Braised Lamb Shanks & Asparagus Risotto

This is my husband's recipe, and I wanted to share this amazing dish! So delicious! My risotto was served on the side, a great addition to the lamb.

Ingredients:
2 lamb shanks, 1 lb. a piece, trimmed of fat
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1/2 Bordeaux red wine
1/2 Quart chicken stock
1/2 Quart beef stock
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
4 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. chopped garlic
1 fresh rosemary sprig
2 bay leaves


Appliances:
Le Creuset Dutch Oven-Large

Directions:
1. Put dutch oven on med-high heat burner. Add in 2 Tbsp. olive oil, let dutch oven come to temperature. Once at desired heat, heat 1 shank at a time, 3-5 minutes on each side, browning to a golen brown, then remove off heat onto heat safe plate.
2. Add remaining 2 Tbsp. to dutch oven, add in chopped onions, salt and pepper, letting them carmelize, 5-7 minutes, till translucent, but a bit browned from lamb remnants.
3. Next add in garlic, allowing garlic to carmelize with onions, 2-3 minutes.
4. Deglaze dutch oven with wine, stir everything with wooden spoon, scraping up lamb bits on the bottom of the pan to incorporate into liquid.
5. Add beef and chicken stocks, tomatoe paste, stirring all to incorporate paste and broth with wine, onion and garlic bath.
6. Add in rosemary, bay leaves, salt and pepper.
7. Bring pot to a boil, add in the lamb, if liquid does not cover the lamb, add more broth/wine/water to bring above lamb shank level, not expsoing the meat.
8. Cover, let simmer on low heat for 1 1/2 hours.
9. Remove cover, cook uncovered for additional 1/2 hour at same temperature to reduce liquid to fall below the shanks. Be sure to taste for proper seasoning level, et voila! You have your braised lamb shanks!

Plate the lamb shanks onto a plate, use broth bath in dutch oven to pour over the lamb as a gravy. If you wish for a thicker gravy, you might need to raise temp of broth to boil, then reduce again, this should help thicken naturally, without adding flour or thickeners, but if desired, I don't see that hurting anything.

Click on the link to see  my risotto recipe.

Bon appetit!

Risotto

Here's my easy-ish recipe for risotto. This is a recipe you don't let sit and cook while leaving the kitchen, you need to be stirring constantly to get the best risotto results.

Ingredients:
3 to 4 cups chicken broth
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

Directions:
1.In a medium saucepan, bring the broth to a simmer and keep warm over low heat.
2.In a separate medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the onion is transparent, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until it is well coated with the butter but not browning, you're only toasting at this point, about 2 minutes. Next, add the wine and simmer gently until all the liquid is absorbed into the rice, 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3.Ladle 1/2 cup of the warm broth into the rice mixture and simmer, stirring occasionaly, until the broth is absorbed. Repeat, adding 1/2 cup of broth at a time, until the rice is cooked through but still firm, 20 to 25 minutes total, consistancy should be creamy, not flakey and broken. A normal ladle is about a 1/2 cup, by the way.
4.Add the remaining butter and the salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup of Parmesan. Stir to incorporate. Adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, topping with additional Parmesan.

And there you have it! If you want to add specific ingredients, such as peas, asparagus, mushrooms, add them between step 3 and 4. Frozen peas, sauteed asparagus cut into the size of peas, dried mushrooms reconstituted and chopped, lobster, many options remain. Most important, have the risotto made to your desired liking, then add the additional ingredients to make your unique risotto and wow your guests!

Bon appetit!

Hot Artichoke & Crab Dip

I have been making this dip for years, everyone loves it! Usually rears its pretty head over the holidays, or any gathering. Alternative recipe below for other ideas.

Ingredients:
1 8 oz. tub chive & onion cream cheese, at room temp for 10 mins
1/2 cup. dijon mustard
1/2 cup. mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 pkg. imitation crab meat, chopped
3/4 c. shredded parmesan cheese
1 tsp. lemon zest
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

Appliances:
Food chopper!
Pyrex baking dish

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F.
2, Having a food chopper will make this a sinch. Chop the artichokes and crabmeat to finely chopped pieces.
3. Combine all ingredients into mixing bowl, making sure you have a well balanced dip.
4. Pour mixture into pyrex baking dish, and bake for 25-30 mins. Watch closely at 25 minute mark, should become light golden, and you will smell the delicious aroma of the crabmeat and lemon! Pull out when done, set aside for 10-15 minutes before serving, will be really hot!

**Note: Original recipe does call for 1 cup mayo, to cut calories down, and add flavor, I created 1/2 c. mayo with 1/2 c. dijon mustard. Also, I've used low calorie cream cheese.

**I used mayo made with olive oil, I don't use low calorie/fat free mayo, nasty, especially for baking in a dip and having a crowd enjoy, somethings you can cut corners, mayo, in my opinion, you shouldn't, but tweak with mustard to cut the fat.

Alternative Dip:
Replace chive cream cheese with regular cream cheese, 1 cup of mayonnaise instead 1/2 c. mayo and 1/2 c. dijon mustard, jalepenos instead of crab, monteray jack cheese instead of parmesan, and you can have a hot artichoke & jalepeno dip, great for fiesta parties!

Bon appetit!

Homemade Hummus Recipe

I love hummus! I've been a fan for over 10 years now, and have finally become comfortable to make it! Before trying to make this, you should know what you expect of your preferences, as there are many many ways to make this amazing dip. Below is a basic recipe, you can use many ingredients to change the "theme" of your hummus. You've seen them at the grocery store: three pepper; red pepper; roasted garlic, artichoke, jalepeno, etc. Once you've made your hummus, you can get creative for future hummus try outs!

Ingredients:
2 cans garbanzo beans/chick peas, drained & rinsed.
1 lemon
1/4 c. tahini (Fresh & Easy, Trader Joe's, Wholefoods, etc)
1/3 c. water
2 cloves garlic
2 Tbps. Olive Oil
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2-1 tsp. red pepper flakes (depends on your spice level)
S & P to taste

Directions:
1. Take your lemon, and squeeze out the juice into a measuring cup, you shoudl get about 1/2 cup or more.

2. Into a blender, add in 1/2 of the lemon juice, tahini, water, garlic & spices. Blend on high, 5 seconds.

3. Next, add in the barbanzo beans, and put blender on puree, pulsing as you go. If not blending well, take a spatula and scrape the sides and take a few turns stirring everything, cover and blend again and scrape sides down again if needed. Add in olive oil and remainder of lemon juice and blend, should be really creamy. If too thick, you might need to add some water, a little at a time, you don't want runny hummus, but a nice smooth dip. Taste for seasonings, you might find yourself needing more salt & pepper, and maybe red pepper flakes to increase heat, if desired.

That's it! Wow your guests this homemade hummus recipe! Serve with pita, veggies, crackers, whatever you enjoy dipping into the hummus.

Bon appetit!

Spiced Cottage Cheese

This is the only way I enjoy cottage cheese. I first had it this way at a Scottsdale food joint, and I fell in love with it this way only. At the moment, there is no other way for me to enjoy it. Especially when paired with fruit, yuck!

This makes for a great low-carb side dish, paired with grilled chicken or fish, however you wish to enjoy, and I hope you do. Perfect for summer time, or anytime.

Ingredients:
1 24 oz. container of Cottage Cheese
1 4 oz. can of diced jalepenos
2 large radishes, diced
S & P

Directions:
1. This is easy to whip up, pour cottage cheese into mixing bowl, add in jalepenos, diced radishes, S & P. Stir to evenly distribute the jalepenos and radishes, then taste test to make sure seasonings balanced, you might need to add a bit more S & P. That's it!

Bon appetit!

Creamy Italian Roasted Vegetable Soup

With a lot of extra veggies in the fridge that needed to be used, I pulled together this savory soup.

Ingredients:
2 med-large zucchinis, sliced into medallions and quartered
2 C. grape tomatoes
1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
9 small mozzarella medalions (Fresh & Easy carries these)
6 cloves garlic
3 Tbps. olive oil
2 C. chicken broth (vegetable broth); reserve 1/2 C.
1/2 C. half n' half cream
1/2 C. V8 Juice-Spicy Hot
1/2 Tbsp. Italian Seasoning (basil, oregano, sage)
1 tsp. red pepper flackes
S & P to taste
Non-stick spray

Appliances:
13 x 9 baking dish
Large sauce pan
Large mixing bowl
immersion blender

Roasting Vegetable Instructions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Spray non-stick spray to evenly coat baking dish.
3. Layer the veggies in the baking dish, place garlic cloves evenly throughout dish, evenly pour olive oil over veggies, sprinkle italian seasoning, S & P, stir everything with wooden spoon to incorporate olive oil and seasonings.
4. Place baking dish into center of the oven, let bake for 20 mins.
5. At 20 mins, pull baking dish out, pour in 1 1/2 C. broth, stir ingredients together, place dish back into oven for 30 more mins.
6. Five minutes before completion of roasting, in rows of three, place mozzarella medallions into dish, one row in the center, one 2 inch to the left, and one 2 inch to the right. Place dish back into oven, then remove, let sit 10 minutes. Stir ingredients together to blend the now melted cheese.

Soup Instructions:
1. Ladel roasted veggies into the mixing below, removing the garlic cloves-this is key! Unless you want that much garlic that will be pureed into your soup, they are in the roasting process to give flavor boost.
2. Pour liquid after veggies removed from backing dish into mixing bowl.
3. Be sure to wear an apron, and long sleeves, as when you begin blending, you might get some hot splatters on your arms/body, and its best to blend while still hot! Put immersion blender on low, and blend away. What you'll have is a puree that smells fantastic, and will be orangish, due to cheese lightening up the mixture.
4. Once you have pureed to your likeness, pour mixture into soup pan, add remaining 1/2 C. broth, V8 juice, and cream, stir, place pan on med-high heat, bring to a boil, then turn down to the lowest heat setting. At this point add in red pepper flakes, and while you're at it go ahead and add S & P, you'll need it. Taste along the way, being cautious as pureed soups retain heat for a while, so don't do what I did and burn your mouth! Ouch! Once it tastes the way you like it, serve and you're ready to dine!

**Note-if you're wondering why the V8 juice, I felt the puree needed a tomatoe kick, and I have V8 Spicy Hot on hand, and it helped boost the flavor. Tomato paste or a little tomato sauce would work just as well. I also liked the extra heat the V8 spicy hot gave the soup.

Bon appetit!

Creamy Chicken Dijon Soup

I morphed leftover chicken dijon I made for dinner last night, into a soup! This time I opted out the mushrooms, and added in cauliflower, which I morphed leftover cauliflower into cauliflower puree. Having the leftover dinner made the steps for this "souper" easy!

Ingredients:
Leftover chicken dijon dinner
1 1/2 - 2 C. chicken broth
1/2 C. half n' half
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard (optional)
S & P to taste

Appliances:
Immersion blender
Sauce pan
Large mixing bowl

Directions:
1. Medium to large sauce pan depending upon amount of leftovers. For me it was a large sauce pan. Add in leftovers, broth and mustard, stir everything to incorporate broth and dijon. Heat on medium-migh heat, until boiling, then reduce heat to simmer for 30 mins. Add in half n' half 10 minutes before removing off heat, stir pot to evenly distribute cream.

2. Pour contents of sauce pan into mixing bowl, and blend away with immersion blender, until everything is evenly blended and creamy. Once at your desired consistancy, be sure to taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Add soup back to sauce pan, on low heat for 10 minutes, remove off heat, and serve!

2 steps! Basic idea for sharing this is to let you know how easy an immersion blender is, and clean up is very easy! I've seen people puree their soups in an actual blender, that makes for more clean up. Once you get the idea of how to easily make creamy soups, ideas will come flooding. You cannot go wrong with chicken broth, veggies, cream and seasonings!

Bon appetit!

Cauliflower puree

I was left with too much cauliflower, which I used in my dijon chicken recipe, so I made a puree with it, and it turned out fantastic! Great alternative to pureed potatoes, and healthy too!

Cauliflower Puree

Ingredients:
2 C. cauliflower florettes
2 C. chicken broth (vegetable broth)
3 Tbsp. white truffle oil
1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped coarsely
S & P to taste
Optional spices to add: 1/2 tsp of ground nutmet, 1 tsp of parsley


Appliances:
Immersion Blender
12 x 6 baking dish (or whatever you use for lasagna)
Large mixing bowl.

Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven 400 degrees. Into baking dish, add cauliflower, onion, drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper, toss everything to get evenly coated. Place into oven, 20 mins.

2. After 20 mins, pull baking dish out, add broth, stir everything again, put back into oven for another 20 mins.

3. When 20 mins are up, pull baking dish out, set onto trivet and let cool 5 mins. Pull out your immersion blender and mixing bowl. With a ladel, scoop out the cauliflower florets and place into mixing bowl, when all cauliflower is out of dish, carefully poor juices and onions into mixing bowl.

4. On the low setting (to avoid splatter), turn on your immersion blender. If cauliflower is too big, stop the blender, and in the bowl take a fork and sharp knife and cut the pieces, if needed. Then try the immersion blender again. Once everyhing is a beautiful puree, season with salt and pepper, then taste. Oh its glorious! I added dried parsley and a dash of nutmeg, even better!

Pair this with fish, chicken, or pour into sauce pan, add more broth and some half n' half, and you can have a creamy cauliflower soup!

Bon appetit!