Blackened Chicken Spice attempt 1

Blackened Chicken Spice

Mix a bunch of this and store it in an old spice container to have around when a blackened chicken breast sandwich sounds good.

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Ingredients:

• salt
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp gound cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp paprika

Directions:

• Mix all ingredients well in bowl and store in container.

Proscuitto wrapped chicken with creamy tomato orzo

Proscuitto wrapped Chicken:

Ingredients:
Chicken breasts
Prosciutto, sliced thin
1 cup Mozzarella cheese
Garlic Salt, Salt, Black Pepper, Sage
(Optional) Chicken Broth, Tarragon Vinegar
Olive oil, 1 tbsp butter

Preheat a pan over medium heat with the olive oil. Once the oil begins to shimmer, drop in the tab of butter and swish it around until the pan is coated in loose flowing browned butter and oil.

Season the chicken on one side with salt and pepper, and on the other side, the garlic salt and sage. Place in pan and cook until done. Remove entire pan from heat and remove chicken. Wrap chicken in the prosciutto and top with the mozzarella. Let it sit in the pan, still removed from the heat for 2-3 minutes. The mozzarella will only just slightly become translucent. Turn the broiler on high and ensure that there is a rack as high as it can go while still fitting the pan 2" away from the broiler.

At this point, put the entire pan inside the oven and broil until the mozarella is browned in several places.

(Optional) place the pan back on low heat and remove the chicken. Add a 1/2 cup chicken broth and 1 tablespoon of tarragon vinegar (or butter, or just some herbs, like thyme and white wine vinegar) Allow to reduce by half. 2 minutes. Place chicken back in pan to reheat. 1-2 minutes.

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Orzo Recipe:

Ingredients:
1 cup Orzo
1 1/2 - 2 cups heavy cream (As desired)
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
kosher salt, black pepper
Dried Parsley
2-4 heaping tablespoons of chopped/diced tomatoes (As desired)

Prepare orzo as directed.

Once the orzo has been drained, place back into the same pan and allow steam to come off the pasta for just a minute.

Mix in 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream. (You may want this more or less creamy, but I suggest starting with this amount, you can always add more later)

Once the cream is heated thouroughly, slowly begin adding the shredded parmesan cheese. Add it slowly (Not all at one time) and mix continuously so we know it has integrated. (Not performing this task gradually will end up with un-melted cheese and give this a gritty texture)

Once your cheese is completely mixed in, add 2 tablespoons of the tomatoes. Mix thoroughly.

Taste it.

If you want more tomato flavor, add more. If its not creamy enough, add more cream. Keep in mind the longer you cook, the more viscous and "creamy" the mixture will be. The less you cook, the more liquidy.

When done, sprinkle the salt, black pepper and dried parsley into the mixture, to taste.

Serve with the chicken from above. Pair a green vegetable such as asparagus with this meal. If you have leftover Parmesan, topping the asparagus with the Parmesan is a great finish.

Cabernet Wine Sauce

Unlike most of the wine sauces I make, which require the cook to cook the protein in the pan before deglazing, this sauce can be made on the side, and even refrigerated.

2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup onion, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup carrot, chopped into 1-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, crushed, minced or diced.
1 bay leaf
1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste
1/8 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup red wine (preferably Cabernet)
2 cups beef stock
Salt and black pepper to taste

In a heavy-bottomed pot, cook the onions and carrots in 1tbsp butter and olive oil over medium heat until the onions are translucent and the carrots are soft.

Add the garlic, bay leaves, and tomato paste; cook 1 minute, stirring.

Add the vinegars and wine, bring to a boil, and simmer until reduced by two-thirds.

Add the beef stock, bring to a boil, and simmer, skimming occasionally, until reduced by two-thirds.

Strain through a fine-mesh strainer.

Cool and refrigerate if not using immediately.


This recipe was based on: (but modified)
http://whatscookingamerica.net/Beef/MagnoliaGrillTenderloin.htm

Oven Roasted Corn

Preheat oven to 350.

Shuck corn and remove silk skin and strands. Cover the corn in the removed leaves.

Cook for 30 minutes directly on the rails or until soft.

Sesame Oil Recipe

How to make home made sesame oil:

Take one cup of sesame seeds and on a large cooking sheet covered with non stick aluminum foil, roast them under the broiler until they've just began to darken. Very quick!

Take the sesame seeds and mix with 1 cup of oil into a food processor. Mix until a paste has formed. Pour the paste into a shallow bowl or pan and scrape out as much as possible. Cover and let sit for one hour.

The sesame oil should now have floated to the top. using a spoon, dip into the oil on the top until the oil seeps over the edge of the spoon. Pour this into your container of choice.

Bulgogi (Korean bbq beef)

Marinade ingredients:
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp white wine
2 large garlic cloves finely chopped
1 tbsp sesame oil * ( Sesame oil Recipe )
2 tsp crushed red pepper
16 scallions
Flank steak cut across grain into 1/4 inch thick slices. (Might be useful to cut while still not thawed, or place in freezer for a while before cutting)

in large shallow dish combine soy with sugar, wine, garlic, sesame oil and crushed red pepper. Stir to dissolve the sugar.

Add the sliced flank steak and refrigerate for as long as possible. 4 hours is minimum, 12-24 is ideal.

In a heavy bottomed pan, skillet, griddle or on a grill, simply toss the meat in and allow to sizzle. Work in batches as the meat will cook in under one minute.

Rub the scallions with vegetable oil and cook in pan until crisp yet warm.

Serve the steak with scallions and jasmine rice as a side dish.

Salmon with Orzo and Red wine sauce

Ingredients
7 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 large onion, sliced
2 cups dry red wine
2 cups canned beef broth
8 fresh thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves
1 pound orzo
6 shallots, minced
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
5 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 (5-ounce) skinless boneless salmon fillets
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces

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In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and saute for 5 minutes. Add wine, beef broth, thyme and 1bay leaf. Boil until liquid is reduced by 1 cup, about 35 minutes. Strain sauce into a small saucepan.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place orzo on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, for about 20 minutes.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in another heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shallots. Saute for 4 minutes. Add mushrooms. Saute until golden, about 10 minutes. Add orzo, chicken broth, and 1 bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook uncovered until orzo is tender and broth is absorbed, while stirring often, about 20 minutes. Add cream and tarragon. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a heavy large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper. Add to skillet and saute just until cooked through, about 3 minutes per side.

Bring sauce to simmer. Add butter, whisk just until melted. Season with pepper. Spoon orzo onto 6 plates. Place salmon fillets on top of orzo. Serve with sauce.

source: Foodnetwork