My Favorite Chefs and Their Cookbooks

 

 

Giada De Laurentiis, Rachel Khoo (titles herself a food creative), Ina Garten and Tyler Florence are some of my favorite chefs.  Some of my friends don't like to cook or feel intimidated by such endeavors.  They want to know how I became proficient at it.  Growing up I assisted my mother in the kitchen and she taught me a lot of things.  My family has always been big foodies for generations.  My mother used to make homemade breads, cakes, pies and pastries weekly.  She made her own gravies and sauces.  Back then they didn't have jarred sauces.

As an adult I watch the chefs featured on the Food Network or the Cooking channel. I print the recipe from the Internet and give it a go!  I have family dinners after I've already done a trial run on the recipe.  It is like a free cooking lesson without attending a formal school.  After successful outcomes with recipes I end up purchasing the cookbook.  I have accumulated 30 thusfar.  I have several books by Giada (one autographed), Rachel's and two of Ina's.  I laid out a few for you to check out. 

Their programs are Barefoot Contessa, (Ina Garten), Little Paris Kitchen (Rachel Khoo), Tyler's Ultimate (Tyler Florence), Everyday Italian, Giada at Home (Giada De Laurentiis)

 

 

 

 

Good Luck in Your Kitchen!

 

Summer Blueberry Pie Recipe coming up next!  Out of the oven shortly.

An Irish evening in the Midwest

I don't know why but I've been listening to Celtic (Irish Folk) music lately.  So...I got some friends together and we went to John D. McGurk's Irish Pub in Soulard which is an older part of downtown St. Louis.  It feels like you're in Ireland. 

They bring musicians from Ireland for six week periods to play.  It was fantastic!  The crowd was clapping and people were dancing.  Guinness (a very popular Irish dry stout) and various ales were flowing.  They even served battered cod with malt vinegar.  The decor was old-world rustic with a fun vibe.  If you are passing through St. Louis...music starts at 9 pm

 

 

 

1200 Russell Boulevard

Saint Louis, Missouri 63104

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Hour at Home

Today is Happy Hour at my place..So. I thought I would share a few simple, fast recipes to make gourmet happy hour in a snap!


Goat Cheese Fritters:
The filling:
6 oz goat cheese
zest of 1/2 lemon
6.5 oz jar of marinated artichokes (diced)

The coating:
1/2 c. panko bread crumbs (Japanese Bread Crumbs)
1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 beaten egg

It doesn't get any simpler...Blend ingredients for filling together.  Use small cookie scoop or melon ball scoop to for form balls... They should be golfball size.  Roll in the following order. 1. flour 2. beaten egg 3. Panko....Set formed balls on plate in fridge for 15 minutes.  Fry in vegetable oil at 350 degrees ( about 4 balls at a time, don't crowd or oil temp will drop) for about 2 minutes till light brown.




Crab Rangoon:
1--  4 oz can white crabmeat (well drained)                  
1 egg beaten w/ 1 t. water= eggwash
4 oz. Reduced fat cream cheese
2 T diced chives
3 dashes worchestershire
pinch white pepper and/or cayenne
12 wonton skins
Vegetable oil heated to 350 degrees

Lay out all wonton skins in rows.  Place one teaspoon of filling in the center of each skin.  Using a pastry brush apply small amount of eggwash around border of wonton skin and fold over.  Pinch together.  Make sure to get air out.  Best to do in an assembly line fashion.  ie.  Line up wontons, apply filling.  go down each row with eggwash and seal carefully  Take your time sealing or filling will spill out into the oil.  The more you make these...the easier it becomes.!  I use a dutch oven which is deep to fry stuff.  Put two inches of oil in, heat to 350 degrees and go.  Fry goat fritters first and then rangoons.  Only put four into pot at a time.  You will get lots of compliments.  Better than any I've had at any restaurant.  They come out light and crisp. Serve with soy sauce or plum sauce as a condiment if you wish.

Puff Pastry Pork Pockets:       I almost feel guilty calling this a recipe.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Ingredients:
1 thawed, chilled puff pastry sheet (Pepperidge Farm sells at grocery)
1 cup seasoned pulled pork (from deli)
1 t. cherry preserves to each pocket

Thaw pastry overnight in fridge.  Roll out on floured surface.  Cut into eight squares.  Place dollop of pulled meat in center,add teaspoon cherry preserves on top, brush edges with eggwash, fold over and crimp closed with tines of fork.
Place on cookie sheet, brush pocket with eggwash, cut a one inch slit in top to release steam.  Bake for 25 min. until golden brown. 

Serve with your favorite wine or cocktail.  We are having a smoky Zinfandel and a Chardonnay.