What's For Dinner - Day 14

Mystery Ingredients
Canned Strawberries
Grands Biscuits
Hangar Steak
Ham Slices

Final Product
Mini "Croque Monsieur" Sandwiches with Strawberry BBQ Dipping Sauce

For the dipping sauce:
1 can strawberries with half the liquid drained
1/2 cup BBQ sauce (homemade or store-bought)
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
2 tbsp strawberry jam
Salt & pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and puree with a hand blender, or in a food processor. Set aside.

For the sandwiches:

Grands Biscuits

Hangar Steak

Ham Slices

4-5 slices Taleggio cheese (or swiss)

Flour, for rolling

Salt & pepper

1 egg + 1 tbsp water, mixed

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Season the hangar steak with salt and pepper. Cook in a skillet for 5 minutes on both sides. Set aside on a plate to rest. Meanwhile, sprinkle some flour on your board, and roll out each biscuit so it is just bigger than the ham slices. 

Once the steak has rested, cut very small pieces off and set aside (you may not use the whole steak). Take one of the rolled out biscuits and place a ham slice on top, then some of the steak pieces and a slice of cheese. Brush the edges of the biscuit with the egg mixture. Place another biscuit on top and crimp the edges. Repeat for the rest of the biscuits until you have either 4 or 5 sandwiches.

Place sandwiches on a baking sheet and brush with more of the egg mixture. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown. Serve hot (but be careful...these get VERY hot inside!)

RATING: ***** (5 stars!)

What's For Dinner - Day 13

Mystery Ingredients
Chicken Wings
Rice Cakes
Pound Cake

Final Product
Rice Cake coated Buffalo Wings
&
Sauteed Apples over toasted pound cake and Fresh Whipped Cream

For the buffalo wings:
Chicken wings, cut into drumettes and wings
Rice Cakes
Salt & Pepper
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2/3 cup hot sauce
1 tbsp butter
Oil for frying

Place about 3-4 rice cakes in the food processor and pulverize until finely ground. Season the wings with salt, pepper and parsley. Season the rice cakes with salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Toss the wings in the mixture. Fry the wings in a cast iron skillet until cooked through.
Pour the hot sauce and butter into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn off heat and pour mixture into a large bowl. Toss cooked wings in the sauce and serve hot.


For the Apples & Pound Cake:
4 firm apples, sliced
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup apple flavored wine (or brandy)
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla

In a large skillet, melt the 2 tbsp butter and add the apples, brown sugar and cinnamon. Saute the apples until they are soft, like in an apple pie. Remove the pan from the heat and add the wine or brandy. Put the pan back on the heat and reduce the sauce for about 3 minutes.
Pour the heavy cream into a metal bowl along with the sugar and vanilla. Whip with a whisk or a hand mixer until light and fluffy. (Careful not to over-whip, otherwise you'll end up with butter!)
Cut the pound cake into slices and toast for about 3 minutes. Pour the apples over the pound cake. Top with whipped cream and serve!

RATING: 
Wings: ***** (5 stars!)
Pound Cake: ***** (5 stars!)

What's For Dinner - Day 12

Mystery Ingredients
Pork Cutlets
Canned Sweet Corn Kernels
Green Bell Pepper
Gouda Cheese

Final Product
Shredded Pork Quesadillas

Pork Cutlets

Canned Sweet Corn Kernels, drained

Green Bell Pepper, diced

Gouda Cheese, shredded

Salt & pepper

Large flour tortillas

Salsa and sour cream, for serving

Season the pork cutlets with salt and pepper on both sides. Cook in a skillet for about 2-3 minutes on each side until it is cooked through. Set aside on a plate and let cool completely.

Once the pork is cooled, cut it into cubes and place in a food processor. Pulse 8-10 times until the pork is finely shredded. Set aside.
Take one of the flour tortillas and sprinkle the shredded pork, the corn, the peppers and the cheese over the whole thing. Place another tortilla on top and cook in a large skillet until crispy and golden brown on each side. Serve immediately with sour cream and salsa.

RATING: ***** (5 stars!)

What's For Dinner - Day 11

Mystery Ingredients
Cauliflower
Mangoes
Whole Chicken Legs
Waffle Cones

Final Product
Fried Chicken and Cauliflower Puree
&
Marinated Mangoes with Yogurt and Waffle Cone Crunch

For the fried chicken:
2 chicken legs, separated into 2 drumsticks and 2 thighs
3 Waffle Cones, finely crushed
1 cup flour
Salt & Pepper
1 tsp paprika
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
Oil for frying

In a large bowl, mix together the crushed waffle cones, flour, salt, pepper and paprika. In another large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt and pepper.
Fill a cast iron skillet, or heavy pan about half-way with vegetable or corn oil. Heat to about 350 degrees.  Coat the chicken with the flour mixture, then the eggs, then the flour again. Shake off the excess and carefully drop in the oil. Fry on both sides until dark brown and crispy, and the chicken is cooked through. Remove from the pan and drain on a wire rack.

For the cauliflower puree:
1/2 a head of cauliflower, chopped
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt & pepper
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp sour cream

Place all ingredients except butter and sour cream in a saucepan and simmer until cauliflower is tender. Transfer all ingredients to a food processor, and add butter and sour cream. Puree until smooth.

For the Marinated Mangoes with Yogurt and Waffle Cone Crunch:
2 mangoes, diced
3 tbsp honey
1 cup plain yogurt
3 Waffle cones, crushed
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp Meusli or other granola mix

Marinate the mangoes in the honey for at least 20 minutes. In a bowl, mix together the crushed waffle cones, sugar and Meusli or granola.
Put the yogurt in a dish, and place the mangoes on top. Sprinkle over the waffle cone crunch, and enjoy!

RATING:
Fried Chicken: ***** (5 stars!)
Cauliflower Puree: *** (3 out of 5 stars)
Marinated Mangoes with Yogurt and Waffle Cone Crunch: ***** (5 stars!)

What's For Dinner - Day 10

Mystery Ingredients
Canned chick peas
Canned baby corn spears
Prosciutto
Chicken Thighs
Flour Tortillas

Final Product
Mediterranean Flatbread Pizzas

Canned chick peas (reserve some of the liquid)

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 tbsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Canned baby corn spears

1/4 cup olive oil (maybe more)

Prosciutto

Chicken Thighs

2 chicken flavored bouillon cubes

Flour Tortillas

Shredded mozzarella cheese

Fresh basil, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a food processor, place the chick peas, garlic, salt, pepper, sesame seeds, 3 baby corn spears, and 2 tbsp of the reserved chick pea liquid. Pulse until mixture begins to become smooth. With the food processor on, drizzle in the olive oil until the mixture is smooth, but not liquidy. Set aside. 

Poach the chicken thighs in a saute pan in 2 cups of water and the 2 bouillon cubes until cooked through. Remove from the liquid and set aside to cool. 

Spread a thin layer of the chick pea mixture on the flour tortillas. Chop the baby corn spears into coins and sprinkle over the tortillas. Shred the chicken over the tortillas. Chop the prosciutto into strips and sprinkle over the tortillas. Sprinkle the tortillas with the cheese and bake for 10 minutes until crispy.
Sprinkle with fresh basil and serve hot.

RATING: **** (4 out of 5 stars)

What's For Dinner - Day 9

Mystery Ingredients
Salmon Filets
Oricchiette Pasta
Asparagus

Final Product

Asian Grilled Salmon with Oricchiette and Asparagus 

For the marinade:

1/2 cup soy sauce

2 tbsp dijon mustard

2 tbsp honey

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 cup olive oil

Pinch salt

1 tsp pepper

Pinch red pepper flakes

Place the salmon filets in a glass baking dish. Whisk the marinade ingredients together and pour over the salmon filets. Let sit for at least 10 minutes. Grill the salmon for 4-5 minutes per side, starting with the skin side, until the fish is cooked through. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

For the Oricchiette and asparagus:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut off the woody ends of the asparagus. On a baking sheet, toss the asparagus with salt, pepper, olive oil and 1-2 tbsp of soy sauce. Roast in the oven for 10-15 minutes. 

Meanwhile cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and return the pasta to the pot. Cut the asparagus into bite-sized pieces and toss with the pasta. Add 2 tbsp butter, salt, and pepper and toss to coat. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and serve with the salmon.

RATING: ***** (5 stars!)

What's For Dinner - Day 8

Mystery Ingredients
Beef Round Steaks
Mushrooms
Freeze Dried Apples and Pears

Final Product
Steak with Apple Pear Bacon & Mushroom Compote

Beef Round Steak
Mushrooms, sliced
Freeze Dried Apples and Pears
Bacon, diced
2 tbsp Olive oil
2 tbsp Butter
Salt & Pepper
Cumin
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Add the freeze dried apples and pears to some water to reconstitute them. Drain, but save about 1 tbsp of the water.
Season the steak well on both sides with salt, pepper and cumin. Set aside. In a large skillet, fry the bacon until crispy. Remove from the pan and drain on a paper towel. Drain off almost all of the bacon fat from the pan, but reserve a little bit. Add in 2 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp butter and turn the heat to medium. Saute the mushrooms until just softened. Add in the reconstituted apples and pears. Season with salt, pepper and cumin. Add in the bacon at the last minute. Remove everything from the pan and set aside.
In the same pan, sear the steak on both sides until cooked through. Add the mushroom compote over top of the steaks and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley. Serve immediately.

RATING: **** (4 out of 5 stars)

What's For Dinner - Day 7

Mystery Ingredients
Muesli mix
Napa cabbage
Boneless Country Style Pork Ribs

Final Product
Spicy Pork Ribs with Sauteed Cabbage
AND

Chocolate Chip Muesli Cookies

For the ribs & cabbage:
Boneless Country Style Pork Ribs
Napa Cabbage, cut into strips
Salt & Pepper
Cayenne pepper
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Season the ribs with salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste. In a large pan, sear all sides of the ribs until golden brown. Pour in the soy sauce and apple cider vinegar and deglaze the pan for about 30 seconds. Transfer the ribs and the sauce to a baking dish and place in the oven for 20-30 minutes, depending on the thickness of the ribs.
When the ribs are cooked through, remove from the oven and set aside to rest. In the same pan that you seared the ribs, saute the cabbage. Add a few spoonfuls of the sauce from the ribs. Saute for about 1 minute, until just softened. Cut the ribs into bite-sized pieces and serve over the cabbage.

For the cookies:
1 cup Muesli mix
3/4 cup flour, sifted
2/3 cup apple butter (or applesauce)
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup chocolate chips
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Sift the flour, baking soda and salt together in a bowl and set aside. In a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer, mix the apple butter with the brown sugar and vanilla until smooth. Beat in the egg until incorporated. Slowly add the flour mixture until well incorporated. Stir in Muesli mix and chocolate chips. Drop by the tablespoon-full onto a greased baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes.

RATING:
Ribs: *** (3 out of 5 stars)
Cookies: **** (4 out of 5 stars)

What's For Dinner - Day 6

Mystery Ingredients
Ham Steak
Gemelli
Avocado
Yellow squash

Final Product
Ham, Squash and Gemelli Fritatta with Avocado Crema

For the fritatta:
3 eggs
1/4 cup milk
Salt and pepper
1 cup cooked gemelli (or other pasta)
1 ham steak, cubed
1 yellow squash, sliced
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tbsp chopped fresh chives

Cook the cubed ham in a pan until it is lightly browned and warmed through. Remove from pan and set aside. In the same pan, saute the squash just until it is heated through, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs together with the milk, cheese, chives, salt & pepper to taste. Add in the cooked pasta, ham and squash. Mix until thoroughly combined. Spray a large non-stick skillet with non-stick spray. Place the pan over medium heat. Pour in the egg mixture into the pan and cook until set on the bottom, about 5-7 minutes. To flip, slide the fritatta out onto a large plate, place the pan upside-down on top of the fritatta and flip the whole thing over. Cook another 2-3 minutes, until the fritatta is cooked through. Cut into squares or wedges and serve.

For the avocado crema:
1 ripe avocado
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk (maybe more)
Salt and pepper to taste
Dash of hot sauce

Place all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth. Blend in more milk if necessary to make the crema more liquidy. Drizzle over the fritatta.

RATING: ***** (5 stars!)

What's For Dinner - Day 5

Mystery Ingredients
Pepper Steak
Israeli Couscous
Whole Wheat "Slim Buns"

 Final Product
Marinated Beef Skewers with Herbed Couscous and Cheesy Garlic Buns

For the marinade & beef:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp chopped fresh mint
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil

Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl. Skewer the pepper steak with wooden or metal skewers. Place beef in large baking dish and pour marinade over the beef. Make sure all the beef is coated with the marinade. Set in the fridge and let marinade for 30 minutes minimum.
Grill the steak on a stovetop grill, or outside. Cook about 3-4 minutes on each side, or until desired doneness.

For the Couscous:
1 1/4 cups water
1 packet chicken bouillon (or one cube)
2 whole garlic cloves
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh mint
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 cup Israeli couscous

Put all ingredients except the couscous in a pot. Bring to a boil, remove the herbs and garlic and add the couscous. Cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Fluff with a fork.

For the Buns:
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 garlic clove, minced
Pinch salt & pepper
1 tsp chopped fresh basil
1 tbsp butter at room temp.
1 tbsp olive oil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix all the ingredients together until combined. Spread about 1 tbsp over each half of the buns. Toast in the oven for about 7-10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and buns are crispy.

Serve everything together and enjoy!

RATING:
Beef: ***** (5 stars!)
Couscous: *** (3 stars)
Buns: *** (3 stars)

What's For Dinner - Day 4

Mystery Ingredients
Minute Steaks
Oranges
Blackberries
Corn Meal

Final Product
Pan Seared Steak with Orange Blackberry Compote & Orange Blackberry Corn Muffins

For the Muffins:
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp + 1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1/4 cup oil
1 egg
Zest & Juice of 1 orange
10-15 blackberries, quartered

Mix everything together in a bowl except the orange juice and blackberries. Once the mixture has come together, mix in the orange juice and blackberries until combined.
Heat oven to 425. Pour batter into greased (or paper-lined) muffin tin. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the muffins comes out cleanly.

For the compote:
1/2 cup blackberries
Zest & juice of 1 orange
2 tbsp sugar
3/4 cup blackberry flavored wine (or other red wine)
Pinch of salt & pepper

Put all ingredients in a small non-stick pot and bring to a boil. Reduce until blackberries begin to break down and sauce becomes thick. Remove from heat.

Place a large flat pan over very high heat. Season the steaks with salt and pepper. Drizzle about 2 tbsp oil in the pan and cook the steaks for 30 seconds on each side. (This goes fast! Do not overcook them!)

Drizzle the compote over the steaks, or use it as a jam for the muffins.

RATING:
Steak with compote: **** (4 out of 5 stars)
Muffins: ***** (5 stars!)

What's For Dinner - Day 3

Mystery Ingredients:

Turkey Chops

Grape Juice

Fresh Coconut

Dried Fava Beans

Final Product:

Coconut Crusted Turkey Chops with a Grape Juice reduction and Fava Beans with Bacon

For the Turkey:

4 Turkey chops

1/2 cup flour

1 egg

1/2 cup fresh grated coconut, squeezed dry

1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs

2 tbsp coconut juice

Salt and pepper

Oil for frying

In a large skillet, heat the oil. In a large bowl, beat the egg with the coconut juice, salt and pepper. In another large bowl, mix together the grated coconut, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper. Place the flour in another large bowl. Dredge the turkey chops in the flour, then the egg mixture, then the breadcrumb mixture. Fry in the oil for about 7-8 minutes on each side, or until it is golden brown and crispy. Drain chops on a wire rack over a paper towel.

For the grape juice reduction:

3/4 cup grape juice

1/4 cup coconut juice

Pinch red pepper flakes

1 tbsp sugar

Pinch salt and pepper

Place all ingredients in a small saucepan, and boil everything together until sauce has thickened slightly, and resembles a thin syrup. Pour over the turkey chops, or serve on the side for dipping.

For the fava beans with bacon:

Fava beans, cooked and peeled

4 bacon strips, diced

Salt and pepper

If you are using dried fava beans like I did, it's best to soak them in water overnight. You can also soak them in boiling water for 1-2 hours until they are soft in the middle. 

In a skillet, fry the bacon bits until they are just crisp. Toss in the fava beans and cook until the beans have warmed through. Serve immediately.

RATING: 

Turkey & sauce - **** (4 out of 5 stars)

Fave Beans - ** (2 out of 5 stars)

New Feature!!

A few of my loyal readers have asked me a very good question after looking over my newest creations:
"Yeah, but how does it TASTE?"

It's difficult to convey taste electronically, so I have decided to add a feature to the end of the recipes called "RATING." This will provide a 1 to 5 star rating for each of the recipes to give you at least some idea of the quality of the final product.
Now, of course, everyone's taste buds are different, so I will try to be as fair as possible in providing the rating for you (in other words, I will let you know if the dish stunk).

Enjoy, and as always, thank you for your love and support!!
Always,
Aubrey Lynn <><

What's For Dinner - Day 2

Mystery Ingredients
Stewart's Root Beer
Fresh Mozzarella
Premio Sweet Italian Sausage
Quick Grits

Final Product

Root Beer Braised Sausage over Cheesy Grits
1 pkg Italian Sausage
1 bottle root beer
1/2 cup chicken broth
Pinch chili flakes

3/4 cup quick grits
3 cups water
1 tbsp salt
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
More salt, pepper and butter, to taste

1 tsp fresh parsley, minced
1 tsp fresh thyme, minced

In a large skillet, brown the sausage on all sides over high heat. Lower the heat and add half the bottle of root beer and the chicken broth and chili flakes. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until sausage has cooked through. Remove the sausage from the pan to a plate and cover with foil. Turn the heat up to medium high and reduce the liquid by half, boiling for about another 5 minutes. Return the sausage to the pan and toss in the glaze. Cover and set all this aside while you make the grits.

Add the 3 cups of water, 1 tbsp salt and 2 tbsp butter to a medium pot. Bring the water to a boil and add the grits. Cover and cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until grits has absorbed all the water and has thickened. Add the shredded mozzarella cheese and stir to combine. Season with more salt, pepper and a little more butter, if desired.

Pour the grits into a serving bowl, or directly onto your plate. Slice the sausage diagonally and place on top of the grits. Top with the reduced sauce and sprinkle with the fresh herbs and more cheese.

RATING: ***
(Three out of five stars)

What's For Dinner - Day 1

Mystery Ingredients
Boneless Chicken Thighs
Honey Roasted Peanuts
Canned Pears

Final Product

Peanut Crusted Chicken and Apple Pear Sauce
4 or 5 boneless chicken thighs
1 cup honey roasted peanuts

1/2 cup flour

1 cup dried breadcrumbs

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

Salt & pepper

Oil for frying

1 can sliced pears (save the juice!)
3 apples
1 cinnamon stick
Fresh ginger (1 small chunk, peeled)
Juice of 1 lemon

For the chicken: Place the peanuts in a food processor and process until the peanuts are finely ground. In a large wide bowl, mix together the peanuts, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper. In another bowl, beat the egg with the milk, salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour, then the egg mixture, then into the peanut mixture. Be sure to gently press the peanuts into the chicken to assure that it creates a coating and sticks to the meat. Pour enough oil in a pan to just coat the bottom. Fry the chicken on both sides until the crust is just golden brown (be careful - peanuts can burn in oil! Do not walk away from the pan!). Remove the chicken from the oil, drain on a paper towel and place in a glass dish covered with foil in a 325 degree oven to finish cooking. Cook 15-20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

For the apple pear sauce: Peel the apples and cut into 1-inch chunks. Cut the pears into 1-inch chunks as well. Place the apples, pears, fresh ginger, cinnamon stick and lemon juice in a pot. Pour in the pear juice that was in the can. Cover the pot, bring to a boil and cook until apples are very soft. Use a stick blender or food processor and puree the apple pear sauce. You can make it chunky or smooth, depending on how you like it. (Be sure to taste it, it may need just a hint of sugar after it is done cooking).

RATING: ***
(Three out of five stars)

What's This All About??

My husband Evan and I are big fans of the show "Chopped" on the Food Network. In short, the competing chefs are equipped with a basket which contains at least three mystery ingredients with which they must cook up a tasty dish to be served to the judges.
So we thought this would be fun to do at home. I was getting rather bored of cooking the same 5 or 10 recipes every week, so I told Evan I wanted to be challenged and stretch my culinary muscles. So Evan agreed that once a week, he would go shopping, pick out three ingredients, and I would have to come up with something to make for dinner using those ingredients and then post them here for you to enjoy!
I hope you enjoy the dishes I come up with...check back every week to see the "mystery ingredients" and the final product!
Hope to see you back here soon!!

Lots of love always,
Aubrey <><