Beer Braised Brisket with Vegetables

What a wonderful Sunday meal. I was going to make dirty rice for dinner but decided to make this brisket instead since I had some time to prepare it. I have to admit that this is only the second time I've made a brisket. I don't know why, it is such a yummy cut of meat when cooked low and slow. I used this Emeril recipe and of course I modified it a bit. Just a bit though, everything about this recipe is delicious. Instead of using a dutch oven I ended up using my very large cast iron skillet. I love this thing, it is just so versatile that I recommend every cook get one. I served the brisket and veggies over egg noodles and spooned the sauce over the sliced meat and veggies.

Braised Brisket

4 slices of bacon, chopped (I used 6 slices)

1 (2-pound) beef brisket

Essence, recipe follows (Pretty close to his essence, but I used cayenne, dried basil, garlic powder, onion powder, S&P, and dried oregano)

2 large onions, sliced thinly

4 cloves garlic, smashed

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 (12-ounce) bottle beer (not dark)

1 cup beef broth (I ended up using another cup toward the end of cooking)

2 carrots, cut crosswise into 1 1/2-inch-thick pieces

1 boiling potato, cut into (I used 2 medium russetts)

1-inch pieces

1 turnip, cut into 1-inch pieces (omitted, I didn't have any)

Cooked buttered noodles, as accompaniment

1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves (omitted only because I forgot)
I added 2 sliced celery stalks

Preheat oven to 350

In a Dutch oven, cook bacon in 1 tablespoon water over moderate heat until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Pat brisket dry and season with salt, pepper and essence. Brown in bacon fat. Transfer brisket to platter. Add the onions to the Dutch oven and cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste. Cook 1 minute more. Add beer, broth, and bacon bits. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer. Braise the brisket, covered, in the oven for 2 to 3 hours. Add carrots, potatoes, and turnips for the last 45 minutes.
Transfer the brisket and vegetables with a slotted spoon to a plate and keep warm, covered. Bring the braising liquid to a boil. Let sauce reduce over high heat until thickened. Season sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper. Slice the brisket and arrange it and the vegetables with the noodles on a platter. Spoon some of the sauce over the brisket and the vegetables, sprinkle the dish of parsley, and serve the remaining sauce separately.

Banana Nut Toffee Chocolate Chip Bars

Now that'a a mouthful. It seems that whenever I have bananas there are always at least 2 left waiting to be baked into something sinful. I didn't want to do a bread or a muffin, and Chad wanted cookies. I probably browsed about a thousand recipes looking for a crispy banana chocolate chip cookie, but to no avail. So I decided to make a bar instead. I used this recipe as a guide but added a few extra ingredients.

Banana Nut Toffee Chocolate Chip Bars

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 medium mashed ripe bananas (I used 2 med.)
1 large egg
2 cups (I only used one cup)
2 tablespoons powdered sugar

I added:

1/2 cup toffee bits

1/2 cup pecan pieces

Preheat oven to 350

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl until creamy. Beat in bananas and egg. Gradually beat in flour mixture; stir in morsels. Spread into prepared jelly-roll pan.

Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Peanut Butter Banana Cupcakes

My friend Jen's bday was last Friday. And Jen loves her peanut butter banana sandwiches, so I thought I'd make a treat for her birthday. I couldn't wait to try this recipe either. The picture looked so good, I couldn't resist. I made these after the Nestie ornament get together, so I admit I was a little tipsy. ; ) But even with my buzz, they came out wonderfully. I love the caramalized banana on the top, and the suprise peanut center is delicious!

Peanut Butter Banana Cupcakes with Caramel Glaze

(this is the original recipe from Chockylit, I made some modifications)

11 tablespoons unsalted butter

9 ounces best-quality semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used chips)

5 ounces best-quality bitter-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used milk choc. chips)

1-1/3 cup sugar

4 large eggs

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 pinch salt

1/2 cup mashed banana (from 1 medium banana) (I used 1 cup/2 med. bananas)

1. melt butter and semi-sweet chocolate over a bain marie

2. whisk together eggs and sugar

3. add flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt, mix to combine

4. add melted chocolate/butter mixture, mix to combine

5. stir in mashed banana

6. fill cupcake tins about 1/3 full, drop a teaspoon of peanut butter mixture into each tin, top off with cupcake batter to about 2/3's full

7. bake for ~20 minutes or until a crust forms on the cupcakes

Caramel Glaze

2 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons half and half

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. in a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter

2. add milk and brown sugar, stir to combine

3. boil vigorously for 1 minute

4. remove from heat and beat in 1/2 cup powdered sugar

5. cool slightly then and beat in the vanilla and remaining powdered sugar, add more half in half if necessary (I used a couple more Tbs. of milk and 1/4 cup more sugar)

6. quickly spoon over cupcakes before glaze sets

Cashew Chicken Wonton Cups

This recipe was inspired by bakingblonde of the "What's Cooking" board on the nest. I was having trouble coming up with an appetizer for the Atlanta Nestie Ornament Exchange, and she had suggested wonton cups. I really didn't know what I wanted to fill them with so I sort of made up a cashew chicken recipe.

I ended up marinating the chicken overnight and then sauteed the veggies and chicken the next day. They really came out great. They look so cute, and there are endless possibilities of what to fill them with.

Cashew Chicken (My amts. are approximate, I really just threw this together.)

The marinade:

• 2 large boneless/skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 Tbs. oyster sauce
• 1 tbs. honey
• 2 garlic cloves roughly chopped
• 1/2 " of ginger peeled and grated
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• couple dashes ground red pepper
• few drops sirracha (asian chili sauce)
• 1 tbs. ketchup
• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

Combine all ingrediens together and pour over chicken in a large zip lock bag. Let marinate at least one hour or overnight for more flavor. When finished marinating cut into small pieces.

Putting it together

• 1 Tbs. peanut or canola oil
• 1 1/2 cups crimini mushrooms small dice
• 1 cup water chestnuts small dice
• 1/2 red onion small dice
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 red pepper small diced
• 1 cup unsalted roasted chashews
• 1 Tbs. hoisin
• 1/2 cup chicken stock or broth
• Pepper
• chopped parsley for garnish

Heat oil in a large skillet over med. heat. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink about 5 minutes. Add veggies (except garlic) and saute for 5 more minutes. Add garlic, hoisin, pepper, and stock and bring to a simmer. simmer for about 20 minutes until sauce has reduced by half. Mix in cashew and fill wonton cups with filling. Top with chopped parsley.

• Wonton cups
• wonton wrapper
• cooking spray
• mini muffin tin

Preheat oven to 350. spray muffn tin with cooking spray, and fit wonton wrappers in the cups. Spray the wontons with cooking spray and cook in oven for 7-8 minutes or until crispy

A Good 'Ol Alton Recipe

Being pressed for time this evening because we had an advent service to attend, Chad elected to make dinner. He had a pretty early day, well a little earlier than mine. I had picked up some cubed steaks at Publix because they were so darn cheap. I think I've only made cube steak once. And it was horribly tough. But I bought these steaks anyway because I remembered an episode I saw on Good Eats where Alton made a "Country Style Steak" using cube steak. They looked so tender on the show, I wanted to try the recipe. And this was the perfect night. Since Chad was coming home earlier than I, he could get them started and let it cook slow in the oven for 2 hours. When they were finished I removed the steaks and made a gravy from the juices.

The result was very yummy, but I think something else could have been added. I'm still on the fence about what though. I madI served this with Trader Joe's harves grains and roasted asparagus.

Country Style Steak an Alton Recipe

• 2 pounds beef bottom round, trimmed of excess fat
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil or bacon drippings (is it sad I had bacon drippings saved, lol)
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  

Preheat oven to 300 degrees

Cut the meat with the grain into 1/2-inch thick slices and season on both sides with salt and pepper. Place the flour into a pie pan. Dredge the pieces of meat on both sides in the flour. Tenderize the meat, using a needling device, until each slice is 1/4-inch thick. Dredge in the flour again and set aside.
Add enough of the vegetable oil or bacon fat to just cover the bottom of a 4 to 5-quart Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the steaks to the pan, being careful not to overcrowd. Cook until golden brown on both sides, approximately 2 minutes per side. Remove the steaks to a plate and repeat until all of the steaks have been browned.
Remove the last steaks from the pot and add the chicken broth and thyme and whisk until the liquid just comes to a boil. Return the steaks to the pot and make sure they are all submerged in the liquid. Cover the pot and place it in the oven on the middle rack. Cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the meat is tender and falling apart.

The Asparagus

• Handful asparagus
• olive oil for tossing
• salt and pepper

Roast in oven for 10-15 minutes (longer if they are thick). So simple but very delicious!

Pork Chops with Mustard Cream

When we were at the grocery store Saturday, Chad had mentioned that he was craving pork chops. So into the cart they went. We chose bone-in chops since they have so much more flavor. I'm always on the hunt for a good pork chop recipe, one that is relatively quick (meaning without brining) and not a ton of ingredients. I looked on line for some recipes and found one here, but I modified it a bit. I'm glad I tried this recipe, the chops turned out so moist and yummy and the sauce was perfect for the mashed potatoes I whipped up. I'm sure to make this dish again.

Pork Chops with Mustard Cream

• 4 1 inch thick bone in pork chops
• Flour for dusting chops
• Salt and Pepper
• 3 Tbs. butter divided
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1 cup crimini mushrooms
• 2 large cloves of garlic minced
• 1 1/2 cup chicken stock warmed
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 Tbs. dijon mustard

Heat oven to 350

Season chops with salt and pepper and dust with flour. Heat 2 Tbs. of butter and 1 Tbs. olive oil in a large skillet over med. high heat. Brown chops on each side for about 3 minutes. Transfer to another plate and keep warm. Add the rest of the butter and olive oil to the pan and add the onions and mushrooms. Saute for about 5 minutes, add garlic and saute 2 minutes more. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and let reduce by 1/2 about 6-8 minutes. Add warm stock, and stir contents together. Add chops cover with foil and cook for about 15 minutes covered. Uncover and cook about 5-10 minutes more. Remove chops to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Return skillet to burner and heat juices over med. low heat. Add heavy cream and let reduce to become thick. remove from burner and add dijon mix thoroughly.

Serve chops and sauce over mashed potatoes

Mashed Potatoes

• 4 med. sized russet potatoes
• 3 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup hot milk
• salt and pepper

Peel and cut potatoes into chunks. cover with cold water and heat to a boil. Lower heat to get a gentle boil and cook for about 15 minutes or until fork tender. Remove from heat drain and put back in pot. Turn heat to low and shake pot to remove excess moisture. Add butter and salt and mash with a masher. Add milk and remove from heat. Continue to mash until you get your desired consistency.

Curried Beef and Vegetables

Last Friday a friend made curry chicken for our lunch club. Since then, I have been wanting more of that spicy flavor. I had some chuck cut up for stew so I thought that I would make a curry dish with it. I really ran with this idea and just started thinking of what I had on hand to throw in the 'ol cast iron skillet. It took a while to cook, but unless I wanted chewy meat I had to let it simmer for a couple hours. And within those couple of hours I was asked when it would be ready a dozen times. You see, the aroma of this dish coming together is hard to ignore. And oh how it will make your stomach growl. So I suggest if you plan to make it you find something to do outside in the yard. : )

Curried Beef and Vegetables

• 2 lbs. beef chuck cut into cubes
• 1/2 cup flour (for dusting)
• Salt and Pepper for seasoning beef
• 3 Tbs. canola oil
• 1 can beef broth
• 1 can diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 1/2 cups 2% greek yogurt
• 1 green pepper sliced into 1/2 in pieces
• 1 onion diced
• 1 large carrot sliced
• 2 large potatoes diced
• 1/2 " ginger finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 1/2 Tbs. curry powder
• 1 Tbs. garam masala
• 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 2 tsp. ground coriander
• 2 tsp. cumin
• 2 tsp. paprika

Dust the beef with flour and in a large skillet over med. high heat add oil. Brown beef on all sides, about 4 minutes and transfer to another plate. Add onions, pepper, carrot and potatoes. Saute for about 6-8 minutes. Add garlic, ginger and spices and cook a few minutes more. Add tomatoes and deglaze the pan with the juices getting all the bit from the bottom. Add yogurt and mix well. Add browned beef back to pan. Add beef broth (warmed) and stir to combine. Let simmer covered for 1 1/2 hours. Remove foil add almonds and simmer another 30-45 minutes. Serve over rice and garnish with parsley.

Smoked Turkey Monte Cristo

Wow. This sure is The Sandwich of Sandwich's. After church Chad and I usually go out for a light lunch, but since we had gone grocery shopping yesterday we decided to eat lunch at home. I bought some great French Boule bread from Trader Joe's and I was excited to use it for sandwiches. As I was looking for exciting ways to make my turkey sandwich, I remembered the Monte Cristo. Not the battered and fried one from Bennigan's, but the french-toast type.

I looked for some advice on cooking online but ended up doing it my own way. This is a huge sandwich, I cold only eat half. The slices of the boule were about 7" long, so this can definitely be something you share.

Smoked Turkey Monte Cristo

• 3 slices of french boule bread (you can substitute and egg bread or just plain white bread)
• 6 slices smoked turkey breast
• 2 slices fontina cheese
• 2 slices havarti cheese
• 1 Tbs. seedless raspberry preserves
• 1 Tbs. dijon mustard
• 1 egg
• 2 Tbs. milk
• 3 Tbs. unsalted butter
• powdered sugar for dusting

Butter 2 sides of the boule and flip. Layer turkey and on two sides of the boule. Layer cheeses on top of turkey. Mix together the raspberry and dijon and spread on both sides of the unbuttered piece. Assemble and cut in half. Mix egg and water, and dip both sides of the halved sandwich. Melt butter in a med. sized sauce pan over medium heat and when it foams add the sandwich. Let cook for a couple minutes and flip. Repeat with the other half. Dust with powder sugar and enjoy!

Lemon Thyme and Rosemary Roasted Chicken with a side of Rice Medley

I love roasting chickens. It is so easy, and it is fun to come up with different flavor combinations. Tonight I browsed through my fridge and found that I had fresh thyme, fresh rosemary, and lemons. Combine those ingredients with butter, lots of garlic, and onion, and this chicken was good to go.
The side dish tonight I call a "Rice Medely". It wasn't anything I had planned on doing I just started adding things. It contains long grain rice, lentils, vermicelli, walnut pieces, celery, onion, garlic and a couple dried herbs. So what am I supposed to call it? Yeah, that's why it is a "Rice Medley". I would like to say that this little side dish was freaking awesome. Especially with the pan gravy I made with the drippings from the chicken. I'm glad I have leftovers.

Lemon Thyme and Rosemary Roasted Chicken

• 1 31/2 -4 lb chicken rinsed, patted dry and giblets removed

For the Cavity:

• 2 sprigs thyme
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1 whole lemon halved (juice reserved)
• 1 onion quartered
• 6 garlic cloves
• salt and pepper

Stuff cavity with all ingredients and tie legs together with butcher twine

Rub:

• 1 sprig thyme and 1 sprig rosemary leaves removed
• juice of lemon
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 3 TBS. unsalted butter
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1tsp. pepper
• 1 cup chicken stock

Put all ingredients in processor and blend thoroughly. Massage into bird making sure to get under the skin. Put bird in roasting pan add stock and roast for 30 minutes breast side up. Turn chicken and roast another 35-40 minutes breast side down. Cover with foil for the next 10-15 minutes so skin does not overcook. When thickest part of thigh reads 180 on a meat thermometer the bird is ready. Take out of oven put on carving board to rest for 15 minutes. (cover with foil to retain heat.)

Rice Medley

• 1 1/2 cups long grain rice
• 1/2 cup lentils
• 3/4 cup vermicelli
• 1/2 cup walnut pieces
• 2 stalks celery chopped
• 1/2 cup onion diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 3 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 2 tsp. dried rosemary
• 2 tsp. dried basil
• 3 1/2 cups chicken stock
• tsp. salt and pepper to taste

Heat butter in a medium sized sauce pan over medium heat. Add onions and celery and sauted until onions are limp and transluscent. Add garlic, rice and vermicelli and saute for about 2 minutes. Add lentils, herbs, salt, pepper and stock and bring to a boil. When mixture comes to a boil reduce heat to low cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes.