Shepherd's Pie

We pregnant women get cravings, and those craving don't always like to wait to be satisfied. Tonight I was craving Shepherd's Pie, and I needed to make it fast! This recipe took me about 30 minutes (though it is not a Rachel Ray recipe) and was very delicious!

Ingredients:
- 4 medium red potatoes, cubed (peeled if you want)
- 2 tbsp sour cream
- 1 egg (separate yolk and white and reserve both)
- 1/2c half & half
- 4 tbsp butter (divided into 1 tbsp, 1tbsp, and 2 tbsp measurements)
- 1lb ground beef
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1c beef stock
- 2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1tsp garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1c frozen corn, thawed

The Making:
Boil potatoes in salted water till tender, about 12 minutes

Meanwhile, beat the egg white until stiff. Transfer to a mug and set aside.

In a small bowl combine the half & half, egg yolk, and sour cream and set aside.

In a large high-sided skillet melt 1 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add onions and saute until they begin to soften. Add ground beef and crumble and brown.

Lower heat to medium-low and pushing the meat to one side of the pan get the juices on the other side. Add the butter to the juices and let melt. Add the flour and mix until there are no lumps.

Add the broth, Worcestershire Sauce, garlic powder, salt and pepper and combine with the meat mixture. Let the gravy begin to thicken and take off heat.

Drain potatoes and add to mixer bowl with 2 tbsp butter. Start mixing and slowly add the sour cream mixture. When potatoes are smooth season with salt and pepper to taste and gently fold int he beaten egg whites.

Preheat the oven to broil on high.


Spoon meat mix into individual ramekins or a casserole dish. Top with corn and potatoes and place under broiler until browned. Serve warm.

Tips and Talk:
The potato topping on this comes out so light and fluffy from the beaten egg white and it really just kind of melts in to the corn and meat mixture. The only thing I can say is that it maybe could have used a bit more butter, but come on, I may be allowed to splurge and gain all this weight now, but at some point I'm going to have to lose it. I think the same flavor could be achieved if I had cut the garlic powder and used 2 tbsp minced jarred garlic in the beginning with the onion.

Phil had a meeting tonight and was unable to try this dish. He tells me that he really doesn't like Shepherd's pie, but will try it since I made it. Miles loved the potato topping, but wasn't thrilled with the meat (he doesn't usually like ground beef anyways, but I figured I'd try). For me, it definitely satisfied my craving in a timely manner.

As you can see from this one and the Chicken Pot Pie recipe, I like to use ramekins. That's because I'm not a huge fan of casseroles and dishes where you make this huge thing and as you serve it it falls over and nobody ever gets the same amount of the good stuff. Also, the ramekins make it so easy to wrap leftovers and heat them the next night, or transport them to work the next day for lunch.

Orecchiette with Mini Chicken Meatballs

This is the famous dish that you will find pictured in the blog title. It is a Giada De Laurentiis dish and has become a favorite of ours.

Ingredients:
1 pound orecchiette pasta
1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon whole milk
1 tablespoon ketchup
3/4 cup grated Romano
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound ground chicken
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken stock, hot
4 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
8 ounces bocconcini mozzarella (cherry sized), halved
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

The How to:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes.

In a medium bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, parsley, eggs, milk, ketchup, Romano cheese, and the salt and pepper. Add the chicken and gently stir to combine.

Using a melon baller (or a teaspoon measure), form the chicken mixture into 3/4-inch pieces. With damp hands, roll the chicken pieces into mini meatballs.

In a large (14-inch) skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the meatballs and cook without moving until brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Turn the meatballs over and brown the other side, about 2 minutes longer.


Add the chicken stock and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat to low and simmer until tomatoes are soft and meatballs are cooked through, about 5 minutes.


Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water. Transfer pasta to a large serving bowl and add the Parmesan. Toss to lightly coat orecchiette, adding reserved pasta water, if needed, to loosen the pasta. Add the meatball mixture, mozzarella cheese, and 1/2 cup of the basil. Gently toss to combine. Garnish with the chopped basil.

The Verdict:
This dish is always a crowd pleaser! I like to make this when I know I have a big group of people to cook for because it's so easy and relatively inexpensive to prepare. The flavor of the meatballs and the fresh basil and mozzarella make this dish! The best part (thanks to the broth like sauce) is that you don't get that heavy feeling you sometimes do when you eat hearty Italian food like alfredo or lasagna!

A deviation from the original recipe is that I add cut up broccoli florets. Just toss the broccoli to the boiling pasta water when there there is 5 minutes left on the timer. I also make my meatballs slightly bigger than a melon baller size, so you would want to adjust the cooking time in the browning process.

Fresh Corn & Crab Quesadillas with Avacado Crema

I love crab and I love Mexican so when I came across this recipe in a Hannaford Magazine (that came free with my purchase of $25 or more) I couldn't wait to make it. The picture shown in the magazine had my mouth watering. All I could hope was that it was going to taste as good as it looked and sounded.

Ingredients:

Quesadillas
1 cup fresh corn kernels (cut from 1 to 2 ears)
1/4 cup (2oz) reduced fat (Neufchâtel) cream cheese, softened
2 tsp. fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
1/4 cup finely chopped scallions
1 tbsp. minced fresh cilantro
1/2 lb fresh lump crabmeat
4 8" flour tortillas
1/2 cup (2oz) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 tsp. olive oil

Avocado Crema
2 tbsp. plain non-fat Greek-style (thickened) yogurt
1 tbsp. minced fresh cilantro
2 tsp. fresh lime juice
1/8 tsp kosher salt, or taste
1 ripe avocado, diced

The How to:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Prepare quesadillas. In a medium-sized saucepan, bring 3 cups water to a boil over high heat. Add corn for 1 minute just to blanch. Drain, rinse with cold water.
3. Combine cream cheese with lime juice, salt, cumin and pepper. Stir in scallions, cilantro, and corn, then gently fold in the crabmeat. (This may be prepared up to one day in advance and stored, refrigerated, in an airtight container.)


4. Place one tortilla on a work surface and spread 1/4 of the corn and crab mixture over one half. Sprinkle 2 tbsp. of the Montery Jack cheese over the top. Fold the other half of the tortilla over the filling, press firmly, and transfer quesadilla to the perpared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling. Brush tuop of each quesadilla with 1/4 tsp of the oil, and bake on top oven rack 10 minutes, until lightly golden.


5. While quesadillas are baking, prepare avocado crema. Stir together yogurt, cilantro, lime juice and salt in a bowl. Gently fold in avocado.
6. When the quesadillas are done baking, cut each quesadilla into three wedges, and serve warm with a dollop of avocado crema.

The Verdict:
I was the only one who tried these. Since Shaun is still too young for shellfish and I didn't think David would enjoy it I also made Chicken quesadillas (with a little help from the Purdue precut Southwestern style chicken). The Doc decided that he was fine with a chicken quesadilla too. Oh well it was his loss as far as I am concerned. These came out just a I had hoped. The fresh cilantro was key. They were very light and just so yummy! Next time I think I will pan fry them as I do with all of my quesadillas. Some of the edges burned in the oven and the middle wasn't as crispy as I would like. Otherwise I wouldn't change a thing!


Sadly my picture doesn't give the recipe justice as the picture in the magazine did! Ah well!

Creamy Pesto Fettucine

Phil LOVES pesto and brought a huge tub of it home the other night from the local Italian market. I find sometime you have to use a lot of pesto sauce to really coat the pasta, and for me its a bit over powering, so I started thinking and I came up with this yummy creamy sauce. It also works during the same week as making the Individual Chicken Pot Pies since you use the heavy cream in both recipes.

This dish will serve 4 people and you will probably have some leftover sauce to add on top or keep for another night.

Ingredients:
*1/2 stick of butter
*1 small onion finely chopped
*4 tablespoons minced garlic (use less if you don't like as much garlic as we do)
*2c store bought pesto sauce (or you can make your own)
*1c heavy cream
*1lb refrigerated fettucine
*1/4c of pasta water reserved
*Freshly grated pecorino romano cheese (or parmesan, whatever you like or have)

The Making:
Melt the butter in a saute pan (one that has higher sides) or a medium sized saucepan.

Add the onions and cook over medium heat until almost translucent. Add the garlic and cook one minute more.

Add the pesto and stir to incorporate with the onion and garlic. Add the heavy cream. Bring to a simmer until sauce starts to thicken.

Cook pasta according to package. Drain pasta and add to pan with sauce along with the reserved water. toss to coat and transfer to serving bowl. Grate the cheese on top and serve immediately.

Tips and Talk:
You can use boxed pasta, but I like the flavor and texture of the almost fresh pasta- plus it cooks a whole lot faster. The key to not curdling the cream is to bring the temp up slowly, so add right after the pesto has cooled the onions off. Also the reason for the pasta water is this thins the sauce a bit for better coating, and the starch form the water helps to stick the sauce to the pasta.

Phil loved this version of his pesto, and Miles didn't think it was so bad. I left some pasta plain and added a red sauce we had leftover for him. Serve this with a side salad and some garlic bread and you've got a great meal!

Double Chicken Dumpling Stoup

Anyone who has ever watched 30 Minute Meals on the Food Network knows that Stoup is thicker than a soup and thinner than a stew! I stumbled across this dish, Double Chicken Dumpling Stoup on the Every Day with Rachael Ray website and made it tonight for dinner!

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
4 ribs celery from the heart, chopped
2 onions, chopped
4 carrots, shredded (1-1/2 cups)
1 fresh bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground pepper
6 cups chicken broth
1 pound ground chicken
1 egg
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs (a couple of generous handfuls)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (a couple of generous handfuls)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Dash freshly grated nutmeg
One 1-pound package gnocchi
1 cup frozen peas
Flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (a couple of generous handfuls)
Crusty bread, for dunking

The How To:
1.In a soup pot, heat the EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. add the celery, onions, carrots and bay leaf, season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the broth, cover the pot and bring to a boil.

2.Meanwhile, in a bowl, season the chicken with salt and pepper. Stir in the egg, bread crumbs, cheese, garlic and nutmeg. Roll the mixture into walnut-sized meatballs (you'll have about 40) and add to the stoup. Simmer for about 10 minutes while you wash up. Add the gnocchi to the stoup and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the peas and parsley and cook for 2 minutes. Remove the stoup from the heat, discard the bay leaf and let cool for 5 minutes. Serve with the bread.


The Verdict:
This was a solid dish. It is different take on Chicken Noodle Soup and any dish that has gnocchi in it is going to be a winner in my book! Again I can't stress enough how amazing 30 Minute Meals are. This was done in no time and with very little prep. This is the perfect dish to make on a night you just don't want to cook but still want something healthy and tasty!

Bon Appétit

Simple Summer Dessert

So need something to do with the rest of that heavy cream? Make dessert!

This is quick and easy and you can start preparing while waiting for dinner to cook, but I recommend you do the whipped cream right before serving.

This will make about 4 servings so adapt for your family accordingly.

Ingredients:
*1 large firm peach, cut into small pieces
*1c fresh blueberries
*Juice from 1/2 an orange (try Mineolas) or 2 tablespoons OJ
*1 teaspoon brown sugar
*1/2c heavy cream (or more if you want more whipped cream)
*2 tablespoons granulated sugar
*1 tablespoon Amaretto liquor (optional- and this is not enough to get your kids drunk!)

The Making:
In a plastic container or bag mix the peaches, blueberries, brown sugar and orange juice. Mix well and let sit in fridge for at least an hour and up to 24 hours (good to do this step while dinner is cooking in the oven).

Right before serving beat on high the heavy cream, sugar, and Amaretto until it forms peaks when lifted.

Spoon the fruit mix into bowls, top with whipped cream and EAT!

Tips ans talk:
Everyone loved this and it is a nice cool treat to substitute for that nightly ice cream. Play around with the fruits and add or substitute whatever you like!

Individual Chicken Pot Pies

Hello Foodies!

I asked Boston Pam if I could join in on the food blogging fun, so here I am! A word of caution form me-I am Italian. This means that some of these recipes are not exact (since most of my cooking is done by look, smell, or taste). I'll try my best to make the measurements into cooking terms, but there may be time where I refer to such measurements as shakes handfuls.

I've made this recipe (adapted from the Neely's) twice now (both on rainy summer days) and it is really great comfort food. I love chicken pot pie, but I hate making a big one since you get too much filling and not enough crust and you always have some left over. These are great the next day, since you can just pop them in the microwave or oven for a quick lunch or dinner!

This will make about 6-8 servings (depending on the size of your ramekins)

Ingredients:
*4 cups of chicken broth (though I use 3 since I like my filling a bit thicker)
*1 bouillon cube (or 1 tsp Better than Bouillon)
*1 stick salted butter
*1 medium onion, chopped
*2 large carrots, cut in 1/2 inch rounds (or about 10 baby carrots cut the same)
*2 ribs of celery, sliced
*3 tablespoons of fresh chives chopped
*2 cloves of garlic, chopped fine (I use already minced garlic- and a lot of it! 2 cloves probably equals 1 tbsp from the
jar, and I probably use 3 tbsp)
*Salt and pepper to taste
*1/2c All-Purpose flour
*2 teaspoons cornstarch (optional for a thicker filling)
*1/4c heavy cream
*3 tablespoons dry sherry
*1 store bought rotisserie chicken, cut in chunks
*4oz frozen peas (about half a small bag)
*2 store bought pie crusts
*1 egg beaten with a tbsp water

The Making:
Preheat the oven to 375degrees.

In a large saucepan heat the chicken broth and bouillon cube to a boil (if you use the Better than Bouillon you can skip this step entirely and add these ingredients later).

In a dutch oven or large pasta pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions , carrots, celery, chives, can garlic and saute until tender. Season with salt and pepper. Add the flour (and cornstarch) and stir together until it becomes pasty and lump- free. Stir in the broth ( and bouillon if you skipped above step), heavy cream, sherry, chicken, and peas. Bring to a slow boil then reduce to simmer (stirring to be careful not to burn the bottom though!) Turn off and cover while rolling dough.

Flouring you counter top, roll out dough an extra inch. Using the ramekin for a guide cut out dough to cover the tops with about a 1/2 inch overhang.

Ladle filling into ramekins and cover with the rounds. Crimp edges, brush with egg mixture and cut small slits in the top. Place on baking sheet and sprinkle with salt.

Bake for 35 mins or until the filling is bubbling and the tops are a golden brown. Serve warm with a side salad and your favorite drink!

Tips and talk:
So this is a huge hit in my house. Phil loves it, and though he is not a leftover kind of guy, he eats these day after day for lunch or dinner. Miles is not such a fan of the whole thing together and won't eat a whole ramekin, but I usually leave some of the plain chicken and peas to the side for him. The whole recipe takes about an hour to do (maybe longer depending on your kids!) and guarantees a couple of meals for the week. Enjoy!

Pork Chops with Balsamic Strawberry Salad and Pine Nut Orzo

I have never been a fan of pork chops unless they were of the Shake 'n Bake variety. As someone who now prides herself as a home cook, Shake 'n Bake just no longer cuts it (wink). That was when I came across this 30 Minute Meal and I thought the concept of a spinach salad served over a pan seared pork chop would definitely put that Shake 'n Bake to shame!

Ingredients:
1/2 pound orzo pasta
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 pint strawberries, quartered
1/2 cup basil leaves, torn
1 cup baby spinach leaves, sliced
Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), for drizzling
4 slices prosciutto, sliced into 1/2-inch strips
Four 1-inch-thick pork chops
Pepper
3 tablespoons butter
1 pinch cinnamon
1 pinch nutmeg
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted

The How to:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain.

In a saucepan, boil the balsamic vinegar until reduced to 2-3 tablespoons, 5 minutes. In a bowl, toss the strawberries, basil and spinach with the balsamic glaze.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat a drizzle of EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the prosciutto strips and cook for 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Add another drizzle of EVOO to the skillet. Season the chops with salt and pepper and cook, turning once, until cooked through, 8 minutes.

In another large skillet, cook the butter over medium heat until brown, about 3 minutes. Add the pasta, cinnamon and nutmeg and toss; season with salt. Stir in the nuts.

Spoon the salad over the chops and top the orzo with the prosciutto.

The Verdict:
I have to admit that I was surprised by just how good the flavors of the spinach, strawberries and balsamic vinegar went together. I was skeptical. When I eat a salad it is usually romaine lettuce with bacon bits, so this was out of my comfort zone. It was very good. The Doc had his dry (of course) and was quite nauseated by the smell permeating the kitchen from the balsamic reduction. While it was great served over the pork I would have been happy to just eat the salad. The orzo was really great too. It was the hint of nutmeg and cinnamon that really did it for me. I omitted the prosciutto; I don't mind prosciutto but I am not a huge fan. This dish was one of the easiest 30 Minute Meals I have made to date but you wouldn't have known from the way it tasted. For those who don't consider themselves a great cook, it would be very hard to mess this one up!

Summertime Forest Salad

Try this quick and easy salad made from ingredients you might find in a walk through the forest!

Combine the following:
1 bag arugula
diced smoked cheese (cheddar or mozarella)
diced red pear
red raspberries
toasted pine nuts
crumbled crispy bacon

with a raspberry vinegrette. Add a hint of dijon mustard for an extra zing!

Accidents Sometimes Pay Off

I had some thin-sliced turkey cutlets to use the other day. My plan was to do something Italian with them and the eggplant in my fridge...perhaps an herb-crusted turkey cutlet with eggplant parm....

But, I was upset to find when I cut into my eggplant that it was no good. After a few battles with the boys I was fresh out of creativity, so I just started to cut things up, put them ina pot, and cook them. Turns out it was a pretty good dish, and when I watched Next Food Network Star on DVR last night, I even discovered it was similar to Melissa's 4-step chicken. Here is what I did...

Dredge 6 thin-sliced turkey breasts in 1 packet of fajita seasoning.
In a pan, heat some EVOO and add 1 coarsely chopped onion, a little chopped garlic, and cook until translucent. Add the turkey breats and cook for three minutes on each side. Then, to the pan add 3/4 cup white wine, 2 diced tomatos (seeds removed), a diced pepper, and 1 small can of diced green chilis. Cook for about five minutes longer. Serve over rice.

This dish was extremely low fat but full of flavor. The best part is that you can sub in just about any vegetable you have on hand, or you could use a different meat (chicken, pork, whatever you have).

Two Sauce Weeknight Lasagna Bowls

This dish, Two Sauce Weeknight Lasagna Bowls, has become a favorite of mine to make for pasta nights. I love this dish, because not only does it taste delicious, but it's easy to make! Got to love a good 30 Minute Meal!

Ingredients
Salt
1 pound Campanelle pasta
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 pound pancetta, a couple of thick slices, chopped
3/4 pound ground beef pork and veal mix or ground beef (what is known as meatloaf mix)
1/2 large carrot, peeled and grated or finely chopped
1 small to medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, 2 chopped or grated, 1 peeled
1/2 teaspoon allspice, a couple of pinches
Freshly ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 cups beef stock
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
Nutmeg, to taste
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus some to pass at table
A handful fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped

Directions
Heat large pot of water to a boil, salt water and cook pasta to al dente.

While pasta water comes to a boil, heat olive oil in a medium sauce pot over medium-high heat, add pancetta and render 2 to 3 minutes then add meat and break up as it browns. When the meat has begun to caramelize and develops a nice brown color, 4 to 5 minutes, add carrot, onion, 2 cloves of garlic, allspice, salt and pepper and a bay leaf. Cook 3 to 4 minutes more to soften onions and carrots bits then stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, then stir in wine and cook out 1 minute then stir in stock and reduce heat to simmer.

While red sauce cooks, cut remaining whole clove of garlic and rub the inside of a medium sauce pot with it. Melt butter in pot over medium heat. Add in flour and whisk together a minute or so then whisk in milk and bring to a bubble, reduce heat then season sauce with salt, pepper and nutmeg, thicken 8 to 10 minutes.

Toss pasta with white sauce and 1/2 cup grated cheese. Serve pasta in individual bowls and top with a ladle of meat sauce in the middle of the bowl for mixing in. Garnish with parsley.

The Verdict:
This is a great dish for a night that you're in the mood to have lasagna but you don't want to spend all the time cooking your noodles, making your sauce, layering your noodles and baking it. Last night I didn't have the campenelle (which is a really fun pasta to use) so I used what I had on hand (penne). I also didn't have the red wine so I ended up using some Marsala cooking wine that I had and I didn't notice any big difference in the flavor. The other deviation from the original recipe was using some leftover Asiago cheese that I had in the fridge instead of the Parmigiano-Reggiano. I love using the Béchamel sauce along with the meat sauce, they work really well together.

The boys love anything that is pasta related so they both had seconds!

Last nights Two Sauce Lasagna Bowl (with the Penne)

Coffee-Peppercorn Marinade

Since the purchase of our grill, I have been trying to find new ways to grill steak. I am a big fan of marinades. The problem is, cooking for the Doc, I am limited on the variations of marinades I can try (nothing with Italian Dressing). I was searching for something different than the standard teriyaki sauce and came across this Coffee-Peppercorn Marinade on the Food Network's website.

It sounded great. I wasn't sure how the Doc would feel about the balsamic vinegar so I decided to put aside some meat and just use the bottled teriyaki sauce. That way he could try it but if he didn't like the flavor he wouldn't go hungry!

Coffee-Peppercorn Marinade
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons strong brewed coffee
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound flank steak, trimmed of fat

Directions:
Whisk coffee, vinegar, oil, sugar, garlic, peppercorns and salt in a glass dish large enough for meat to lie flat. Add steak and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.

Armenian Rice Pilaf
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups uncooked fine egg noodles
3 cups uncooked long grain white rice
5 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
4 cubes chicken bouillon

Directions:
Melt butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the egg noodles and stir until they begin to brown, being careful not to burn the butter. Stir in the rice. Continue stirring until rice is coated with butter.

Pour in the chicken broth and add the bouillon cubes. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and cover tightly. Cook without uncovering pot until all the liquid has been absorbed, about 20 minutes.


The Verdict:
This is a fantastic marinade! I made it for my family also and everyone loved the flavor. The nice thing about this marinade is the flavors work so well together. There were a few who looked at me cross eyed when I said the marinade had coffee in it! Even the Doc thought it was great. The balsamic vinegar, while smells very strong when you prepare the marinade, is mild once the meat has been grilled.

The recipe above calls for 1lb of Flank Steak, but I used Sirloin Tips. Obviously increase the amounts according to how much meat you need to grill! Serve with Rice. The first time I just used a box pilaf but then second time when I was cooking for a large group of people I decided to try the Armenian Rice Pilaf (above) which was also a big hit! Though next time I would add some pepper to the rice when it's browning for a little more flavor.

Brian's Quick Tip: Fresh Herbs Always Available

So many recipes call for the use of fresh herbs (parsley, dill, basil, etc). Yet, if you buy your herbs at the grocery store you will find you always have way too much. My tip for you today is to chop and freeze your herbs in freezer bags. Then you'll have them on hand when you need them, because they will instantly thaw into your favorite dishes. I regularly keep parley and dill in my freezer this way, and from time-to-time, I keep basil that way as well. I learned this one from my grandmother.

Brian's Famous Sausage Bread

This recipe is great for parties and pot-luck dinners. You can modify it with different ingredients. You can even fry up pieces in a little olive oil once cooled to create a doube-delicious treat! Enjoy!

2 cans Pillsbury biscuits (10pk)
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups shredded swiss cheese
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
8 italian sausage links
2 tbsp oregano
2 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tbsp chopped basil
1 tbsp fennel seed

Take the italian sausage meat out of the casings and brown in a pan. In a bowl, combine eggs, cheeses, sausage meat, herbs, and spices. Mix loosely with hands to combine. Tear biscuits in half and add to bowl. Mix losely with hands to combine. Do not overwork the mix.

Line a 9x9 pan with parchment paper and place bread mixture into pan. Cook at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until cooked through. Serve warm.

The New Home of Dish of the Week:

I have been having so much fun with posting my favorite dishes that I have decided to start a separate blog for my cooking! Happy Cooking!