Dinner Tonight... Celebrate Fat Tuesday with New Orleans Creole Jambalaya

Fat Tuesday is a great day each year to celebrate one of the things I love most--FOOD!  It's the day before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent.  From Ash Wednesday to Easter, many people "fast" or abstain from certain foods or physical pleasures, for 40 days. This is done by many Christians to imitate Jesus' 40-day fast in the wilderness.

Regardless of religion, many use Fat Tuesday as an excuse to eat great food and celebrate Mardi Gras.  So in honor of any food-related holiday, I like to celebrate with an appropriate recipe.  New Orleans is the home to one of the biggest Mardi Gras celebrations in the world - so what better to do than to enjoy a New Orleans style Jambalaya??


Jambalaya is a Louisiana Creole dish of Spanish and French influence.  It's like a spicy surf-and-turf if you make it with sausage and shrimp like I do.  And here's a tip -- save time by buying frozen shrimp already peeled, deveined, and tail-off; then thaw it in the refrigerator or under cold, running water when you're ready to cook!


I know the ingredients list is going to look long and intimidating - but the majority are the added spices for the New Orleans kick!  Otherwise, it's simply rice, sausage, shrimp, red bell pepper, onion, tomatoes, and chicken broth.  And I put the ingredients in order of which you add them... it's not that hard -- I promise!

New Orleans Jambalaya 

with Shrimp and Andouille Sausage

(from Cooking Light)

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 tbsp minced garlic
6 oz andouille sausage (sliced)
1 cup uncooked long-gran wild rice
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1 bay leaf
2 cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup water
1tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce
1 can (about 15oz) no salt-added diced tomatoes (don't drain!)
1/2 lb shrimp
2 tbsp chopped, fresh parsley


Preparation:
- In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat.
- Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, and sausage; saute 5 minutes (or until veggies are tender).
- Add rice and next 7 ingredients (paprika through bay leaf) and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add next 5 ingredients (chicken broth through the can of tomatoes), and bring to a boil.
- Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add shrimp and cook an additional 5 minutes (make sure the shrimp are pink).
- Let stand for 5 minutes.
- Discard the bay leaf (it's only added for the flavor) and stir in some parsley.


AND VOILE!

Beads, Creole food, and lot's of fun... 

It will be a party second to none!

Happy Fat Tuesday!

Packers Win! A Super Bowl (and Anytime) IRRESISTIBLE DIP

This is a McCormick Family FAVORITE: we call it Renner Dip, after our honorary Uncle Mark Renner.  It's absolutely unbelievable and irresistible--I promise that once you have one chip, you won't be able to stop!
It's one of the easiest and quickest things to make and is always a crowd pleaser at parties!!

IRRESISTIBLE DIP

(Renner Dip)

Ingredients:

1 block (12-16oz) light Philadelphia cream cheese

1/2 jar medium salsa

1/2 jar mild salsa

1 can beanless Hormel chili

1 bag finely shredded cheddar cheese (a Mexican or Taco mix works well too)

1 big bag of Tostitos Scoops

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  

In a 9in x 9in square pan (make sure it's at least 2in deep), spread the cream cheese on the bottom.  

Open the Hormel chili and spread evenly on top of the cream cheese. 

Add the salsa and spread evenly.  (It's okay if they mix,  but try to keep it layered if possible.)  

Sprinkle the cheese evenly on top.

Bake at 375 for 25minutes, or until cheese is melted and it's warm all the way through.

You may want to let it sit for a few minutes because it will be piping hot!
Then grab your chips and Scoop away!!  

Hooray for Mac Monday: Irish Beef Stew (a Mac original!)

A few weeks back I was looking for a good beef stew recipe to do for Mac Monday, but none
of the recipes I found online really piqued any interest.  While home for thanksgiving, I talked
to two of my uncles, both of whom you could call "culinary experts."  They gave me the basic
rundown on how to make beef stew, but they reminded me that the great part about beef stews
is that there is not one right way to make it; you can make it differently every time and it will
still turn out great!

The crazy McCormick's... somehow all great cooks!

So I took their advice and gave beef stew a shot.  The following recipe is what resulted and I think it turned out pretty good.  However, considering I have been eating beef stew since Friday with no end in sight, I can safely say that I did make a little bit too much.  I looked at the recipe on the back of the canned beef broth for some basic ideas on how long each step of the cooking should take, but then I just improvised the rest of the way.


Ingredients:
Serves: 8-12
2 lbs of beef, chopped into 1 inch cubes
4 potatoes
2 cups chopped carrots
2 cups chopped celery
2 cups chopped onions
6 cloves of garlic, crushed and pealed
4 cans of beef broth
2 12 oz. bottle of Guinness draught
Salt
Pepper
Thyme
Parsley
Vegetable oil


Preparation:
In a really big pot, most likely the biggest one you have, (sorry I don’t know how big exactly
mine is because it is one I inherited from the people who lived in my apartment before me) cover
the bottom with a thin coating of vegetable oil and place it over medium heat.  
Then add the crushed garlic.  While the garlic begins to cook, place the meat into a large mixing bowl. 
Add a few generous pinches of salt, pepper, thyme and parsley and stir until they are evenly spread out on the beef.
Add the beef to the pot and stir frequently until the meat is browned on all sides, about 20 minutes. 
There should be little bits of beef starting to stick to the pot before you add the liquids. 
Once the beef is browned add 1 bottle of Guinness and then the beef broth. 
Bring it to a boil and then let it simmer for 90 minutes. 
Add some additional thyme if you are feeling adventurous. 
After the 90 minutes of simmering, stir in the potatoes, carrots, onions and celery. 
Add in the 2nd bottle of Guinness. 
Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. 
Let the stew boil for about 20-30 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked through (the potatoes are the key). 
Add any additional salt and pepper to the broth based upon your personal taste, but remember it is always better to under season rather than over season. 
You can always season your individual serving to your taste. Now comes the best part, serve and enjoy!

A little grainy, but you can still tell it's delicious!

I hope you enjoy this recipe. It is an easy way to have a nice warm and hearty meal in the winter
time. Remember, cook what you love, and love what you eat.

The Most AMAZING Meatballs You Could Ever Have: Mac Making His Specialty

The beginning of Mac's famous meatballs: garlic, LOTS of garlic.

Look at Mac's proper knife handling--better knife control
for finely chopping garlic.

Italian bread crumbs and garlic... and so it begins.

The meat: ground beef, veal, and pork--the perfect trio.

Add a little bit of chopped Italian parsley and grated pecorino romano cheese...

Whipping the eggs... the glue of the meatballs.

Add a little salt...

And a little bit of fresh ground pepper.

Add the meat.

Chef Mac is ready to get his hands dirty... and his professional chef's top!

Mixing the meatballs by hand is the best, and only way to do it.

And who said cooking isn't fun?

Add the eggs to the meat and breadcrumbs mixture.

More hands on mixing... make sure to get the eggs fully incorporated.

Cooking and rooting for the Red Sox... best of both worlds!

Roll them into balls and then roll in flour.

Close up!

Roll them into balls, then roll in flour, and saute them.

And then finish them off by cooking them the rest of the way IN the spaghetti
marinara sauce (to keep them from drying out)!

Food for the Soul: Quick & Easy Chili (a K&A Fave)

As the cold weather approaches (or for many of you, it's already here), Miss A and I like to think of warming foods to eat since we both have a tendency to be cold.  Chili is easily one of the simplest things to make--all you need to do is know how to stir!  We do a meaty chili, but there are all sorts of variations you can do: meatless chili, ground turkey chili, bean-less chili, or any combination of them!

This recipe is fast and easy to double for larger gatherings--like when we went to the Outer Banks.  

And if you keep it refrigerated, it'll last for a week!

A & K's CHILI

Ingredients:

1 package coarsely ground beef (about 1.5 pounds)

1/2 McCormick package hot chili seasoning

1/2 McCormick package regular chili seasoning

1 onion, coarsely chopped
olive oil
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 can red kidney beans
1 can pinto beans
2 tbsp cracked red pepper
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (to serve on top)

Preparation:
In a large sauce pan, bring olive oil to a sizzle over medium-high heat and add the ground beef.  Brown the meat until it is no longer pink. 
Add the McCormick taco seasoning (1/2 spicy and 1/2 regular) and stir to coat the meat evenly.  

Add the onion and cook the onion until it begins to soften and become slightly transparent (about 5 minutes with the beef).  
Add both cans of tomatoes and both cans of beans and stir. 
Bring to a gentle boil and stir in the cracked red pepper.

Bring the chili back to a gentle boil; reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

When ready to serve, sprinkle the sharp cheddar cheese on top (it will melt and be ooey-gooey delicious)!

Did You Know... Meat Quick Tip

There are three main grades (or ratings) of beef: PRIME, CHOICE, and SELECT.
The more marbling (streaks of fat), the more flavorful the meat and the higher the grade.

From L to R: Prime, Choice, and Select Grade Beef.

The USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) is in charge of the ratings.  The grade it almost always shown on the packaging or on the menu at a restaurant.

USDA Prime Steak

mmmm... meat!

101 Thursday: My Favorite Italian Meet - Prosciutto (plus a recipe!!)

It's 101 Thursday again... and today it's all about PROSCIUTTO!!!  


Prosciutto is the Italian word for ham, although us Americans use the word prosciutto to refer to a thinly-sliced, dry-cured ham.  The meat is served uncooked in a style called prosciutto crudo in Italian, which distinguishes it from Italian cooked ham, prosciutto cotto.

The best prosciutto comes from Italy, from central regions like Tuscany and Emilia Romagna, and from the northern regions like Friuli-Venezia Giulia and San Daniele.  Prosciutto di Parma (prosciutto from the Parma province in Emilia Romagna)) is one of the most renowned Italian cities to produce some of the best and most expensive legs of prosciutto.  

Salting the ham

Prosciutto is from either a pig's leg or from a wild boar's thigh.  I have always known that prosciutto was ham, and that ham comes from a pig; I was confused to read that it could also be from a wild boar.  I have never really thought about wild boars in specifics, other than it's an animal, but didn't realize a wild boar is simply an uncastrated male swine, or pig.  You learn something new everyday!

Prosciutto di Parma

Back to the meat... prosciutto is a slow-cured meat and can take anywhere from 9 months to 2 years!!  There are several types of prosciutto, each distinguished from the next by where and how the ham is produced.  The European Union and Italian government have a similar protection agency as they do for Italian wines; the legislation has granted a special "protected designation of origin" to several of the raw hams, which are regulated to monitor the quality and processing of the ham. 

Parma Province, in
Emilia Romana, central Italy

The best, in my opinion, is Prosciutto di Parma, which is produced by over 200 curers in the Parma Province.  Prosciutto di Parma is made from only large, fresh hams (26 - 30lbs).  Although it's a salty meat, the curing process uses relatively little salt, but can also use garlic salt and sugar for a sweeter meat.  After the meat is salted with sea salt, it is sealed with pig fat to slow the drying process.  Curing occurs over a minimum of 12 months for certified Prosciutto di Parma and uses only salt--no nitrates, no spices, and no conserving substances.   The ham is salted and left to settle for about 2 months; it is slowly pressed throughout the time to avoid breaking the ham bone, but simultaneously drain the meat.  It is washed repeatedly to remove the salt and then hung in a dark and well-ventilated room.  It is left to dry completely over time, then hung to air out in a controlled environment, or at room temperature, for up to 2 years!


Now, what do you do with prosciutto?
Some of my favorite recipes are some of the easiest...

• Try wrapping steamed or grilled asparagus in prosciutto...
•  If you like tomato, basil, and mozzarella -- serve a sandwich on focaccia bread with T, B, & M plus prosciutto and good balsamic vinegar... my FAVORITE sandwich in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD!!

A new one that Ina Garten (The Barefoot Contessa) taught me is...
GRILLED BREAD WITH PROSCIUTTO from her new cookbook, How Easy is That?  In Italy, grilled bread rubbed in garlic is known as fettunta, which is the foundation of this recipe.  The bread is at its ABSOLUTE BEST if you ACTUALLY GRILL IT OVER AN OPEN FLAME!!  I know it's a little more annoying, but the charred taste it gets is incredible.  (I tried to take pictures, but it's getting dark by 5:30pm here and the flash totally distorted the whole beauty of grilling the bread!)  The bread is delicious on its own, but Ina shows how to put some prosciutto, mozzarella, and a drizzle of olive oil before putting it back in the oven (to melt the cheese, of course) and DELICIOZO!  And seriously, could anyone mess that up?!?!

GRILLED BREAD WITH PROSCIUTTO

makes 6 slices... perfect for an appetizer and filling enough for a small(ish) dinner for roomies!

Ingredients:

6 slices of GOOD Tuscan round bread (sliced into 3/4-in thick slices)

2 large cloves of garlic (cut in half)

2 oz thinly sliced prosciutto, torn roughly into pieces

2 oz fresh mozzarella, grated**

3 tbsp minced fresh parsley

**the recipe calls for smoked mozzarella, but I have to admit that I HATE smoked mozzarella... so I took it upon myself to use fresh mozzarella and it was AMAZING!!!  I didn't feel like anything was missing by substituting fresh mozzarella for smoked.

Preparation:

Prepare a charcoal grill with medium-hot coals (this is what I had access to at our apartment complex, but I want to try it at home in NY on our gas grill, which Ina suggests to prepare at medium-high heat).

Grill the bread for about 2 minutes on ONE side.  Remove from the grill and place grilled side up on a platter

IMMEDIATELY (this is important) rub the grilled side of the bread with the cut side of a garlic clove.  If you like, excuse me, LOVE garlic like I do, you can make it extra garlicky by using 2 cloves instead of 1 (like I did) and by rubbing the garlic fairly hard on the surface of the bread.  

Drizzle the bread with the olive oil.  

Place the torn prosciutto over the grilled, oiled, garlicked side of the bread and top with the grated mozzarella too!  

Return the jazzed-up bread to the grill, cover the grill, and cook just long enough to melt the cheese and re-warm the toast (about 1-2 minutes).  MAKE SURE to leave the vent open so that the fire stays lit.  

This is EXCELLENT with a great glass of Chianti or a Super Tuscan red vino from Italy!

Sit back, sip your vino, and bite into a crunchy slice of delicious, hot, garlicky slice of Tuscan bread with mozz and prosciutto!

Know Your Meat 101: How to Pick a Good Steak (and look like you know what you're doing)

Last week's 101 Lesson was going to be on how to choose the perfect steak; that was until my computer, Google chrome, and Blogger all decided to be big fat FAILS.  But now they're all communicating and getting along, so here's my second try at helping you to pick the perfect steak.

American WWII Memorial, Florence

          I have always appreciated and loved a good steak, cooked medium rare with charred grill lines on the outside, sealing in the tenderness and drizzled in au jus.  Steak was pretty much a staple of my childhood dinners, a great steak and macaroni elbows with butter -- I like to span the whole spectrum of foods.  I always believed that my dad cooked the perfect steak... that was until I went to Florence.  In Italy, steak was not commonly eaten until after WWII; the rugged countryside of Italy were not ideal for raising large herds of cattle.  But areas of the Piedmont and, my favorite region, Tuscany, we recognized for the impeccable quality of their beef.  While in Florence, I visited the WWII American Veterans Memorial Cemetery in the Hills of Tuscany, about 1 hour outside of the city with my uncle the week before my family was flying out to visit.  We became friends with the ex-military guard at the Memorial and turns out he was American and had been in Florence for the past 10+ years.  So, naturally, I asked him where to get the best food in Florence -- specifically the best steak -- and he delivered.

Perseus, Viale don Giovanni Manzoni, near Piazza del Libertà, Florence, Italy 

My mom and Uncle B at Perseus

          The following week, we went to a restaurant called Perseus towards the outer and newer sections of Florence.  I wasn't sure what to expect because it wasn't right in the center of the city; I was going on pure blind faith that our friend from the Memorial had steered us in the right direction.  My family was introduced to the most amazing cut of steak in the world, Bistecca alla Fiorentina (literally Steak of Florence).  It's a well-known specialty of Florence - famous for the quality of the beef, the extra thick cut, the massive size, and the rare to medium-rare temperature.  It all but melts the moment you taste it; it's pretty much heaven in your mouth.  Just keep in mind that the typical Bistecca alla Fiorentina is typically 1kg of meat (including the T-bone)... that's 2.2 pounds of pure, delicious meat!!

One of the many butcher stands in Il Mercato Centrale
-the covered market in Florence (notice the Bistecca
alla Fiorentina to the left!)

          So I think I know how to pick a good steak at a restaurant, but how do I pick it when I go to the butcher or the grocery store?  In Italy, there were butchers everywhere with every cut of meat known to man; Il Mercato Centrale in Florence (one of my favorite places to people watch and photograph) and I wouldn't even know where to start!  I'd go to I don't even know what the terms mean, let alone where the cuts actually come from.  So a 101 Lesson for all of us:
How to Choose the Perfect Steak and Look Like You Know What You're Doing.
Where is my meat from?

Beef cuts by muscle region

Scenario: You go to a restaurant and one of the most tender cuts of steak order a Filet Mignon, one of the most tender cuts of steak.  What makes it tender?  Where is it from on the cow?  Here's a chart with a quick geography lesson on steak cuts that I found tremendously helpful in navigating steak cuts:

Specific Cuts & Common Names by Muscle Region

So you now have the general idea of steak cuts.  But what's different about each one that makes it optimal to choose a sirloin if you're grilling or a Filet Mignon if you want a luxurious evening meal or a porterhouse if you're having a guy's night.

What are the most popular cuts of steak?

What makes them unique and preferred over another cut?

What's the best way to cook them?

Filet Mignon

The Filet Mignon cut comes from the TENDERLOIN of the cattle, a small internal muscle in the cattle that is practically never used.  Therefore, this is the leanest and most tender cut of beef; it practically melts in your mouth.  The Filet Mignon has less marbling than rib cuts (more towards the center of the cattle), but marbling = flavoring.  Although it is incredibly tender and renowned for its decadence, its lack of flavoring leads to a Filet Mignon often being accompanied by a sauce, wrapped in bacon, or sometimes even a mushroom au jus.  Since the tenderloin is such a small muscle, and the Filet is always high in demand, they're typically priced pretty high.  It takes to marinade extremely well, so limit the marination time and grilling time.  It's best enjoyed medium rare (my favorite!) because over-cooking it will definitely dry it out.
New York Strip Steak 

The Boneless Strip Steak (often referred to as a New York Strip Steak) is much more marbled than the Filet Mignon, making it more flavorful and still remain tender, making it one of the most popular cuts in America.  This steak is cut from the STRIP LOIN (hence Strip Steak), and since the Strip Loin is a larger muscle, this cut is typically about 12 ounces!  The strip marinates easily and it only enhances its natural abundant flavor.  I like a New York Strip grilled, which is how it's most often served, and cooked between rare and medium to keep the moisture.  It's more reasonably priced and makes it a great choice for everyday grilling and more casual family meals.
T-Bone & Porterhouse

If you put the 2 previous cuts of steak together (Filet + Strip) and keep the T-Shaped Bone separating the two, you have a T-Bone Steak.  A T-Bone and Porterhouse are quite similar, but if you know what to look for, you can tell the difference.  If the Filet is somewhat smaller than the strip, it's a T-Bone.  If the Filet is bigger and nearly the same size as the strip, you have a Porterhouse.  The cut is from a combination of the TENDERLOIN and the STRIP LOIN resulting in the Filet and strip, respectively.  These are both great cuts to throw on the grill; just know that the Tenderloin will cook slightly faster than the strip and the beef closest to the bone will be rarer than the rest of the steak.   If you are grilling, use the hotter edge of the grill to cook the strip and the cooler edge (relatively) for the Filet to even things out a bit.

T-Bone

Porterhouse

Ribeye

Sometimes called a Cowboy Steak, named for its boldness, style, and amazing flavor, a Ribeye cut with the bone-in is a treat!  The Ribeye cut is one of the most marbled cuts of steak, but is less lean than the Filet;  these characteristics make it an exceptionally juicy and flavorful cut.  This cut is from the beef RIB and many steak lovers say this is their preferred cut.  Ribeye is at its best when it is grilled on high and cooked between rare and medium, while still retaining moisture and its juices.  A Ribeye is a perfect, hearty cut for a football tailgate or to impress neighbors and friends at a backyard cookout.  AND the prices are pretty reasonable.
Sirloin

The Sirloin cut is the MOST boldly flavored.  The Sirloin muscle is worked more in comparison to the other muscles cuts of steak are from.  In general, it is less tender because of its workload, but if you choose a TOP SIRLOIN you'll get the best of all cuts.  The top sirloin is more tender than cuts from the BOTTOM SIRLOIN, and cuts from both are moderately priced.  The Top Sirloin cut retains its flavor and is still fairly tender, making it perfect for large family gatherings and grilling at cookouts.  It is best to marinate a Sirloin for a few hours prior to cooking for even more flavor, but don't cook a sirloin cut past medium because it will lose both of its positive qualities.

So now you know about 5 of the most common cuts of steak and where they come from.  But I keep talking about the best temperatures for steaks to be cooked to... now what would a rare steak look like compared to a medium steak?

And now you have some understanding of steak cuts, terms, and what they all mean.  But what does that all matter if you don't know what to do with it?  Here's a GREAT article from the UK Telegraph on How to Cook the Perfect Steak.  Great steak recipes coming up soon...

Here's to Happy Grilling and Happy Taste Buds!

Cheers!