Video of the Day: Knife Skills - Slice- Food Network

More knife skills from two of my favorite celebrity chefs Anne Burrell and Beau MacMillan! Good luck Chefs on the Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs!

Haitian Cuisine: Soup, Soup, and more Soup

I was brought up eating soup, and I love it! My Mother's soups are hearty enough to be the main entree accompanied by some buttered french crusty bread. On Saturday in my Mom's domain there's usually something bubbling on the stove simmering away.  The flavor party begins early morning when all of the ingredients are set to cook individually.  Then by 12PM the aroma of the kitchen draws anyone awake who may have had too much fun the night before.  By 1PM ladles start dropping! My Mother I call Saturday our date day, so before we head out for our day of running errands, visiting Grandpa, and shopping, a bowl of soup fills us up nice and right! 

All of my Mom's soups are those stick-to-your-ribs-keeping-you-fueled-for-hours type of food.  Over the next few months I'll be posting Soup Joumou (traditionally eaten on January 1st or whenever my Mom darn well pleases to make it). Bouillon (which is anything but the flavorful cubes made by Maggie), and Sauce Pois (translated bean soup).  

Today's Haitian soup offering is Chaka, a delicious melange of dried corn, chickpeas, red beans,  smoked meat, and squash.  WARNING: Chaka, this odd combination of DEE-LISH is chock full of fiber *wink* *wink* so be prepared to "sit" for a spell after a bowl of soup. :-) Enjoy!

NOW LET'S GET COOKING!

Haitian Chaka Soup

Stews and Soup du Jour: Haitian Chaka Soup

Ingredients

12 ounce bag dried cut corn
12 ounce bag dried red beans
12 ounce bag dried chickpeas
2 pounds smoked turkey neck or smoked pork
1 yellow onion, rough chopped
4 cloves or garlic
1 stalk celery
2 14.5 ounce cans coconut milk
2 packs frozen cooked squash
salt and pepper to taste
garlic powder
onion powder
2 packs sazon seasoning
1 big bunch of parsley


Directions

1.  Boil beans, corn, and chickpeas in unsalted water, in three separate stock pots (because each require a different amount of time to fully cook), for about 2 hours until tender.  Add additional water to the stock pot as necessary to prevent the corn and beans from burning.

2.  If you're using pork, clean all of the excess fat off of the  Braise the meat in a pressure cooker for 30 minutes, or until the meat is tender.

3.  Rough chop the onion, garlic, and celery.  Transfer to a blender and pulse until pureed.  Set aside.

4.  When the corn, beans, and chick peas are fully cooked combine all (including the cooking liquid) in one large 12-quart stock pot. 

5.  When the meat is tender remove from its liquid and transfer into the stock pot. Pour the liquid into a fat separator. If you don't own one, then pour the liquid into a container, passing through a strainer and catching all of the excess skin and fat.  Pour this strained liquid into the stock pot.

6.  Add the coconut milk and frozen squash to the pot. The squash quickly will defrost during cooking.  After the squash melts add additional water until the soup reaches almost to the rim of the pot.  The contents of the pot should not overflow when lid is placed on the pot.

7.  Carefully stir in the vegetable puree, all of the seasoning, and a tied bunch of parsley to the stock pot.

8.  Let everything simmer on medium heat until all of the spices have penetrated into the soup, about 30 minutes.  You can turn the heat down to low and simmer for and additional 1 hour and REALLY let the flavor of the soup develop.

9.  Serve hot with butter french bread. ENJOY!

Bread Basket: Cornbread Muffins

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup buttermilk
1 stick melted unsalted butter

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Greece a 6-muffin tin cup and set aside.

In a bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.

In another bowl combine the Parmesan cheese, beaten egg, buttermilk, melted unsalted butter.  Create a well in the dry ingredients.  Pour the wet mixture into the well, and stir until just until moistened.

Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until muffins test done. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

Gearing Up for the Holidays!

Thanksgiving came a little early for me this year.  I wanted to test a new entree recipe I found online but tweaked my own delicious enhancements, Turkey Loaf Muffins.  While tweaking and reviewing my recipe I asked myself, "What can I pair with this muffin?" I didn't want the traditional mashed potato and I wanted to do something different than rice and beans (which is a staple in a Haitian-American household).  My Mother suggested sweet potato! What a genius! 

My Mother has been making a roasted sweet potato in a brown sugar glaze for years. Normally, this is a delight reserved just for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and maybe Easter if we were extra good during Lent.  OMG this glaze is DEE-LISH with both turkey and ham, so I decided to learn this dish for myself. But then I got the bright idea that I'd make mashed sweet potato from the roasted sweetened potato...MMMM...

Too bad my stamina went into the toilet quickly some time while the potatoes were boiling. The mashed sweet potato will have to wait for another day. 

Still, all of this talk of sweet potato and turkey has me officially thinking about my menus for the coming holidays.  Thanksgiving is next month, Christmas in December, and New Year's Day's Seafood Extravaganza! I'm going to be a recipe testing fool for the next few weeks. I'M BUBBLING WITH EXCITEMENT!  WHOOOO-HOOOO!!!  I don't wanna serve my guests anything that isn't absolutely PERFECT!

Enjoy these two great recipes, new additions to my cooking arsenal,  Turkey Meat Loaf Muffin and Brown Sugar Glazed Roasted Sweet Potato...DEE-LISH!

NOW, LET'S GET COOKING!

Video of the Day: Julienne Cut

Knife skills are important for several reasons: 1) You want to the same number of fingers at the start of a cooking session as at the end of a session; 2) Once cooked, you want the food to cook evenly; and 3) Everything just looks pretties when cut nicely.  Check out Chefs Anne Burrell and Beau MacMillan's julienning knife skills!

Sensational Sides: Roasted Brown Sugar Glazed Sweet Potato

Ingredients

2 pounds sweet potato, peeled and chopped in thirds
5 cups of water, just enough to cover the potatoes in the pot
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1/2 tablespoon cinnamon, divided
1 teaspoon nutmeg, divided

Directions

Fill pot with water. Add the brown sugar, 1/2 the cinnamon and nutmeg, and the butter. Cover and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.

Add the potatoes to the boiling water bring back up to a boil. Reduce to medium and continue to cook until the potatoes are fork tender.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Pour the liquid and the potatoes into a 13 X 9 baking dish.  Sprinkle the potatoes with the remaining cinnamon and nutmeg.

Bake in the preheated oven 15 to 20 minutes, until the potatoes just begin to brown and sauce reduces by about 1/4.

Baste the potatoes with the glaze, serve hot and ENJOY!  This pairs great with any turkey dish, but especially the  my Turkey Loaf Muffins!

Extraordinary Entree: Turkey Loaf Muffins

Ingredients

1 onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, minced
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 eggs
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 pound extra lean ground turkey
2-1/2 turkey sausage links, casings removed and minced
1 cup cooked couscous
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese


Topping (optional):
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup catsup
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
Mix together. Spread over unbaked meatloaf.

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Spray muffin cups with olive oil flavored cooking spray.

Rough chop the onions, green bell pepper,  garlic cloves, and celery stalks.

Transfer the veggies into a food processor, and pulse several times until pureed.

Place ground turkey and turkey sausage into a bowl.

Add the pureed vegetables, couscous,  Parmesan cheese, and spices into the bowl.

Add the Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard.  Mix the contents of the bowl until thoroughly combined.

Fill each prepared muffin cup about 3/4 full.

Spread the topping over each uncooked muffin cup.

 
Bake in the preheated oven until juices run clear, about 30 minutes. Remove from the muffin tin,  transfer the muffins to a baking sheet, and cook for an additional 15 minutes.

Let stand 5 minutes before serving. These turkey muffins are DEE-LISH paired with my Roasted Brown Sugar Glazed Sweet Potato. 

 After looking at my Roasted Brown Sugar Glazed Sweet Potato, LET'S GET COOKING!

Video of the Day: Chiffonade or Ribbon Cut

 My hand-eye coordination is not what it use to be, so I have to be supervised (at 20 or 30-something years old) to make sure that at the end of each cooking session that I have all of the 10 fingers that I started with. How annoying! But I've had some near misses and a First Aid Kit always on hand! 

Today's video of the day comes to us from Food Network's Worst Cooks in America's 1st season.  Check out this clip of Chef Anne Burrell and Chef Beau MacMillan demonstrating the chiffonade or ribbon cut. ENJOY!  NOW, LET'S GET COOKING!

Delicious Desserts: (Virgin) Pina Colada Bread Pudding

Ingredients

1 stick butter melted
1 loaf day (minimum) old french bread
4 eggs, beaten
8 oz heavy whipping cream
1 can coconut milk
1 pkg coconut cream (not the same as coconut milk), prepare as per directions and allow to completely cool to room temperature before adding to the custard
1 cup crushed pineapples and juice
1 shot glass of rum makes this lose its virginity
1 cup coconut flakes
1 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions

Coat a 13 x 9 baking pan using the stick of butter.

Melt the remaining stick of butter in a sauce pan on low.

While butter is melting cut loaf of bread into 1 inch chunks. Transfer bread into a large mixing bowl, and pour melted butter over the bread and toss to coat.

In a food processor pulse 1/2 can of coconut milk and 3/4 cup coconut flakes until coconut flakes are finely chopped.

Prepare the coconut cream according to the package.

In a mixing bowl, lightly beat the eggs until just broken. Mix together the coconut puree, the rest of the can of coconut milk, and all of the remaining ingredients beginning with heavy cream through the pinch of salt.

Slowly pour the custard mixture over the bread. Using a spoon or your hands crush the bread as the custard is added.  Make sure that every piece of bread is coated and crushed in the custard.  If the bread is floating, then that is an indication that too much custard was added.  You can use a ladle to remove any excess custard and discard.  If the bread is too dry then add additional heavy cream to the bread until it is the right texture (mushy bread, not bread soup).

Pour the custard-bread mixture into the prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap or foil and place in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours to allow the bread to fully absorb the custard.

When ready to bake: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Top the bread pudding with 1/4 cup coconut flakes just before baking.

Bake at 375 degrees and cook for 60 minutes or until top is golden brown and edges pull away from the pan.  Cooking time will vary based upon your oven. Allow to cool about 10 minutes. Custard will completely set during cooling.

Serve at room temperature and ENJOY!

NOW LET'S GET COOKING!

Video of the Day: Caramelizing Onions

Caramelized Onion is an ingredient I use quite often in my recipes. I like to make caramelize sweet onions, especially when they are on sale! I'll buy 4 or 5 lbs, caramelize the entire bunch and store them in the fridge.  I heat and use them as a condiment in burgers and sandwiches or them in my dishes as I need them.  The onions keep for about a month, but I usually use it up quite quickly when I know they are sitting in the fridge calling my name!

Often times I don't list Caramelized Onions in my ingredient list because many people may not want to take the time to cook these off, but this topping is so delicious that I couldn't let you go another day not knowing how to make this yummy condiment!  I wanted to share some of the videos I watched to help take the anxiety out of making this wonderful condiment. My one piece of advice, the longer you can cook it the sweeter and more tender they become. I usually spend an entire hour. Check out my recipe for Caramelized Onion for my ingredients and step by step instructions. I'll be posting pictures for each step soon. Enjoy these videos!

Extraordinary Entree: Chicken Stir Fry

Ingredients

Chicken Stir Fry:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic minced
2 pounds poached boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Stir Fry vegetable mix
1 pkg fresh bean sprouts

Stir Fry Sauce:
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup teriaki sauce
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon powdered ginger
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. 

Chop and slice the onions and garlic.

Add the 1/2 onion and garlic. Sautee until onions are translucent but do not allow garlic to burn.  The garlic will be bitter and you'll have to start the saute all over again.

FORGIVE ME FOR FORGETTING TO TAKE A PICTURE OF THIS STEP

Thaw and drain the stir fry veggie mix prior to adding to the wok.

Add stir fry veggie mix and cook an additional 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the bean sprouts and continue to cook.

In a small bowl, combine chicken broth, teriaki sauce, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, and cornstarch. 

Add the sauce to the stir fry veggie mix.

Add chicken to the mixture and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Reduce heat to medium to medium-low, and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, or until sauce thickens and chicken is cooked through.

Serve over hot, cooked rice. (Please don't make me post a recipe for white rice!)

LET'S GET COOKING!

Video of the Day: Bias Cut

Thank you YouTube...sometimes I hear something or see something on my favorite cooking show and they just move way too fast for me. But I don't have to miss a thing, and I can share those tips with you! So check back for some of my favorite YouTube cooking videos.

In my Savory Banan Peze post I talked about cutting plantains on a bias . You may be asking: What the hell is cutting on a bias? Well, let Chefs Anne Burrell and Beau Macmillan demonstrate!

Sensational Sides: Savory Banan Peze

Banana peze (translated from Haitian Kreyol to English is "pressed plantain") is a side dish that I've been eating for as long as I can remember. This side dish is a staple in Haitian Cuisine and several other countries in the Caribbean. While they are super easy to make, they are also super easy to total screw up.  There isn't much room for mistakes with this, so they require your utmost attention when cooking these. If the plantains are too overcooked or undercooked, either way you'll have a mess on your hands.  

LET'S GET COOKING!

Ingredients

Green Plantains, cut into 8 pieces on the bias

Yellow Plantains, cut into 8 pieces on the bias (Do not use the plantains that are so ripe that they are beginning to blacken. That's another recipe for another post.)

2-1/2 cups of water

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

Cooking oil, enough for deep frying. I use coconut oil, but peanut oil, vegetable, and canola oil all work well, too

* special tools: Plantain press, potato masher, or the bottom of your ceramic mug

Directions

Before you start the rest of your meal, do this step. Fill a large bowl with water, vinegar, and salt. Stir until salt is dissolved. Placed the cut plantains in the water and allow to soak.  Let's this side dish be the last thing your fry up so you can serve it piping hot!

After the rest of your meal is just about cooked start heating your oil on medium high heat in a deep skillet.

Shake the plantain of any excess water and carefully drop the plantain in the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the pot, and cook the plantains in batches. Set aside the water.

Here's the tricky part: You don't want to under cook the plantain during this stage or you'll fighting with a raw interior and the plantain pieces may break apart when pressing. You don't want to overcook the plantain because you still have to cook them on more time and don't want them to be rock hard at the end of the second round frying.

Heat the oil in the deep skillet. When it begins to sizzle, then you know the oil is hot, or to 375 degrees F if you're using a thermometer. 

Carefully drop the plantains into the hot oil. Rotate the plantain piece to allow to cook on all sides, top, bottom, and sides.  As the plantains cook through (about 5-7 minutes) remove them from the oil, and drop them (oil and all) back into the vinegar-water. Allow the plantains to soak until they cool off and are easy to handle. Allow the plantains to soak in the vinegar-water while they are not being handled. 

Turn the heat down on the oil so the oil does not burn. 

Using your plantain press, potato masher, or the bottom of a ceramic cup, gently press the plantain. Flip the plantain and press again. Keep flipping and pressing until the plantain is your desired flatness without breaking.  If the plantain feels like it's about to break, then stop the flipping and pressing.

Raise the heat back up on the oil. When it begins to sizzle you know you're ready to get cooking again. Dip the plantains in vinegar-water again briefly, then carefully drop it back in the heated oil.

Cook the pressed plantain for another 5-7 minutes flipping to allow to cook on both sides.  When ready transfer to a paper towel to draw out any excess oil. Sprinkle with salt while still piping hot and serve.

Sassy Sauces and Seasonings: Creamy Coleslaw Dressing

Ingredients

1/3 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
2/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
salt to taste

Directions

In bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients. Stir into the cabbage mixture.

Sassy Sauces and Seasoning: Creamy Cilantro Avocado Dressing

Ingredients

1/2 avocado,  ripe
3/4 cup cilantro, packed
1/2 cup olive oil mayonnaise
2 green onions, chopped
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

Directions

Puree all in blender until smooth. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Chill.

Sassy Sauces and Seasonings: Jerk Marinade

Ingredients

5 scallions (green onions)
5 sprigs of fresh thyme (about 1 tablespoon chopped)
2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 scotch bonnet peppers
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1 onion
1/2 cup orange juice
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon grated ginger

Directions

1.  If you’re using dried thyme, use about 1/2 table spoon. This makes about 3 cups of marinade and it can be stored in the fridge for about 1 month.

2.  Basically  all you’ll be doing is making a puree with all the ingredients I mentioned above. So you’ll need a blender or food processor.

3.  Rough chop the scallions, peppers, garlic, onion and thyme and place in the food processor to make it easier to puree. Remember when working with these hot peppers to wear gloves (the natural oil is deadly). Also note that most of the heat is within the seeds and the membrane that surround the seeds. So to control the heat, discard those. However, for that true authentic Jamaican feel.. keep the entire peppers.

4.  Now add all the other ingredients and pulse to start. Then run the puree speed for about 2-3 minutes until everything breaks down to a smooth consistency.

Sassy Sauces and Seasonings: Beef Marinade II

Ingredients

1/2 cup soy sauce (can use low-sodium)
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce 
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste I use seasoned salt)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
3 cloves fresh minced garlic
1/2 cup store-bought teriyaki sauce
1/2 cup honey or 1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon ginger
1 tablespoon sesame oil

Directions

Whisk together all of the ingredients.  Marinate beef in this sauce. Reserve sauce for use during cooking.

Sassy Sauces and Seasonings: Pumpkin Pie Spice

Ingredients

4 tablespoons ground cinnamon
4 teaspoons ground nutmeg
4 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 tablespoon ground allspice
1/2 tablespoon ground cloves

Directions

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. Store in air tight container.

Sassy Sauces and Seasonings: Apple Pie Spice

Ingredients

4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cardamom

Directions

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. Store in air tight container.

Sensational Sides: Mustard Roasted Potato

Ingredients

2 pounds Small Yukon Gold Potatoes or Fingerling Potatoes
1/4 cup Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
1 Tablespoon Spicy Mustard
2 cloves Garlic, Peeled And Minced
1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
Black pepper to taste
Olive Oil cooking spray

Directions

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

In a large mixing bowl whisk together the olive oil, mustard, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper until well combined. Set the dressing aside.

Wash and scrub the potato. Do not peel the skin but cut the potato into 1-inch chunks.  Try to keep the chunks as uniform as possible to ensure even cooking. Place in a bowl of water so the potatoes do not brown while scrubbing and cutting the rest of the bag of potatoes.

Drain and dry the potatoes and toss into the dressing so that all of the potatoes are evenly and completely coated.

Lay foil down on a very large roasting pan (or two) and spray Olive Oil cooking spray on the foil to prevent the potatoes from sticking to the surface.  Use parchment paper in place of the foil and no cooking spray will be necessary.  Spread the potatoes out on the prepared pan. Make sure the potatoes are facing skins side down and have plenty of room between each potato.  

Roast at 400ºF for 40 minutes. Do not open the oven door so that no heat escapes during roasting. Allow the potatoes to cook until they are crunchy and golden brown on the outside, and soft on the inside. Serve immediately and ENJOY!

LET'S GET COOKING!

Extraordinary Entree: Not-So-Traditional Shepard's Pie

* Here's another Turkey Shepard's Pie I really enjoy making and eating!

Ingredients

Garlic mashed potato (try this recipe)
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 1/2 pound ground turkey
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2  yellow onion, diced
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1 green onion, chopped including greens
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1/4 cup fresh oregano, chopped
1 cup matchstick carrots
1 cup broccoli slaw
Alfredo Sauce (try this recipe)
1 bulb roasted garlic
Olive Oil flavored cooking spray
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons Italian bread crumbs

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Spray coat a 13 x 9 inch Pyrex pan with olive oil cooking spray, and set aside.

Prepare garlic mashed potato.

Prepare Alfredo sauce.  Whisk the roasted garlic into the Alfredo sauce.

On medium heat, in a large saute pan heat olive oil. Add garlic and onion, and cook until onions are translucent. Do not allow garlic to burn. Add celery, green onion, parsley, and oregano and continue to saute.

Add ground turkey to the saute pan and saute until turkey is almost cooked through. Add matchstick carrots and broccoli slaw and continue to cook turkey until completely cooked through. and vegetables are wilted.  Turn heat down to low and add Alfredo sauce to the saute pan. Continue to cook until sauce and turkey are heated through. Set aside.

Coat the bottom of the pyrex using half of the garlic mashed potato. Layer turkey mixture over the mashed potato base. Top the turkey with the remaining mashed potato.

Mix together the Parmesan cheese and Italian bread crumbs. Top with the crumb mixture over the top mashed potato layer. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes, or until top coat begins to turn golden.

Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving. ENJOY!

LET'S GET COOKING!

Extraordinary Entree: Sweet Turkey Shepard's Pie

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 sweet onion, peeled  and grated
2 cloves of garlic
2 pounds ground turkey
Salt and pepper
5 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cup light brown sugar
2 celery stalks from the heart, diced
1 stick butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken stock
A few dashes of Worcestershire sauce
2 cup mixed vegetables, thawed
2 very ripe banana, mashed


Directions

Preheat the oven to 425°F.  Lightly grease a 13 X 9 glass baking dish with butter flavored nonstick cooking spray.

In a deep skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until the onion becomes soft and translucent. Do not allow the garlic to burn.  Add the turkey and break it up with a wooden spoon; season with salt and pepper.

Place the peeled sweet potatoes in a pot with brown sugar and water to cover. Cover the pot, bring to a boil, then cook the potatoes for 15 minutes, or until fork tender.

Add the carrots and celery into the skillet with the turkey. Stir and cook until the vegetable have wilted into the meat.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a small pot over medium heat. Add the flour to the melted butter and whisk for 1 minute, then whisk in the stock and season with salt, pepper, and 

Worcestershire. Cook for a few minutes, until thickened, then add to the turkey mixture. Stir in the thawed mixed vegetables into the turkey mixture and turn off the heat.

Drain the potatoes and return the hot pot to the heat turn down to low.  Add the remaining tablespoons of butter.  Add the 2 bananas to the pot of potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes and banana until they are well combined, and adjust the seasoning as necessary. You're looking for a good balance between the savory (from the salt and pepper) and the sweet (from the banana, sweet potato, and the syrup it was boiled in).

Spoon half of the the mashed potatoes onto the bottoms of the glass baking dish, spreading them evenly with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Then add the turkey filling, spreading that evenly over the mashed potatoes. Top the turkey filling with the remaining half of the the mashed potato.

Bake uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the mashed potato begins to slightly brown.  Let stand for about 10-15 minutes before serving to allow the dish to set.

LET'S GET COOKING!

Extraordinary Entree: Fettucine with Broccoli and Peas

*Serves 2
This is a quick and easy dinner for the week night or even the weekend when the kids are at a sleep over and it's just you and your honey.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 cup half and half, warmed and divided
3/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (about 3 oz)
3 ounces cream cheese
8 oz fettuccine
4 cup bite-size broccoli florets

1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions

In a saute pan melt the butter.  Add the flour, salt, and pepper. Slowly whisk in the warmed half and half.  Bring to a slow simmer, stirring, over medium heat. Stir in grated cheese and cream cheese, stirring until slightly thickened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and cover to keep sauce warm.

Prepare pasta per package directions. Add broccoli to pasta water during last 5 to 7 minutes of cooking. Place the thawed peas in colander. Drain pasta and broccoli over peas.

Transfer pasta and vegetables to large serving bowl and toss with cheese sauce and parsley.

I Love Pasta!

I seriously think I eat too much pasta! Actually, is there such a thing? It's quick to make (so long as you're not making the pasta from scratch), comforting, and very versatile.  Even though no part of me is any part Italian, you'll find me fakin' the funk quite often while I share my lasagna, macaroni, ravioli, spaghetti, and all kinds of pasta recipes with you!

Today's featured recipe is my Turkey and Spinach Penne Pasta! I use the same meat sauce for my White Sauce Lasagna Muffins! Also check out my Alfredo Sauce, which I use in place of the jarred stuff.  Both dishes are super duper DEE-LISH!

LET'S GET COOKING!

Extraordinary Entree: Eggplant Lasagna

Ingredients

Mock Noodles
2 large eggplants, peeled, seeded, and sliced lengthwise into 1/4 inch noodle-like strips
2 tablespoons olive oil
cooking spray (olive oil spray is best)
salt, onion powder, garlic powder

Meat Sauce
1/2 lb Italian sausage or ground beef
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, chopped
3 cloves chopped garlic
1 red pepper, chopped
1 tablespoons oregano
1 tablespoon thyme
1 teaspoon fennel seed (optional)
salt
1 (28 ounce) can tomato sauce (or large jar sugar free sauce if you can find it)
1 (15 ounce) can diced tomato (for less sugar, 3 chopped roma tomatoes)

Cheese Mixture
2 cups low fat Riccotta cheese
2 eggs
3 green onions, chopped
3 cups shredded low fat Italian cheese blend, divided
1 cup Parmesan cheese, divided
2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon sugar

Directions

Arrange eggplant slices on an un-greased cookie sheet, season with salt, and let sit for 1 hour to draw out the moisture.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Spray cookie sheet, arrange eggplant slices. Brush with olive oil and season with onion powder and garlic powder.

Broil slices 5 minutes on each side.

Lower oven temp to 375.

Brown meat, onion and garlic in olive oil for 5 minutes.

Add tomatoes and spices and simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Blend Parmesan cheese, Ricotta cheese, Italian cheese blend, egg, onion, parsley, and sugar.

In large lasagna pan place 1/3 of sauce to coat bottom of pan. Layer eggplant slices on top of sauce to cover pan. Cover with 1/2 ricotta cheese mixture, mozzarella cheese, and cover with more sauce.

Repeat eggplant, ricotta cheese mixture, mozzarella cheese, sauce.

Top with more eggplant slices and cover top with more sauce. Lay slices of mozzarella on top and sprinkle additional grated Parmesan cheese on top.

Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour.

Remove foil and bake or broil another 5-10 minutes until cheese is browned.

Let it rest 10 minutes before slicing, if you can wait that long!

Adapted from this recipe from Food.com. 

Extraordinary Entree: Smoked Salmon Quiche

* This recipe makes 2 pies

Ingredients

Caramelized Onion

2 cloves of garlic, mined and divided

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

6 medium eggs

2 cups half and half

1 teaspoon salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon onion powder, divided

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, divided

3 sprigs of thyme, chopped

12 ounces smoked salmon, flaked

2 deep dish pastry shells

Directions

Caramelize the onions. Add clove of garlic during last 10 minutes of cooking. Remove from heat and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the cream cheese in a large bowl and using a wooden spoon, stir until creamed and loosened.  

Add the eggs, 1 at a time, stirring just until combined. Add the cream, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and thyme, and mix well.

Layer the filling in the following order: 1) caramelized onion-garlic mix; 2) 6 ounces of smoked salmon; and 3)  Pour the custard over the layers.  

Bake for about 30-40 minutes, until golden and the custard is set. 

Cool quiche for 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm or chilled.

Makes 2 pies

Spreads and Toppings: Caramelized Onions

Ingredients

Caramelized Onion
1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 tablespoon brown sugar (optional)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Directions

1.  Thinly slice the onion. 

2.  Add butter and 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil to a saute pan. Just before the oil begins crackling lower the heat to medium low and add sliced onion to the oil. Toss until all of the onions are coated.

3.  Leave uncovered for the 1st 20 minutes. Stir onions every 10 minutes to prevent burning.

4.  Now cover the saute pan after 20 minutes.  Keep heat on medium low.

5.  At minute 30 add more oil if needed to prevent the onions from frying. We want the onions to simmer, almost stew in their own juices.

6.  At minute 40 lowers the heat to the lowest temperature on your stove.  Add the optional 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and stir, then cover.

7.  At minute 50 de-glaze the pan with balsamic vinegar and stir. Cover and cook for another 10 minutes, 60 minutes in total.

Do not clean the pan if you're going to cook something like meat, sauteed vegetables, or a sauce after.  There is so much flavor left behind in that pan from the onions!

Extraordinary Entree: Cod Fish and Cabbage

Ingredients

4 quarts of water
3 packages salted cod fish

1 green pepper
1 sweet onion
1 stalk celery
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup green grind seasoning
1/2 cabbage, grated
2 cups tomato sauce
2 tablespoon onion powder
2 tablespoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

24 hours before beginning the cooking process begin desalinating the cod fish by emptying the three bags into a pot filled with cold water. Immediately rinse and change the water.  Then change the water about every 4-6 hours thereafter. Keep refrigerated while soaking. When ready to begin cooking drain the water one last time, fill the pot again, and boil the fish on medium heat. Get the fish boiling before doing anything else.

Rough chop all of the vegetables.

In a food process combine all of the rough chopped vegetables and puree into a paste.

In a wok or large saute pan heat olive oil on medium heat.

Carefully add the puree and the green grind seasoning into the saute pan.  Saute the combination in the oil for approximately 5 minutes. 

Remove fish from heat and the drain water. Add the fish to the saute pan whole.

Saute the fish in the sauteed paste until fish is cooked through. Fish will shred during the saute process.

Add 1 cup of tomato sauce, 1/2 of the onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. 

The fish will break up further, and stir to combine.  Taste the fish for seasoning.

Add the cabbage to the saute pan. 

Stir to completely incorporate cabbage into the saute.

Cover saute pan, and turn down heat to medium low.

Allow the cabbage to wilt. 

Add remaining remaining tomato sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.  Allow sauce and seasoning to cook into the saute.  Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.

Serve hot over a bed of white rice or with boiled plantain.

NOW LET'S GET COOKING!