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Roasted Rack of Lamb Recipe with Herb Bread Crumbs and Dominos Potatoes

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Roasted Rack of Lamb Recipe with Herb Bread Crumbs and Dominos Potatoes

This Roasted Rack of Lamb Recipe actually has a more sophisticated name, as it is formally known as lamb persillade.   Persillade is fancy French name meaning a combo of parsley and seasonings, which is exactly what we added to the bread crumbs and compound butter in this roasted rack of lamb recipe.  I know this is big of me, but this has and always be 1 of my favorite dishes of all time.  I’ve always said that lamb and duck are my 2 favorite things to eat and this rack of lamb doesn’t disappoint.  From the ridiculously flavorful butter and bread crumbs, to the sear on the lamb, to the amazingly tasty dominos potatoes, this dish is jam packed with awesomeness.

Easter is around the corner and since I am a bit of a traditionalist, so lamb is always on the menu come Easter.  Ever since I learned about this Roasted Rack of Lamb Recipe with Herb Bread Crumbs, or Lamb Persillade as we call it in the industry, I fell in love.  My first time making it was in culinary school and I literally could not get enough.  I went by everyone who made one and asked if they had leftovers because I wanted to eat it!  Another funny story is when I made this years ago for some friends and I couldn’t stop talking about how much I loved it, so one of my friends said I should change my name from Billy Parisi to Billy Persillade lol.  I know, I’m over the top sometimes.  There are also twists on this version as well.  Instead of using this really tasty herb butter, you can also use Dijon mustard in place of it and put that down on the lamb before adding on the crumbs.  Both ways are awesome, just different.  In any event, once you try this you will love it guaranteed and my hope is that it will become not only your new favorite lamb dish but also your favorite dish in general.

If you’ve got an herb butter lying around be sure to use it, if not it’s as easy as whipping together chives, thyme, parsley, unsalted butter, finely minced garlic, salt and pepper until the butter becomes light and fluffy.  Just note that you most likely won’t use all of the butter but be sure to freeze it and use it for another recipe.  It is delicious mixed into some veggies or finished over a tasty steak.  You’re welcome :-).

When preparing large meals for a crowd, I’m all about finding ways to help me create things more efficiently, so I can enjoy the company of the folks that are breaking bread with me.  One of my favorite tools in my kitchen is my Franke Roller Mat.  It has so many different functions from drying dishes, to being used as a hot pad, and my favorite as a colander.   Since the potatoes take the longest to cook it’s important for timing purposes that we start with those first, which means washing them.  Thanks to my Franke roller mat, it rolls out perfectly over my gorgeous bright white Franke farmhouse sink perfectly and I can use it to clean off my vegetables without having to bend down low into my sink.  I’m about 6’3 plus boots, and I’ll do just about anything to save the life of my back, so if it means putting less stress on it while I rinse my veggies then that’s a huge win in my book.  Like I said, it gets used all the time.

Once your potatoes are sliced up, basted with butter and seasoned with salt, you want to press them down gently onto a sheet tray with parchment paper so that they represent dominos, hence dominos potatoes.  They take about 45 minutes to cook so after 20 to 25 minutes you want to get started on your lamb.  Be sure to French the lamb by removing all of the fat and sinew away from the bones to make them really stand out and pop.  It looks so much better this way and I promise your guests will be wowed.

 

 

It’s important to season your lamb very well on both sides with salt and pepper before searing it in olive oil until it is golden brown and caramelized on all sides.  From there flip it over to be fat side up and spread on the butter and sprinkle on the bread crumbs, and send it to the oven to finish it up to your desired internal temperature.  A rack of lamb can take a minute to cook so be sure to set aside 10-15 minutes to achieve a medium-rare internal temperature.  If you love medium or medium-well then for sure give yourself 20 to 25 minutes.  If you like well done, just throw it away!


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Roasted Rack of Lamb Recipe with Herb Bread Crumbs
 
Try this classic Roasted Rack of Lamb Recipe with Herb Bread Crumbs that is sure to be a family favorite!
Ingredients
  • 1 New Zealand or Domestic rack of lamb
  • 1 tablespoon dry thyme
  • 1 tablespoon dry parsley
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • ½ cup Panko bread crumbs
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper
Instructions
  1. Season the lamb rack with salt and pepper and in a hot skillet with sear till golden brown on all sides. For the herb crumbs, place everything in a mixing bowl and mix until completely combined minus the mustard.
  2. Once the lamb rack is perfectly seared keep it in the pan with the fat cap side up.
  3. Next spread the dijon mustard evenly and generously sprinkle the herb crumbs on top.
  4. Place pan in the oven on 350° for 6-10 minutes for a perfect medium-rare.
  5. Slice rack, serve hot and enjoy

Egg Nog Crème Brulee Recipe with Kahlua and Whipped Cream

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Egg Nog Crème Brulee Recipe with Kahlua and Whipped Cream

Believe it or not, one of my favorite things during the Christmas season is egg nog.  It was something I couldn’t stand as a kid, but man do I love it now! It’s not like I’m chugging gallons at a time, but I do love a nice cold glass of egg nog.  With all that in mind, I figured mixing some into some crème brulee – along with some Kahlua – would be a pretty good idea. Man was I right! It’s delicious and not ridiculously easy to make, believe it or not.

Traditionally, you want to put everything in a pot over low heat, just like in the picture, and whisk it until it’s warm and nappe, or can coat the back of a spoon.  However, if you want to save a few minutes, you can just put everything in a bowl and whisk it until it’s completely combined.  To be honest, I actually prefer the latter because it’s less work and that process makes for an easier time in the oven.

One of the cool things about crème brulee is that it can be manipulated in just about any fashion, so you can infuse almost any flavor you want.  Just think of all the extracts or liqueurs you can add in to completely change up or enhance the taste of it! As I stated earlier, I’m an egg nog fan, so swapping out some of the cream in the recipe with egg nog is a no-brainer and a ridiculously delicious flavor-enhancer.  In addition to adding in the egg nog, I thought I would spike the crème brulee with a little Kahlua!  If you happen to have a bottle of Bailey’s lying around, then no need to drop $20 on the Kahlua, Baileys will still give you an amazing tasty crème brulee.

Once your ingredients are combined, you want to divide the custard liquid between your brulee dishes, which are shallow and wide. You can also cook the crème brulee in ramekins or small glass cups, but remember they all need to fit on a sheet pan while baking.  I kept it traditional – simply because I wanted to be able to load up the tops with fresh berries and whipped cream.  This egg nog crème brulee recipe makes enough to fill 5 of the brulee dishes, which is honestly quite a bit.  This recipe is super rich, so don’t be surprised if you can only eat ½ of it at a time!  In addition to pouring the crème brulee custard into the baking dishes, you also want to pour warm water around the dishes in the sheet pan.  Don’t fill it up all the way, you’ll only need about ½ inch in the pan.

Bake the crème brulees in the oven and cool them for about 30 minutes or so.  One of my favorite go-to cooling racks is my Franke Roller Mat – it’s an amazing tool to help cool baked goodies.  Not only does it work as a cooling rack, it also serves as a surface to dry dishes on, a colander, or even as a surface area to wash dishes, which will save you from bending over for long periods of time. The Franke Roller Mat rolls up for easy storage and while it’s unrolled, it covers about ¾ of our oversized Franke farmhouse sink.

After the egg nog crème brulee cools at room temperature, transfer it to the refrigerator and let it cool completely, which will take about 1 hour.  As it cools, we can make our fresh whipped cream – complete with a bit of mascarpone cheese! I also use this time to wash off our fresh berries.  As I stated earlier, I like to use the Franke roller mat to help save my back because I’m pretty tall. I like to put the strainer right on the Roller Mat while I use my Franke Gooseneck faucet hose to spray off the berries.  After rinsing, simply set the berries aside to let them drain naturally before using.

Last but not least, sprinkle on 1 teaspoon of sugar and shake the dish around to spread the sugar around before torching it. Torch until its caramelized and crisp, and don’t worry if you get a few dark spots in the sugar! It’s absolutely delicious, and you won’t even taste it.  With that being said, be careful when bruleeing the sugar because you don’t want to burn the whole top – again, it’s ok if there are a few dark spots.  Serve this egg nog crème brulee up with some whipped cream and fresh berries and you’ve got yourself one delicious and festive Christmas dessert!

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Egg Nog Crème Brulee Recipe with Kahlua and Whipped Cream
Author: 
Recipe type: Dessert
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 5
 
Spice up your holidays this season with this amazing Egg Nog Crème Brulee Recipe with Kahlua and Whipped Cream that is sure to satisfy!
Ingredients
For the Crème Brulee:
  • 1 ½ cups of heavy whipping cream
  • 1 ½ cups of egg nog
  • ¼ cup of sugar + 5 teaspoons
  • 2 tablespoons of Kahlua
  • 6 egg yolks
For the Toppings:
  • 1 cup of heavy whipping cream
  • ¼ cup of sugar
  • ½ cup of mascarpone cheese
  • assorted fresh berries
Instructions
  1. Crème brulee: Preheat the oven to 325°.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients except the 5 teaspoons of sugar. Divide the custard between 5 brulee dishes.
  3. Transfer the dishes to a cookie sheet tray. Fill up the tray until there is about ½ inch of water in it.
  4. Bake the dish at 325° for 25-30 minutes or until the center is set. Note: you may get some cooked brown spots on the outside of the crème brulee, but it’s totally fine.
  5. Remove the brulee dishes from the pan and cool for 30 minutes before completely cooling in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours.
  6. Toppings: While the brulee is chilling, add the whipped cream and sugar to a standing mixer with the whisk attachment on high speed and whisk until stiff peaks are formed, about 3 to 4 minutes.
  7. Add in mascarpone and whisk for 1 more minute and chill before serving.
  8. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar to the top of a crème brulee and move it around so that it is coated. Using a torch, caramelize the sugar on top until browned and hardened.
  9. Serve the egg nog crème brulee with the whipped cream and fresh berries.

 

Bone In Standing Ribeye Roast Recipe with Red Wine Pan Sauce

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Bone In Standing Ribeye Roast Recipe with Red Wine Pan Sauce

The holiday season is in full effect, which means I’m dissing the turkey and saying yes to beef, just like in this Bone In Standing Ribeye Roast Recipe with Red Wine Pan Sauce!  I say it in so many of my posts around this time of year, but I just can’t stand to eat another bite of turkey for the rest of the year following Thanksgiving.  It’s not that I don’t like turkey it’s just that I ate it for Thanksgiving and Christmas for 25 years, so lately it’s been all about the bone in standing ribeye roast recpie and I couldn’t be happier.  In addition, to be quite honest, I’m all for changing up Thanksgiving as well should you want to cook something up that doesn’t have wings.

When selecting your bone in ribeye roast, you should figure about 2 pounds per 1 bone.  While you’ll lose a few ounces because of the bone, you’ll still be left with at least 24 ounces of beef left per bone which should definitely feed at least 2 people.  So, in the end, a 4-bone rib roast should feed about 8 people just so you can get your calculations correct in case you were thinking it’s a bone per person.  There are several different grades of meat as well, including prime, choice, grass fed, you name it there’s a cow for it.  My personal thought is that rib roasts are expensive and your loading it up with herbs, garlic, salt and pepper, and slow cooking it, so no need to drop the bank on the most expensive cut of beef.  Don’t get me wrong, you definitely can, but I just think for the normal every day palette that it’s probably not worth it.

I always promote trussing any protein before roasting it for long periods of time in the oven.  This holds the cut of meat together and keeps all the juices inside and intact until you slice it.  The next thing is of course rubbing it down with some herbs and garlic.  It’s important to wash your herbs before using them.  Just think to your own garden in the summer time when you pull out some fresh chives and there is some dirt on it?  Same thing applies when buying fresh herbs, or any fresh produce, from the grocery store; It needs a rinse.  I’m absolutely in LOVE with my Franke gooseneck faucet with hose extension.  Honestly, I probably use the hose more than the actual faucet because I like to be able to move the water around as well as being able to maneuver it around the sink.  Not only does it look incredible in our kitchen but it also works to perfection.

After your rib roast is trussed and rubbed down, then hit it in the oven and let it roast until golden brown and rare in the middle.  Yes, I know rare seems to scare people, but for me I love leftovers and if you go past rare then chances are when you reheat it, you’re going to be well done which is no good.  When cooking in the oven you want to first get a nice brown on the outside by cooking it at high temps before turning the heat down and letting it slow cook.

With about 25 minutes or so before the ribeye roast is done cooking, I tossed some potatoes around in some of the leftover herbs and garlic mixture and put them right in the pan with the rib roast and once the potatoes are done, so is the bone in ribeye roast.  I can’t even begin to tell you how much we use the Franke Roller Mat.  I use it for drying dishes, as colander to spray off fresh produce with, and most importantly as a hot pad to protect my countertops with.  You want to remove the ribeye from the pan along with the potatoes and pop the pan onto the burner and cook some shallots and garlic.  Just a little note here but if there is some burnt on herbs in the pan, just simply discard them before cooking.  Deglaze the pan with wine, and feel free to take a little swig since cooking over the holiday can be stressful, and cook it until the wine is almost gone or “au sec.”  Add in some beef stock, season it up , and pour a bit over the rib roast and you’ve got yourself one serious Christmas feast!

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Bone In Standing Ribeye Roast Recipe with Red Wine Pan Sauce
Author: 
Recipe type: main
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 8
 
Get creative this holiday season by making this amazingly delicious Bone In Standing Ribeye Roast Recipe with Red Wine Pan Sauce!
Ingredients
  • 30 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • rosemary leaves from 2 sprigs
  • 6 garlic cloves + 2 finely minced
  • ½ peeled shallot + ½ finely minced
  • ⅓ cup of extra virgin olive oil
  • 8-pound bone-in standing rib roast, trussed
  • 2 pounds of assorted colored baby potatoes
  • ½ cup of red wine, cabernet sauvignon
  • 2 cups of beef stock
  • 2 ounces of unsalted butter
  • Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 475°.
  2. Add the thyme, rosemary, 6 garlic cloves, ½ peeled shallot and olive oil to a food processor and pulse on high speed until it becomes like a paste.
  3. Add ¾ off the garlic and herb paste to the rib roast and apply it to all sides of the roast. Season the roast well on all sides with salt and pepper and place in a roasting pan.
  4. Bake at 475° for 25 minutes and then turn the heat down to 325° and cook for 70 minutes for a rare to medium rare internal temperature.
  5. With about 25 minutes left in the cooking process add the potatoes, the remaining garlic and herb paste, and salt and pepper to a large bowl and toss until coated.
  6. Add the potatoes to the pan with the rib roast and cook for 20 minutes.
  7. Remove the rib roast and potatoes form the pan and return the pan to a burner over medium-high heat.
  8. Add 2 finely minced cloves of garlic and ½ peeled and finely minced shallot to the pan and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes before deglazing with the red wine.
  9. Reduce the wine until it is almost gone and then add in the beef stock and cook for 3 to 4 minutes over high heat. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper and finish with butter.

 

Chocolate and Orange Panettone Recipe

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Chocolate and Orange Panettone Recipe

I remember growing up in Detroit and always going to these huge extravagant Christmas Eve parties at my dad’s side of the family.  They were absolutely loaded with food, music, games and fun.  If you know an Italian just ask them about how much food is rolled out on any holiday throughout the year, you’ll be floored.  Honestly, you’d think we were getting ready to feed the entire neighborhood with the amount of food that is made.  There were literally several different tables set up by courses for you to go through and pick what you’d like to eat.  Obviously the most glorious table in my young eye sights was the dessert table.  I mean still to this day I don’t think I’ve ever seen more cookies in 1 place then on that desserts table on Christmas Eve.  The most delicious pies, cakes, tarts, you name it this thing would make Willy Wonka blush.  I always remember some funny looking tall bread that had raisins in it on the edge of that table, but never once ventured on taking a slice.  Well that tall bread was panettone and dang it did I miss out on it for so many years.

There are so many things I wish I could go back in try when I was younger that I just didn’t do.  Sure, I’ve been able to eat a lot of those things now, but I never ate them the way my Italian relatives made them.  Were they better than the recipes I’ve had now?  What did they smell like?  How long were they cooked?  I mean I’m so bummed that I didn’t eat these things when I had the chance.  All I’m trying to say is don’t take these simple things for granite or else you’ll never get the opportunity to know how they were made.  While I’ve made panettone several times, I just wish once that I had taken a bite out of the ones my family made 30 years ago.

The comforting part about all of this is at least now I have a really solid recipe and ingredients that I trust to make an insanely delicious panettone.  I won’t ever know if mine tasted like theirs, but I know everything in my panettone is good.  I can’t tell you how much I swear by Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Flour.  It has a ton of protein in it making it perfect for making breads, crusts, pie shells and cakes, and quite frankly it’s the only flour I trust.  In all honestly it always gives me confidence knowing that I’ve used really good ingredients in my cooking.  Thanks Bob for helping me create this Chocolate and Orange Panettone Recipe!!

With all that being said, as I wipe a tear from my eye reminiscing on my childhood in Detroit let’s get into this Italian Christmas Cake, or you all know Panettone!  Panettone is a light fluffy sweet bread that is usually spiked with some dry fruits and topped off with nuts or sugar.  While I’ve done the traditional recipe before, I wanted to change things up so putting in some chocolate chips and orange zest will do the trick.  I added these ingredients because it’s a guarantee my daughter will eat it.  I don’t want to scare her with a bunch of dried fruit and raisins like I was when I was a kid.  I want her to remember everything that I make so that she can pass it on to her kids one day, and the best way I know how to do that now is through chocolate chips :-).

The main thing that panettone requires is time.  It needs time to rise twice, so don’t be thinking this is some after dinner treat you are going to whip, because you’re going to need about 5 hours or so to complete this recipe before you can eat it.  I suggest starting this in the morning or even on a weekend day.  The beautiful thing about panettone is you can swap out toppings and fillings to your liking.  While the dough stays the same, you can spike the flavor with whatever you want.  Maybe it’s lemon, or some kind of liqueur, or perhaps even nut based.  All I’m saying is that you can get creative with this recipe and do whatever you’d like with it!  Happy baking guys, and remember to be sure and try everything even if you don’t like it, try it anyways just so you know!


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Chocolate and Orange Panettone Recipe
Author: 
Recipe type: Dessert
 
Get in the holiday spirit and learn how easy it is to make a Chocolate and Orange Panettone Recipe that is topped off with almonds!
Ingredients
  • 1 ½ packets of yeast
  • 1 ½ cups of water heated to 110° to 115°
  • 1 ½ cups of whole milk heated to 110° to 115°
  • 1 ½ cups of sugar + 1 tablespoon
  • 1 egg + 1 egg white
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • Zest of 1 orange
  • ½ cup of melted butter
  • 8 cups of Bob's Red Mill all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup of chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°
  2. Sprinkle the yeast into a bowl with the warm water and milk and whisk in 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Let sit for 5 to 7 minutes or until it becomes very foamy.
  3. Next, whisk in the rest of the sugar, 1 egg, salt, vanilla, orange zest and melted butter until combined and transfer it to a standing mixer with the hook attachment.
  4. Slowly pour in the flour and mix on low speed until combined and kneed for 5 to 10 minutes.
  5. Let sit for 1 hour or until it doubles in size.
  6. Add the chocolate chips and fold them in the dough until they are completely folded in. Put the dough into a prepared 4” tall by 8” cake pan or use a panettone liner and let rise for more 30 minutes.
  7. Brush the top of the bread with the egg white and sprinkle on the 1 tablespoon of sugar and bake at 350° for 60 to 70 minutes or until browned on top and the inside is cooked.

 

Homemade Sweet Potato Pie Recipe with Marshmallow Merengue

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When I was a kid I wasn’t too adventurous when it came to trying new foods, and the holidays were filled with things I had never heard of.  We spent thanksgiving and Christmas at my grandparents’ house and we always hung out and ate in the basement.  When it came to dessert time there were the usuals, apple pie, pumpkin pie, ice cream, etc.  However, I do remember one time someone, can’t quite recall who it was (maybe my Uncle Jack), who brought a sweet potato pie.  I couldn’t quite grasp the concept of a potato pie because to this point all I had been used to seeing was a sweet potato baked or sliced up and cooked.  It took several years after that for me to even try it.  After that first bite, I was so mad at myself for consistently passing on such a delicious dessert for all this time.

I like sweet potato pie so much that I won’t even touch pumpkin pie if it’s around.  To me it is light years better than pumpkin pie and so much more flavorful, and with the marshmallow merengue on top you will be floored at the wonderful combinations in this homemade pie.  There are a few ways to prepare the sweet potatoes.  Some some folks boil them, but I prefer to bake them.  I always wash my produce no matter what, even if I end up peeling it.  My chef used to tell me that there are people just like you and me packing up these fruits and vegetables so it’s in my best interest to give them a rinse first.  With the Franke roller mat it has become incredibly easy to wash my produce.  The mat is malleable so you can roll it right over the top of your sink and from there use a hose extender or faucet to rinse your veggies.  If you have small fruit you can put in a colander and rinse it while it rests on the roller mat.  I like doing this because I’m tall so anything that can help save my back from constantly bending over, then I’m game.

While the sweet potatoes are cooking it’s the perfect time to make the crust.  I would say the crust, no matter the filling, is probably my favorite thing to eat in a pie.  It just brings about so much balance and a little saltiness to the pie filling making it perfect.  Not sure who invented the pie crust, but THANK YOU!  Since a pie crust only takes about 5 minutes to make I mold it to the pan and pop it right into the refrigerator to let the dough rest until it’s time to fill and bake.

Once the potatoes are done cooking you want to peel them and mash them.  You can absolutely do all this in a standing mixer, using a hand mixer or a potato mill, which is what I do.  Sweet potatoes mash pretty easy so don’t worry about being able to get them broken down.  Once you mix in all the goodies you fill up the pie crust and bake it for about an hour until it becomes firm on top.  Once things go in the oven I usually try to clean up a bit and get caught up in the kitchen before doing something else.  That same roller mat that was used to wash my potatoes became a drying rack for my dishes while I wiped down the kitchen.  Seriously this thing is AMAZING!

After I cleaned up I had plenty of time to make the marshmallow merengue, which will go on top of the sweet potato pie after it is done baking.  You want to wait until there is about 5 minutes left in the baking process before starting this since you want to put it on top immediately and get it right back in the oven.  Once your egg whites have reached medium peaks you fold in the marshmallow whip and mix it until it reaches stiff peaks.  This is really important for how I styled my pie with the tall little points sticking up out of the pie.  I used the Franke roller mat as a trivet for the hot pie after I pulled it out of the oven to keep my countertops safe.  You definitely do not have to do what I did for the topping so please feel free to add on how you feel comfortable.  Pop the pie back in the oven for a few more minutes or until the merengue is browned and you are good to go!  Sweet potato pie is delicious warm or cold, so take your pick!


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Homemade Sweet Potato Pie Recipe with Marshmallow Merengue
Author: 
Recipe type: Dessert
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 1 pie
 
Leave the pumpkin pie at home this year and try this amazing Homemade Sweet Potato Pie Recipe with Marshmallow Merengue!
Ingredients
For the Crust:
  • 1¼ cups of flour
  • ½ teaspoons of Kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon of sugar
  • ½ cups of ice cold unsalted butter, cut up
  • ¼ cup of ice cold water
For the Filling:
  • 3 large sweet potatoes, baked and skins removed
  • 1 cup of brown sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 5 tablespoons of unsalted butter
  • ½ cup of whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon of nutmeg
For the Marshmallow Merengue:
  • 3 egg whites
  • ¼ teaspoon of cream of tartar
  • ¼ cup of sugar
  • 1 8 ounce jar of marshmallow whip
Instructions
  1. Sweet Potatoes: Wash the potatoes and bake at 375 for 60 minutes.
  2. Crust: Add the ingredients, except for the water, into a food processor and pulse until it becomes like a meal. Slowly drizzle in the water until the dough begins to slightly come together.
  3. Remove the dough and roll it out on a clean flour dusted surface so that it will fit into a 9” pie tin.
  4. Form the dough to the pie tin and trim any access. Chill in the refrigerator until the sweet potatoes are done baking.
  5. Filling: Peel the sweet potatoes and add them to a large bowl along with all the other ingredients and mix until combined.
  6. Pour the filling into the pie crust and bake for 60 to 65 minutes at 375° or until it becomes firm on top and in the center.
  7. Merengue: While the pie is cooking add the egg whites, cream of tartar and sugar to a standing mixer with the whisk attachment and whisk on high speed until they’ve reached medium peaks, about 3 to 4 minutes.
  8. Next, add in the marshmallow whip and mix on high speed until it reached stiff peaks.
  9. When the pie is done cooking add the marshmallow merengue to the top of the pie in any decoration that you’d like and bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until they are browned.
  10. Serve the pie warm or cool and enjoy!

 

Mixed Berries with Vanilla Crème Anglaise and Whipped Cream

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It’s the season for barbecues, picnics, cookouts, and outdoor get-togethers – and I have the perfect dessert to impress your guests! This one is particularly patriotic, with gorgeous mixed berries (I used blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries), whipped cream, and a vanilla crème anglaise. You can make it ahead of time, so when it comes time to serve, you just assemble and sit back as your friends ooh and ahh over the sweet treat.

The star of this dessert is the crème anglaise – a sweet, custard-like sauce that gets spooned over the mixed berries. It sounds fancy and intimidating, but if you follow the steps carefully, you’ll have a beautiful, decadent sauce as good as any French pastry chef could make. The two keys to this sauce are your patience and a strong forearm for whisking.

The first step is to separate 12 egg yolks from the whites. We’ll only be using the yolks here, so save the whites for another recipe (a meringue or angel food cake would be tasty!). After putting the 12 egg yolks in a bowl, pour one quart of heavy whipping cream into a saucepan. I know this sounds like a lot of fat-laden ingredients, but I can assure you that it’s worth it when you have one taste of the decadent sauce that results from it! The mixed berries balance it all out – or so I like to think!

I split two vanilla beans down the middle and dropped them into the cream, then I scalded the cream. Scalding means to cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the cream starts to bubble along the edges. You’ll notice some of the insides of the vanilla bean start to release into the liquid—this is perfect! To get the rest of the vanilla bean seeds, I ran the back of a paring knife along the cut sides to release the tiny flecks inside the bean, which I added to the cream. There’s nothing quite like fresh vanilla beans—I think they add such a nice flavor that you can’t get from extract, but if you can’t find them, of course, feel free to use a high-quality vanilla extract made from real vanilla beans or a vanilla bean paste instead.

Next, I tempered the eggs, which means I brought them to a warmer temperature. If eggs come in contact with a hot ingredient too quickly, they’ll scramble, so I added a quarter cup of the cream to the egg yolks while whisking to make them a little warmer. Then, I whisked the warmed egg yolks into the heavy cream, followed by 1 cup of sugar. Now onto the fun part: lots and lots of stirring.

Bring your favorite whisk and your patience, because this next step takes a little time. My advice is to keep the heat low and keep stirring. You’re looking for an alfredo sauce-like texture here. It should be somewhat thick and will coat the back of a spoon when it’s ready. Watch carefully, because it can go from liquid to overcooked in just moments! As soon as it looked done, I remove the pan from the heat and placed it on my Franke roller mat – an awesome trivet for hot pans, among other things! – and whisked vigorously to make sure they weren’t any lumps. If you want to be extra-sure that there aren’t any lumps, you can run the mixture through a chinois or fine mesh sieve after it cooks.

Then I transferred the mixture to a bowl and stuck it in the refrigerator (or the freezer if you’re in a rush!) to cool.

Meanwhile, give the berries a quick rinse in the sink and let them sit to dry on the roller mat while the crème anglaise cools. The Franke roller mat is incredibly versatile – I use it every day! Sometimes as a dish dryer, or a colander, or a hot pad to help protect counter tops. The side spray on my Franke farmhouse faucet with hose extender is especially beneficial when it comes to washing produce over the roller mat.

Finally, I whipped more heavy cream and a spoonful of sugar into the bowl of a standing mixer until it reached stiff peask, and then I set it in the fridge until it was time serve.  I’d recommend grabbing  your prettiest wine glasses or parfait glasses and letting your guests layer their dessert as they please. I’m personally privy to a little more crème anglaise rather than a little less, but to each their own! As for the sparklers – totally optional but highly encouraged! Hope you have a fantastic 4th of July!

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Mixed Berries with Vanilla Crème Anglaise and Whipped Cream
Author: 
Recipe type: dessert
 
Give your dessert a spark with this tempting Mixed Berries with Vanilla Crème Anglaise and Whipped Cream that is sure to be a hit!
Ingredients
  • 1 lb fresh strawberries, quartered
  • 1 pint blueberries
  • 6 oz raspberries
  • 6 oz blackberries
  • 12 egg yolks
  • 5 cups heavy whipping cream, divided
  • 2 vanilla beans
  • 1¼ cup sugar, divided
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. Separate the egg whites from the egg yolks and place the yolks in a large bowl. Reserve egg whites for another use. Split the vanilla beans lengthwise down the middle. In a heavy saucepan, add 4 cups of heavy cream and the vanilla beans. Heat the cream over low heat until bubbles begin to form on the edges. Remove from the heat. Remove the vanilla beans from the cream. Using the back of a paring knife, scrape the inside of the vanilla beans to remove the insides. Add the insides of the vanilla beans back to the heavy cream.
  2. While whisking constantly, pour ¼ cup of the heavy cream into the egg yolks to bring the yolks up in temperature. Add the egg yolks to the heavy cream and whisk quickly to combine. Whisk in 1 cup of sugar.
  3. Place the heavy cream and egg mixture on a burner over low heat. Low heat is essential here! Whisk constantly until the sauce is thickened and coats the back of a spoon, about 8–12 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer through a fine mesh sieve or chinois, if desired. Refrigerate for 2–3 hours or until cool.
  4. Beat the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream with ¼ cup sugar and ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract to stiff peaks. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
  5. Rinse the berries and allow to dry. When ready to serve, layer the berries with crème anglaise and top with whipped cream. Serve immediately.

 

Braised Lamb Shanks Recipe with Parmesan Risotto

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Braised Lamb Shanks Recipe with Parmesan Risotto

I have always said that lamb and duck are hands down my favorite proteins of all time, and because they are it of course means I don’t get to eat them too often.  My wife isn’t too adventurous when it comes to eating foods that are a little different from the norm, and she especially won’t eat lamb or duck.  However, when it’s holiday season I usually get to make just about whatever I want.  For instance, I made smoked turkeys for Thanksgiving, which is definitely a little different than the norm, and the whole family was totally ok with it!  In light of having some success with twisting things up for the holidays I figured I would whip up this Braised Lamb Shanks Recipe with Parmesan Risotto for the Easter holiday weekend.  Now I’m not sure if my wife will dig it, but I am 100% confident that she’ll at least eat the risotto, which is a meal in itself.

Braising lamb shanks is actually really easy, it just requires some time, but it’s way quicker than braising most other meats like brisket or pork butt.  Once you taste the rich flavor combos of the lamb and red wine beef broth it’s braising in, you’ll forget all about the fact that it took 3 hours to make it.  Once you taste all of that goodness with the risotto you won’t care about anything at all, yes it’s that good!  The first part of braising lamb is seasoning them and then searing them in a bit of olive oil until they are golden brown.  The process of braising is caramelizing until roasted, not over cooked, and then finishing by simmering in a flavorful liquid.  Once the lamb is browned on all sides you want to remove it and then add a bunch of vegetables into the pan that you roasted the lamb in.  I’m a huge fan of not peeling my root vegetables simply because there is so much flavor and so many nutrients on the skin of vegetables.  Instead of peeling them, I like to simply wash them really well and then slice them up.  One my favorite kitchen gadgets to help me do this our Franke Roller Mat and Gooseneck Faucet with Hose Extender.  The Roller Mat acts as a colander, among many other things, making it easy to wash vegetables right over of the sink.  It’s honestly one of the coolest things in our kitchen and we use it daily!  Once the veggies are washed and rinsed you then want to roast them up in that pan until they are caramelized.  This part takes about 15 minutes to do it properly.  Once browned add in some tomato paste to help give it some color and body followed up by deglazing with red wine.  From there add the liquid, herbs, the browned lamb shanks, and a lid, and off to the oven it goes. I promise it’s that easy, just check out the video!

While the lamb is in the oven you’ll definitely have some time on your hands, so go hang out for 2 hours before returning to the kitchen to prepare the risotto.  I grew up in a kitchen that made risotto every day, so it’s as serious as religion for me.  You must always use an oversized pot to make it in and you must always use a wooden spoon while always continuing to stir in the exact same direction.  Don’t you dare let me catch you stirring any other way :-).  To me, the most important part of risotto is making sure you take the time to brown up and caramelize your onions.  Preparing the onions this way will make for the most flavorful rich risotto ever, so be sure to give yourself an hour total to make the risotto.  Once your onions are browned, add in the rice to toast it up a bit.  You then deglaze with white wine followed up by adding in chicken stock a few ladles at a time until the rice absorbs all the liquid, all while continuing to stir.  You repeat this process quite a few times until the rice is al dente, or slightly crunchy.  Always finish off your risotto with some fresh grated parmesan cheese and cream to give the richest of flavors.

The last thing you want to do is plate everything by adding a lamb shank over a bed of risotto along with some of the jus from the braising pot.  You can garnish with some fresh herbs, but I suggest not wasting too much time so you can eat this deliciousness ASAP!  Happy cooking everyone!

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Braised Lamb Shanks Recipe with Parmesan Risotto
Author: 
Recipe type: main
 
Sink your teeth into this delicious and elegant Braised Lamb Shanks Recipe with Parmesan Risotto that is sure to be a family favorite!
Ingredients
For the Lamb:
  • 4 lamb shanks
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  • 3 sliced carrots, peelings on
  • 2 sliced parsnips, peelings on
  • 1 sliced turnip, peelings on
  • 1 sliced yellow onion, peelings on
  • 4 sliced celery stalks
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 12-15 fresh thyme sprigs
  • 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
  • 1 small bunch of parsley
  • 3 tablespoons of tomato paste
  • 2 cups of red wine
  • 32 ounces of beef stock
  • Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper
For the Risotto:
  • 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
  • 1 peeled and small diced yellow onion
  • 2 cups of Arborio rice
  • 2 cups of chardonnay
  • 64 ounces of chicken stock
  • 1 cup of grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup of heavy whipping cream
  • Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 325°.
  2. Lamb: Season the lamb on all sides with salt and pepper and sear them until golden brown in a large pot with olive oil over high heat. Once brown remove them from the pot and set aside.
  3. Next, add all of the vegetables and herbs into the pot and caramelize, about 15 minutes.
  4. Add in the tomato paste and stir until combined and cook for a further 3 to 4 minutes. Deglaze with red wine and cook until it becomes very thick and incorporated into the mixture.
  5. Add in the stock followed up by adding in the lamb shanks. Place a lid over the pot and cook in the oven at 325° for 3 hours. Remove them from the pot and strain the vegetables and serve with the remaining liquid.
  6. Risotto: Risotto: Melt the butter over medium heat in a large pot and add in the onions and caramelize, about 20 minutes.
  7. Next, add in the rice and toast for 2 to 3 minutes before deglazing with white wine.
  8. Stir the rice constantly until the rice has absorbed the wine and add in 8 ounces of chicken stock at a time while continuing to stir until the liquid is absorbed. Repeat the process until the risotto is al dente or slightly crunchy.
  9. Fold in the Parmesan cheese, whipping cream and season with salt and pepper until combined. Keep warm.
  10. Serve the lamb over a bed of risotto.

 

Baked Brie En Croute Recipe and Baked Brie with Cranberries

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Baked Brie En Croute Recipe and Baked Brie with Cranberries

I have to admit, when I was growing up I couldn’t stand the thought of baked brie.  I thought the brie cheese in the center that was oozing out was delicious, but what on earth is this weird fuzzy layer on the outside protecting all that goodness in the middle?  I know now that the rind of the brie is intended to be eaten, but even to this day it’s a little weird.  It kind of has an earthy mushroomy flavor to it that is just plain odd.  However, when you bake brie with all the goodness that I did and then wrapped up in a puff pastry or phyllo dough shell that is ridiculously good!  However, you will notice from the pictures that I didn’t just make the baked brie en croute recipe, I also hooked up a baked brie with cranberries and apples and dang was that good too.

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As you get older your palette changes.  Mine moved from sweet berry fruits to citrus.  While I still love the sweetness of berries, I really like citrus flavors nowadays.  In addition, I used to like pilsner style beers and now I’m in search for the darkest thickest motor oil looking beer I can find.  Brie used to be gross to me even with some sweet jam on it, and now I can’t wait to dine with the ladies and eat brie like it’s my job.  Sorry, just seems like ladies’ love brie J.  It’s so bad now that if someone has it at a party that I literally eat half of it.  I’m greedy, so what.  At least I know where the good stuff is!!  OK, let’s talk about how I made this Baked Brie En Croute Recipe and Baked Brie with Cranberries.

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The baked brie en croute recipe is super simple and is extremely versatile.  You don’t have to use the same sweet jam as I did or even top off with the candied pecans, dried cherries and caramel.  However, you do need to start off with a good brie wheel and some puff pastry or phyllo dough.  I used phyllo in this because I wanted some thin flaky layers, plus I already had some on hand so boom!!  I used a triple creamed brie that was really cheap.  I think I only paid $6 bucks for it.  Next, I spread a really thick layer of sour cherry jam all over the top of it and set it aside while I rolled out the phyllo dough just a smidge.

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Baked Brie En Croute Recipe and Baked Brie with Cranberries 4

From there I wrapped up the brie and cherry jam and pinched it tight with some water underneath.  You can brush the top with a whisked egg or simply milk, which is what I used.  Bake this puppy up in the oven at 350° for 35 minutes or until the top of the phyllo is golden brown.  Now because I’m crazy I didn’t stop there.  I made a really easy bourbon caramel sauce and some candied pecans to go over top.  I also had some dried cherries lying around from the recipe I did the other day and topped off with them also.

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This guy is gooey but dang is it ridiculous.  There’s no right way to eat it, just grab a knife, cut in to it and go to town!  I like serving up baked brie with an assortment of crackers and a sliced baguette, in case you were wondering.   So now on to the baked brie with cranberries, in case for some crazy reason you don’t like a baked brie en croute recipe.  Start by carefully slicing off the top layer of brie cheese, but laying it back on top.  This will help keep the oozy cheese in side from pouring out while it’s baking.  Next in a pot boil together some water, sugar and lemon juice and then add in some cranberries and diced apples and cook it until it becomes super thick.  Honestly it will resemble a chutney.  Finish it off with some cinnamon and currant and chill it in the fridge.  From there wait till the brie cheese is done baking, remove that top layer you cut off and pile the cranberry apple mixture sky high on top and get in there with some crackers my friend!

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Both these Baked Brie En Croute Recipe and Baked Brie with Cranberries are extremely easy to make and oh my gosh delicious!  I just wanted to whip these up real quick in case you were looking for any last minute appetizers.  I do want to note that you will have some leftover cranberry goodness, but hey perfect timing to slap it on your turkey this holiday season!!  Enjoy!!!

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Baked Brie En Croute Recipe and Baked Brie with Cranberries
Author: 
Recipe type: Appetizer
 
Wanting to spice up your holidays with some amazing appetizers? Try this Baked Brie En Croute Recipe and Baked Brie with Cranberries recipe!
Ingredients
For the En Croute Recipe:
  • 1 cup of packed light brown sugar
  • 6 ounces of unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup of heavy cream
  • 1 ½ tablespoons of good bourbon
  • 2 cups of pecan halves
  • 1 phyllo dough sheet at room temperature
  • 1 6” brie cheese wheel
  • 1 tablespoon of whole milk
  • ⅔ cup of sour cherry jam
  • 1 cup of dried cherries
For the Brie with Cranberries:
  • ⅔ cup water
  • ⅔ cup sugar
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 3 cups of cranberries
  • 1 peeled and small diced granny smith apple
  • 1 peeled and small diced fuji apple
  • zest of 1 orange
  • juice of 1 orange
  • ½ cup of currants
  • ½ teaspoon of cinnamon
  • 1 6” brie cheese wheel
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
  2. En Croute: In a pot over medium heat whisk together ½ cup of brown sugar, 4 ounces of butter and heavy cream until it becomes smooth and like caramel, about 4 to 6 minutes. Finish it by whisking in bourbon and set aside and keep warm.
  3. Next add ½ cup of brown sugar and 2 tablespoons of butter to a saute pan over medium heat.
  4. Once the butter is melted add in the pecans and stir until the brown sugar begins to stick to the pecans. Remove and spread out the pecans on parchment paper and let sit until the brown sugar hardens.
  5. Roll out the phyllo dough slightly on a clean surface dusted with flour and set aside.
  6. Spread the cherry jam over top of the brie cheese wheel and wrap the phyllo dough over it and mold it to the cheese.
  7. Pinch the bottom using water to help secure and then brush the top of the dough with milk. Bake in the oven at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
  8. Garnish with bourbon caramel, candied pecans and dried cherries.
  9. Brie with Cranberries: In a medium pot boil together the water, sugar and lemon juice and then add in the cranberries and apples and cook until the mixture becomes very thick like a chutney. Finish with orange zest, orange juice, currants and cinnamon and refrigerate until cool.
  10. Next, remove the top rind of the brie cheese wheel and then place it back on. Bake the cheese on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper at 350° for 15 minutes.
  11. Remove the top rind and add on the cool cranberry apple mixture.
  12. Serve both baked brie cheeses with assorted crackers and bread.

 

How to make potato rolls with goat cheese and honey butter

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How to make potato rolls with goat cheese and honey butter

Thanksgiving is one of those holidays I often take for granted.  We have so much here in the US, and so many things are readily accessible that we often don’t think about being thankful for the little things.  The past year has been incredibly challenging for me, mostly from a health standpoint.  I’m only 35, but man has 2016 beat me up, chewed me up and spit me out a couple of times.  I’ve had horrible back pain, surgery, been super sick, been deaf in 1 ear for a month, I mean I’m one whipped puppy.  Not-too-mention all the political stuff that infiltrates are social feeds on a daily basis, which can often be incredibly negative.  However, in the midst of all the craziness this year has brought in, I really have so much to be thankful for.  My family is amazing, we have a cool house, a new kitchen, great friends, a supportive family, food on the table, and the bills are paid.  All I can say after that is AMEN!  So much to be thankful for.  I’ll write another post that explains in a bit more detail…

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With giving thanks, more times than not, comes with delicious food.  Soft delicious and hot rolls are a staple at my table at every holiday, and truth be told I’m Italian so I want some form of bread at the table at all times haha.  Not sure if you’ve ever wondered how to make potato rolls, but truth be told they are super easy to make and 10 times better homemade then what you are going to get in the store, and it ain’t even close J.  Potato rolls are simply using mashed up skinless potatoes with all of the other ingredients that go into making bread.  While these little potato rolls are delicious by themselves, I paired it up with a goat cheese and honey butter to make it even more delicious.  More of that later though.

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There are a few different ways to cooking the potatoes.  I’ve seen people pierce them and microwave them and I’ve seen peeled, boiled and strained.  I’m a bit of a purist so I simply roasted them in the oven at 375° for about 70 minutes until they were nice and tender.  Now these suckers are hot, so be sure to hold them in a towel while pealing them with a paring knife.  Good way to hone those potato peeling skills, almost like you were 3 floors sub-level in the navy :-).

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When the potatoes have all been peeled and mashed, it’s now time to heat up some milk, add in the yeast and sugar and watch it chow down.  The yeast will form almost a raft like top to it, don’t let it weird you out, it’s perfect!  Once it is to that level then you begin to add your other ingredients.  To make sure these potato rolls had the right consistency, I used Bob’s Red Mill Whole Wheat Pastry Flour which is stone ground.  The protein content is lower in this pastry flour which makes for the most tender baked goods, which is pretty much exactly what I’m looking for when making these potato rolls.  Now, normally when making these I would have used extra virgin olive oil which would have been totally fine.  However, I had some leftover rendered bacon fat lying around that I thought might help kick these up a notch and make them even more tender.  I was right, they’re ridiculous.

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Once the rolls were rested under a towel, I brushed them with melted unsalted butter and topped them off with some sea salt and oats for some flavor and of course appearances.  This part is totally up to you, feel free to simply brush with butter and bake in the oven.

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While the potato rolls are in the oven, it’s time to make a goat cheese and honey butter to spread all over them.  Honey butter by itself is so stinkin’ good, but adding in goat cheese and fresh thyme, FA-GET ABOUT IT EH?!  Dang delicious!!  Make sure your butter is soft, as well as the goat cheese, and simply whip them together with the honey and thyme using a wire whisk or in a standing mixer with the paddle attachment.  I seasoned it just a little with salt and pepper, but the bacon fat in the roll and salt on top are going to make these plenty seasoned and should complement each other perfectly when paired with the goat cheese and honey butter.

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Well folks, that’s all I got!  If you want to make some homemade rolls this Thanksgiving, I’d look at these guys, they’re good.  Oh yeah, don’t forget to give thanks :-).

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How to make potato rolls with goat cheese and honey butter
Author: 
Recipe type: side
 
Wanting to make homemade bread this holiday season? Learn How to make potato rolls with goat cheese and honey butter!
Ingredients
For the Potato Rolls:
  • 3 medium sized baked and peeled russet potatoes
  • 1 ½ cups of warm whole milk (110° to 115°)
  • ½ tablespoon of yeast
  • 1 tablespoon of sugar
  • ¼ cup of rendered bacon fat or extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 eggs
  • pinch of Kosher salt
  • 4 cups of Bob’s Red Mill Pastry Flour
  • 2 cups of Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Flour
  • ¼ cup of melted unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon of sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon of rolled oats
For the Butter:
  • 1 pound of softened unsalted butter
  • 1 cup of softened goat cheese
  • 2 tablespoons of honey
  • 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves
  • Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°.
  2. Rolls: Mash the peeled cooked potatoes in a large bowl and set aside.
  3. Next, add the milk, yeast and sugar to a standing mixer with the hook attachment. Lightly mix and let sit for 5 minutes.
  4. Add in the potatoes, bacon fat and eggs and mix on medium speed until combined.
  5. Mix the Kosher salt and flours in a large bowl and add them to the mixer in 2 different batches until combined. Do not over mix.
  6. Cover the bowl with the dough in it with a towel and let sit for 1 hour or until it has doubled in size.
  7. Next, form 20 balls of dough and place them on cookie sheet trays lined with parchment paper. Cover with a towel and let sit for 15 to 20 more minutes.
  8. Brush the tops with melted butter and evenly sprinkle on salt and oats.
  9. Bake in the oven at 375° for 18 to 22 minutes or until they are lightly browned and top and cooked in the center.
  10. Butter: While the rolls are cooking whip together the softened butter, goat cheese, honey, thyme leaves, and salt and pepper until it is light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Chill before serving alongside the rolls.

 

Kentucky Hot Brown Sandwich Recipe

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If you’re family is anything like ours then you most likely have about 9 million slices of ham leftover from Easter.  Don’t get me wrong this isn’t a bad thing, but there is only so much ham & bean soup and ham sandwiches with mayonnaise that one person can take.  So if you are looking to use up all that delicious ham in the tastiest way possible then this Kentucky Hot Brown Sandwich Recipe is exactly what should be on your menu.  It’s not only a great way to use up ham, it’s also a fantastic post Easter brunch recipe that will leave your family and guests begging for more, literally!

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The Kentucky Hot Brown is a staple food at the Kentucky Derby every year, and while there are different variations out there, I think mine takes the cake.  I add a few more ingredients and procedures to the traditional to help spruce it up a bit to give it a little more flavor.  It all starts with the tasty cheese sauce that you pour all over the top of the sandwich at the end.  First make a roux, which consists of equal weights butter and flour.  A roux is used to thicken sauces, so when I make a roux I usually make a little more than I’m supposed to because it refrigerates well and can always be used down the road a few weeks.

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A significant element to the flavor of the sauce is the cheese, this is where you get creative.  Traditionally A Kentucky Hot Brown Recipe uses Parmesan, but I feel like I eat Parmesan like 5 nights a week because I’m Italian.  If you want to you Parmesan too, fine, but I chose to use a combo of Crystal Farms shredded mozzarella and cheddar.  They have the texture and taste of being shredded right off the block, which to me screams quality.  I also appreciate the bigger shreds of cheese because it holds up better under the broiler and is less likely to burn.  Similar to the roux I usually make a little extra of this sauce because it goes amazing on vegetables, which my family also loves.

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Because we are right before getting into season for tomatoes I feel it wise to help concentrate the flavor in fresh tomatoes by slow oven roasting them to ensure they are loaded with flavor.  Simply line up some quartered Roma tomatoes skin side down on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper, season with salt and pepper, drizzle on a little olive oil and throw them in the oven on 275° and forget about’em for 3 hours.  This process is also known as tomato confit and honestly you should to them with peak season tomatoes as well if you love intense flavors.

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To further change this recipe up I am using up all that leftover Easter ham along with a fried egg on top.  Seriously whenever in doubt on what to finish off a dish with, add on either bacon or an egg because as I always say fat equals flavor.  I’m telling you once you get to the center of this Kentucky Hot Brown and the yolk breaks and oozes out all that deliciousness all over the sandwich, you will know exactly why I added it on there.

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To finish it off, toast up some Texas Toast, or perhaps another favorite bread, and then add on some sliced turkey, some leftover ham slices, crispy bacon, fried egg, a few tomato confit and a few tablespoons of the cheese sauce, followed up by sprinkling on a bit more cheese.  Bake it under the broiler until the cheese begins to turn lightly brown and crispy, about 3 to 4 minutes on low.  Do not waste any time, eat it immediately!

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This sandwich is incredibly rich so I caution not to make too many because most likely everyone will only be able to eat just one.

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The last thing I’ll say about this recipe is feel free to get creative.  If you want to add on some roasted vegetables so be it, if you want to use fresh in stead of roasted tomatoes fine, you are only limited by your own creativity, so have fun doing it!

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Be sure to check out all of Crystal Farms cheeses on their website at CrystalFarmsCheese.com and on all of their social channels below.

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Kentucky Hot Brown Sandwich Recipe
Author: 
Recipe type: lunch
 
Leftover ham from the holidays? No Problem, make this amazingly delicious Kentucky Hot Brown Sandwich Recipe!
Ingredients
  • 6 Roma tomatoes cut into quarters
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter
  • 6 tablespoons of flour
  • 3 cups of whole milk
  • 2 cups of Crystal Farms Shredded Mozzarella
  • 2 cups of Crystal Farms Shredded Cheddar
  • pinch of ground nutmeg
  • 8 slices of toasted Texas toast
  • 1 pound of leftover sliced spiral ham
  • 1 pound of sliced turkey
  • 16 slices of cooked crisp bacon
  • 8 fried eggs
  • chopped parsley for garnish
  • Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 275°.
  2. Place the tomatoes skin side down on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and drizzle on olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 3 hours.
  3. In a medium sauce pot over medium heat, melt the butter and whisk in the flour until combined to form a roux.
  4. Reserve ½ of the roux in the refrigerator.
  5. Whisk the milk into the leftover roux in the pot and bring to a boil to thicken, think alfredo sauce. Turn the heat to low to keep warm.
  6. Next, whisk in 1 ½ cups each of the shredded mozzarella and cheddar until completely combined.
  7. Finish the sauce with nutmeg, salt and pepper and keep warm.
  8. Turn the broiler on to low heat.
  9. Place the slices of toasted Texas toast on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and evenly layer on the ham, turkey, crispy bacon, fried egg, oven roasted tomatoes and a few tablespoons of cheese sauce, followed up by adding on some of the leftover shredded cheeses.
  10. Broil on low for 3 to 4 minutes or until the cheese turns light brown.
  11. Serve hot!

 

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Crystal Farms. The opinions and text are all mine.

Roasted Sweet and Savory Acorn Squash

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When it comes to cooking for the holidays I know how stressing it can get.  You’ve got “those” family members coming over that you only see like 3 times a year, kids are running around, your house is trashed and your kitchen has crusty foil lids laying around and food is everywhere.  Yeah, I’ve been down that road a few times.  But, it’s all good because eventually that delicious meal you’ve been working up to will get served, people and kids will eat, and your favorite relatives will eventually go home :-).

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One of the biggest questions I get is how to save space and time on that crazy cooking day.  To me it first starts with prep, make sure you’ve got everything you need so all you have to do is cook, not cut then cook, then cut again.  You get it.  The other is to try cooking some stuff in the slow cooker or even on the grill to help save precious oven space.  However, if you just need a bit of space and the oven is all you’ve got then this Roasted Sweet and Savory Acorn Squash recipe is for you.

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This is a crazy easy side dish that everyone will love, plus they are single serving, which means you can plan on exactly the amount you need without worrying about tons of leftovers.  Start by cutting them in half and copping out the seeds.

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Now because these squash are sweet and savory I whipped up a really easy butter consisting of butter, brown sugar, fresh chopped sage and of course bacon :-).  To prepare them season the inside of each squash with salt and pepper and then with a tablespoon or 2 of the melted sweet and savory butter with all the fixings in there right into the squash cup.

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To help balance of the dish I used a bit of Crystal Farms® Shredded Mozzarella Cheese.  Honestly it’s fantastic straight out of the bag.  It’s incredibly moist and the flavor and texture makes it seem as if shredded it straight off the block myself… Color me impressed and a fan!  Sprinkle some of that delicious cheese right on top and line them up on a sheet of foil and place them on the far side of the rack, which will leave plenty of space in the oven for the turkey, potatoes, green bean casserole, etc.  Roast’em up on 375° for 45 minutes and then boom, you’re good to go! Be sure to check out all of Crystal Farms cheeses on their website at CrystalFarmsCheese.com and on all of their social channels below.

https://www.facebook.com/crystalfarmscheese

https://twitter.com/Crystal_Farms

https://www.pinterest.com/crystalfarms

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Also, I am giving away a Le Creuset 14″ Oval Stoneware Dish.  Simply login below, like The Crystal Farms Facebook Page and then write in the comments below your most memorable Christmas memory!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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5.0 from 2 reviews
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Roasted Sweet and Savory Acorn Squash
Author: 
Recipe type: Side Dish
 
Spruce up your holiday meal with this amazing Roasted Sweet and Savory Acorn Squash recipe!
Ingredients
  • 5 fresh acorn squashes cut in half and seeded
  • ½ cup of unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup of packed light brown sugar
  • ½ cup of chopped crispy bacon
  • 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh sage
  • 1 cup of Crystal Farms® Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
  • Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°.
  2. Place the butter, brown sugar, bacon and sage in a small pot and cook over low heat until the butter is melted. Stir until combined.
  3. Next, place the acorn squash flesh side up on a sheet of foil. Season them with salt and pepper and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the melted butter mixture into the cup of each squash. Top off with 1 to 2 tablespoons of Crystal Farms® Shredded Mozzarella Cheese.
  4. Fold up all sides of the foil to ensure the squash is covered and bake in the oven for 45 minutes.
  5. Serve hot!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Crystal Farms. The opinions and text are all mine.

Easy Thanksgiving Day Slow Cooker Stuffing

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Save precious stove top and oven space by making this amazingly Easy Thanksgiving Day Slow Cooker Stuffing.

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Easy Thanksgiving Day Slow Cooker Stuffing
Author: 
Recipe type: Side Dish
 
Save precious stove top and oven space by making this amazingly Easy Thanksgiving Day Slow Cooker Stuffing.
Ingredients
  • 1 small diced yellow onion
  • 3 small diced stalks of celery
  • 8 cups of cubed crusty bread
  • 1 tablespoon of dry sage
  • 1 tablespoon of dry thyme
  • 1 cup of melted butter
  • 1 cup of chicken stock
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Place all ingredients into a slow cooker, mix and cook on high heat for 2 hours and serve.

 

Pumpkin and Chocolate Pake Recipe

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Man do I have something cool and crazy for you!  A Pumpkin and Chocolate Pake Recipe that literally combines a pie and cake.  Check it out!

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Super easy to make actually, just follow along below!

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Start by baking a Marie Callender’s Pumpkin pie and cooling it to room temperature.

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Next make a simple chocolate sheet cake, don’t worry instructions are below!

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And maybe I am going to put a little chocolate sauce over the top 🙂

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Using a circle cutter, start making your rounds.. Literally!

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Stack the pie onto the cake, drizzle with chocolate sauce and top off with whipped cream and sprinkles, if you so desire!

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The combo of pumpkin and chocolate is amazing.  Two of the best things coming together in 1 bite!

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1 more for fun 🙂

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Pumpkin and Chocolate Pake Recipe
 
Stand out this Halloween with this amazingly delicious and unique Pumpkin and Chocolate Pake Recipe!
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cake:
  • 2 fully cooked and cooled Marie Callender’s® Pumpkin Pies
  • 1 cup of soft unsalted butter
  • 2 cups of granulated sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla
  • 2 ½ cups of all purpose flour
  • ¾ cup of cocoa powder
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoons of baking soda
  • 1 ½ cups of whole milk
For the Chocolate Sauce and Garnishes:
  • 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 2 tablespoons of heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
  • Reddi-wip® for garnish
  • Chocolate sprinkles for garnish
Instructions
  1. Cook the Marie Callendar’s® Pumpkin Pies according to it’s instructions on the packaging and cool to room temperature.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350°.
  3. In a standing mixer with the paddle attachment cream together the butter and sugar until it becomes light and fluffy.
  4. Next, add in 1 egg at a time on low speed until it is combined and then finish by adding in the vanilla.
  5. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, coco powder, salt and baking soda.
  6. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter mixture on low speed in 3 different batches alternating with the milk, but beginning with the dry ingredients and ending with the dry ingredients until it is combined.
  7. Once it is combined pour it into a buttered and floured 13x9 baking dish and bake in the oven on 350° for 40 to 45 minutes or until the center is firm.
  8. Cool the cake to room temperature.
  9. Using a 2” circle round cutter, cut 10 individual rounds for the chocolate cake as well as from the 2 cooked and cooled Marie Callendar’s® Pumpkin Pies and set aside.
  10. Chocolate sauce: Place the chocolate chips, heavy cream and unsalted butter into a double boiler and cook on low heat until combined. Keep warm
  11. To Assemble: Place the 2” cut circle pumpkin pie on top of the 2” cut circle chocolate cake and repeat 9 more times until they have all been used up.
  12. To Garnish: Place a small amount of Reddi Whip® on top of each mini cake and sprinkle on some chocolate sprinkles.
  13. Optional Garnish: Drizzle chocolate sauce on top of each pumpkin/chocolate cake before putting on the Reddi Whip® or chocolate sprinkles.

Garlic and Herb Standing Rib Roast Recipe

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There really isn’t much I like more than Prime Rib and this Garlic and Herb Standing Rib Roast Recipe is so dang tasty it should be made in my household more often.  I usually make a standing rib roast a few times a year and it’s almost always over the holidays.  I just get so sick of eating turkey all the dang time that there is no reason to not change up the menu and make something different.  My dad snapped about 10 years ago and literally said screw it, I don’t care what everyone else wants to eat, I want a dang prime rib.  He, like me, gets so sick of eating turkey for every holiday that even if it’s every few years, it’s good to change things up.  The only knock, if there is one, is that a rib roast is an expensive piece of meat to buy.  It can be 2 or 3 times more than a turkey, but dang can you do so much with it and it cooks in less time.  You can crust with herbs, garlic, onions, mustard, etc. and the leftovers are far better than a turkey sandwich.  We are talkin steak sandwiches, philly cheese steak sandwiches, pulled beef tacos, beef chili, the list goes on.  In any event if you are like me and want to change things up a bit this year, then I highly recommend starting with this Garlic and Herb Standing Rib Roast Recipe.

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and a big pinning pic!

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Garlic and Herb Standing Rib Roast Recipe
 
Looking to change things up this holiday season? Try this delicious Garlic and Herb Standing Rib Roast Recipe.
Ingredients
  • 6 to 7 pound bone-in rib roast
  • 1 finely minced shallot
  • ½ cup of finely minced garlic cloves
  • ⅓ cup of fresh thyme leaves
  • ⅓ cup of fresh chopped rosemary
  • 6 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1 roughly chopped yellow onion
  • 2 roughly chopped carrots
  • 2 roughly chopped stalks of celery
  • Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. In a small bowl mix together the shallots, garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper. Next add the rib roast to a large bowl and add the garlic and herb mixture all over the rib roast.
  2. Make sure most of the garlic and herbs are on the top side of the rib roast.
  3. Place a rack in a pan and lay down the roughly chopped onion, celery and carrots. Place the rib roast on top.
  4. Roast in the oven on 375° for 90 to 120 minutes for a medium rare internal temperature.
  5. Let the meat rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Easy Leftover Turkey Potpie

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Preparing an entire Thanksgiving meal by yourself can be ridiculously stressful, especially if you have kids and the family is in town staying at your house. Brutal! I realized when doing one myself why wine was inventedJ. There are tons of stress-saving cooking tips that are out there, you just need to know where to look.

Start by hitting the frozen food aisle! Forget trying to pick green beans, cut carrots or trim Brussels sprouts; all that work is done for you, it’s just in a different part of the grocery store. Along with veggies, the frozen food aisles are stacked with delicious desserts and pies, pre-baked rolls, crowd-pleasing appetizers, you name it they’ve got it. These products immediately cut down on prep time and annoyingly long cooking times.

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When it comes to preparing the turkey, you can never be safe enough. Correctly thaw your bird by putting it in a pan and letting it thaw out in the refrigerator 48 to 72 hours before cooking. Nothing worse than seeing raw meat on someone’s kitchen counter for hours at a time. In my kitchen, the only way to cook turkey is breast side down— this makes for the juiciest bird ever and extra tender chunks for my turkey potpie! In addition to the delicious, juicy turkey playing a huge role in the pot pie, the gravy has to be full-flavored.  Take the time to properly season with salt and pepper, taste it and season it again if need be. Add in some fresh chopped thyme to kick it up a notch and don’t forget to brush the top of the phyllo dough with an egg and milk wash— this will ensure it to be golden brown and crunchy!

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(Don’t forget to pin the big picture below:-))

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These small techniques ladder up to the bigger picture, which is be organized, make lists, give yourself enough time, figure out where you can save time, delegate authority (in that Cartman VoiceJ) and by all means, have fun! The holidays aren’t meant to be stressful, they are meant to enjoy with family and friends, being thankful for all you have and of course eating delicious food. One thing is certain though, there will be leftovers, and that’s where this Easy Leftover Turkey Pot Pie comes in. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  For more great tips and recipes, be sure to check out http://www.easyhomemeals.com.

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Easy Leftover Turkey Potpie
 
Save all of your leftover Thanksgiving food and make this delicious Easy Leftover Turkey Potpie!
Ingredients
  • 3 cups of chopped cooked turkey
  • 1 bag of Green Giant frozen mixed vegetables
  • 1 cooked and chopped sweet potato
  • 1 cooked and chopped Idaho potato OR (1 cup refrigerated Simply Potatoes pre-diced potatoes)
  • 1 diced onion
  • 2 ounces of Land O Lakes unsalted butter
  • 3 tablespoons of flour
  • 32 ounces of chicken stock
  • 1 cup of heavy cream
  • 1 sheet of frozen Athens phyllo dough
  • 1 tablespoons of chopped fresh thyme
  • Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
  • 1 egg
  • ⅓ cup of milk
Instructions
  1. In a large pot on high heat with ½ ounce of butter add in the onion and caramelize. Once brown add in the remaining butter. After it’s completely melted add in the flour and combine.
  2. Next add in the stock and bring to a boil while occasionally whisking. It will become like very thick gravy. Once it is boiling turn the heat down to simmering. Add in the cream, salt, pepper, and thyme, and keep warm.
  3. Place the turkey, vegetables and potatoes in a 9x13 casserole pan and pour on the herb gravy.
  4. Next la the phyllo dough over the top. Since there are several layers feel free to spread them out so that the entire pan is covered.
  5. In a small bowl whisk together the egg and milk and brush the top of the phyllo dough.
  6. Bake in the oven on 350° for 30 minutes. Serve hot!

July 4th Recipes With a Twist

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You know I am all about getting out of the norm and changing things up, especially in the kitchen.  I can’t tell you how many folks come forward and tell me that they are stuck in the same rut over and over every night.  Well I am here to help with that, and it all starts with these July 4th Recipes With a Twist.  All of these recipes have you outside in front of the grill hangin with the family and shootin off some fire works.  However if you are looking for some more traditional BBQ then check out my post from Memorial day for: 10 Delicious BBQ Dishes for Memorial Day.  Enjoy and Happy Independence Day!

Kalbi Korean Beef Short Ribs Recipe
Be sure to try this amazing Kalbi Korean Beef Short Ribs Recipe that is sure to be a hit at any backyard barbecue!

Irish Beef Stew with Guinness Beer

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As it gets close to St. Patricks Day I was trying to figure out what it is I should make.  Bangers and Mash, Fish ‘n’ Chips, a twisted variation of Corned Beef, I really had no idea until I woke up and it was sub 30 degrees.  If you’ve been hanging around me for a while you know I love soup and when it’s cold out, I want soup.  Decision was made easy to make Irish Beef Stew with Guinness Beer, because I knew it wold be comforting when the weather is terrible outside.  I actually kind of like the weather dictating what I will make, because it makes decisions a heck of a lot easier!  In any event this Irish Beef Stew with Guinness Beer was ridiculously delicious and really REALLY easy to make.  Do it up this weekend and don’t forget to serve Soda Bread with the Irish Beef Stew with Guinness Beer, it just seems to make it!  Enjoy!

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and a little over the top shot of this Irish Beef Stew with Guinness Beer!

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Irish Beef Stew with Guinness Beer
 
This easy to make and delicious Irish Beef Stew with Guinness Beer is the perfect dish to make for St. Patricks Day. Serve it with Irish soda bread!
Ingredients
  • 1 pound of beef stew meat
  • 1 peeled and medium diced parsnip
  • 1 peeled and medium diced turnip
  • 1 peeled and medium diced carrot
  • 3 peeled and medium diced russet or yukon potatoes
  • 1 small diced yellow onion
  • 2 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
  • ½ cup of flour
  • 24 ounce can of stout beer
  • 40 ounces of beef stock
  • Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
  • fresh rosemary sprigs for garnish
  • fresh chopped parsley for garnish
  • 1 tablespoons of olive oil
Instructions
  1. In a small bowl mix together flour, salt and pepper and add the beef and coat on all sides. Once coated add to a large pot on hight heat with olive oil to brown. Once brown, remove the meat from the pot and add in the onions to saute.
  2. When the onions are browned add in the tomato paste and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Deglaze with the stout beer and cook until it is reduced by ½ the amount.
  3. Next, add back in the beef, the vegetables and stock and goo for 35 to 45 minutes.
  4. Before serving, adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper and garnish with the rosemary and parsley. Serve with soda bread.

Potatoes Au Gratin and Grilled Leg of Lamb

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Potatoes Au Gratin and Grilled Leg of Lamb
 
This Potatoes Au Gratin and Grilled Leg of Lamb recipe is perfect for an elegant Passover or Easter Dinner!
Ingredients
For the Lamb:
  • 4 finely minced cloves of fresh garlic
  • 3 tablespoons of finely minced fresh thyme
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 3 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1 small leg of lamb
  • Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
For the Potatoes:
  • 5 Russet potatoes peeled and thinly sliced
  • 2 ounces of unsalted butter cut into small chunks
  • 1½ cups of heavy cream
  • 1 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Kosher salt and ground white pepper to taste
  • ½ teaspoon of ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup of bread crumbs
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
Instructions
  1. In a plastic slider bag place the lamb, garlic, thyme, lemon zest, lemon juice and olive oil and place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 30 minutes. Once marinated, remove the lamb from the bag and season all sides with salt and pepper and cook on a hot grill (450° to 550°) on all sides until golden brown and a medium-rare to medium internal temperature has been achieved (this will take 30 to 40 minutes) Once cooked, remove the lamb from the grill and set aside to rest for 2 to 3 minutes. Slice up and serve on a plate.
  2. Place the potatoes in a bowl along with butter, cream, cheese, salt, pepper and nutmeg and mix thoroughly. Transfer the mixture to a souffle dish and bake in the oven on 400° for 60 to 75 minutes. With about 25 minutes left in the cooking process, thoroughly mix together in a bowl the bread crumbs and olive oil and top the potatoes in the oven off with the mixture and finish baking. Once cooked serve along side the sliced lamb.

Corned Beef Recipe

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Corned Beef Recipe
 
Try this classic Corned Beef Recipe from Chef Billy Parisi that the whole family will love!
Ingredients
  • 3 pounds of pre-made corned beef
  • 3 all spice berries
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 cloves
  • 4 to 6 black peppercorns
  • 1 gallon of water
  • 1 head of cabbage thinly sliced
  • 10 red potatoes cut into small wedges
  • 8 to 10 carrots peeled and sliced thin
  • 2 sweet onions thinly sliced
Instructions
  1. In a large pot place beef and spices, cover with 1 gallon of water. Cover the pot and place it in the oven on 300°F for 150 minutes. After the 2½ hours, take the pot out of the oven and place it on the burner on medium high heat and add in all of the vegetables and cook until they are tender. Slice the corned beef against the grain, very thin, and serve with the vegetables and stock.

Holiday Ham Glaze Recipe

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Man do I love going to my dad’s side of the family Christmas Eve parties.  The place is always jam packed with the most amazing food you could ever imagine.  There is something about Italian families getting together to cook food for half the block, it’s quite funny actually.  I mean there are 10 different appetizers, 3 different main dishes and probably 10 side dishes.  And then don’t forget after you are done eating they roll out the ham and then you eat a salad, it’s insane.  The hams they make are always really tender, juicy and really flavorful.  I don’t think they put any glazes on their hams, but I do :-).  This Holiday Ham Glaze Recipe for both oranges and pineapples are really good and really easy to make.  I mean they are only 5 ingredients and go great as a baster throughout the cooking process or as a finisher right before you serve the ham.  If you love ham and are looking to spice it up a bit then for sure check out 1 of these recipes, you will be amazed at home much delicious flavor this adds, not-too-mention how well they both go with ham.  Merry Christmas and happy eating!!

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Holiday Ham Glaze Recipe
 
Be sure to try this Holiday Ham Glaze Recipe going two different ways!
Ingredients
For the Orange Glaze:
  • ¾ cup of orange marmalade
  • ⅓ cup of brown sugar
  • juice of 1 orange
  • ½ teaspoon of cinnamon
For the Pineapple Glaze:
  • 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoon of honey
  • 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
  • ¾ cup of chopped pineapple in juice
  • ¼ teaspoon of ground cloves
Instructions
  1. Orange: In a medium sized sauce pot on medium heat, add in orange marmalade, brown sugar, orang juice, cinnamon and cook until it is mixed and very thick (about 6 to 10 minutes).
  2. Pineapple: In a separate medium sized sauce pot on medium heat, add in butter, honey, brown sugar, pineapples and juice, and ground cloves. Cook until it is mixed and very thick (about 6 to 10 minutes).

Stuffed Pork Crown Roast Recipe

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This Wild Mushroom Stuffed Pork Crown Roast Recipe is the ultimate dish to serve over the holidays.  To be honest you could serve it for any big party, but it’s pretty traditional to serve for Christmas.  The wild mushroom and sourdough stuffing is ridiculously delicious and it looks so cool stuffed in between the crown of the pork.  I rubbed the pork with mustard and herbs and it is really tasty.  A few things to remember is that this thing needs to be really heavily seasoned because it is so big.  With any big roasts the seasonings on the outside will determine how flavorful it is on the inside and this is no different.  So remember season heavy with salt and pepper.  Also to keep the bones safe from turning black in the oven, you can wrap each one in aluminum foil and then simply remove it before serving.  This Stuffed Pork Crown Roast Recipe is something different than the norm, it looks great, it tastes great and it’s a heck of a lot cheaper than a Prime Rib or beef tenderloin.  So if you are a little stuck this year on what to make for Christmas, then for sure make this Stuffed Pork Crown Roast Recipe.  Enjoy!

Wild Mushroom Stuffing, Mushroom and Sausage Stuffing, Pork Crown, Roasted Pork Crown, Stuffed Pork Crown, Crown Roast Pork, Roast Pork, Crown Roast, Crown of Pork, Crown Pork Recipe, Pork Roast Recipe, Pork Crown Recipes, Pork Roast Recipes

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Stuffed Pork Crown Roast Recipe
 
Wow your guests for the holidays with this Wild Mushroom Stuffed Pork Crown Roast Recipe!
Ingredients
For the Pork:
  • One 8 to 9 pound Pork Crown
  • 5 to 7 tablespoons of finely minced garlic
  • 5 to 7 tablespoons of finely minced fresh rosemary
  • 4 to 6 tablespoons of grainy mustard
  • 2 to 3 ounces of extra virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
For the Stuffing:
  • 1 cup yellow onion, small dice
  • 1 cup carrots, small dice
  • 1 cup celery, small dice
  • 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
  • 3 Italian sausage links, casing removed
  • 3 ounces sliced shitake mushrooms
  • 3 ounces sliced oyster mushrooms
  • 3 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms
  • 4 cups of toasted sourdough cubes
  • 2 tablespoons of finely minced fresh sage
  • 1 cup of chicken stock
  • 2 eggs thoroughly whisked
  • Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper
Instructions
  1. For the Pork: Place the pork crown in a large bowl and rub it down completely with the garlic, rosemary, mustard, olive oil, salt and pepper.
  2. Place it on a large sheet pan lined with parchment paper and put in the cooler to keep cold.
  3. For the stuffing: In a large skillet on medium heat with butter sweat the onion, celery and carrots for 6 to 8 minutes.
  4. In the mean time place the sausage in a large skillet on medium-high heat and cook it completely through.
  5. Once the sausage is done add it to the onion, celery and carrots pan and place the sliced wild mushrooms in the empty sausage pan and return it to the burner on high heat and caramelize.
  6. Once the mushrooms are brown add them to the sausage and veggies pan and add them to a bowl along with the sourdough cubes, chicken stock, sage, eggs, salt and pepper.
  7. Once the stuffing is combined add it to the center portion of the pork crown and form it around the bones, taking care to keep it inside the bones.
  8. Place pork crown in the oven on 375° for 90 to 120 minutes or until pork is done.

Turkey Pot Pie Recipe with Roasted Vegetables

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Thanksgiving Leftovers, Holiday Leftovers, Turkey Pot Pie, Vegetable Pot Pie, Puff Pastry Pot Pie

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Turkey Pot Pie Recipe with Roasted Vegetables
 
This Turkey Pot Pie Recipe with Roasted Vegetables is perfect for after holiday meals!
Ingredients
  • 2 cups chopped cooked turkey meat
  • 1 medium size yellow onion, small dice
  • 2 stalks of celery, small dice
  • 1 large peeled carrot, small dice
  • 3 medium size yukon potatoes, small dice
  • 2 finely minced garlic cloves
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 32 ounces of turkey or chicken stock
  • 4 ounces of unsalted butter
  • 4 ounces all purpose flour
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup Chardonnay wine
  • ¾ cup sweet peas
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
  • 2 large sheets of puff pastry
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons cold water
  • Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. In a large saute pan on high heat add in olive oil and caramelize onion, celery, carrots, potatoes and garlic.
  2. While the vegetables are browning add chicken stock to a medium size pot and bring to a boil. While the stock is cooking combine flour and butter to a medium saute pan on medium heat until butter is melted and is combined with the flour to make a blond roux. Set aside.
  3. Once the stock is boiling add in just enough roux until the stock is extremely thick (think biscuits and gravy). Once the stock is thick finish with cream and season very well with salt and pepper.
  4. Once the vegetables are brown deglaze with the wine and cook until all of the chardonnay is absorbed by the vegetables. Next add in the thickened stock along with the turkey, peas and thyme. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.
  5. Next, place one puff pastry sheet in a 6" by 12" baking dish making sure to cover all angles inside the pan. Pour as much of the turkey stuffing mixture as possible inside the puff pastry dish taking care not to over flow.
  6. In a small bowl whisk together very well.
  7. Before placing the second puff pastry sheet on the pan to cover the stuffing, use the egg wash by brushing the puff pastry to make the two puff pastry sheets stick together. Be sure to cut off any access puff pastry.
  8. Brush the entire top of the turkey pot pie with egg wash and bake at 400° for 22 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
  9. To plate, cut out a small piece of the pot pie and place on a plate garnishing with a fresh thyme sprig.

Green Bean Casserole with Wild Mushrooms

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This Green Bean Casserole with Wild Mushrooms is sure to be a hit for the holidays!

[schema type=”recipe” name=”Green Bean Casserole with Wild Mushrooms” image=”https://www.billyparisi.com/wp-content/uploads/green-bean-casserole.jpg” description=”This Green Bean Casserole with Wild Mushrooms is sure to be a hit for the holidays!” yield=”3 to 4″ ingrt_1=”1/2 small dice sweet onion” ingrt_2=”1 tablespoon finely minced garlic” ingrt_3=”1 tablespoon olive oil” ingrt_4=”1/3 cup white wine” ingrt_5=”1 1/2 lbs trimmed and picked over fresh green beans” ingrt_6=”3 ounces sliced Cremini mushrooms” ingrt_7=”3 slices chopped bacon” ingrt_8=”1 cup heavy cream” ingrt_9=”1 tablespoons of chopped fresh thyme” ingrt_10=”1/2 Cup Italian bread crumbs or Panko” ingrt_11=”3 to 4 tablespoons of fresh grated parmesan cheese” ingrt_12=”Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste” instructions=”1. In a large pan on high heat render the bacon fat and halfway through the bacon being cooked add in the onion, mushrooms and garlic to caramelize. 2. Once the bacon, onions, mushrooms and garlic are cooked, deglaze the pan with white wine and cook until the wine is almost gone. 3. While the wine is cooking down add the green beans to a large pot of salted boiling water and cook until just al dente (slightly crunchy). 4. Once the wine is cooked out, add in cream and reduce until it becomes almost as thick as alfredo sauce. 5. Once the cream is thick, add in thyme and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper. 6. Once the green beans are cooked add them to a casserole dish and cover them with the cream, bacon, herb mixture completely and toss around to coat. 7. Add the bread crumbs over the top along with the parmesan cheese and bake on 400° for 20 to 25 minutes. 8. Serve immediately after coming out of the oven.” ]

 

Baked Sweet Potato Bar

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This baked sweet potato bar recipe is sure to be the perfect side dish to any meal!

Sweet Potato Bar

  • 4 scrubbed and washed large sweet potatoes
  • 1 cup of brown sugar
  • 1 cup of cinnamon suar (3 tablespoons of cinnamon to 3/4 cups of sugar)
  • 4 ounces of unsalted butter
  • 2 ounces of honey
  • 2 cups of toasted pecans
  • 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh rosemary
Serves 4

Procedures:
  1. Bake the sweet potatoes in the oven on 400° for 45 to 60 minutes or until cooked through out.
  2. Once cooked, remove from the oven and slice the sweet potato longways down the middle.  Put desired sides into potato.