Parmesan Crusted Chicken with Creamy Garlic Sauce

 Preheat oven to 400°. 

Coating:

1/2 c. Flour

1/4 c. Parmesan cheese (grated) 

1 tsp. Garlic powder 

1/2 tsp. Onion powder 

1/4 tsp. Salt 

1/8 tsp. Pepper

1 egg, well beaten 

Dip chicken breasts in coating mixture, followed by egg and again in the coating mixture. Place on parchment lined baking sheet, leaving plenty of space between breast pieces. Bake 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature of the meat is 165°. You can broil 1-2 minutes for crispier crust. While the chicken is baking, prepare the creamy garlic sauce.

Sauce:

1/2 c. Butter

2 Garlic cloves, minced

1/4 c. Heavy cream

1/4 tsp. Salt

1/8 tsp. Pepper 

Melt butter; add garlic and saute 1 minute until fragrant. Whisk in cream, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes until sauce thickens slightly. 

Recommend doubling the sauce to serve over potatoes or rice! 

Seeded multigrain sourdough bread

125g whole wheat flour

175g bread flour (15g tangzhong, 160 making dough)

75g kamut 

25g rye

50g spelt 

50g hard white wheat

100g active levain 

10g salt 

20g olive oil 

50g honey 

400g water (75g tangzhong, 325g making dough) 

10g chia seeds, 10g flaxseed, 20g oats, 20g sunflower seeds, 5g sesame seeds, 5g poppy seeds, 20g pepitas 

Levain:

Night before: mix 15g sourdough starter with 75g bread flour and 75g water. Cover and leave on counter 10-12 hours until more than doubled and bubbly.

Dough:

Tangzhong: mix 15g bread flour with 75g water in saucepan until smooth. Cook until forms thick paste. Let cool. 

Add all ingredients to a bowl (except seeds!) and use dough whisk to mix. Mix until no dry flour is left. Cover and let rest 30 minutes. Add seeds. Do 2 sets of stretch and folds with 30 minutes between each set and then bulk ferment until doubled (4-5 hours @ 80°). Cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days.

Bake:

Dust dough with flour and dump onto counter. Roll into log shape and place seam down in oiled loaf pan (black Pullman). Mist with water and top with mixed seeds if desired. Place in warm place until doubled. Preheat oven to 425°. Bake for 10 minutes and then lower oven to 375° and continue baking 23-30 minutes or until bread temp reads 195-200°. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes and then remove from pan. Allow to cool at least one hour before slicing. 

Sourdough milk bread with sweet stiff starter

SWEET STIFF STARTER (peak 4-6 hrs) 

115g active starter

115g bread flour

45g water

25g sugar

Stir to combine; knead briefly so there are no dry pockets of flour. Put in clear, wide-mouth container, loosely cover and let ferment until triple in size (78-80° for 4-6 hours)

TANGZHONG 

16g bread flour 

40g water

40g whole milk

Mix and cook over medium - medium-high heat until thick; cover with plastic wrap and set aside until cool. 

FINAL DOUGH

All of the sweet stiff starter 

All of the room-temperature tangzhong (87g)

137g bread flour

62g whole milk 

12g milk powder 

45g sugar 

5g salt

32g unsalted butter, softened 

Put all ingredients except for the butter into the bowl of a stand mixer with the hook attachment. Mix on low until the ingredients are slightly incorporated and then take up to speed 2 for 5 minutes. If it's too dry, add milk 1 tsp at a time, being careful as butter will add more moisture. Add the butter in 2-3 batches. Knead on speed 4 for about 10 minutes. Look for windowpane. Transfer to lightly oiled bowl, cover and proof in warm place for about 2 hours (78-82°) until 1.5x. 

Lightly grease your loaf pan (I prefer the Pullman loaf pan with or without a lid). Punch down the dough and knead it a few times. Divide into 3 equal parts. Round the dough into balls, cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Working with one ball at a time, flatten with your palm and roll out to a rectangle the length of the pan and double the width. Fold the 2 sides to meet in the middle and then roll the dough lightly like a Swiss roll. Place doughs side by side in the pan. Cover and let the dough proof again until it fills 80-90% of the pan.

Preheat oven to 375°. If using it,  place lid on pan and put pan in oven on middle rack. If not using lid, brush top of loaf with milk or an egg wash. Bake for 30 minutes. If using a lid, after initial 30 minutes, turn oven to 350° and continue to bake for 5 minutes. Internal temperature should be 190°. Once out of the oven, drop the pan on the counter to release some steam and immediately remove from pan to a cooling rack. For a soft, shiny crust, brush immediately with melted butter. Let cool completely before slicing. 

Sicilian Skillet Chicken aka Marry Me Chicken

 3 Tbs. Olive oil.                       4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts.   Kosher salt.                                       Fresh ground pepper.                             2 cloves of garlic, minced.                     1 Tbs fresh thyme leaves                      1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes.   ¾ c. chicken broth.                            ½ c. cream.                                         ½c. chopped sun-dried tomatoes.   ¼ c. fresh grated parmesan

Preheat oven to 375º. In a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat (medium or medium-low on the large burner), heat 1 Tbs. olive oil. Pat chicken dry and season generously with salt and pepper and sear until golden, 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

Return skillet to medium heat and add 2 Tbs. olive oil.  Stir in garlic, thyme and red pepper flakes, cooking until fragrant, 1 minute. Stir in broth, heavy cream, sun-dried tomatoes and parmesan and season with more salt. Bring to a simmer, then return chicken to skillet. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a knife, 10-12 minutes.

Salsa Two Ways

 Leaving the pared down recipes here for HATCH GREEN CHILI SALSA and TOMATO SALSA. Makes about 3-1/2 pints each.

HATCH GREEN CHILI

3-3/4 lbs Hatch green chilies or anaheim, roasted and peeled and diced

1 lb tomatillos, roasted, chopped

1/2 of a large onion, diced

1/2 Tbs minced garlic

1/4 c. chopped cilantro

3/4 tsp oregano

3/4 tsp cumin 

3/4 tsp sea salt

shy cup of chicken stock

1/4 c. vinegar

Fresh ground pepper

Put all ingredients in a stainless steel pot and cook until desired consistency. Use immersion blender to chop to desired consistency. Seal in sterilized jars in a water bath for 20 minutes.

TOMATO SALSA

4 lbs tomatoes, peeled and chopped

5 jalapenos, chopped fine

2 serrano peppers, chopped fine

 1 large onion, diced

 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

1 c. vinegar

3 cloves of garlic, minced

3 Tbs. lemon or lime juice

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 green pepper, diced fine

Fresh ground pepper

Cook all together for 30 minutes or until desired consistency. Use immersion blender to chop. Seal in sterilized jars in water bath for 15 minutes.

Simple Roast Chicken

 From Epicurious:

One 2-3 lb chicken (have done with 5-6lb)

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 

2 tsp minced fresh thyme (optional)

Unsalted butter 

Dijon mustard 

Preheat oven to 450F. Rinse chicken and pat VERY dry, inside and out. The less it steams the better! 

Salt and pepper the cavity then truss the bird. 

Now, salt the chicken. (about 1 Tbs kosher salt) - raining it over the bird for even distribution. Season to taste with pepper. 

Place the bird breast side up in a sauté or roasting pan and place in oven. Don't baste, don't add butter. Roast until it's done 50-60 minutes. Beware! It can get smoky! When done; remove from oven, add butter to pan juices (and thyme if using), baste with pan juices and let sit for 15 minutes. 

Paprika-Sahne-Hähnchen

 Paprika Cream Chicken

4 Chicken breasts

2 red peppers, sliced

1 green pepper, sliced

1 onion, halved and sliced

2 cloves garlic

1 dried chili pepper

200 ml cream

200 g sour cream or creme fraiche

1 tsp tomato paste

125 ml vegetable broth

1 Tbs paprika

1 tsp hot paprika

100 g grated cheese (I used Parmesan)

Oil

Salt and more paprika

Wash and dry the chicken breasts. Sprinkle with salt and paprika and place in a casserole so that the breasts will be very close to each other. Put pepper slices over chicken breasts. Heat the oil and saute the onions. Add the chili pepper and press the garlic cloves into the onion mix. Add the 2 paprikas and tomato paste. Pour in the broth and scrape up the bits. Add the cream and sour cream; salt to taste. Pour the sauce over the chicken and pepper strips, making sure all is covered by the sauce. Sprinkle with the cheese. Bake at 355 for about 30 minutes. Serve over wide egg noodles, Spätzle, or rice.

This would be even better if chicken breasts are flattened well prior to baking. Could potentially work well in the crockpot, probably on high for 4 hours or low for 6. Add cheese afterwards and then broil to melt the cheese. Possibly shred the chicken if done in the crockpot!

Country farmhouse white sourdough loaf

 65 g bubbly active starter

300 g warm water

12 g sugar

15g (1 tbsp) oil plus more for coating the pan

400 g bread flour

100 g all-purpose flour

9g fine sea salt

A few days before baking, feed your starter until bubbly and active. Store at room temperature until ready to use. 

MAKE THE DOUGH: In a large bowl, whisk the starter, water, sugar, and oil together with a fork. Add the flours and salt. Combine to form a rough dough, then finish mixing by hand to absorb all of the dry bits of flour Cover the dough with a damp towel and let rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on your schedule. Meanwhile, replenish your starter with fresh flour and water, and store according to preference. 

After the dough has rested, work it into a semi-smooth ball, about 20 seconds. The dough will feel stiff but much softer than earlier.

BULK RISE: Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let rise at room temperature, 70°F (21°C), until doubled in size, about 8 to 10 hours. 

SHAPE: Remove the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Gently dimple the surface of the dough with your fingertips to release any large air bubbles. Roll the dough into a log, tucking the ends underneath. Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly coat a 9 x 5-inch (23 x 13-cm) loaf pan with oil. With floured hands, cup the dough and pull it toward you to tighten its shape. Place into your loaf pan, seam side down.

SECOND RISE: Cover the dough, and let rest until it has risen about 1 inch (2.5 cm) above the rim of pan. This will take about 1 to 2 hours, depending on temperature.

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).

BAKE Bake the dough on the center rack for about 40 to 45 minutes. The loaf will be beautifully risen and golden brown when ready. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer the loaf to a wire rack to cool completely.

This sandwich loaf will stay fresh up to 3 to 5 days, stored in a plastic bag at room temperature.

VARIATION: For a richer sourdough, replace the water with warm milk, whole or 2%, and swap the oil for melted unsalted butter

Whole wheat Japanese milk bread

for the tangzhong:

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour

for the rest:

3/4 cup whole milk

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)

4 1/2 cups (525 g) King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour

1/2 cup rolled oats (optional; if not using, you may want to add another 1/4 to 1/3 cup White Whole Wheat Flour)

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup sugar

2 tbsp milk powder

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

2 eggs

6 tbsp (3/4 stick, or 85 g) butter

for baking:

1 egg and a splash of milk or cream (optional)

1/2 cup rolled oats (optional)

Instructions

The night before baking: In a small saucepan, whisk together 3/4 cup water and 1/4 cup bread flour until no lumps remain. Heat the mixture over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, for about 2-3 minutes. The mixture should thicken to a gel-like consistency. As soon as lines appear in the mixture when stirred, remove from heat and transfer to a small, clean bowl. Let cool to room temperature.

Next, heat the milk briefly to just above room temperature, about 110 degrees or lukewarm to the touch. I do this simply by microwaving it for 10 seconds. Sprinkle the yeast over the milk and set aside for 5-10 minutes for the yeast to activate. The milk should foam.

In the meantime, sift together the white whole wheat flour, oats (if using), salt, sugar, and milk powder in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl or a measuring cup, whisk together the tangzhong, cream, and egg.

When ready, add the milk and yeast mixture to the wet ingredients, then make a well in the flour mixture and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until the mixture forms a loose, shaggy dough. At this point, let the dough rest for 20 minutes before kneading.

Knead for 4-5 minutes, or until the dough forms a semi-smooth ball. The dough will be very, very sticky, though it should hold its shape and should not be gloppy. I found it sufficient to “knead” by using my spatula to fold the dough in on itself repeatedly.

Add the butter to the dough in batches, two to three tablespoons at a time, kneading after each addition. Add the next batch of butter only after the first has been fully incorporated. Here, I found it easier to use my hands — the butter should help the dough from sticking to your hands. Knead for an additional 4-5 minutes, or until butter is fully incorporated. Dough will still be a bit craggy. No worries. The long rise will help.

Place the dough in a large bowl with plenty of room and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel (or these wonderful dough caps). Let the dough rise overnight in the refrigerator, about 10-12 hours or at least 6 hours. The dough should be fine for up to 24 hours. If planning to do a two-day rise, decrease the yeast to 1 1/2 tsp. (Note: The dough will also be fine with a traditional 1- to 2-hour rise on the countertop at room temperature, but I prefer the overnight rise to give the whole wheat flour time to hydrate and the gluten extra time to develop. Also, this longer rise will soften the bran nicely.)

The day of baking: Line a 9×13 glass or metal baking dish with parchment paper, or butter it well. Once the dough is doubled, turn it out and roll it into a large rectangle. Cut into 24 equal pieces (for regular dinner rolls) or up to 32 or 36 for mini dinner rolls. For each piece, tuck the edges into the middle of the ball to form a smooth-topped ball, and roll a few times to create a bit of tension on the top. (Here’s a great video illustrating how. If you’re shaping these cold out of the fridge, this dough will be sturdier and less soft than the video shows, but the concept is the same.) Place seam-side down in the baking dish with the sides barely touching the next ball. Let proof until nearly doubled, another hour or so.

After about 40 minutes, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Test the dough by pressing gently with one finger; when the indentation bounces back slowly but remains visible, the dough is ready to bake. Whisk an egg with a splash of cream and brush the egg wash over the dough. Sprinkle with oats, if you like. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until golden-brown on top. When it’s done, the bread will sound hollow when tapped (or, if you have one of these most magical Thermapens, should be about 190-200 F in the center). Let cool briefly, then enjoy warm.

Find it online: https://tworedbowls.com/2016/05/24/whole-wheat-milk-bread/

Chocolate Mocha Crepe Cake

Chocolate Mocha Crepe Cake
Chocolate Crepes 

Mix in medium bowl:

2-3/4 c. (350g) flour

3/4 c. (90g) cocoa powder

2 tsp (2g) instant coffee powder

1/2 tsp (3g) salt

In large bowl mix: 

4 eggs

1/2 c. (100g) sugar

1 tsp (5g) vanilla extract

Add: 

2 c. (480mL) milk

Flour mixture - mix well

Add:

6 Tbs (80g) oil

2 c. (480mL) sparkling mineral water

Heat 9" non-stick pan over medium heat. Sprinkle a bit of oil or butter. Pour a small ladle of batter in the middle of the pan and with a circular move spread the batter to the edges of the pan. Cook the crepe until the top appears dry. Flip over and cook the other side for a few seconds. Place on cooling rack and repeat with remaining batter.

Prepare Mascarpone Mocha Frosting

In large bowl:

2lbs (1kg) Mascarpone cheese - beat until smooth

Add:

1-1/3 c. (160g) powdered sugar

1-1/2 tsp (7g) vanilla extract

3-1/2 tsp (7g) instant coffee powder

In separate bowl beat:

2-2/3 c. (640g) whipping cream until stiff peaks form.

Fold the two mixtures together.

Assembly:

Place a bit of frosting on a serving platter and place the first crepe. Spread with about 1/4 c. frosting. Top with another crepe and spread about 1/4 c. frosting. Repeat the process until the crepes are used. (I had leftovers. I used 24 crepes for this cake)

Spread the remaining frosting on top and sides of the cake, smooth the top and sides. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. 

Prepare Ganache:

4 oz. (120g) semisweet chocolate

5 oz. (140g) whipping cream

Place cream and chocolate in a heatproof bowl and place over a pan with simmering water. Melt over low heat. Use a spoon and start making drips around the edges. Spread rest of ganache over cake. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes prior to serving. Decorate with whipped cream, sprinkles, chocolate curls, chocolate covered espresso beans, etc....

French Onion Salisbury Steak

 French Onion Salisbury Steak on Cheese Toasts

1.25 lb (570g) ground chuck

1/4 c. fresh minced parsley

2 Tbs minced scallion (green onion)

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 Tbs flour

1 Tbs olive oil

2 c. onions, sliced

 1 tsp sugar

1 Tbs minced garlic

1 Tbs tomato paste

2 c. beef broth

1/4 c dry red wine

3/4 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp dried thyme

Cheese toasts

4 tsp minced fresh parsley

4 tsp shredded Parmesan cheese

Combine mince, parsley, scallion, salt and pepper. Divide evenly into 4 portions and shape each into 3/4-1" thick oval patties. Place 2 Tbs flour in a shallow dish; dredge each patty in flour. Reserve 1 Tbs flour. Heat 1 Tbs oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add patties and saute 3 minutes on each side, or until browned. Remove from pan. Add onions and sugar to pan; saute 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and tomato paste; saute 1 minutes, or until paste begins to brown. Sprinkle onions with reserved flour; cook 1 minute. Stir in broth and wine, then add the salt and thyme. Return meat to pan and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve steaks on cheese toasts with onion soup ladled over. Garnish with parsley and Parmesan.

Cheese Toast

4 slices French bread or baguette, cut diagonally about 1/2" thick

2 Tbs. softened butter

1 garlic clove, minced or pressed 

pinch of paprika

1/4 c. grated Swiss or Gruyere cheese

1 Tbs. shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400. Place bread on baking sheet. Combine butter with garlic and paprika. Spread on each slice of bread. Combine cheeses and sprinkle evenly over bread.  Bake until bread is crisp and cheese is bubbly, 10-15 minutes. 

Sesame Noodles with Shredded Chicken

 Sesame Noodles with Shredded Chicken from America's Test Kitchen

1/4 c. sesame seeds

1/4 c. chunky peanut butter

2 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed

1 inch (2.5cm) piece fresh ginger, grated or minced

5 Tbs soy sauce

2 Tbs rice vinegar

1 tsp hot sauce (Tabasco)

2 Tbs brown sugar

~5 Tbs hot water

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 pounds or 680g)

1 Tbs salt

1 lb (454g) fresh Chinese egg noodles or 12 oz (340g) dried spaghetti noodles

2 Tbs sesame oil

4 scallions, sliced thin on the diagonal

1 medium carrot, peeled and grated

Toast the sesame seeds in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Reserve 1 Tbs in a small bowl. In a blender or food processor, puree the remaining 3 Tbs sesame seeds, peanut butter, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, hot sauce, and sugar until smooth, about 30 seconds. With the machine running, add hot water 1 Tbs at a time until the sauce has the consistency of heavy cream. 

Bring 6qts water to a boil in a stockpot over high heat. Meanwhile, adjust an oven rack to 6 inches from the broiler. Spray the pan with cooking spray; place the chicken breasts on top and broil the chicken until lightly browned, 4-8 minutes. Using tongs, flip the chicken over and continue to broil until the thickest part is no longer pink and temp at the thickest part reads 160°F (71°C) - 6-8minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Using 2 forks, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces and set aside. Add salt and noodles to the boiling water. Boil fresh noodles 4 minutes or dried noodles for 10, until tender. Drain, then rinse with cold water until cool to the touch; drain again. In a large bowl, toss the noodles with the sesame oil until evenly coated. Add the shredded chicken, scallions, carrot and sauce; toss to combine. Sprinkle with reserved sesame seeds.

Red chili flakes, coarsely chopped peanuts or cashews, or stir-fried veggies are all other options to add in and make this dish your own!

Parmesan Hashbrowns

 From Gourmet magazine:

PARMESAN HASHBROWNS

7 Tbs olive oil

1/2 c finely chopped onion

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2lb Yukon gold potatoes

1oz finely grated Parmesan cheese

Heat 1/4 c oil in 10" nonstick skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Cook onion with salt and pepper until soft, 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally; remove from heat.

Peal potatoes and coarsely grate. Squeeze in a cheesecloth or tea towel and put in large bowl. Add onion mixture to potatoes, stirring to coat potatoes and then stir in cheese. (Don't clean pan)

Hear 2 Tbs oil in skillet over moderate heat until hot. Add potatoes and press firmly into a cake, rounding edges. Cover and cook 10-12 minutes. Slide out onto a plate, cover with skillet and flip back into skillet. Drizzle final 1 Tbs oil around edges of cake, cover and cook another 10 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.

Sourdough pancakes

SOURDOUGH PANCAKES

 1c (275g) whole milk

½c (110g) sourdough starter discard

1-1/4c (160g) flour

Combine in a bowl big enough for pre-dough to rise. Cover with plastic wrap and leave on counter overnight.

In morning add:

2 beaten eggs

2 Tbs. sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 Tbs melted and cooled butter

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Cook on griddle set to about 300-325°.

Sourdough Bread

 Simply simplifying the recipe/instructions from this site.

50-100g bubbly, active starter

375g warm water

500 g bread flour

9-11g fine sea salt

Whisk the starter and water together in a large bowl. Add the flour and salt. Mix to combine, finishing by hand if necessary to form a rough dough. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, grab a corner of the dough and pull it up and into the center. Repeat until you've performed this series of folds 4-5 times with the dough. Let dough rest for another 30 minutes and repeat the stretching and folding action. If you have the time, do this twice more for a total of 4 times in 2 hours.

Cover the bowl with a towel and let rise at room temperature about 8-10 hours at 70°. The dough is ready when it has increased by 50% in volume, has a few bubbles on the surface, and jiggles when you move the bowl from side to side. (If you use 100g starter, it may take less time. Also if it is warm or humid it will take less time).

Coax the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently shape it into a round: fold the top down to the center, turn the dough, fold the top down to the center, turn the dough; repeat until you've come full circle. Rest, seam side up, for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, line an 8" bowl or proofing basket with a towel and dust with rice flour. Using a bench scraper, shape the dough again into a round and place, seam side up, in the proofing bowl.

Cover and refrigerate for 1-48 hours. 

Place a Dutch oven in the oven and pre-heat to 550°. Cut a piece of parchment to fit the Dutch oven.

Place the parchment over the dough and invert the bowl to release. Score the dough and use the parchment to carefully transfer the dough into the preheated baking pot. 

Lower the oven temperature to 450° and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid, lower the temperature to 400° and continue to bake for 10-15 minutes.If necessary, lift the loaf out of the pot, and bake directly on the oven rack for the last 5-10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour before slicing.

Microwave Cheesecake for one

For those days when no cheesecake is not an option! 

Cheesecake in a mug 

3Tbs cream cheese 

1/3c sour cream 

1/2tsp vanilla 

1Tbs sugar 

1 egg white 

1tsp flour

Oreo cookie crumbs

Place a few cookie crumbs in the bottom of a microwave-safe mug. Blend all other ingredients until smooth. Add a few cookie crumbs to the batter and pour into the mug. Microwave in 15 second intervals until center bubbles. Center will be jiggly and edges more done. Let cool to room temperature and then refrigerate for 2 hours. Enjoy! 

Salsa verde

So, we've learned to love salsa verde and so that I don't have to wade through an entire YouTube video to put this all together, I'm going to put the recipe right here.

Salsa Verde

10-15 tomatillos, husked and stemmed

5 jalapenos, stemmed

A bit of water

2 garlic cloves

1 tsp salt

a bit of cilantro

lime juice

finely diced white onion

Put tomatillos, jalapenos and a little bit of water into a saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat. Cook until tomatillos are bursting and jalapenos are soft. Put into a blender with some of the liquid, add garlic and salt and cilantro. Blend until smooth. In saucepan, heat 2 Tbs. oil and add blended mixture back to pan, and stir in the oil until well blended. Add lime juice to taste. After it has cooled, add finely diced white onions for a bit of crunch. It will be spicy!! Freezes well.

Tacos carnitas

We celebrated Cinco de Mayo and Taco Tuesday in spite of Corona! Kent especially loves the crispy bits of meat and this recipe makes for lots of those crispy gems! The only thing we decided is that next time we need more jalapeños in the salsa Verde as this just wasn't spicy enough!

Carnitas
2 medium onions
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
3 pounds boneless pork butt (shoulder), rind removed, cut into 2-inch cubes
Kosher salt
1 medium orange
6 cloves garlic, split in half
2 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick, broken into three or four pieces
1/4 cup vegetable oil
6 medium tomatillos (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and split in half
2 jalapeño peppers, split in half lengthwise, stem removed
3 limes, cut into wedges
1 cup crumbled queso fresco or feta
24 corn tortillas
Directions
1.
Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 275 degrees. Cut one onion into fine dice and combine with cilantro. Refrigerate until needed. Split remaining onion into quarters. Set aside. Season pork chunks with 1 tablespoon salt and place in a 9 by 13 glass casserole dish. The pork should fill the dish with no spaces. Split orange into quarters and squeeze juice over pork. Nestle squeezed orange pieces into casserole. Add 2 onion quarters, 4 cloves garlic, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick to casserole. Nestle everything into an even layer. Pour vegetable oil over surface. Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil and place in oven. Cook until pork is fork tender, about 3 1/2 hours.

2.
Set large fine-meshed strainer 1 quart liquid measure or bowl. Using tongs, remove orange peel, onion, garlic, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves from pork. Transfer pork and liquid to strainer. Let drain for 10 minutes. Transfer pork back to casserole. You should end up with about 1/2 cup liquid and 1/2 cup fat. Using a flat spoon or de-fatter, skim fat from surface and add back to pork. Shred pork into large chunks with fingers or two forks. Season to taste with salt. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Transfer remaining liquid to medium saucepot.

3.
Add tomatillos, remaining 2 onion quarters, remaining 2 garlic cloves, and jalapeños to saucepot with strained pork liquid. Add water until it is about 1-inch below the top of the vegetables. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a simmer, and cook until all vegetables are completely tender, about 10 minutes. Blend salsa with hand blender or in a stand-up blender until smooth. Season to taste with salt. Allow to cool and refrigerate until ready to use.

4.
To serve: Place casserole dish with pork 4-inches under a high broiler and broil until brown and crisp on surface, about 6 minutes. Remove pork, stir with a spoon to expose new bits to heat, and broil again for 6 more minutes until crisp. Tent with foil to keep warm.

5.
Meanwhile, heat tortillas. Preheat an 8-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Working one tortilla at a time, dip tortilla in bowl filled with water. Transfer to hot skillet and cook until water evaporates from first side and tortilla is browned in spots, about 30 seconds. Flip and cook until dry, about 15 seconds longer. Transfer tortilla to a tortilla warmer, or wrap in a clean dish towel. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

6.
To eat, stack two tortillas on top of each other. Add two to three tablespoons carnitas mixture to center. Top with salsa verde, chopped onions and cilantro, and queso fresco. Serve with lime wedges

Favorite tri-tip recipe

Santa Maria tri-tip roast

From NYT Cooking 

1 whole tri-tip, about 2 pounds
3 tablespoons beef rub of your choice or from this recipe (2 tablespoons finely ground coffee
1 ½ tablespoons kosher salt
1 ½ tablespoons granulated garlic
1 heaping teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon brown sugar
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon cinnamon)

PREPARATION
Trim silver skin. The meat may have a thick layer of fat, some of which can be sliced off, but keep a good amount to help baste meat.
Sprinkle meat with rub and massage lightly all over. Cover and refrigerate at least an hour or as long as overnight. Remove from refrigerator an hour before cooking.

To oven-roast a tri-tip, prepare meat with rub and refrigerate as instructed. Heat oven to 175°C degrees. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil or other cooking oil to a large, heavy ovenproof pan. On stovetop, heat on high until pan is very hot, then add tri-tip, fat side down. Turn heat to medium-high and sear roast for about 4 minutes. Turn the roast and put it in the oven. Cook it for about 10 minutes a pound, checking with an instant-read thermometer until it reaches 54°C for medium-rare. Let sit for 15 minutes before slicing against the grain.
To grill the tri-tip:
Prepare charcoal grill or heat a gas grill to high. Place roast on grill and sear one side well, 6 to 8 minutes, checking for flare-ups. Turn the roast and sear other side for about the same time. Then lower gas to medium-high or move the meat to a cooler part of the charcoal grill.
Turn meat again and cook another 8 to 10 minutes. Flip and cook again. A 2-pound roast will require about 20 to 25 minutes total cooking time. The roast is ready when an instant-read thermometer reaches 54°C when inserted into the thickest part of the meat.
Rest roast on a cutting board 10 to 20 minutes. Slice against the grain. The roast is shaped like a boomerang, so either cut it in half at the center of the angle, or slice against the grain on one side, turn the roast and slice against the grain on the other side.

Brown-sugar balsamic glazed pork tenderloin

Crockpot Brown Sugar Balsamic Glazed Pork Tenderloin

Serves: 6

 

Ingredients

2 pounds Pork tenderloin

1 teaspoon Ground sage

½ teaspoon Salt

¼ teaspoon Pepper

1 clove Garlic; crushed

½ cup Water

½ cup Brown sugar

1 tablespoon Cornstarch

¼ cup Balsamic Vinegar

½ cup Water

2 tablespoons Soy sauce

Instructions

Mix together the seasonings: sage, salt, pepper and garlic.

Rub over tenderloin. Place ½ cup water in slow cooker; place tenderloin in slow cooker.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

hour before the roast is finished, mix together the ingredients for the glaze in a small sauce pan: brown sugar, cornstarch, balsamic vinegar, water, soy sauce.

Heat over medium and stir until mixture thickens, about 4 minutes.

 

Brush roast with glaze 2 or 3 times during the last hour of cooking. (For a more caramelized crust: remove from crockpot and place on aluminum lined sheet pan, glaze, and set under broiler for 1-2 minutes until bubbly and caramelized. Repeat 2 to 3 more times until desired crust is achieved.)

Serve with remaining glaze on the side.