Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Broccoli cheddar soup is great in bread bowls.  Can't imagine eating it any other way.

To take this soup to the next level, grab a parmesan rind and throw it in while simmering.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Ingredients

6 tablespoons butter
½ medium onion, chopped
4-5 cloves garlic, minced

1 carrot, chopped finely

1 celery rib, chopped finely
6 tablespoons flour

3 cups broccoli florets, or 1 large head, cut into small pieces
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp paprika
4 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable stock

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 cups whole milk
10 oz block grated cheddar cheese

Directions

Melt butter in a large dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened and light gold. Add the carrot and celery, and cook until softened.  Add the garlic and saute until fragrant.

Add flour and whisk for 1-2 minutes or until the flour begins to turn golden in color. Add the broccoli florets and saute for a few minutes.  Add seasonings and cook until fragrant.

Pour in the chicken stock. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes or until the broccoli is cooked through.

Stir in milk, cream, and cheddar cheese and simmer for another minute. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Serve with toasted crusty bread or in a bread bowl if desired.

Original link:

https://gimmedelicious.com/broccoli-cheddar-soup/

Easy Bolognese

The original recipe linked below is meant to be a quick version of bolognese, a dish that can sometimes take up to 6 hours of cook time. The final result is still delicious, but I felt it erred a bit on the too simplified side - not enough cook time for the veggies to fully meld, and some key ingredients missing.

I found another traditional bolognese recipe, and decided to find a happy medium between the two.

Bolognese is best over pappardelle pasta, but in a pinch is good over any flat pasta (like egg noodles).

Easy Bolognese

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium carrot, grated
2 ribs celery, minced
1 medium yellow onion, finely minced
1 pound 85/15 ground beef
1 pound ground pork

½ cup dry red wine

1 (24-ounce) jar store-bought marinara
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1-2 whole bay leaves

½ cup heavy cream
1 pound wide noodles, such as pappardelle or tagliatelle, cooked, for serving
Freshly grated parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once the oil is glistening, add the carrots, celery, and onion and cook, stirring, until tender and onions are translucent. 

Add the ground beef and ground pork and cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until the meat is browned, about 8 minutes.  (Note: If using a ground beef with a higher fat content, you may want to drain some of the fat at this point)

Once the meat has browned turned the heat up to high and add the wine.  Cook until the alcohol has evaporated (about 20-30 seconds) and the liquid has evaporated.

Decrease the heat to medium low and stir in the marinara sauce, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Gradually decrease the heat to the lowest setting cover and let simmer for 1-2 hours (the mixture should not boil).  Stir occasionally.  (Note: Cooking time above 30-60 minutes depends on preference.)

Remove the bay leaf.  Stir in the heavy cream and heat thoroughly.

Serve the bolognese over the cooked pasta and sprinkle with the Parmesan.




Original link:

https://themodernproper.com/easy-bolognese

https://anitalianinmykitchen.com/bolognese-sauce/

Beef Flanken Ribs

There are two different cuts for short ribs.  English cut short ribs are cut along the ribs, so each cut is a bone with meat around it.  Flanken style is cut across the ribs, so you end up with a thin slice of meet (like bacon) with small bones across the top.  English cut works well for slow and low recipes, but flanken style works well with fast and hot, like this recipe.

This recipe was insanely good.  This Asian-inspired marinade is to die for.  I served them up with some white rice and baby bok choy.

Beef Flanken Ribs

Ingredients

2 lbs. Flanken Beef Short Ribs
1 small Yellow Onion sliced into thin pieces
Sesame Seeds for garmish
Green Onion for garnish

Marinade

1.5 cup Soy Sauce
1/2 cup Mirin
1 cup Water
1/3 cup Brown Sugar
2 tbsp. Honey
4 cloves Garlic minced
1 tsp. Fresh Ginger

Directions

Preparation/ Marinade:

Remove the flanken ribs from the packaging and pat them dry to remove excess moisture.

Place the beef ribs into a shallow dish or container and set this aside.

Make the marinade by adding all the ingredients together into a bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside about 1/2 cup and store in a seperate container.

Pour over the beef flanken ribs and make sure they are fully coated.

Add in the sliced onion and mix everything together, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Searing/ Grilling:

In a small pot on the stove, cook down the saved 1/2 cup of marinade and let it reduce in half on low heat. Remove from the burner and set aside.

Remove the flanken ribs from the marinade and discard the remaining liquid. Pat the flanked ribs dry and prepare them for searing.

Heat a large cast iron griddle over medium high heat or heat a grill to medium direct heat.

If searing on the cast iron griddle, add a little sesame oil and then sear each side of the flanken ribs for 2-3 minutes. If grilling, add a little oil directly to the beef ribs instead to prevent them from sticking and cook for 2-3 minutes per side as well or until your desired level of doneness (I prefer a medium-rare around 135 F.)

When they are cooked, place them on a platter and brush them with the reduced marinade, garnish with sesame seeds and green onions and serve!

Notes
If you don’t want to sear on the stove or use a grill, you can try broiling these on high as an alternative. Be mindful and flip them halfway through for even cooking!



Original link:

https://www.bonappeteach.com/beef-flanken-ribs-recipe/

Beef and Broccoli

Today is the day I learned to tenderize beef with baking soda (velveting), and oh man does it make a difference!  Velveting is how Chinese restaurants are able to turn cheap cuts of beef into soft tender bites.

The amount of broccoli may seem like too much, but it's really not.

Beef and Broccoli

Ingredients

1 lb beef, such as petite sirloin
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/2 cup broccoli (about 2 stalks), cut into florets, and stalks cut into small pieces
Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

Sauce
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated (loosely packed)
2 tsp garlic, grated (from 3 cloves)
1/2 cup hot water
6 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce, (or GF Tamari)
3 Tbsp packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp corn starch
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp sesame oil

Directions

Cut beef into thin, bite sized slices.  In a bowl, mix with baking soda.  Let sit for 45 minutes in refrigerator.

Meanwhile, mix sauce ingredients and set aside.

Rinse beef well to remove baking soda: Add cold water to the bowl and agitate well, then drain in a strainer and repeat, until the slick baking soda texture is gone. Dry well, patting dry with a towel. Lightly season beef with salt and pepper and set aside.

Place a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 Tbsp oil. Add broccoli florets and sauté 4-5 minutes, partially covered with lid, stirring or tossing several times until broccoli is bright green and crisp-tender then remove from pan. Tip: If you prefer softer broccoli, add 2 Tbsp water before covering with the lid and it will steam cook the broccoli.

Increase heat to high heat and add 1 Tbsp oil. Add beef in a single layer and sauté 2 minutes per side or just until cooked through. Quickly pull out a piece to test for doneness.

Add the sauce, reduce heat to medium/low and simmer 3-4 minutes. It will thicken. Add broccoli and stir to combine. Stir in 1-2 Tbsp water to thin the sauce if desired. Top with sesame seeds. Serve over white rice.

Original link:

https://natashaskitchen.com/beef-and-broccoli/

Summer Shrimp Bowls

This dish came together quite nicely. It was light, yet full of nutritious ingredients. Perfect for summer. They're like yum bowls, but better.

Once again I was playing around with a couple of different recipes, and I really like how it all turned out.

The shrimp is a nice touch, but also unnecessary in a pinch. They are hardly the star of the show.

If you can, try to mix the sauce early in the day so the garlic flavor has time to settle.

For the brown rice, I first sauteed the rice in butter until brown before cooking.

Summer Shrimp Bowls

Ingredients

Garlic Cilantro Lime Sauce

1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
3 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
juice of 2 limes
1/2 cup sour cream or full-fat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 tsp coriander


Shrimp

16-20 shrimp

1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp sea salt
dash of cayenne


Bowl base

1 1/2 cup brown rice, cooked according to package directions
Black beans, cooked in garlic and onion (if using canned, use garlic and onion powder and other spices to taste)
Pico de gallo
Shredded cabbage, mixed with some of the garlic cilantro lime sauce above to make a slaw


Additional optional ingredients

Avocado
Cilantro, roughly chopped
Green onion, sliced
Shredded cheddar cheese
Sour cream

Directions

Garlic Cilantro Lime Sauce

Mix ingredients in a food processor until well blended.  If you do not have a food processor, use a mortar/pestle or other similar method to crush the cilantro, green onion, and garlic before mixing with the remaining ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Shrimp

Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan on medium to medium high heat until shiny. Mix together shrimp seasonings in small bowl. Add shrimp to the pan and top with mixed seasonings (you may still have some seasoning leftover). Cook for 6-8 minutes until shrimp are fully cooked through. Set aside.

Bowls

In each bowl add a large scoop of brown rice.  On top of the rice, in separate quadrants, add black beans, pico de gallo, and cabbage slaw.  Top with shrimp.

Lay out optional ingredients on the table, including additional garlic cilantro lime sauce, to be added to taste.

Chicken Adobo with Ginger Rice and Green Beans

This recipe was actually a combination of a couple of different chicken adobo recipes that I found.  I can't attest to its authenticity, but it was delicious.

When I first made it, I used bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs.  The skin does get soft after cooking, despite the initial sear, but it is still delicious.  You can also leave the skin off, or you can try broiling the chicken at the end to crisp the skin again.

(If you take the skin off, be sure to save it for Chicken Cracklings!)

 

Chicken Adobo with Ginger Rice and Green Beans

Ingredients

Chicken

6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

Salt and fresh ground black pepper

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 onion, sliced

6 cloves garlic, smashed

2 tsp whole black peppercorns

For sauce:

3/4 cup low sodium soy sauce (or a Filipino soy sauce, which will be a little sweeter)

1/2 cup rice vinegar (or cane sugar vinegar)

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup water

3 tbsp oyster sauce

2 tbsp fresh lime juice

1 tbsp of fish sauce

1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

3 bay leaves

Rice

1 cup long grain brown rice

1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated

1 bay leaf

Pinch of salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Green Beans

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp garlic, minced

2 tbsp lime juice

2-3 tbsp water

1 lb green beans

Directions

Rice

Cook as label directs, with ginger, bay leaf, salt and pepper.  Remove bay leaf and serve.

Chicken

Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels.  Season all over with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.

Mix sauce ingredients and set aside.

Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the chicken thighs to the pot, skin-side down, and seared until browned.  Transfer to a plate.

Add the onion to the pot.  Cook for 2-3 minutes (to give them a head start), then add garlic and peppercorns.  Cook until onions and garlic are golden brown, and peppercorns are slightly toasty and fragrant.

Add about 1/2 cup of the mixed sauce to the pan to deglaze, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Return the chicken and any accumulated juices on the plate to the pot, arranging the chicken in a single layer.  Add remaining sauce and bay leaves.  Bring to a boil.  Cover and simmer at low heat until chicken is cooked through, about 20-30 minutes, turning halfway through.  Chicken should be around 175-195 degrees in the thickest part.

Remove and discard bay leaves.  Serve chicken with sauce.

If broiling chicken:

When chicken is about 165 degrees or so, remove chicken from sauce.  Broil chicken in the upper third of the oven, on a broiler pan or rimmed baking sheet covered in foil, until chicken is browned on top and skin is crispy (about 3 minutes).  Continue to cook sauce, uncovered, while chicken is broiling.

Green beans

Heat a large skillet (with a lid) over medium heat.  Add butter and melt.  Add garlic and cook until fragrant and just starting to turn color.  Add green beans, water, and lime juice.  Bring to a boil and cover, simmering on medium heat until liquid is almost gone (2-3 minutes).  Remove lid and cook until liquid is gone and green beans are crisp tender.

Sweet and Juicy Pork Chops and Greens

The first time I made this recipe I didn't have white wine vinegar, so I used apple cider vinegar instead.  I also had some agrodolce in my cupboard (white wine vinegar with grape must), so I added a little bit of that to maintain the grape flavor.

Try to aim for a nice medium doneness. (https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/pork-chop-temp/).

Sweet and Juicy Pork Chops and Greens

Ingredients

2 bone-in pork chops

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 tbsps light brown sugar

5 cloves crushed garlic

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 bag baby spinach (or your choice of greens)

Directions

Mix marinade ingredients in a ziploc bag and marinate pork for up to 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 425.  In a 9x13 glass baking dish, create a bed of spinach greens.  Place pork chops on top of greens, and lightly sprinkle 2 tbsp of marinade over greens.

Bake pork chops and greens in oven until it reaches an internal temp of about 135-145.  For thin cut chops, remove after about about 10 mins; thicker chops may take longer.  Remove pork chops.  Stir greens and return to oven until desired doneness.

Heat vegetable oil in a heavy cast iron skillet on medium high heat.  Gently wipe any marinade or moisture from pork chops.  Sear pork chops until golden brown, about 60-90 seconds each side.  Rest for five minutes and serve with greens.