Brisket Weekend

The hubby and I went home to Abq this weekend for the monthly family dinner.  My parents hosted the dinner this month and it went off without a hitch!  The food was amazing, the time wonderful, and the company the absolute best!  I only wish I had pictures to share, although they are lovingly burned into my mind.. here is a line up the amazing food my parents conjure (where I get it from!) and two of the local food spots that are a MUST if you ever venture through Abq :)

The dinner consisted of 3 beautiful briskets that my parents marinated in a love of liquid smoke, spices, and a few other family secret things :)  I don't even know.. yet ;)  Two days of marinading and then covered in a homemade sauce.. also part of that family secret.. and roasted for 5-6 hours at 250.  WOW.  Needless to say we came home with a 1/4 of one of the briskets!  Aunt Lynn and Uncle Gary brought a pasta salad that tastes like one down at Saggio's that I dream about and biscuits that although Gary says weren't right were DAMN good (they also served as a base for the gravy my dad made the next morning to go with them via a recipe I had in the arsenal.. YUM)

Bacon/Sausage Dripping Gravy

 1/4 cup sausage drippings, * see note
 1/4 cup flour
 2 cups milk
 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
 1/4 teaspoon pepper, or to taste

To the sausage drippings in the skillet, add the flour. Cook
and stir over medium heat 5 to 10 minutes or until mixture
starts to turn golden.

Slowly add milk, stirring constantly. Add salt and pepper.
Cook gravy until it boils and thickens. Sausage pieces may
be add to gravy. Serve over warm biscuits.

***  This recipe makes a small amount, enough for two people.. if you are making it as a larger breakfast just double or tripple everything!  Also the salt and pepper is really more your personal pref!  I like my with lots of pepper so I do a full teaspoon.

Uncle Kevin and Aunt Viki brought a salad with probably the best damn bottle of dressing, Newman's Own Lighten Up Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing.  If you are looking for a flavorful dressing without all the junk in it and a flavorful taste, this is your dressing!  I bought a bottle already.. ;)  Nana and Grandpa brought coleslaw which was YUM! Aunt Loretta and Uncle Ricky brought a yummy wine and an even yummier chocolate dessert.  Chocolate and dessert should cover it ;) What more would you need in a dessert!!  I think that covers it.  All together a very successful family eating gathering.. although they all are ;)  Next up?  Greek!

Sunday I spent the day with my best friend Liz :)  We had Dion's <3  Dion's is a restaurant that is local to NM.  Dion's is a very casual restaurant with quality food and a great environment.  You can choose from Pizza Slices made with the toppings you choose, whole pizzas, toasted subs does not even begin to cover how amazing their sandwiches are.  They are served in a basket with chips, a dill pickle and their epic greek dressing.  You can also choose from several salads, drinks, fruit salad, cookies, and cheese toast.  Check out the website, and if you ever go through New Mexico do yourself a favor and stop in for some amazing food!!!!

Monday morning my mama took Dustin and I to breakfast at a place that I dream about here in Phoenix.  Wecks.  They only do breakfast and lunch.. and to be honest.. if they added in dinner I'd probably be there daily.. The breakfast they offer is a New Mexican twist with everyday breakfast staples too.  Pancakes, french toast, eggs, breakfast burrito, papas.. AHH PAPAS.  Papas is a small mountain of hash browns that you then choose which way you would like it.  Meat eater, veggie, or build your own.. with two eggs your way.  My absolute fav way to get my papas is the Veggie Papas with Ham and Christmas.  I love all of the veggies they put in, mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, and then have them add ham COVERED with a red and green chile (we call it christmas in nm)  I made sweet love to that plate of food.  It is the inspiration to a lot of the breakfasts I make :)

All in all it was a highly successful trip both in the food department and in the family time friend time department as well.  Next week the Balloon Fiesta starts.  If you are local in NM or are passing through, check it out!  It is a childhood staple that every kid from Albuquerque has permanently found a home in our memories.  I unfortunately haven't been in 4 years, but moving home will fix that :D  The balloon fiesta is a great place to have all new mexican food fair at your finger tips!  So go out there with camera in tow and an empty stomach!

Welcome to fall!!

Ash

Sweet Dinner Rolls

 

Many of us have been to Golden Corral.  Their dinner rolls are to die for.  So I made them from scratch :)

The recipe comes from a fellow blogger with a few tweaks to meet my my desired result.  Let me tell you, THESE ARE AMAZING and I have had a hard time keeping my husband out of them.  one batch of dough makes two dozen rolls.  These will definitely make repeat appearances and are perfect for holidays, dinners, and just because!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoon yeast
1 cup lukewarm water
1/2-3/4 cup sugar (depending how sweet you want, 1/2=lightly sweet)
2 eggs
3 tablespoons oil
2 teaspoons salt
6 ounces warm milk (just over 2/3 cup)
6 ounces boiling water (just over 2/3 cup)
6-7 cups flour
1/2 cup melted butter

Direction:

Dissolve yeast in 1 cup lukewarm water. Add next 5 ingredients. Mix together. Add 2 cups flours and stir. Add boiling water a little at a time, stirring constantly. Then add remaining flour, 4-5 cups.

Knead dough until it forms a ball, about 5-6 minutes. Put in a greased bowl and cover with a wet towel until double in size, about 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours.

 

 

Punch dough down with fist and roll our a little less than 1/2 inch thick. Melt butter. Cut out dough with a (large) mason jar lid or a round roll cutter. Dip in butter 1/2 or 3/4 of the way. Fold in half and place in a pan touching, but not crowded.

 

Raise until almost double, about 30-40 minutes.

 Bake at 375 degrees F for about 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Make about 2 dozen rolls. 
 

Brush addtional butter ontop of the rolls after they come out of the oven.  Enjoy!

Penne Di Bosco

Dustin and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary at the restaurant we our first date at almost three years ago.  I had the Penne Di Bosco this past Monday while celebrating and was wowed by the flavor of the combination that created the Bosco Sauce.  Dustin tried it too and agreed its amazingness.  I wrote down the ingredients that they menu cited and did a little digging on my own via the internet.  I also called the restaurant and they were very gracious and told me what the base of the sauce consisted of.  With all of the I was on a mission to recreate that at home for me and Dustin.  Having control over what goes into your food gives you the upper hand in staying healthy.  This includes the use of sugars, starches,and other ingredients that are unnecessary.  I also paired it with a spinach salad with a balsamic vinaigrette and Sweet Dinner Rolls.

Penne Di Busco consists of Vodka Sauce, Vegtables, Penne Pasta, and Sausage.


Organic Vodka Sauce as a base (F&E)
Sausage (I used Farmer John F&E)
2-3 Bell Peppers
1 can Italian style organic tomatoes
2 cups sliced mushrooms (or more!)
1 cup red onions chopped
Garlic (to taste, I like garlic so I would use 2-3 tbsps)
1/4-1/2 cup Parmesan
Olive Oil
Penne pasta

Start by cutting the bell peppers cut in half, cleaned out, and in the oven roasting at 400.  Turn every 5-10 min depending on oven.  Roast for about 30 minutes.

While roasting cooking the sausage in a pan until cooked through.  Once cooked through move to a paper towel.  Leave the grease from the sausage in the pan.

Add onions to pan and let cook covered until soft and starting to caramelize.  Once starting to caramelize add mushrooms and 1/4 cup water to allow steam for mushrooms. Cover with lid and stir as needed.

Once mushrooms are soft add can Italian style diced tomatoes, stir, and cover on medium heat.  Take sausage and cut into slices (coin like) and add to vegetables.

Also add jar of vodka sauce.  Cover, stir every 5 minutes, add spices/sugar to your taste.  Boil water for Penne.  Once penne is cooked, drain, and return to pan with a little butter or olive oil.  Stir around and coat noodles.

Add Bosco sauce to pot with penne and stir to coat and distribute sauce.













Serve with Parmesan cheese and bread.

Enjoy!

The Pluot

If you have never had the chance to have a plout, and a few differing flavors of pluots.. I recommend you do it soon.  Fresh and Easy has had 4 of the flavors below.  Dustin and I will rave to you about the Mango Tango.  Check out www.kingsburgorchards.com  Pluot Mecca!

 

Pluot

A pluot (pronounced /ˈpluː.ɒt/) is a tradename for varieties of interspecific plum or Plumcot developed in the late 20th century by Floyd Zaiger. In the United States, the fruit is known by most regulatory agencies as an interspecific plum or plumcot. It is a complex cross hybrid of plum and apricot, exhibiting more plum-like traits. The pluot, like the aprium, is derived from plums, apricots and or hybrids called the plumcot.
The fruit's exterior with smooth skin closely resembles a plum's. Pluots are noted for their sweetness (due to a very high sugar content), their intense flavor, and very juicy pulp. Pluots are also rich in vitamin A.
Dinosaur egg is a trademarked name for Dapple Dandy variety.
"Pluot" is a registered trademark of Zaiger's Genetics.

 

A Raspberry Jewel pluot, before and after cutting.

 Varieties

Flavorosa pluot.

Dapple Dandy pluot.

Splash pluot on tree.

Pluot varieties include:

• Crimson Sweet: Sweet flavor, medium-sized, Crimson skin with pinkish flesh. Available in June.
• Dapple Dandy: Large size with mottled pale green to yellow, red-spotted skin, red or pink juicy flesh. Available July through August and easily shipped (due to the firm nature of the flesh).
• Early Dapple: Good flavor, medium-sized, mottled green over red skin with pink flesh. Available mid June.
• Emerald Drop: Medium to large size, green skin and yellow-orange flesh. Available from mid July to late August.
• Flavor Delight: Medium-sized, fuchsia-honey colored skin with pink flesh. Available in June.
• Flavor Fall: Large size, average flavor, Red skin with yellow flesh. Available the end of September and the first of October
• Flavor Finale: Medium to large size, purple-red skin with amber-red flesh. Exceptional complex flavor. Harvest begins in Early September and fruit is edible well into October.
• Flavor Grenade: Large size, oblong shape with red blush on green background, yellow juicy flesh. Available the end of July through August.
• Flavor Heart: very large, black with a heart shape, and yellow flesh.
• Flavor Jewel: Sweet flavor, heart shaped, red over yellow skin with yellow flesh.
• Flavor King: Fruit punch flavor, medium size, with burgundy skin and red super sweet juicy flesh. Available end of August first of September. Flesh of this is hard until fully ripe which takes time to complete.
• Flavor Prince: large round and purple, with red flesh.
• Flavor Queen: Medium to large size, very juicy flesh. Taste is very sweet and when fully ripe (golden yellow colour). Available the end of June to mid August.
• Flavor Rich: medium-sweet, large black round fruit with orange flesh.
• Flavor Royal: very sweet, medium-sized, dark purple with crimson flesh. Available end of May through first weeks of June.
• Flavor Supreme: medium or large, greenish purple skin, juicy red flesh.
• Flavorich: Large size, dark purple skin and firm, sweet, yellow-orange flesh. Harvest begins in late August/early September.
• Flavorosa: very sweet , medium-sized, flat round dark-purple fruit with red flesh. Available end of May through first weeks of June.
• Geo Pride: Medium size, red-skin and yellow flesh. Balanced acid-sugar is predominately sweet with unique plum/apricot flavor. Harvest in mid-July to early August.
• Raspberry Jewel: medium, dark red skin, brilliant red honey-sweet flesh.
• Red Ray: medium, bright red with dense, sweet orange flesh
• Splash: Small to medium sized red-orange colored fruit, with very sweet orange flesh. Available mid July.
• Sweet Treat: Super sweet with hints of thompson grape flavor, green golden skin with yellow juicy flesh. Available end of June and first of July.
• Tropical Plumana: Tropical punch flavor, medium-sized, red over greenish yellow background with yellow flesh. Available middle of June.

California pluots are sold during the summer and fall.

So get out and get your hands on one of these bad boys!  We are going into fall now, the fruit selection will be changing!!

Ash

Chicken Noodle Cass

An attribute back to my Nana and her love for the casserole.

Growing up, my grandparents watched my brother and I instead of day care.  Majority of my cooking, and all of my baking comes from my Nana.  As a kid nana always had dinner ready when grandpa got home.  She would make dinners ranging from pot roasts to chickens to casseroles... pretty much anything and everything.  I have a memory of a dutch oven that she would roast whole chickens with veggies in, or the long silver pan she would make meatloaf in.  Two particular casseroles that she made through out my childhood stand out.  The Tuna Noodle Casserole and the Eggplant Parmasain Casserole.

Last night I made Dustin and I Chicken Noodle Casserole.  I love tuna.. cold.  So I switch out tuna for chicken and add a few other things for personal taste and evolution:


ingredients: small noodle ( i usually do elbow), two cans of any kind of cream of you want (i usually use one chicken and one mushroom) vegetable mix ( i will use frozen or if there is a fresh mix, this is limitless, put as little or as many as you like), half an onion diced, 1 cup chicken/veg stock, salt pepper and paprika to taste, and panko crumbs and melted butter mixed.

boil the noodles. combine all ingredients in a cooking dish. spread layer of bread crumbs over top, dust with paprika, and cook for 30 min at @ 350

Nana sometimes made it with chicken too.  Serve with a crusty bread, salad.. enjoy!

Winter Veggies

There is something about the temps starting to fall, the sun setting sooner, that signals fall is coming.  Here in AZ the fall season is short and sweet.  Back home in ABQ fall starts from late Sept/ early Oct to late November. (I miss this!).  I personally love the fall.  The slow darkening of life.. the gray skies.. I love them.. I love how each season leads and blends into each other.  To celebrate the last Autumn in AZ, here is a list of the vegetables that are plentiful in the fall and keep you warm in the cooler months.  The first day of autumn is September 23 and I am going to cook with each vegetable over the course of this fall and post the recipes and pictures.  

Here are the veggies!


Artichokes have a second crop in the fall (the first go-around is in the spring) that produces small to medium artichokes.

Arugula is a cool weather peppery green harvested in winter in warm climates, summer in cool ones, and grows in many places during autumn.

Beets are in season in temperate climates fall through spring, and available from storage most of the year everywhere else.

Broccoli is more sweet, less bitter and sharp when harvested in the cooler temperatures of fall in most climates.


Brussels sprouts grow on a stalk, and if you see them for sale that way snap them up - they'll last quite a bit longer than once they're cut.

Cabbage is bright and crisp when raw and mellows and sweetens the longer it's cooked. The cooler the weather when it's harvested, the sweeter it tends to taste (this effect is called "frost kissed").

Carrots are harvested year-round in temperate areas. Unusual varieties are harvested during the carrot's natural season, which is late summer and fall.

Cauliflower may be harvested year-round, but it is by nature a cool weather crop at its best from fall into early spring.


Celery is at its best in the fall, with its harvest continuing through winter in warm and temperate climates.

Chiles are best at the end of summer and into fall.

Happy Pre-Fall!


SOoo tomorrow I will start actually baking my first round of cookies for my cookie test.  I've spent the past week working on flavor and mixtures and picking peoples brains :)  The first three flavors are: Butter Pecan, Strawberry, and Snickerdoodle.  I'm excited to work on the cookies tomorrow and see what my testers think!