A duet of flavors....at kitchen! kitchen!...

Fresh flounder fillets browned in safflower oil.
Indeed a duet of delicate flavors.
Simple, delicious, and satisfying....
at kitchen! kitchen!

I never plan my menu during the week.. it's another one of those nights of whatever is on hand. Well, I have some flounder fillets thawing in a bowl of cold water. (I read somewhere that the best way to thaw a fish is immersing it in a bowl of cold water). It may take 40 minutes to an hour - but it's worth a wait. So, here I am looking at the fillets and thinking... what now, bake? nah! not for a few pieces of small flounder fillets. Then I saw my bottle of safflower oil winking at me. "aha"...!!!

My "aha" moment was putting together.......
4 small pieces of flounder fillets
A plate of leftover QUINOA PILAF
My sister's home pickled sweet baby peppers (not spicy at all) sitting in the refrigerator
A handful of chopped cilantro for garnish
Safflower oil
1-1/2 teaspoon of amazing rub
1 tablespoon of buttermilk
1-1/2 tablespoon of flour

I wiped dry the flounder (after all it's been soaking in cold water). Sprinkled some amazing rub over the fish, added the buttermilk, gently massaged the fillets and added the flour- coating each one and shaking off the excess.
I heated some SAFFLOWER OIL on the pan browning the fillets for a minute and a half on each side.
Then drained them on a paper towel.
NEXT......
Covering with a wet paper towel I heated the quinoa pilaf (this will keep the pilaf moist) in the microwave for exactly 35 seconds (a minute in my microwave is very, very hot)! While the pickled sweet peppers were heated only for 15 seconds.

......then Jens breezes in, "what's for dinner mom"??  

"grilled shrimp barley pasta salad a la Terry" ....at kitchen! kitchen!

A delightful grilled shrimp salad of barley and whole grain wheat pasta
with cucumber, tomatoes, onions, and cilantro.
My friend Terry described to me the wonderful appetizer
she had at a restaurant and this is my version of it.
So, it is just right that I add the " a la Terry" to the dish.
Not just  for appetizer now but as a meal in itself.
My son can attest to that, he finished the plate.

INGREDIENTS:

• 10-12 large shrimps washed, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 of a red onion diced
• 1/4 cup pearl barley (or farro) rinsed and drained
• 2 servings of whole wheat grain penne or any pasta (cooked al dente )
• 2 large plum tomatoes seeded and diced
• 1/2 of the English cucumber diced
• Handful of chopped cilantro
• White or gold balsamic vinegar (or wine vinegar)
• Mustard powder
• Honey
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon of garam masala
• 2 cloves minced garlic

THE SHRIMPS......
Season the shrimps with salt, pepper, minced garlic, and garam masala, and a sprinkling of olive oil.  Set aside.  Heat your grill pan - brushed with olive oil; line up the shrimps on the pan for a minute or so on each side until the shrimps turn pink. Set aside.


PEARLY BARLEY PILAF...
Add the barley to a pan with 1-1/2 cups of water or broth and bring to a boil. Simmer until all the water is absorbed.  Fluff, season, add the diced cucumber and the tomatoes.  Mix thoroughly just like a pilaf.

WHOLE GRAIN PENNE PASTA.....
Cook the pasta al dente (follow the instruction on the box) and drain saving some pasta water. Add the pasta to the barley pilaf and toss, mixing thoroughly. Pour some of the balsamic vinaigrette and toss (leaving about 1/3 cup for the shrimps' sauce). Add some pasta water to the barley/pasta salad if necessary. Set aside.

BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE....

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 clove garlic crushed
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard
• Pinch of salt and ground black pepper to taste
• A squirt of honey
• In small bowl whisk together all of the above and season to taste.

NOW THE PARTY BEGINS.......a masala sauce for the blushing shrimps.....
Heat some olive oil on a small pan for the sauce.. add 1/2 teaspoon of garam masala and a pinch of mustard powder to the oil; stir for a few seconds before adding the reserved 1/3 cup of vinaigrette. Squirt a little more honey, simmer on low and continue stirring until it thickens a little. Sprinkle the sauce over the shrimps and serve with the barley pasta salad. (A quick note: if you are using farro-follow the instruction on the package)

....asian sliders with veggie fillers....topped with "uber yummy sauce"......at kitchen! kitchen!..........

Ingredients for the sliders:
1 lb. ground Jennie O turkey
1 small red bell pepper minced
1 small zucchini shredded
1 small onion minced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 large egg
1 tablespoon heavy cream
Plain bread crumbs for coating
Canola oil
Kosher salt
Black pepper

Next Step for the sliders...
Combine the ground turkey and all minced veggies in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the heavy cream and one egg (beaten).  Mix thoroughly and form into small patties.  Coat each patty with bread crumbs and set aside.
Heat some canola oil in a non-stick pan until it is really hot and cook each round patty until golden brown (do not overcrowd the pan) about 3 - 4 minutes on each side.  Drain on a paper towel and transfer to a serving platter.

Uber yummy sauce....are......
2 large plum tomatoes coarsely chopped
2 medium size onion chopped
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2-3 cloves of minced garlic

1/4 cup of heavy cream (or half & half)

1 small zucchini sliced lengthwise

Arugula or any greens for garnish

aromatics (coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala, and turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon each)

and to continue.......

Heat some olive oil in a medium pan, saute the onions, tomatoes, ginger and garlic.  Add the aromatics and mix thoroughly, then add the heavy cream and zucchini.  Simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Gently pour the sauce over the sliders and garnish with arugula and serve with brown rice.

A very mouth watering turkey sliders with the
uber yummy sauce served with brown rice.

.."Simply plum cake "at kitchen! kitchen By Tarts and Quiches....

Simply plum cake at kitchen! kitchen! by Tarts and Quiches.....
of the most succulent italian plums....
plum cake a la mode any one?
Special order only at Tarts and Quiches
A spin off of Halina plum galette

a new creation by Tarts and Quiches at kitchen! kitchen! .......

Halina Plum Galette... a new creation by "Tarts & Quiches" at kitchen! kitchen!
  This is my take on Halina's "Plum Cake" from her native Poland.
It may be a far cry from the original plum cake that she remembered, but it is  just as delicious with the flakiest of dough!!! A  wonderful dessert to end a nice dinner of palava with the Gorskis. Halina and Mieszko just loved it. What could be a better compliment than that!...
SPECIAL ORDER ONLY at Tarts & Quiches by kitchen! kitchen!

a blueberry almond tart.....by Tarts & Quiches ..at kitchen! kitchen!

A blueberry almond tart at kitchen! kitchen!
Topped with toasted almonds.
Another perfect dessert
after a perfect meal.
A special order at Tarts & Quiches...
at kitchen! kitchen! of course...!

..fish out of the water .....at kitchen! kitchen!

Red snapper... out of the water and into our table.....with zucchini cakes and chives.. the sauce tastes "nutty" with a hint of sweetness from the onions and tomatoes .... yummmm.  My son wasted no time in finishing it off!

INGREDIENTS:

2 pcs. of red snapper fillet about 6 oz. each
2 tablespoons of canola oil
1 tablespoon of flour for dredging the fillet
Kosher salt
A squirt of tomato paste
1 plum tomato chopped
1 small onion sliced
2 cloves garlic sliced
Bunch of chives
1/4 cup broth or water

and .....the AROMATICS (you should have all of these by now....)

1/4 teaspoon of cumin powder
1/4 teaspoon of coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon of garam masala
1/2 teaspoon paprika
A pinch of crushed red pepper for that little "kick" (for a "big kick" add more)
Combine all of the Aromatics in a small dish and set aside.

IN THE MEANTIME......

Season the fish with salt and dredge each one in the flour and shake off the excess.  Heat canola oil in a medium pan and brown the fillet for 2-3 minutes on each side until cooked.  Set aside in a serving platter.  

......now for the SAUCE...

In the same pan, remove some of the oil and stir in the aromatics until it stops sizzling about 2 seconds.  Add the onion, garlic and chopped tomato and squirt in the tomato paste.  Stir and correct seasoning with salt.  Add some broth or water a little at a time and simmer for about 5-8 minutes until the onions have softened and a little caramelization is happening.  Keep adding some liquid to keep it from drying.  Pour the sauce over the snapper and garnish with strings of chives.

And let's not forget the ZUCCHINI CAKES...

1 medium size zucchini shredded
1 tablespoon flour
Canola oil for frying... start heating the oil in the pan before doing the next step of getting a....

A clean kitchen towel (or 3 layers of bounty towel is good)

Gather the shredded zucchini in the middle of the kitchen towel or "bounty" and wrap like a package and squeeze the water out... until it screams dry.  Transfer to a bowl, add the flour and some salt and toss until completely coated with flour. Form into small rounds and fry in the hot oil. Allow the zucchini cakes to brown on each side and transfer to a dish with paper towel to absorb the oil.  Add to the fillet platter or serve separately.

*This recipe is for a one person meal - make the adjustment if it is for 2 or more*

a saucy chicken divine.......at kitchen! kitchen!

"Chicken divine" garnished with slivers
of red pepper and chives.
Don't you just want to sit down and be one with it?!!

"Chicken divine"..... NEEDS:

• Chicken thighs
• Canola oil (about 2 tablespoons)
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 4-6 crushed garlic
• 1 small onions chopped
• A squirt of tomato paste
• Kosher salt
• Kitchen! Kitchen!'s AMAZING RUB
• Slivered red bell pepper (half of the bell pepper) for garnish

The Aromatics: (aromatics in powder is fine too - so don't panic)

• Coriander seeds
• Cardamon seeds or whole
• Cumin seeds
• Garam masala

LET'S START.........
By mixing all the aromatics in a separate bowl, add buttermilk - mix well and set aside.  Rub the chicken thighs with the "amazing rub" and let stand for 10 minutes.  In the meantime.... heat some canola oil in a large non-stick pan and BROWN the chicken thighs on all sides.  Transfer the BROWNED CHICKEN after it has cooled to the "AROMATICS/BUTTERMILK BOWL" and coat the chicken fully with the marinade.  Remove some of the oil in the pan keeping the bits and pieces from your browning and put back on the stove top, stir in the onions and garlic. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and simmer until onions are translucent.  Squirt in the tomato paste, mix thoroughly and add the chicken soaking in the "aromatics/buttermilk"marinade...pour everything in and stir.  Correct seasoning and simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes until chicken is done and the sauce starts to thicken.  Sprinkle the slivered bell pepper and transfer to a serving dish... sauce and all.  It is just so divine.!!!  Serve with a refreshing cucumber salad.  Try not to lick the plate, get a slice of bread instead and scrape up the sauce.  Now, that's a wow factor!

(you may use chicken breast or a combination of legs, thighs and wings)


Kitchen! Kitchen!'s ....MUST HAVE AROMATICS:

• Dry Cardamon seeds or powder (and whole cardamon too..)
• Dry Cumin seeds or powder
• Dry Coriander seeds or powder
• Garam Masala spice powder
• Whole Nutmeg - there's nothing like a freshly grated nutmeg...and one goes a long way too!
• Cinnamon powder ---- and cinnamon sticks!
• Smoked Paprika
• Turmeric powder

..a bread cornucopia overflowing with fruits.....at kitchen! kitchen!

A bread cornucopia overflowing with fruits
by  Tarts and Quiches

'Tis the season of chill in the air, of days getting shorter
 of children's laughter calling
 the witching hour of pumpkins and goblins
'Tis the season of thanksgiving and christmas
of  friends and family
gathered around the table filled with the earth's bounty
....then the cycle starts again.
May the "horn of plenty" in our hearts
warm us all throughout the year.

"just drizzle me with chocolate"... a back to basic no frills cheese cake.....by "tarts and quiches"....

A back to basic no frills cheese cake
drizzled with chocolate ganache...by
"TARTS & QUICHES"
special order through
Kitchen! Kitchen!

"A pocketful of delight"......at kitchen! kitchen!

A pocketful of salsa delight

" A pocketful of yummy and delightful chicken"

This is a spin off of foodnetwork's Arti party's "Hot Dogs a la Rose"..... (love her!).. without the hot dogs.....

...Instead these are my INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb. chicken breast tenders sliced thinly and seasoned with amazing rub.
• Olive oil
• 4 whole wheat pitas
• 1 large onion chopped
• 4-6 garlic cloves roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• Black pepper - freshly ground
• Kosher salt
• 1 large tomato roughly chopped
• a squirt of tomato paste
• Cilantro
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 cup buttermilk or greek yogurt
• Boston lettuce - chop lenghtwise about 1 cup

then comes..........
....The AROMATICS: (in powder form or seeds) 1/2 teaspon each of:

• coriander
• cumin
• cardamon
• garam marsala

Now here's what to do.....
Heat the oil in a large nonstick pan over medium heat.  Add the onions, garlic, ginger and season with salt and pepper.  Stir until onions have softened and a little caramelized, about 4-5 minutes.

Add the AROMATICS and quickly stirring for about 15-20 seconds to keep the spices from burning.  Add the tomatoes, buttermilk and honey, taste for seasoning.


Stir the chicken into the pan and cover over medium heat for 10-15 minutes until chicken is cooked.
Taste and correct seasoning. Take out the cooked chicken; set aside in a bowl.  Save about 2 tablsepoon of the sauce for the salsa. Reduce the sauce until it starts to turn "pasty". Put the chicken back in the pan and mix throughly then add the chopped cilantro.
...In the meantime.......
Brush a non-stick pan with olive oil and heat the pita bread for 30 seconds on each side. Cut a quarter off the top of the pita and tuck each pocket with lettuce, and fill with chicken and  some salsa. Now you may enjoy a "pocketful of delight".

What is in my SALSA??.........

• Chopped seeded tomatoes
• Handful of cilantro roughly chopped
• 1 small red onion cut in half and thinly sliced
• Slice thinly half of a english cucumber
• Thinly sliced about a cup of fennel bulb (optional)
• A squeeze of half a lime
• a few mint leaves finely chopped
• olive oil
• a squirt of honey

                                  And what else?......
Combine everything in a bowl, add the chicken sauce you set aside, season with salt and pepper,
add a little olive oil, a squeeze of lime, and a squirt of honey, toss and ENJOY!

" 3 is not a crowd"....at kitchen! kitchen!

Fritatta muffin nestling on parmesan crisps

topped with carmelized onion and garnished

with chives.... serve as an appetizer or

for lunch with green salad is great too!

Kitchen! Kitchen!'s " 3 IS NOT A CROWD"...... 3 different ways of embracing your ground turkey.... one recipe done 3 different ways !!!! A Spunky Meatloaf, a Turkey Cake Fiesta and a Turkey Frittata Muffin... great for anything and all day!

What You Will Need..... per recipe .....
About a pound / a pkg. of ground turkey
(I like Jennie O or Butterball - they have happy turkey - must be from California)...
1 medium chopped onion
4 cloves garlic finely chopped
1/2 cup of chopped cilantro
A squirt of tomato paste (about 1 tablespoon)
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Black pepper
1/4 cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoons of buttermilk
1 egg

ADD SOME AROMATIC SPICES OF: 1 teaspoon each
Garam Masala Powder
Cumin Powder
Coriander Powder

What to do.....
In your large bowl sprinkle some salt and pepper to the ground turkey, bread crumbs, egg, buttermilk and chopped cilantro.  Set aside.  Heat some olive oil - about 2 tablespoons in a pan - saute the onion and garlic until soft.  Make a well in the middle of the pan and stir in the aromatics.  Mix thoroughly with the onion and garlic and squirt in the tomato paste.  Stir and simmer for a minute and let cool. After this has cooled, incorporate the "sauteed goodies" into the raw turkey mixture waiting patiently in your bowl and mix thoroughly.

AS A MEATLOAF: Suggestion: Add some roughly chopped toasted pistachios to the mixture to give it a little bit of "spunk"
Get your meatloaf pan and spray the bottom and all sides with vegetable spray to prevent from sticking.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 40-50 minutes at 350 degree F.  Take the cover out and broil for about 2 minutes or until golden brown.  Put the pan closer to the heat.  You cannot do your nails while this is browning - keep a close watch or it will end up with a badly burned top.  Slice and transfer to a serving platter, top with carmelized onions for that touch of sweetness surprise.  Great for sandwiches too!

AS A TURKEY CAKE......
Get your muffin pan out and spray all sides with vegetable oil (even if your pan is a non-stick)
Fill each muffin "compartment" to the top with the turkey mixture and make sure the meat is comfortably nestled.  Cover with foil and bake at 350 degree F for 40-50 minutes.  Remove cover and brown under the broiler.  Same as you would with the meatloaf.  Let cool and arrange on your  serving platter. Garnish with finely chopped red bell pepper.

AS A FRITTATA MUFFIN.... you will need an additional of .......
4 large eggs (6-8 if you have a large muffin pan)
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup of Monterey Jack Cheese shredded
2 cups of roughly cut "day old" italian bread or baguette (our bottom crust)
Whisk the eggs and heavy cream together and set aside..
Get your clean muffin pan..... and...we are doing some layering.....
Spray with vegetable oil the bottom and all the sides of the pan, spread thinly some of the prepared "day old bread" at the bottom of each muffin compartment. Drizzle some of the whisked eggs on the bread and wait a bit until the bread absorbs the liquid. Then add about 2-3 tablespoon of turkey mixture, spreading evenly just halfway each compartment, do another thin layer of the bread.  Slowly add the whisked eggs without spilling over and sprinkle the top with grated cheese.  Bake at 350 degree F for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.
Let cool and transfer to a cake stand (after all they looked like miniature cakes) top with carmelized onions and garnish with chopped cilantro. It's fiesta time!! where is that pinata??!!

* Here's an after thought - you may do a whole pan frittata- just follow same procedure except you will be using a large oven proofed pan instead.

......So who says three is a crowd? Not at kitchen! kitchen!

* You can also use ground beef, ground veal or ground pork or combine all three * Think out of the box!

Kitchen! kitchen! ..... a night of apple desserts by "tarts and quiches"..



A night of apple desserts.... an apple cake and
an apple tart topped with roasted almonds.
A perfect dessert to end a perfect dinner.
Thank you...."Tarts and Quiches"



kitchen! kitchen!...Let's bust chops!...........




Grilled veal chops... moist and tender... so go start busting chops!

  It's Susan's birthday..... a Saturday night of "busting chops" at kitchen! kitchen!..... that is ....VEAL CHOPS with MUSHROOMS and CHIPOTLE
GOOD FOR "BUSTING": Steak, Lamb, Pork Chops, Chicken.... but today it's VEAL CHOPS......

"BUSTING" INGREDIENTS:
* From my wonderful butcher (7) bone-in veal chops 1" thick
* Kosher Salt
* Black Pepper
* Extra Virgin Olive Oil
* Rosemary (not somebody's girlfriend, but the herb) finely chopped about 1 tablespoon
* 4 cloves garlic smashed
* 1-1/2 lb assorted sliced mushrooms ( I added a few pieces of dried mushrooms brought back to life by soaking them in warm water).
* 1 tablespoon of chopped chipotle (less if you can't take the heat) I always use the one in a can
* A bunch of chives cut into 1 inch length

Now, the best part.....LET'S START BUSTING CHOPS........

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F
Mix SALT, BLACK PEPPER, OLIVE OIL, FINELY CHOPPED GARLIC, PARSLEY and ROSEMARY into a rosemary pesto (set aside some ), rub the veal chops with the paste and let them rest for 20 minutes.  Transfer the chops to a large baking pan and lined them up like good "little chaps" and bake for 15-20 minutes to seal in the juices.  Set aside and ignore them for a few minutes while.....................................

THE MUSHROOMS ARE DONE THIS WAY......
Heat olive oil and some butter in a large saute pan over medium heat.  Add the garlic cloves (remember them?) until very aromatic and golden brown.  DISCARD.


Add the mushrooms, season with salt and black pepper and stir for 5-7 minutes.  When mushrooms start to become soft and giving out its wonderful aroma, add the chopped chipotle and simmer for 2-3 minutes.  Check for seasoning and add in the chives. Keep warm.....

NOW WE PAY ATTENTION TO THE CHOPS AGAIN..... refresh them by rubbing the remaining rosemary paste.
In a heated grill pan coated with olive oil, arrange 2-3 veal chops at a time (depending on how many pieces your pan can take without overcrowding them - they hate overcrowding!) for about 3-4 minutes on each side to get those lovely GRILL MARKS and to cook to about medium rare.  Add another minute or so if you are one of those "well-done afficionados".  After you have decided the "doneness" you want, transfer the grilled chops to a serving platter, juices and all.  Garnish with some greenery of rosemary and surround with oven roasted baby potatoes or pesto rice.


Now, let's not forget the mushrooms warming comfortably somewhere, ah! there it is - transfer to a deep serving dish and sprinkle with chopped chives.


Now, that's how you bust chops...... good job!

The Happy "Chop Busters": Susan, Rob, Livy, Christian, Abigail, Jens and kitchen! kitchen!

roasted veal and slow roasted potatoes drizzled with
rosemary pesto.....just heavenly!!

(other serving suggestion: serve with pesto rice - check previous postings)

Kitchen! Kitchen! Sunday Turkey Meatballs...clings to your ribs meal!.....

My ingredients for the sauce:

• 1 large can of crushed tomatoes
• 1 medium size grated zucchini 
• 1 1/2 cups of grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• 1 medium size onion roughly chopped
• 1 small poblano pepper seeds removed and roughly chopped
•  4 crushed garlic
• Olive oil

Do the Tomato Sauce first....
Heat the olive oil in a deep pan, saute the crushed garlic and onions for a few minutes, add the grated zucchini and chopped poblano.  Add salt and pepper.  Stir for a about 2 minutes.  Add the tomato sauce and let simmer on low heat for about 20-30 minutes to reduce the sauce.


In the meantime, while your sauce is perking away..... transfer the ground turkey in a large mixing bowl, and the rest of the ingredients are -

• 1 onion roughly chopped
• 1 cup of grated cheese (reserve the 1/2 cup for sauce later)
• A bunch of chopped parsley (in this dish I used cilantro)
• 2 tablespoons of sour cream or 1/4 cup of buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup of bread crumbs - (I did not have bread crumbs so I crushed some saltine crackers) worked as well.
• This is when things get messy --- combine all of the above ingredients in the bowl with ground turkey and mix thoroughly.  Form into a medium size balls (about 2 tablespoons).  Correct seasoning.
• Heat some oil in a pan and brown the meatballs on all sides.  Add all the browned meatballs into your perking tomato sauce and simmer for another 5 minutes.  Correct seasoning and add the remaining grated 1/2 cup cheese on top and garnish with basil.

Kitchen! Kitchen! ... A Saturday dinner of Asian roasted duck....married with roasted red potatoes, onion, garlic and tomatoes......a very good one!!

I wonder what is at the Asian market today..........??

• A lovely duck about a pound
• Sliced of 1 onion
• 4 cloves of crushed garlic
• Some slices of fresh ginger
• Olive oil
• Kitchen! Kitchen!'s amazing dry rub

For the potatoes.......a good marriage...

• A small cast iron pan or any small pan you have that will not melt in the oven.....
• 4 medium size red potatoes washed and cut in half
• 1 medium size onion
• 2 cloves crushed garlic
• 4 lovely large plum tomatoes

Okay... now I have everything........
* Preheat oven to 350 F
* Wash the duck in cold water and dry completely with paper towel inside out, remove some of the fats and the innards.
* Season generously with my "amazing dry rub" inside out and stuff with cut onion, crushed garlic, and slices of ginger.  Tie the legs and the wings with a string to keep the parts in place.  Drizzle a little with olive oil.  Place bird on a pan or in my case I used my large cast iron pan (the "workhorse" of my kitchen) and bake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes or until you can almost hear the skin crackle with crispness.  Let cool and sliced to serve.

Now, this is the easy part........the "good marriage" of roasted potatoes.....
* Combine everything - potatoes, onion, garlic and tomatoes in a small cast iron pan drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast for 35-40 minutes until potatoes are done.  I put this next to the duck in the oven.... that's what I call being together (until consumed).....

Ralf's Apple Cake
A recipe from a friend of my niece and now available to order at
"Tarts & Quiches" from the kitchen of Kitchen! Kitchen!
Will surely make a wonderful dessert with vanilla ice cream 
ala mode or simply a breakfast treat with your coffee or tea......
a decadent treat for breakfast indeed.

Kitchen! Kitchen!...."bonding with my sweet tooth"...tarts and quiches"

Top Photo: Decadent chocolate cake with glazed chocolate frosting decorated with hand sculpted marzipan.


Middle Photo: A Raspberry Tart


Bottom Photo: A yummy pumpkin cheesecake topped with roasted roughly chopped pecans.


These are just samples of baked goods from 
"Tarts & Quiches" at Kitchen! Kitchen!  
Special order only.
All of my baked goods from sweet to savory tarts to cakes and pies are made from the freshest ingredients available. 

Kitchen! Kitchen! .....Get out of the Box..Shrimps with Pesto over Pesto Rice...

Remember what I said about getting out of the box? 

... Well this is it!

What do I need?

• About 10-12 pieces of medium large shrimps, peeled and deveined
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Pesto sauce ( see my recipe on pesto sauce posted earlier)
• 2 cups of rice cooked in a rice cooker. (2 cups of rice to 2-1/2 cups of water).
• Boston lettuce for garnish

And?.........

Heat oil in a pan add the shrimps sprinkle with a pinch of salt, stir until shrimps starts to "blush".  About 4-5 minutes.  Remove from the heat and add 3-4 tablespoons of the pesto sauce and mix thoroughly.  In the meantime, transfer your steaming hot cooked rice to a bowl, add about 4-5 tablespoons of pesto sauce and a pinch of salt.  Mix thoroughly.  Transfer into your fabulous serving platter garnish with Boston lettuce and spread the pesto rice carefully and get those pesto blushing shrimps and top the rice with it.  Lovely!

Kitchen! Kitchen! Impromptu....with Livy, Chris and Arlene...




Impromptu dinner with Livy, Chris and Arlene...

Dishes served here are shrimps with pesto and pesto rice, roasted farm vegetables (From the Farm to the Table Recipe), steamed sweetest of the sweetest fresh corn from my farmers market, fresh baby watermelon and bottom photo is sloppy joes served (with an added chopped red peppers) as an appetizer with slices of french baguette and a good bottle..... actually 2-1/2 bottles of good red wine. That is what good friends are for!!!!

 

Kitchen! Kitchen! from Farm to Table...

We have a gem of a farm market in my community where you will find all the the loveliest of fruits and the freshest of an assortment of vegetables.  If only I could basket the entire market, that would be lovely! So, here is my "Farm to Table Roasted Vegetables".

What is in my basket?

• 6 large red cubanelle peppers
•  4 large green cubanelle peppers
• 8 baby eggplants
•  3 round zucchinis -- yes, there are round zucchinis! - sliced about  1/8" to 1/4" thick drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil in a separate bowl and set aside.
• 1 bunch of green scallions
• 1 large red onion sliced about 1/4" thick
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt

Oven Roasting instead of Grilling...
* Spread all the peppers, eggplants and onions like little soldiers in a cookie sheet, drizzle and massage some olive oil to the veggies and sprinkle some salt.  Bake at 350 F for about 30-35 minutes.  Let cool.  Remove the skin of the eggplants and the cubanelle peppers carefully.  Set aside.

* In the meantime, heat a little olive oil on your grill pan.  Line up the sliced zucchinis for about 2-3 minutes on each side to get the grill marks.  Do the same thing to the scallions (about 1-2 minutes) just to get those gorgeous grill marks.  Your friends will think you were grilling outside and swatting flies and bugs at the same time.

* Transfer all the roasted and grilled vegetables, juice and all in a serving platter, drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle some salt.  The juice from the vegetables will serve as your dressing.  It's healthy and taste heavenly!  Our first lady will love you for eating healthy!  Who knows you might get invited to one of those White House gig - you don't even have to gate crash!

Kitchen! Kitchen! Friday Night of Steak & Veggies Dinner

Kitchen! Kitchen's! Friday Night Dinner of Steak with an Indian twist of Veggies

WHAT YOU NEED:

 *  3 Asian eggplants (cut in half lengthwise - sliced into 1/2" thick
     diagonally)
*   Half of a large red bell pepper cut in strips
*  3 small firm zucchinis - peeled/or NOT - cut in half lengthwise -
    sliced 1/4" thick diagonally
*  1 tablespoon minced garlic
*  1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
*  1 small onion roughly chopped
*  A pinch of crushed red pepper (optional)
*  1 teaspoon of cumin powder
*  Kosher salt
*  1 tablespoon honey
*  1 teaspoon of garam marsala (a must have & available at your
    supermarket) okay, so, you're at a loss because you don't have this -
    substitute with coriander powder, (and if you don't have coriander
    powder - boy! you're in trouble)
*  2 large squirts of tomato paste (the one that comes in a tube - another
    must have)
*  Water or stock enough to cook the eggplant
*  Cilantro for garnish

THEN WHAT?

*  Heat 3 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan

* Add the adorable cumin powder and let is sizzle until it subsides,
   then add the garam marsala and wait for it to calm down; add the
   onions, garlic, ginger, crushed red pepper, (and this is when you
   say, "I have died and gone to heaven" - the aroma is heavenly,
   if you could bottle it - lovely). While you are enjoying the aroma,
   don't forget a pinch of salt while stirring.
* Squirt in the tomato paste then add 1/4 c. water/stock and stir
   thoroughly
* The eggplant goes in first (it is quite a drinker - so keep adding a
   little water until tender).
* Stir in the zucchini and red pepper and simmer for 5-8 minutes.
   (I like a little crunch to the zucchini and red pepper). Correct
   seasoning, add the honey and stir thoroughly.
* Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with cilantro
* Serve with Steak, lamb or chicken

ENJOY IT!

Kitchen! Kitchen! "DO AS YOU WISH PESTO SAUCE"

This is kitchen! kitchen!'s own take on the traditional pesto sauce.  I will be using almonds (without the skin) instead of pine nuts.  I'm not too crazy about pine nuts. They spoil easily and has a slight bitter taste to it.  Plus, it makes me think of a "pine tree".  Who wants to put something "piney" in a dish?!  Almonds give little crunch to the sauce.  I keep a jar of toasted almonds in my kitchen for snacking and cooking. You could get those cuties in a large bag at Costco for almost nothing.  Well, they cost less than if you buy them at the supermarket in those little plastic containers.  I just toast them in the oven on a cookie sheet for about 10-11 minutes at 350 F let cool and keep in a jar covered.

What you need:

*  2-4 cloves crushed garlic
*  2 cups, packed (until unable to breath) coarsely chopped fresh
    (no brown spots please) basil leaves
*  (Alternative: flat parsley leaves)
*  Coarse Salt
*  1 tablespoon naked almonds (without the skin)
*  3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
*  1/2 to 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

What to do:

In a food processor, pulse (or pound to submission) garlic, basil, pinch salt, almonds and cheese into a paste.  Gradually blend in olive oil; adjust seasoning.  This keeps in the fridge for over a week as long
as you leave a film of olive oil just enough to cover the pesto.

Now what? ....... Serving suggestion:

*  Slather on a sliced of toasted Italian bread or French baguette
    when hunger pang strikes and you have not decided yet what to
    cook or not and you're feeling revengeful because you did
    4 loads of laundry over the weekend.
*  Over succulent shrimps grilled to perfection, steaks, porkchops,
    lamb, etc.
*  As a pasta sauce ----- topped with grilled chicken breast served
    with a side of green salad. Your husband will think you deserve
    a "bling" on mother's day.

What! A pesto sauce on my salad?

*  Put a tablespoon of pesto in a bowl, thinned with a little water (to desired consistency), add 2 tablespoons of the wonderful and versatile mayonnaise. Stir thoroughly and drizzle on the salad. If you are concern that the 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise will take residence in your hips, add a squeeze of one large lemon instead.

Now, get out of the box and think what you could do with this pesto. Enjoy it!

TIP:  Don't cook the pesto, it's better as is.

MY KITCHEN'S SLOPPY JOES

I love to try exotic dishes (as long as I know what they are).  Right now, it'si Indian dishes (I know, very ambitious).  But, with the new foodnetwork show "Arti Parti" - I tweaked her "Sloppy Bombay Joes" and it was yummy - my son just licked the bowl clean.

INGREDIENTS:

Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of minced fresh ginger and garlic combined
• A pinch or 2 of dried chili powder (according to taste)
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 15 oz. can tomato sauce

Turkey:

•  Pkg. of ground turkey (1 lb)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder (Arti calls for cumin seed)
• 1 med. size onion finely chopped/diced
• 1 med. size shredded zucchini (or red pepper diced)
• A pinch of dried chili or powder
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
• 1 teaspoon of honey
• Handfull of choppled cilantro for garnishing

START BY -

Making the sauce in a separate medium pan by heating the oil.  Add ginger/garlic mixture until you smell the lovely aroma and is browned a little.  Add the paprika and saute for a few seconds, season with salt and stir in the tomato sauce.  Add a little water (I added a little water to the tomato can).  Bring to a boil, simmer uncovered until the sauce thickens about 15 minutes.

MEANWHILE -

In another pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil, heat the cumin powder and let it sizzle for a few seconds until it subsides (the aroma is wonderful, you want to dab it behind your ears but alas, it's hot).  Stir in the onions, chili powder and shredded zucchini until softened and the liquid has evaporated.  Stir in the turkey, breaking up the lumps, season with salt and pepper, cooked until opaque for about 8-10 minutes.  Transfer the turkey into the simmering sauce scraping all the yummy tidbits and simmer for another 15 imnutes uncovered until the sauce has thickened add HONEY, stir and taste for seasoning.

TRANSFER to a nice serving bowl, garnish with cilantro and serve with slices of french baguette.

I'm hungry now gotta go!

(photo will be posted at a later date)