some left over thick ham slices that I cubed and browned.
1 medium onion chopped
3 cloves of chopped fresh garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt
A pinch or 2 of dried crushed red pepper
1/4 cup of stock/water

Simply do this......
Wash the collard greens and removed the tough stems; roughly chopped the greens.
In a large deep pan, cook the onions and garlic until soft for about 2 minutes. Throw in the ham or bacon, stirring for another 2 minutes. Then add the greens and the stock. Season with a little salt and dried red pepper. Cover and cook on medium low and simmer for 20-30 minutes until soft and all the stock has been absorbed. This wonderful vegetable is not to be rushed. It needs to be slowly simmered, and you will be rewarded with the soft, velvety taste in your mouth.
Serve with fork tender boiled meat or kielbasa and DIJON MUSTARD. It's all the comfort you need.


Monday, November 15, 2010

a simple pleasure of red cherry tomato salad....at kitchen! kitchen!

A simple pleasure of red cherry tomato salad
All you need are.......
A quart of red cherry tomatoes cut in half
A diced of one jalopeno (seeds and mambrane removed - only if don't want the heat)
Chopped cilantro - as much or as little as you want
1 small onion diced (red onion or shallots)
A pinch of kosher salt
1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil
Mix and let the juice of the cherry tomatoes be its' own dressing
Its' spoonful is simply a pleasure!

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Almost a paella but not quite...baked chicken over yellow rice.....at kitchen! kitchen!..

Baked Chicken OverYelllow Rice
Almost a paella, but not quite, but just as delicious.
Your ingredients are.......
6-8 pieces of chicken thighs
A pinch of dry red crushed peppers
Amazing Dry Rub (see previous September posting)
Kosher salt
1/2 cup of diced ham  OR
(1/2 cup of diced Spanish chorizo) - *if you are using a real Spanish smoked sausage (Palacios chorizo), there is no need for the turmeric powder. The rich annatto spice in the sausage will color the rice*
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 cup of raw white rice (1 cup raw rice to 2 cups water or follow the instruction on the box-best if rice is cooked a day ahead or let the rice cool completely).
Chopped scallions or cilantro for garnish

And this is how you start..........
Season the chicken generously with the amazing dry rub and bake at 350 F for an hour until golden....
In a large deep pan, cook the onions, red dry crushed pepper, and garlic until soft with olive oil for a minute, then add the diced ham or chorizo stirring for 1-2 minutes. Add the cooked rice and mixed thoroughly, season with a pinch of salt; and add the turmeric powder. Keep stirring for 2 minutes until the rice takes the color of the turmeric spice. Correct the seasoning and sprinkle some cilantro or scallions.
Serve the chicken thighs on top of the yellow rice and drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil.
*For the next posting - "what to do with your leftover yellow rice" ...that is if you will have any leftovers of this delicious dish* 

Thursday, November 11, 2010

pork chops....another pairing - another winner !....at kitchen ! kitchen!

Wonderful golden brown pork chops with caramelized
onions and capers
A pairing of carmelized onions and capers- perfectly appetizing.
SERVE WITH CRISPY POTATOES is  a sure WINNER
PORK CHOP ANY ONE?.....

I had 3 pieces of 1" thick pork chops
Season with salt on both sides and bake for 20 minutes at 275 degrees F to seal in the juices.
Take out of the oven (save the juices from the pan), wipe dry with paper towel and season with amazing dry rub on both sides.
Heat 2 tablespoons of canola oil on a large skillet and brown the pork chops for 4-5 minutes on each side, drain and set aside.
On the same pan throw in a medium size sliced vidallia onion (sweet onion) sprinkle just less than a  pinch of  salt, stir until caramelized, add the juices from the pan; and scatter a tablespoon of drained capers. Simmer for 1 minute and serve with the pork chop. It is absolutely moist and delicious!
YOUR INGREDIENTS WERE:
3 pieces 1" pork chops
2 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium size vidallia onion
Kosher salt
Amazing dry rub
1 tablespoon capers (rinsed and drained- and if you love capers make it 2 tablespoons)

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

My "chicken schnitzel".....at kitchen! kitchen!......

My Chicken Schnitzel
A wonderful golden, moist, and crunchy chicken scallopini
will twirl around your taste buds asking for more.
Chicken schnitzel warming a whole grain pesto penne pasta
topped with white anchovies.
What is a "schnitzel" after all without the anchovy!
A perfect Sunday dinner to end a perfect weekend.
I will never forget my first "vienner schnitzel" on my first trip to Europe with my parents right after my high school graduation. I thought to myself, what a strange dish - meat with anchovy. As soon as I tasted it, my palate was transported into another world. I loved it! A German/Austrian dish of veal scallopini but pork and turkey would be lovely too.

For the Whole Grain Penne Pasta and Pesto Sauce- please see previous postings for the recipe.
For MY CHICKEN SCHNITZEL.....
2 medium size boned chicken breast without the skin - thinly sliced (for a quick browning) - this will yield about 10-11 scallopini
Amazing Dry Rub (for a generous massaging)
A drizzle of olive oil
1 tablespoon of buttermilk
Marinade the chicken in a bowl with the above ingredients for half hour to an hour.
In the meantime......
Beat 1 egg with a tablespoon of milk 
Prepare 1/2 cup of flour with a pinch of salt in a bowl for dredging.
In a separate bowl prepare 2 cups of Panko crumbs (or bread crumbs) add more if necessary.
Heat 1/4 cup of canola/vegetable oil in a large pan until really hot....
You need to do an "I Love Lucy"assembly line of sort on this. Start by dredging each chicken piece in the flour shaking off the excess, next dip the piece in the egg batter shaking off some of the drip, then dredge in the PANKO crumbs making sure each piece is completely covered and slowly put in the pan with the very hot angry oil. Cook and brown each side for about 2 minutes on each side or turn the pieces as soon as you see the sides start to turn golden. Do not crowd the chicken pieces in the pan to avoid steaming.
Drain on paper towel or on a cooling rack with paper towel underneath (not to cool it but to let the oil drip down - this keeps the pieces crispier). Serve with some sprinkling of freshly grated parmesan cheese. This recipe serves 2-3 diners.
hint! hint! hint! - double the quantity if you want some leftovers for sandwiches the next day. My 11 pieces were gone in a blink of an eye!
Other serving suggestions: serve with roasted, boiled or mashed potatoes with butter/lemon sauce.
BUTTER LEMON SAUCE:
Melt slowly in a pan 1 stick of butter with a squeeze of 1/2 a lemon and a pinch of salt or microwave for 20 seconds.

Monday, November 8, 2010

south meets east...a red velvet cupcake....at kitchen! kitchen!

A red velvet cupcake drizzled with chocolate glaze
and a dusting of confectioners sugar

South Meets East Red Velvet Cupcake
The chocolate glaze gives this an eastern subtle elegance, while
the bold red velvety of the cake makes one think readily
of the beautiful, bold, warm, south. 
It is moist, and deliciously sweet.

Only  @ kitchen! kitchen!
for TARTS & QUICHES
This makes one think of the southern hospitality - the delicious red velvet cake is part of  TARTS & QUICHES repertoire of goodies.