JJ’s Bomb Tacos w/Ground Turkey

These were some tasty tacos. I don’t usually use ground turkey but a lot of my friends do so I know you girls are going to love these!

Ingredients: 1 lb. ground turkey, 2 tbs. chili powder, 1 tbs. smoked paprika, 2 tsp. garlic powder, 2 tsp cayenne pepper. 2 limes, 1 lemon, 2 avocados, cilantro, 2 bell peppers (any color), 2 sm. jalapenos (or 1 large), corn tortillas, smoked provolone cheese.

1. heat skillet up over med. high heat. add turkey to pan, season with salt & pepper and let the meat start to brown.
2. in a small bowl, mix together chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder and cayenne pepper. sprinkle over meat and mix it all together. seed jalapeno, dice and add to pan. turn heat down to med. and let it simmer.
3. heat another med. size skillet up over med. high heat. slice bell peppers in half lengthwise and remove seeds. then slice into thin strips. drizzle pan with olive oil and add peppers. season with a little salt & pepper. when peppers start to brown and caramelize turn heat down to low.
4. slice up the avocado, place in a bowl and squeeze 1/2 a lemon over it. season with a little salt and pepper. give cilantro a rough chop and place in a bowl. grate cheese and place in a bowl. heat tortillas up either in a pan or over gas burner.
5. finish meat by squeezing juice form 2 limes over it. now make an assembly line and build some delicious tacos!

For a cocktail try a Cuba Libre…

you’ll need limes, rum and coke. squeeze half a lime in glass. fill with ice. pour about 2 oz of rum and top with coke. stir and finish by squeezing a lime wedge and dropping into glass.

Double Meat Spaghetti w/Vodka Sauce

Ingredients: 3 italian sausage links, 1 lb ground beef, 1 onion, 2 roasted red peppers, 4 garlic cloves, 1/4 cup of vodka, 1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes, 1 cup of heavy cream (or half & half). red pepper flakes, salt and cracked black pepper.

1. heat large sauce pot over med high heat, drizzle with olive oil. add sausage and beef to pot, season with salt & pepper. and brown, breaking up meat as it cooks.
2. bring water for spaghetti to a boil.
3. dice onion and add to pot. chop garlic, add to pot. chop red peppers and add to pot. add a few pinches of red pepper flakes, stir again. let some of the liquid in pan cook off and then add vodka. let that cook down for about 10 more min.
4. pour in crushed tomatoes and simmer about 10 min. finish with heavy cream.
5. toss spaghetti and vodka sauce together and eat!

Monkfish Chowder

This soup is incredibly delicious! Creamy, rich, savory, what more could you ask for? I used monkfish because I like it’s rich meat and firm texture. It holds up perfectly in this soup. It’s known as the “poor mans lobster” but it is not cheap. In fact the monk fish I got was more than the lobster. However, it was easier to prepare because it was already cleaned and prepped.

Ingredients:

• 6 slices of bacon
• 1 onion
• 8-12 baby yukon gold potatoes (or 6 larger ones)
• 1 poblano pepper
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 large bay leaf (or 2 small)
• 3 cups chicken stock (or fish stock)
• 1 lb. monkfish
• 1 pint heavy cream (room temp)

1. heat dutch oven over med. heat. roughly chop bacon. saute bacon until golden brown. remove bacon and drain on a paper towel.
2. drain some of the bacon grease from pot, add a few drizzles of olive oil. finely dice onion and add to pot. lightly season with salt. quarter potatoes and add to pot. mix everything together.
3. remove seeds from pepper. cut pepper in half and then thinly slice, add to pot. add in paprika, garlic powder and bay leave. season with cracked black pepper and mix again. let veggies cook about 5 min.                                   
4. in a 4 cup measuring glass, measure out 3 cups of stock and top off with 1 cup of water. pour into pot. let soup simmer on low for about 30 min.
5. in the meantime cut monkfish into bite size pieces.
6. after soup has simmered about 30 min. add monkfish into pot. top off with cream.                                                                                                                              
7. simmer on low just about 10 min more .

Fill soup bowl with Monkfish Chowder and top with bacon!

Servings: 4 – Cook time: 45 min.

JJ’s New Years Black-Eyed Peas and Lentils

Whether it’s superstition or tradition, I always make a pot of black-eyed peas for New Years. I did it a little different this year and decided to add other cultures superstitions. Italians eat lentils for New Years, symbolizing money and good fortune. In the south we eat black-eyed peas, symbolizing good luck and prosperity. I say it symbolizes yummy-ness!

Ingredients:  16 oz package of black-eyed peas, 16 oz package lentils (only using 1/2 a bag), 1 package spicy sausage (4 links), 1 head of garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder.

Soak 1 package of peas and 1/2 a package of lentils either overnight of in a warm spot (on top of the stove) for a few hours before cooking.

1. drain water out from soaking peas and lentils. rinse and pour in a large soup pot or dutch oven. cover with water (water level should be just above peas). heat over medium high heat.
2. add 2 tsp of salt, 2 tsp of pepper, 2 tsp of cumin, 1 tsp of garlic powder and 1 tsp of smoked paprika. break 6 cloves of garlic and add to pot (whole, skins and all. pick them out when the peas are done.)
3. bring pot to a boil and then lower heat to low and let simmer for about an hour (uncovered).
4. after 45 min to an hour: slice sausage links into bite size pieces and add to pot. let it cook for about 30 min more.
5. pull out whole garlic cloves before serving.

Serve up JJ’s New Years Black-Eyed Peas and Lentils in bowls with cornbread, of course!

JJ’s Perfect Pumpkin Pie!

I LOVE pumpkin pie. Maybe it’s because I was born the day after Thanksgiving, I don’t know, but I love it. I decided I was going to try and make the perfect pumpkin pie. Well, perfect to me. I don’t like them when they are overly sweet and I like the pumpkin to stand out.  I read all kinds of recipes and experimented a little and came up with this recipe. If you’re a pumpkin pie fan like me, give this a try. I served it with a scoop of ginger ice cream on top and it was perfect!

Ingredients:

1. 1 can of pure pumpkin (or 2 cups of pureed pumpkin like butternut squash)
2. 1 (8 ounce package) reduced fat cream cheese (softened)
3. 3 tbs sugar
4. 1/4 tsp salt
5. 1 tbs pumpkin pie spice
6. 2 eggs
7. 1/2 stick of butter (melted)
8. 1 cup milk
9. 1 tsp vanilla
10. 1 pre-made pie dough (thawed)
11. 1 pint ginger ice cream (Haagen Dazs Five ginger)

heat oven to 350° place dough in a pie dish (or use the tin it comes in). lightly press dough into pie dish. cover with a piece of foil and press into pie so dough is covered. bake for 10 min. remove foil and bake another 10 min.

add cream cheese into mixing bowl, beat until creamy. add pumpkin puree and keep mixing. add sugar, salt and pumpkin spice. scrape sides of bowl and keep mixing.

in a small bowl mix together eggs, butter, milk and vanilla add to mixer  and beat until everything is well combined and creamy.

pour filling into prepared pie shell and bake for 50-60 min. let cool. serve with a scoop of ginger ice cream on top. Deelish!

Unique Thanksgiving Feast

I’m not a traditional person by any means, nor am I a big turkey fan, or anything from a can for that matter. Thanksgiving is always around my birthday too, so I tend to cook what I like! I’ve taken a few of my favorite things and put a JJ spin on them to make for a very Unique Thanksgiving Feast.  (serves 4-6 people)

The Menu-

• N.Y Strip w/a Red Wine Cranberry Chutney,
• Whiskey Whipped Sweet Potatoes w/Chipoltle Peppers,
• Green Bean & Crimini Mushroom Casserole
• Dark Chocolate Candies

The Ingredients-

Steak & Cranberry Chutney: 1 bag of fresh cranberries, 1 small red onion, red wine, sugar, honey, cinnamon stick (or powder), whole nutmeg, cracked black pepper, 4  N.Y strips (or you’re favorite steak).

Whiskey Whipped Sweet Potatoes: about 4 sweet potatoes, 3 garlic cloves, 1/2 stick of butter, cream, ground nutmeg, chipoltle peppers in adobe sauce, 1/4 cup of whiskey.

Green Bean Casserole: 1/2 lb. fresh greenbeans (trimmed), 6 strips of bacon, 12 crimini mushrooms, parmesan cheese, aged smoked guoda cheese, 1 cup heavy cream, 3 shallots, 3 garlic cloves, exta virgin olive oil.

Red Wine Cranberry Chutney: 1pkg fresh cranberries, diced red onion, 2 cups red wine, 2 cups of water, 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup honey, 1 cinnamon stick, fresh ground nutmeg, cracked black 1 tbs peppercorn and salt.

• throw everything in a pot and let it cook down over medium heat. cover the pot to bring the berries to a boil quicker (this also helps when the berries start to bust from making a mess). once it comes to a boil, uncover, lower heat and let berries simmer. stir occasionally until it thickens. (about 30 min)
• be sure and make the steaks last since they take the least amount of time to cook. salt & pepper steaks and grill to desired done-ness.
• serve the chutney over the steaks.

Whiskey Whipped Sweet Potatoes w/Chipotle Peppers-

• cut up yams into pieces, put in a pot and cover with water. toss in a few garlic cloves smashed and peeled. once yams are tender.
• drain out water and pour potatoes into a bowl. add 1/2 stick of butter, 1/4 cup of cream and freshly ground nutmeg (about 1 tsp.). give 3 chipoltle peppers a rough chop and add to bowl, add a few spoon fulls of the adobe sauce. pour in 1/4 cup whiskey! use a mixer and whip yams until smooth and creamy. add more cream if needed.
• Transfer Whiskey Whipped Sweet Potatoes w/Chipotle Peppers to a serving dish.

Green beans & Crimini Mushroom Casserole-

• boil green beans in pot of salted water until tender. chop up strips of bacon into small pieces. heat large saute pan over medium heat, drizzle w/olive oil add bacon. let cook stirring occasionally, until crispy. remove from pan and place bacon on a paper towel.
• drain some of the bacon fat out of pan and return to low heat. add a few drizzles of olive oil. slice 3 shallots and finely chop 3 garlic cloves, toss in pan. finely chop 12 crimini mushrooms toss in pan. add some cracked black pepper and a small amount of salt. (it’s probably okay not to salt this because the bacon and cheese are both salty). mix it all together. (don’t worry it there is browning in the bottom of the pan.)
• in a food processor grind up pieces of parmesan & smoked guoda (or grate the cheese).
• drain green beans and add to pan, crumble in bacon and give it a mix. sprinkle in cheese, about a cup. mix in 1/8 cup of heavy cream and let simmer about 10 min.
• Pour into a casserole dish. grate parmesan cheese over the top and crumble in some bacon for garnish.

The biggest hit is my Dark Chocolate Candies! I serve them after dinner with some champagne. These are very simple to make…

• Use your favorite kind of chocolate candy bar. I prefer Lindt 70-80% cocoa. break 4 chocolate bars up and put in a double boiler pot over medium heat. roughly chop 1/2 cup almonds, add to chocolate (or your favorite nuts), roughly chop 1/4 cup dried cherries & 1/4 cup blueberries, add to pot. add 1 tsp of cinnamon & 1 tsp cayenne pepper. Stir everything up until chocolate is melted. pour mixture onto a cookie sheet lined with wax paper and smooth out, dust with coarse salt. let cool & harden back to candy (works best in fezzer).cut or break into nice sized chunks and ENJOY!

Light Curry Rice Pilaf w/ Chicken

Ingredients: 1 fennel, 2 carrots, 1 yellow onion, 2 celery ribs, ginger, 1 jalapeno. 2 cups vermicelli, 1 cup basmati rice, pine nuts. 1 lb chicken breasts or tenders, chicken stock (for cooking rice).

1.    chop veggies, place in a large bowl and set aside: chop the top and bottom off the fennel. make several slices lengthwise down the fennel (similar to dicing an onion) then slice across into bite size pieces. dice onion, peel carrots, slice in half lengthwise, then chop into pieces. thinly slice celery ribs. with a spoon scrape the skin off ginger (remove knobs on ginger to make it easier to clean), slice ginger into thin pieces lengthwise and then slice across into small pieces. cut open jalapeno, remove seeds and chop into small pieces.
2.    season chicken breast w/ lemon pepper and salt. (only use salt if lemon pepper is salt free)
3.    heat pan over high heat and coat with olive oil. place chicken in “hot” pan and let it cook on each side for 5 min.
4.    prepare rice as stated on package only substitute chicken stock for water and add 2 tbs of curry powder and a few pinches of salt to pot.
5.    remove chicken from pan and coat pan with a little more olive oil.  turn heat down to medium. add vermicelli and pine nuts to pan. toast until the vermicelli starts to turn brown. add veggies, season with salt & pepper and 1 tbs of curry powder. mix together.
6.    slice chicken into bite size pieces and add back to pan with veggies. pour in 1/2 cup of chicken stock to pan. turn heat down to low, cover and simmer about 5 min.
8.    scoop curry rice into pan with chicken and veggies. mix together and serve.

I’m not a big fan of curry but the hint of curry in this makes this dish savory and delicious. It’s also quite beautiful in presentation with the yellow curry rice against the colorful veggies.  If you love curry use a good quality curry and up the amount.

Easy homemade chili for beef franks

1lb. lean ground beef, 3 garlic cloves, 1 sm. yellow onion, 3 tbs tomato paste, 1/4 cup chili powder, 1 can fire roasted tomatoes, 1 can crushed tomatoes. , salt & pepper (optional: worcestershire sauce, a few diced fresh roma tomatoes)

1. brown meat in a sauce pot or dutch oven over medium heat. add salt & pepper and chili powder to meat. mash the meat up so it’s fine not chunky. (use the back of a wooden spoon)
2. finely chop garlic and onion, add them to pot. (opt: add diced tomatoes to pot.) mix in tomato paste. drain fire roasted tomatoes and pour into pot. pour in crushed tomatoes. (splash in a few dashes of worcestershire sauce.)
3. let cook for 20 min. on medium heat, letting all the flavors meld together, stir chili occasionally. lower heat to low and let simmer until ready to serve. (the longer the chili cooks the thicker it will get.)
4. makes 4-6 servings

Fill up a  thermos with Easy homemade chili and take it to your next tailgating party to jazz up the traditional hotdogs. It will be a hit! (an insulated thermos is not only good for keeping liquids cold but also for keeping soups and chili warm when on the go.)

options for putting it all together!...

• either on a grill or in the broiler, cook the dogs and or sausage. for the broiler set oven to 400 and cook on one side for 5 min. turn and cook another 3-5 min.
• place hot dog buns in an oven dish. squeeze in your favorite condiment. remove dogs from oven or grill.
• place dogs in bun, spoon chili over dogs, cover with grated cheese and place in hot oven. (lower to 350) about 5 min. or until cheese has melted.

Finishing in the oven helps toast the buns and gets the cheese nice and melted. Serve pickled jalapenos or hot sauce (valentinos) on the side for a little added kick. this chili is very fresh tasting and much better than the canned stuff! it’s even better the next day too!

Veggie Stew w/Spicy Italian Sausage

A refreshing and flavorful stew that’s of course, simple to make.

Ingredients: box of chopped tomatoes (or can), spicy italian sausage, yukon gold potatoes, celery, carrots, white onion, garlic cloves,  corn, fennel seed, fresh oregano, sage and basil, salt & pepper.

1. heat stock pot up over med. heat and drizzle with a little olive oil. add six links of sausage (casing removed). break up sausage while it’s cooking.
2. add 1 tsp of fennel seed to pot. chop 4-6 potatoes into bit size pieces, add to pot and salt potatoes. mix everything together.
3. roughly chop 2 carrots, 1/2 onion and 3 celery stalks, put into food processor. toss in 3 peeled garlic cloves. process until veggies are finely chopped. add to pot.
4. pull oregano off stems, about 2 tsp., and add to pot.
5. chop up some sage and add to pot. about 2 tsp. as well. mix everything up, add a little salt & pepper and let cook for about 15 min.
6. add chopped tomatoes to pot and allow stew to simmer on low heat for about 30 min.
7. add 1 cup of frozen corn (or fresh if you have it) to pot. pour in 1 cup of chicken stock and keep simmering. 15 min. more.

Serve with garlic bread and it’s a meal!

Next day stew is the best too.

JJ’s Ultimate Juevos Rancheros

Ingredients: eggs, bacon, small white onion, green onion, green bell pepper, 1 can fire roasted tomatoes w/garlic, grated cheddar cheese, smoked paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, tortillas, salt & pepper.

1) in a frying pan fry bacon. drain on paper towel.

2) dice 1/2 of green bell pepper and white onion.

3) drain some of the grease from pan but save a few tablespoons. add to that, a few tablespoons of olive oil. turn heat down to medium, fry eggs in same pan. salt & pepper eggs and cook until the eggs whites are opaque, flip eggs and then gently remove from pan onto a plate.

4) in the same pan add, green bell peppers and white onion. season with salt & pepper. sweat for about 10 min on medium high heat.

5) stir in, 1 teaspoon of cumin, 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika and 2 teaspoons of cayenne pepper. pour in fire roasted tomatoes and cook for about 10 minutes.

6) add eggs, gently back into pan. turn heat down to low. cook for a few more minutes then turn off heat.

7) heat tortillas either over gas burner or microwave.

Serve JJ’s Juevos Rancheros on a plate w/tortillas and bacon. garnish w/cheddar cheese and green onion.

For a Cocktail: mix together 1 cup of vodka, 1/4 cup limeade, 1/4 cup tomato juice (i like clamato juice), a few dashes of hot sauce. pour over ice. add some cracked black pepper on top of each glass and sprinkle with salt.

Guinness Battered Fish w/Creamy Smashed Potatoes

This was sooo delicious and the fish just melts in your mouth. For the fish I used Opakapaka “pakapaka” and Cod. They didn’t have the best selection of fish that day. Talapia would be great to use for this recipe but I’m writing it exactly like I made it the first time. The reason I use Guinness for the beer batter is because I made this on St. Patrick’s Day, so I had quite a bit of Guinness on hand. It works great and made the batter a rich maple color.

Ingredients: vegetable oil, beer, flour, baking powder, salt, cayenne pepper, white fish, yukon gold potatoes, garlic, aged cheddar cheese, milk, butter.

1. quater4-6 potatoes, put in a pot and cover w/water. bring to a boil over med. high heat, add 1 chopped garlic clove and 1 tbls of salt. cook for about 20 min. until fork tender. grate cheddar cheese, about 1/2 cup, set aside.
2. in a big bowl, mix together; 2 cups flour, 1 tbls salt, 2 tbls cayenne pepper & 1 tbls baking powder. pour in 1 bottle of Guinness beer(cold) and whisk together.
3. heat 1/2 gallon of canola or vegetable oil in dutch oven or soup pot (not cast iron) over med. high heat, until oil reaches 350. cut 2-4 fish fillets into even strips.
4. lightly dredge fish strips in flour or cornstarch. shake excess flour off and dip into batter. lay fish into hot oil and let batter set. turn fish over and let cook until golden brown. (it will be a dark amber color because of the Guinness) about 2 min. work in small batches. do not over crowd fish sticks.
5. remove from oil and let fish drain on a baking rack with sheet pan underneath.
6. drain potatoes. add 1 tbls spoon of butter and a splash of milk. lightly smash potatoes, either with a fork or a potato smasher. add more milk if needed to make potaotes creamy. mix in cheese and salt & pepper to taste.

Serve Guinness Battered Fish & Creamy Smashed Potatoes with malt vinegar. For a cocktail try a Black Velvet. Mix half guinness and half champagne in a champagne flute.

3 Cheese Chicken Spaghetti

My Chicken Spaghetti was inspired by my Aunt Becky. She makes an amazing Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti. I’m not recreating her recipe because hers is perfect. I just based the chicken and cheese on hers. Yet another family member inspiring me! Thanks Aunt Becky

Ingredients: chicken tenders, yellow bell pepper, crimini mushrooms, onion, garlic, peas, tomato paste. smoked provolone, cheddar and mozzarella cheese (use any 3 cheeses you like), milk, butter flour. sage, basil and whole wheat pasta (or regular).

1. heat a large pan over high heat, drizzle w/olive oil. salt & pepper chicken tenders. once pan is hot start placing chicken in. let it cook for about 5-7 min. each side.
2. finely chop mushrooms, and dice bell pepper. remove chicken from pan and lower heat to medium. add mushrooms and bell pepper. dice 1/2 onion (or 1 small) and add to pan. chop 3 garlic cloves, add to pan salt & pepper veggies. add 3 tbls. of tomato paste and lower heat to low.
3. boil water for pasta and cook until desired tenderness. (set aside about a cup of pasta water)
4. bechamel sauce: in a small pot add 2 tbls. of butter and 2 tbls. of flour, over med. heat. whisk together until flour & butter have melted together. add 1/2 cup of milk. keep whisking. (optional, grate in some nutmeg) add a little salt and pepper. sauce will start to thicken. grate the cheese, about a 1/3 cup. add to bechamel sauce and turn off heat. (sauce should be thick enough to coat spaghetti but not too thick. dillute sauce w/pasta water if needed.)
5. add 1 cup of peas to the pan w/veggies. tear chicken into pieces and add to pan, mix it all up. add spaghetti to the pan, pour bechemal sauce over spaghetti, chop some fresh sage & basil and mix everything together.

DONE!

Lemon Pepper Chicken & Brocolli Stirfry w/Cashews

My latest cravings according to my body is broccoli. I’m not a big fan of the veggie either but my body has decided it needs the little green floret so I shall obey! Of course I have to make broccoli yummy and here is one of my latest attempts.

Ingredients: long grain white rice, red pepper flakes, lemon pepper, garlic salt. chicken tenders, lemon juice & zest. broccoli, green bell pepper, garlic, eggs, soy sauce.

Marinate chicken for about 3 hours before making. Pour 1/3 cup of lemon juice in ziplock bag. Add 2 tbls of lemon pepper, 1 tsp of garlic powder into bag. Place chicken in bag and give it a good shake. Place in fridge.

1. Rice: heat a pot over med. heat and drizzle w/olive oil. pour 1 1/2  cups of rice into pot. add 2 tsp of red pepper flakes,1 tsp of garlic salt and 1 tbls of lemon pepper. toast rice for about 5 min. cover rice with hot water, about 3 cups. let rice come to a boil and then cover and lower heat to low.
2. heat wok or large non stick skillet over high heat. drizzle w/olive oil and lay chicken tenders in. cook for about 5 min. on each side.
3. while chicken is cooking, chop 2 broccoli florets into small pieces. (you can thinly slice stalks of broccoli to use in stir fry too.) chop 1 bell pepper into small bite size pieces. thinly slice 2 garlic cloves.
4. remove chicken from wok and add in broccoli and bell peppers. cover with a few pinches of red pepper flakes and sprinkle w/garlic salt. cook veggies for about 10 min. stir everything up a few times.
5. push veggies to the sides of wok and add 3 eggs to the middle. let the eggs cook for a few min. then slowly mix everything together. turn heat to low. take 2 handfuls of cashews, crush them in hands and drop into wok. add sliced garlic.
6. chop chicken into bite size pieces and add to wok. turn heat back up to a med. and let chicken finish cooking.
7. make a well in center of wok again (push everything up the sides) and scoop rice into center. add zest of lemon and drizzle a little soy sauce over wok, mix everything together.

Veggie Wrap

It’s spring again, time to drop the fab five lbs left by winter. The other 10 that remain is another story Try this delicious veggie wrap for something light but filling. Great for the hot days to come.

This recipe was inspired by my trip to Lebanon many years ago. It’s Lebanese style mixed with some Californication.

Ingredients: whole grain tortilla, avocado, hard boiled egg, kalamata olives, cucumber, lettuce mix, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt & pepper.

1. lay tortilla out on a plate or cutting board. tear a handful of lettuce mix up and lay on tortilla.
2. slice 1/2 of avocado, then make slices down the middle length wise. scoop out w/spoon and lay on top of lettuce. squeeze lemon juice on top.
3. slice 1 hard boiled egg in half lengthwise then into slices. place on top of tortilla.
4. cut 1 cucumber in half, then slice about 5 pieces off, add to tortilla.
5. slice a few kalamata olives and toss over tortilla. drizzle w/olive oil and season w/ salt & pepper.

Roll tortilla up and enjoy this really simple, light and delicious Veggie Wrap.

Veggie Wrap

Chicken and Shrimp Pasta

This is a light and fresh tasting pasta dish that’s full of flavor! There’s not to many ingredients so it’s really simple to make as well. It’s even great the next day for leftovers.

Ingredients: whole wheat penne pasta, chicken tenders, large peeled shrimp, lemon, green & red bell pepper, garlic, shallots, butter, extra virgin olive oil, lemon pepper

1. bring pot of water to a boil for pasta. lay shrimp out(about 1lb.) and squeeze lemon juice(1/2 of lemon) over shrimp, season with lemon pepper and set aside.
2. heat large skillet up over med. high heat, coat with olive oil. season tenders (about 1 lb.) with salt & pepper and place in pan. cook about 5 min. on each side.
3. slice bell peppers in half lengthwise, cut in half across and thinly slice into strips.
4. flip the chicken and let cook for about 5 min.  add pasta to boiling water. add bell peppers to pan with chicken.
5. peel and slice 2 shallots, chop 4 cloves of garlic. remove chicken and add 2 tbs of butter and 2 tbs of olive oil to pan. add shallots and garlic and mix everything together.
6. push veggies around the sides of pan and lay shrimp in. flip shrimp when they start to turn pink (takes about 1 min.). lower heat to low. chop chicken tenders into pieces and add back into pan.
7. take pasta directly out of pot with a pasta spoon and add into pan with chicken and shrimp. add 1/4 cup of pasta water, 3 tbls. of lemon zest and the juice from 1 lemon. mix everything together. SERVE

Spicy Chicken Sausage and Lentil Stew

Ingredients: dry lentils, habanero green chili chicken sausage, green bell pepper, white onion, garlic, fresh sage, fennel seed, coriander powder,cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, chicken stock.

Soak 2 cups of lentils in water for about 3-5 hours before cooking. (in a warm place is best) Lentils will soak up a lot of the water. This process helps lentils cook quicker.

I basically cooked this stew in layers all in one pot. Start with infusing spices in olive oil…

1.    cover bottom of pot with olive oil. heat over low heat. add in 1 tsp fennel seed, 1 tsp coriander, 2 tsp cayenne pepper, 2 tsp smoked paprika, 2 tsp garlic powder. mix spices together in olive oil.
2.    Dice onion (1 sm. onion or 1/2 of larger onion) toss into pot with olive oil infusion. season with salt & pepper, kick heat up to med. and mix it all up.
3.    dice green pepper, add to pot. take 2 sausage links slice in half lengthwise, slice in half again lengthwise, then dice sausage, add to pot, stir.
4.    chop about 4 garlic cloves, add to pot. chop 6-8 leaves of sage and add to pot. drain lentils and add to pot. cover with 4 cups of chicken stock. cover pot and lower heat to low. let simmer 30 min.

Add more stock if lentils soak up to much of the liquid. I like mine a little thicker. Eat and Enjoy!

Strawberry French Toast

I knocked the socks off my boyfriend and daughter, AGAIN! This french toast was super yummy and even kinda healthy. Don’t tell my family that. I didn’t even use bacon. The heels of bread and stale bread is perfect for french toast so if you have some bread you’re about to throw out, make Strawberry French Toast!

Ingredients: fresh strawberries, whole grain bread, powdered sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, eggs, milk, cinnamon stick, almond extract, butter.

1. core strawberries, give them a rough chop, place in a bowl, cover with 2 tbs. of sugar. (do this the night before and the strawberries will be extra sweet. )
2. strawberry syrup: in a small pot over low heat, melt 4 tbs. of butter, drop in a few splashes of almond extract and a cinnamon stick. add strawberries to pot and another tbs. of sugar, mix together, cover and let simmer. stir occasionally.
3. mix a few eggs and about 1 cup of milk in shallow dish. add 1/2 tbs. of cinnamon, 1 tbs of canola oil and a pinch of salt. whisk together.
4. heat griddle or non stick pan for french toast, over med. high heat. slice bread in half then place, as many slice that will fit, in egg batter. cover bread with egg batter and place on hot griddle. let french toast cook for about 5 min. each side until it’s golden brown. adjust heat if needed.
5. place french toast on a plate and cover with strawberry syrup. pour a little maple syrup on top and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

I served my Strawberry French Toast with a fried egg, over medium, on the side. The yolk from the egg added a delicious sauce to the plate. It was a big hit! I fried the eggs in a few tbs. of olive oil and a pat of butter, flipping them once. season with salt & pepper.

For a cocktail: in a champagne flute pour in a splash of amaretto a splash of o.j. and top off with prosecco.

The Happy Eater…

Mediterranean Steak Salad

I’m on a roll. Another really tasty dish out of JJ’s kitchen. This dish started with some N.Y. strip steak I had marinating in worcestershire sauce for a couple of days and ended with some mixed olives out of a salad my boyfriend had left at my house. I think the olives were nicoise olives and picholine olives. I added some kalamata olives as well. I also pitted the olives. A lot of times it’s hard to find fancier Mediterranean olives pitted but I can’t stand biting down on a pit! It’s not hard to get the pit out. All I did is break the olive with my fingernail than pull it apart to get the pit out. Of course you can use an olive pitter too. I kinda wanted the olive to be broken up so I used my hands. Also be sure and take steak out of fridge to take the chill off before cooking, about 20 min.

Ingredients: N.Y strip steak, spring salad mix, avocado, lemon, extra virgin olive oil, cherry tomatoes, olives, parmesan cheese.

1. Heat grill pan up over high heat.  place steaks on grill. let them sear about 5-10min. on each side, until they are dark and crispy on the out side. Turn off heat and let the steaks rest.
2. In a bowl pour in 3 tbs of extra virgin olive oil and 2 tbs. of fresh lemon juice, season with salt & pepper. Whisk together.
3. Add pitted olives and cherry tomatoes, a small handful of both, to bowl. Add 1 avocado, cut into bite size pieces. Add lettuce on top of that. Toss everything together. Use a peeler and shave in pieces of parmesan cheese.
4. Slice thin pieces of steak up. Lay salad on a plate and lay pieces of steak on top.

Have a glass of your favorite red wine and you’ve got a healthy and flavorful meal!

Chicken Tender Salad

Another delicious salad out of JJ’s kitchen. I soaked the tenders in buttermilk for about 2 days, but you can get away with a few hours.

Ingredients: 6 chicken tenders, 2 cups buttermilk, flour, olive oil, 1 bag of salad mix, tomatoes, avocado, 1/2 lemon, 1tbs. red wine vinegar.

1. heat 1 cup of olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat.
2. pour about 2 cups of flour on a plate and season with salt & pepper. dredge marinated tenders through flour.
3. place tenders in hot oil. fry for about 3-5 min each side, until golden brown.
4. drain on a rack. don’t over crowd skillet. cook in batches if needed.
5. in a bowl mix 3 tbs. of olive oil, 2 tbs. of lemon juice and a splash of red wine vinegar. whisk together until creamy looking. add 1 avocado sliced up, and sliced tomatoes to bowl. season with salt & pepper.  lay greens on top of that then toss everything together.

Serve greens on a plate and lay sliced pieces of chicken tenders on top.

Comfort Food Pasta

I had some random ingredients leftover from other meals and came up with this yummy pasta dish. It’s got all the good stuff for a meal full of comfort.

Random Ingredients: 1/2 box whole wheat penne pasta, 1 red bell pepper, 1 red onion, 3 spicy fully cooked sausage links, peperoni slices, 4 cloves garlic, 2 cups tomato sauce.

Cheese sauce: 2 tbs of flour, 2 tbs of butter, 1 cup of milk, 1 cup of grated cheese. (the cheese i had: drunken goat cheese, cheddar and provolone. use whatever variety you like).

1. boil water for pasta. (add pasta once water comes to a boil)
2. heat a large pan over med. high heat. slice pepper in half length wise. remove seeds then slice pepper into thin strips. drizzle pan with olive oil, add bell pepper to pan. slice onion into thin strips and toss into pan. sprinkle with salt & pepper.
3. cut sausage links in half length wise and then cut at a bias into bite size pieces (a similar shape to the penne pasta). toss into pan. take a few handfuls of peperoni and  slice into strips, toss in pan. peel garlic cloves, thinly slice and toss into pan. mix everything together and turn heat down to low, add in tomato sauce.
4. cheese sauce: in a small pot over med heat, melt butter. add in flour and whisk together for a few min. add in a pinch of salt, 1 tsp of cracked red pepper and 1 tsp of black pepper. pour in milk, whisking as you pour. keep whisking until sauce thickens. about 5 min. turn off heat and add in grated cheese. stir until cheese has melted. (if sauce is to thick add a little pasta water to thin out)
5. remove pasta from water with a slotted spoon and pour directly into pan with veggies and sausage. pour cheese sauce on top of that and mix it all together.

Serve with a salad and Enjoy.

Kitchen Closed

Cooking JJ’s Way is closed for remodel.

Breakfast Tacos w/Cajun Sausage

Ingredients: eggs, louisiana cajun sausage, butter, green onion salt & pepper, grated cheddar cheese

1. heat a non stick pan over medium heat. dice sausage into small pieces. toss into pan and let sausage brown.
2. in a bowl whisk eggs together (about 6 eggs. depends on how many mouths you are feeding). and chop a few green onions.
3. add 2 tbs of butter to pan w/sausage. mix it all together. pour eggs in over sausage and season with salt & pepper. add in green onion and stir it all together until eggs are scrambled. heat tortillas up.
4. fill tortilla with egg & sausage, top with cheese and serve!

You can spice this up with louisiana hot sauce also.

Quick & Easy Jambalaya

Ingredients: 1/2 lb. chicken tenders, 1/2 lb. shrimp, 2 cajun sausage links, 1 cup rice, 1 lemon, 1 1/2 cup chicken
stock, 1 green bell pepper, 1 yellow onion, 1 jalapeno, 2 carrots, red pepper flakes, salt & pepper.

First I marinated the chicken in the zest and juice of lemon and 1 tbs of lemon pepper. Let it sit in the fridge for a few hours or over night.

1. heat large pan over med high heat. drizzle pan with olive oil. place tenders in hot pan. let sear on ea. side for 5 min. remove from pan.
2. slice sausage into bite size pieces and toss into pan. chop onion, bell pepper and carrots into bite size pieces, toss into pan. slice jalapeno and toss into pan, add red pepper flakes and season w/ salt & pepper, give it all a mix. let cook for about 10 min.
3. peel and rinse shrimp (if in shell). season w/ a little lemon pepper and set aside. pour rice into pot and mix together. chop chicken into bite size pieces and add back into pot. pour in chicken stock. lower heat and cover. let simmer about 20 min or until rice is tender.
4. add shrimp very last. just before rice is done, about 15 min into cooking, place shrimp in pot. sorta push shrimp down into pot. cover again and let cook 5-10 min more.

Fajitas!

Ingredients: 1 green bell pepper, 1 poblano pepper, 1/2 red bell pepper, 1 wht. onion, 1 portobella mushroom. 1 lb of flap steak or flank steak, 3 limes, 2 tbs. smoked paprika, salt & pepper.

Marinade: season steak with salt & pepper and then rub smoked paprika into the steak. place in a ziplock bag and squeeze in juice from limes. place in fridge for 4-8 hours.

• heat grill pan over med. high heat. start chopping veggies into thin strips. remove seeds from peppers. once pan starts to smoke drizzle with a little olive oil and start placing veggies onto grill pan. keep chopping veggies and adding to pan. season with salt & pepper.

• with tongs, turn veggies and let cook for about 10 min. until they’re nice and tender and have started to carmelize. remove to a plate and cover with foil.
• place marinaded flap steak on hot grill. let sear about 3-5 min on ea. side for medium pink center. it’s thin steak so it doesn’t take long to cook. remove from pan and place under foil. do this is 2 batches if you have a small grill pan.

• heat tortillas over gas stove. set aside. place meat on a cutting board and slice into strips against the grain.

Plate it up with just the meat and carmelized veggies. Or serve on the side, grated cheese, sour cream, sliced avocado. Also try my fresh salsa with this!

Ginger and Lime Chicken Stirfry w/Fresh Mint

Here’s a delicious recipe for a stirfry that’s tangy light and very refreshing to eat! It’s full of protein and natural goodness from the fresh ginger.

Ingredients: fresh ginger root (i used about 1/8 cup or 2 tbs. it’s hard to measure), 2 limes (juice & zest), 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, 1 green bell pepper, 1 sm white onion, 2 sm carrots, 3 eggs, 1.5 cups jasmine white rice, 3 cups chicken stock, fresh mint, green onion.(optional veggies: feel free to substitute any veggies you like in this like, asparagus, or any color bell pepper or onion)

Start things off by marinating chicken for 1-5 hours. Cut chicken breasts into cubes, place in resealable bag. Zest lime and add into bag then squeeze juice from lime into bag. (If lime isn’t very juicy use 2 limes.) Season with 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp red pepper flakes & cracked black pepper. Squeeze air out of bag, seal and place in fridge.

1. rice: heat pot over med heat. drizzle with oil, add rice. while rice is toasting peel ginger. slice ginger into discs then slice discs into thin pieces, add to rice. mix together and pour in chicken stock. cover with lid once it comes to a boil lower heat to low and cook until rice is tender. about 20 minutes.
2. heat large non-stick pan over high heat. drizzle pan with canola oil and add chicken to hot pan.
3. while chicken is cooking slice all the veggies into bite size pieces (bell pepper, carrot, onion). add veggies into pan and mix everything together. drizzle a little soy sauce in (or a few pinches of salt). lower heat to med high.
4. push everything around the edges of pan and crack eggs into center. season again with salt & pepper. let eggs cook for a minute then mix everything together.
5. turn off heat. push everything to the sides of pan again and scoop rice into middle. roughly chop mint and green onion and add into pan. mix it all up again. finish with squeezing a little more lime juice on top.

Serve with some sliced tomato and cucumber on the side.

Lemon Pepper Shrimp Salad

What’s for lunch at Cooking JJ’s Way? A Lemon Pepper Shrimp Salad!

It’s quite simple to throw together. I had peeled deveined shrimp (med size), an heirloom green tomato, avocado, cucumber, some goat cheese, lemon, salt & pepper and lettuce.

(peel and devein shrimp) squeeze juice from 1/2 lemon over shrimp season with salt & cracked black pepper. heat a saute pan over med high heat. drizzle with olive oil lay shrimp in pan. flip over when they start turning pink. takes about 3 min all together. turn off heat and squeeze a little more lemon juice over top.

place lettuce in a big bowl and squeeze lemon over it. season with salt & pepper and give it a quick toss. lay sliced tomatoes, cucumber, avocado and goat cheese on top. season with a little more salt & pepper. lay shrimp on top and pour juice from pan over salad.

My Almost Epic Fail to an Office Full of Geeks

I love geeks but I’m totally intimidated by them too. They’re so smart and cocky and just fabulous! So, I was really excited when my friend asked me to cater lunches for his office. I had to make 21 hot lunches and deliver them to their office. Now, I’m a pretty confident cook. I’ve been cooking for people for a few years so I thought, this shouldn’t be too hard. I’m trying to expand my business and this would be a good start. It’s more people than I usually cook for but I should be fine. No big deal. Uh. Wrong! It was a big deal.

I start cooking about 3 hours before delivery time. I had offered three different menu items so I’ve got every large pot and every burner on the stove going. I’m a little nervous because it’s a lot of orders and I really want to impress these guys. I just keep telling myself, “you got this, you’re a great cook.” Sure, I’ve never done anything this big before but cooking is my gift. I love to do it. Things slowly starts to fall apart though.

I’ve been cooking for about 2 hours now and realize, crap, I still have to package all this food up, get dressed, load the car up and make my way to the other side of town in an hour. I also realize, I quite possibly don’t have enough food! I’m looking at the 3 dishes cooking on the stove and trying to visualize the portion sizes in my head. I’m like, “shit this is NOT going to be enough to fill all the orders!” I calm myself down and say again, “you got this. Just start packaging the food up. It’s all going to work out.” (There was a lot of talking to myself that day).

I put the finishing touches on everything and go to pull out my to go containers. I had ordered these really cool biodegradable containers and I was all proud of myself. But, I got the wrong kind of containers ’cause when I went to put the hot food in them they started to melt! Now I’m really panicking. See, this is where an experienced caterer would have been laughing their ass off at me. What the hell was I thinking getting containers made out of sugar cane?! Of course they are going to melt when you put hot food in them, they’re for cold foods (feeling like a moron). I’m ready to call these people and tell them, sorry but I’m not going to be able to deliver. Then I was going to lay out on my kitchen floor and cry because I spent all this money on food and have nothing to do with it. I’m picturing myself crying on the kitchen floor. Then I slap myself back to reality and have another chat with myself. I’m thinking, “get your head out of you ass and finish this. You got this. Make it happen and finish this.” So I abandon my thoughts of crying sprawled out on the kitchen floor and got back to work.

My adrenaline is pumping and my whole body is shaking but I’m determined to make this happen. Oh, and I’m also officially running late, should’ve already left my house by now and I still haven’t packaged the food. So how the hell am I going to get this food packed up anyway? Should I run to the store and get new containers? I mean I’m already going to be an hour late at this point. Or should I just figure out how to cool the food enough to get it in these damn containers I already have, and maybe save myself 30 minutes by not going to the store? I decided to use the eco-friendly containers. I shove the big pots in my fridge, hoping to cool the food off some and start pulling everything out of my freezer. I’m going to fill these stupid containers while they’re in the freezer! I stack them up inside the freezer, make a little assembly line and start filling them. It’s working, they’re not melting. I’m calming down, (a little). I let the people know I’m running late and finish packing my food up. I’m almost in the clear. Got 2 of the menu items packed up and had just enough food. Then the chaos starts again.

I run out of food for the third menu item. I was only about 2 short. I was so close! With my adrenaline in super overdrive at this point, I throw another pot on the stove and start frantically making more food with the small amount of ingredients I had leftover. That set me back about another 20 minutes but I pulled it off. I got everything packed and ready to load in the car. I was near tears but I finished it. Now I just had to get it to the final destination. That shouldn’t be too hard. I’ve been to that side of town before. I’ll be fine. It’s only about thirty minutes away.

But, NO. I was not fine. Of course the way I went was the worst way to go. The traffic was a nightmare! I didn’t realize there was a faster way to go so it took me about an hour to get there. At this point I’m like fuck it. If they never order from again I totally understand. At least I finished and at least they are about to eat some bomb ass food!

I reach the office, finally. Give them their food and a discount! Get back in my car and get the hell out of there. Now I have to go deal with the HUGE mess in my kitchen. My “almost epic fail” has a happy ending though. They did love the food and I’m still delivering to them.

Menu for 2/3/10

The Menu for this weeks deliveries was pretty good! Especially the Three Cheese Pasta w/Chicken.

• Tortilla Soup- a hearty cup of soup full of flavor and a hint of spice! comes with a side of rice. ingredients: chicken, veggies, cilantro, limes, corn tortillas, rice.

• Three Cheese Pasta w/Chicken- it’s creamy, cheesy and delicious. definitely a comfort food! ingredients: chicken, onion, garlic, tomatoes, smoked provolone, cheddar and mozzarella cheeses, pasta.

• Santa Maria Steak Medallions- it’s tri-tip steak w/a red wine reduction. potatoes and carrots on the side. for the steak lovers!

Everybody Comes To Hollywood

I’m trying to expand Cooking JJ’s Way, trying to make a name for ourselves out here in this wide open world. To get this started, I decided I would do something completely out of character for me, and completely out of my comfort zone. I went to an open casting call in LA. for a new reality television show. The show is going to be about amateur cooks who want to become master chefs. You had to bring one of your best dishes to the audition, something to impress them with. Something that would be good at room temperature because, of course, you were going to be waiting in line for hours waiting for your chance with the tasting judge.

The week leading up to the audition I try talking myself out of going, even though my friends are all cheering me on. I’m subconciously thinking, I don’t want to be on reality TV! I’m not a big TV watcher and probably my least favorite kind of shows are reality shows. I’m already making excuses because it’s taking me out of my comfort zone. But, I shut the silly voices in my head up and say just go try something new you silly little girl. I mean I live in L.A. Where everybody comes to Hollywood for a chance at fame and flashing lights. Just do it!

I have to think of a dish now. I need something unique. Something good at room temperature. Something I’m really good at. I decided on a Lebanese Mezze. (It’s like appetizers. Stuffed grapeleaves, tabouli, kibbie, ect.) I’ve got great family recipes. It’s great at room temperature. And how many other people would bring Lebanese food? Turns out that was the absolute wrong thing to bring! Yeah, it’s tasty and looked cute enough on the plate, (you get points for platting your dish.) But, it didn’t have the “It Factor”. When the judge came by and started asking me questions about my dish, I knew I was out. It was this one question in particular that really stood out. She asks “So you’re Lebanese?” It’s the way she asked it though. It was the tone in her voice and the expression on her face. She was very condescending and stuck up about it. Right then I knew I made the wrong dish. Of course I can make Lebanese food. I grew up in a Lebanese family. It didn’t really show off any of my “master skills”.

That one question she asked changed my whole way of thinking and pushed me in a whole new direction. All the buzz from that day started to make sense. While I was outside waiting in line, a woman comes out who had got picked to come back. She had these three tiny little truffles on a little plate, no big deal, I thought. But she had written something clever on each truffle (I can’t remember what they said) and the whole ensemble looked like a work of art. I didn’t get it at the moment but it’s definitely clear now, why she was picked. Her dish was unique, it showed off her master skills and it looked like a work of art. She had the “It Factor” that day. Now my friends boyfriends voice is playing in my head. He’s one of my biggest fans and he’s always telling me “you need a nitch.” Well, I get it now. I don’t have a work of art like the cute little truffles. I don’t have something that just stands out. I gotta find my nitch!

I learned so much from that casting call. I got out of my comfort zone, I made myself do something out of character, but most of my new found growth came from that one question. “So you’re Lebanese?” Funny how something so simple and so random can completely change your destiny.

PS: I have to mention how my daughter stood by my side that whole day, cheering me on and keeping me company! Thanks, Maia! You were a HUGE help!! Isn’t she cute!

JJ’s Top Shelf Mexican Martini!

Being from Austin, I’ve had my fair share of Mexican Martini’s. They are Very popular in ATX, probably because of UT. But living in L.A. I find it hard to order one. Most places have never heard of this tasty little drink. If you look up a recipe for a Mexican Martini you’ll find a lot with sprite in them. That’s not how I remember them being made but then again I drank so many how would I remember what’s in them?! Anyway, this is how we make them at Cooking JJ’s Way. It starts with really good tequila. I was turned on to Milagro Tequila by an old friend (RIP Tensie). This is for her…

Ingredients:

• Milagro Tequila (silver)
• Grand Marnier
• lime juice simple syrup (or simply limeade)
• jalapeno stuffed olives (in olive juice) or palmetto stuffed

In a shaker filled with ice pour in:

• 4 oz of tequila
• 2 oz grand marnier
• 2 oz lime juice
• 2 splashes of olive juice (for extra dirty add more)

Shake rigorously and pour into chilled martini glass. Garnish with jalapeno stuffed olives. Makes 2 martinis.  

Pasta with Zinfandel Tomato Sauce and Ricotta

Pasta with Zinfandel Tomato Sauce and Ricotta

Posted using ShareThis