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Friday, October 19, 2012

Druid's Easy Alfredo Sauce

This sauce I just made tonight. It was delicious; much better than the 'easy' alfredo sauce I tried to make a few weeks ago. I used mild Italian sausage, making the sauce in the same skillet I cooked the sausage in, without removing the meat or drippings. So If it needs a little work to go with other meats, such as chicken or shrimp, please, let me know.

1 Pint Half and Half
1 Cup Cream Cheese
2 TBSP Butter
2 TBSP Finely Minced Garlic
1/2 Cup Chopped Onion
1/2 Cup Chopped Button Mushrooms
1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 TBSP Olive Oil
1/4 Cup Parsley Flakes

1: Combine olive oil, garlic, onion, and mushrooms in a hot skillet, and sauté until onions become soft and begin to turn clear.

2: Stir in the half and half and add the butter. Heat this mixture to a light boil, stirring frequently.

3: Once the sauce begin to bubble, add in the cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, and parsley flakes. Continue to stir until the cream cheese is melted down and blended into the sauce.

4: Salt and pepper to taste, and pour over your favorite pasta. This sauce will thicken as it cools, and if it is too runny for your taste, add a little more Parmesan cheese. Serve, and enjoy!

Now, as I said above, I had cooked sausage in the skillet before hand, and left the meat and drippings in the pan as I made the sauce, which definitely added its own unique flavor to the sauce. So keep this in mind if you are preparing this with chicken, shrimp, or some other favorite meat. Try this out, make it your own, and let me know how it turns out for you! Also, when the sauce was done, I sprinkled some shredded Parmesan and Mozzarella cheeses over top, but this is completely optional. Serve with your favorite bread sticks or garlic toast, and enjoy this creamy delicious sauce.

~Bon Appétit~


Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Hot Spiced Mead

We are officially in fall, and it's time to start talking about warm drinks to sip by a fireplace on those chilly nights. What is better than a true Viking classic: Spiced Mead.

1 Bottle of Mead (Honeywine)
1 Cup Kentucky Bourbon (Wild Turkey)
3 Cinnamon sticks
1 TBSP Ground Nutmeg
1 TBSP Brown Sugar
1 TBSP Ground Ginger
8 whole cloves

1: Place the cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, sugar, cloves, and ginger into a pouch made of cheesecloth or some other porous cloth that will allow the spices to meld with the liquid. Tie the pouch closed with a piece of string and place into a large pot or slow cooker.

2: Pour both the mead and bourbon into the pot, covering the pouch of spices. Heat ingredients until the liquid is steaming and the spices have steeped into the wine. Remove from heat and remove the pouch of spices. Serve immediately by ladling the mulled mead into mugs or drinking horns. Garnish each mug with a stick of cinnamon or a peppermint stick for stirring and extra flavor. 

Serve this with your favorite snacks, or as a late-night sip before bed. I like to pair this with some homemade gingerbread cookies or fresh apple pie. You can do this with other wines as well. For a red wine: replace the mead with a sweet red wine (such as a Port), and replace the bourbon with brandy. For a white wine: replace the mead with a sweet white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc or Muscat), and replace the bourbon with calvados (Apple Brandy).

~Bon Appétit~

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Creamy Chicken Carbonara

This is a favorite dish of mine when I go out, so I did some research and taught myself how to make it as well. It goes well with any pasta, on rice, or even as the filling for a hot sandwich. Since we are in the fall months, and things are cooling down, I figured this was a perfect time to share this recipe.

4-6 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs, chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
1 LB. of Hickory Smoked Bacon, chopped into roughly 1/2 inch pieces
2 Cups Heavy Cream
1 Cup Diced Yellow Onion or Shallots
1/2 Cup Chopped Button Mushrooms
1 TSP Finely Minced Garlic
2 TBSP Butter
1 Cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1/4 Cup shredded Asiago Cheese
1/4 Cup shredded Provalone Cheese
4 Egg Yolks

1: In a large sauce pan sauté the chopped bacon until golden brown but still tender. Drain off half the grease and add the butter, chicken, garlic, mushrooms, and onion. Cook until chicken is tender.

2: Add the cream, and salt and pepper to taste, then heat to boiling, stirring frequently.

3: Stir in the grated cheese and egg yolks, mixing the ingredients together well. Serve over rice, pasta, in a bread bowl, or on a sandwich. Sprinkle with the shredded cheeses and enjoy immediately.

This is a warm, hearty, flavor-filled dish that I fell in love with years ago, and when I like something, I have to figure out how to replicate it. Feel free to add peas, olives, try different cheeses, or even use mild Italian sausage instead of chicken. Make this dish your own, and enjoy it with friends and family.

~Bon Appétit~

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

This is my version of a Mexican classic. It's tasty, simple, and packs a kick of heat with it. Although this takes a few hours to prepare, the results are just downright perfect. You will need a slow cooker, and a 9x13 baking dish. I've split this into two sections so it is easier to follow.

Slow Cooker:

4-6 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 Small Can Chipolte Peppers in Adobo Sauce (this can be found in the Mexican aisle of most grocery stores)
14-16 ounces of canned Tomato sauce
14-16 ounces of canned diced tomatoes, undrained
1 Cup Pace Medium Salsa

1: Combine the breasts, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and salsa into a crock pot or similar slow cooker. Turn cooking temperature dial to High.

2: Add in 3-4 peppers from the can of chipoltes, you may leave these whole, or dice them up for even more heat. Pour in some of the onions and liquid from the can as well.

3: Cook on high for 4-5 hours, or until the chicken shreds easily. Separate the chicken from the sauce, saving both for later. Allow chicken to cool before shredding.

Baking Dish:

1 Package of Large Flour Tortillas
2 Cups of shredded Medium Cheddar Cheese
2 Cups of shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
2 Cups of shredded Mozzarella Cheese
14-16 Ounces of Red Enchilada Sauce
2 Cups of Colby Jack Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees

1: Spray a deep 9x13 baking dish with non-stick spray if needed, and pour in a 1/4-1/2 inch layer of the sauce created in the slow cooker.

2: Combine cheddar, monterey jack, and mozzarella cheeses into a bowl with the cooled, shredded chicken. Place 2-3 tablespoons of this mixture into the center of a tortilla and wrap it tightly with the tortilla. Place the filled tortilla into the baking dish. Continue this until you run out of chicken-cheese mixture, or you run out of space in the baking dish, leaving little or no gap between the tortillas in the dish.

3: Using a spoon, evenly cover the tortillas with the enchilada sauce. Spread the colby jack cheese over the dish as evenly as possible, covering as much as you can. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil, shiny side down, and place into the oven.

4: Bake for 30 minutes in the 350 degree oven, then remove the aluminum foil and continue baking for another 10 minutes. Remove dish from the oven, and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

These are great on their own, but I often pair them with a side of refried beans or Spanish-style rice. I serve them with a dollop of sour cream on top, and a side of salsa for dipping. Feel free to try this recipe with beef or pork, and make it your own. When I pour the sauce from the slow cooker into the baking dish, I try to make sure to remove the chipolte peppers, but if you like really spicy food, it is ultimately up to you to leave them in.

~Bon Appétit~

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Sunday, October 14, 2012

Skillet Baked Ziti



A delicious recipe sent to me by a good friend. Scrumptious and easy baked Ziti. I would suggest serving this with italian sausage or grilled chicken. A nice juicy andouille sausage would be pretty awesome as well. 

1 Tbsp. olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp salt, divided
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes (San Marzano if you can find and afford them)
3 cups water
12 oz. ziti, rigatoni, or penne (only 12 oz.!)
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
¼ cup minced fresh basil leaves
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat to 475°.

Combine oil, garlic, pepper flakes, and ½ tsp salt in 12 inch, oven-safe nonstick skillet (make sure pan is cold when you start) and sauté over medium high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add pasta, stir into oil mixture to coat. Add tomatoes, water, and ½ tsp. salt. Cover and cook, stirring often and adjusting heat as needed to maintain vigorous simmer, until pasta is almost tender, about 15 to 18 minutes.

Stir in heavy cream, parmesan cheese, and basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cook’s note: If your skillet is not oven-safe, transfer the pasta mixture into a shallow 2 quart casserole dish before sprinkling with cheese and baking.

Sprinkle mozzarella evenly over pasta. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until cheese has melted and browned, about 10 minutes.

~Bon Appétit~