CrockPot Falafel

Thanks to Pinterest and the A Year of Slow Cooking blog for this one, because I hate deep frying, but I love falafel! 

Smash yo' chick peas/garbanzo beans.

Blend yo' falafel flavors.

Nestle in crockpot. Mine is small, so I had to stack.

Ta Daaaaa!

As you can see, I made some Tzatziki sauce (cucumber/yogurt/dill sauce). I am not, however, going to include that recipe because it just wasn't a worthy one...

I typically hate grocery store pitas, so I picked up some gyro pitas from Parthenon while I was eating post-bar time in downtown Madison.

CROCK POT FALAFEL

- 1 15oz can garbanzo beans (chick peas)

- 1/2 onion, chopped

-1 T dried parsley (I used fresh because i had it on hand)

- 2 cloves minced garlic

- 1 egg

- 1 tsp kosher salt

- 1/4 tsp black pepper

- 2 tsp ground cumin

- 1 tsp ground coriander

- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

- juice from 1 lemon

- 1/2 to 3/4 cup bread crumbs

- 2 T olive oil (for the bottom of your crock)

Directions

Drain garbanzo beans. Dump them into a mixing bowl and smash them with a fork. Set aside.

Get out your blender or food processor. Blend together all of the spices, the onion, the garlic, the egg, and the lemon juice.

Pour on top of your smashed garbanzo beans. Use your fork to mix together, and add the breadcrumbs slowly until the mixture is wet and sticky but can be formed into balls nicely. I needed 3/4 of a cup of breadcrumbs.

Pour 2 T of olive oil into the bottom of your crockpot stoneware insert.

Form squished golf-ball sized patties of falafel. Dip each side into the olive oil and then nestle into your crockpot. It's okay if they overlap or are on top of each other.

Cook on high for 3-5 hours. Ours cooked on high for 3.5 hours--you'll know they're done when they turn golden brown.

Chicken Marbella

I knew this recipe was a winner when Jamie said, "It's truly a pleasure eating this and being your husband." He then went on to make questionable moans throughout the meal. Enough said.

Overnight marination station. 

Final product -- so many flavas!!!

Chicken Marbella
Adapted from The Silver Palate Cookbook by Sheila Lukins and Julie Rosso

Ingredients

1.5 to 2.5 lbs chicken (I used 2 skinless chicken breasts w/ ribs attached, but original recipe includes skins)
8 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons dried oregano
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
¼ cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
½ cup pitted prunes
¼ cup pitted Spanish green olives (I used garlic stuffed because I am a garlic fanatic)
¼ cup capers with a bit of juice
3 bay leaves
¼ cup light brown sugar
½ cup white wine
2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley or cilantro, finely chopped

Directions

1) In a large bowl combine garlic, oregano, salt and pepper to taste, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers with caper juice, and bay leaves. Add the chicken and coat completely with the marinade. If your chicken has skin, rub it in beneath the skin. Cover and marinate overnight in fridge.

2) Preheat oven to 350°F.

3) Arrange chicken in a single layer in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and spoon marinade over it evenly. Sprinkle chicken pieces with brown sugar and pour white wine around them.

4) Bake for 40 minutes, basting frequently with the pan juices (if you remember. I didn't, but it was still super moist). Chicken is done when pieces, pricked with a fork at their thickest point, yield clear yellow juice (not pink).

5) With a slotted spoon, transfer chicken, prunes, olives, and capers to a serving platter. Add some of the pan juices and sprinkle generously with parsley. Serve remaining sauce in a gravy boat.  

(Alternatively, you can brown the skin and de-fat the gravy before serving. Here’s how: When the chicken is done, transfer chicken, prunes, olives and capers to a serving platter, then pour the gravy into a medium bowl and let the fat settle at the top. In the meantime, place the chicken back in baking dishes and broil for a few minutes to brown the skin. While chicken is browning, de-fat the gravy. Transfer chicken pieces back to serving platter and pour some of the gravy over top. Serve remaining sauce in a gravy boat.)

San Valentino Home Lovin'

For Valentine's Day this year, Jamie and I were going to go to a fancy tapas restaurant in Madison, and although the 5 course menu sounded amazing, we decided to save the $200 and do Valentine's Day dinner at home. Plus, crab legs are always on sale on V-Day! Only eight bucks per pound at Copp's! 

So instead we had a romantic dinner at home with way too much food, documented below. 

I also made creme brulee for the first time! It was much easier than I thought it might be.

Salad w/ avocado, bleu cheese, real bacon bits, croutons, tomato, carrot, and sunflower seeds.

Broiled asparagus w/ olive oil and lemon (and an unhealthy amount of salt). 

Filet mignon (grilled to medium-rare perfection by Jamie) and horseradish mashed potatoes.

Did you know you can do crab legs in the microwave?!?! Wrap in damp paper towel and zap for 1-3mins depending on your amount! I found them much less waterlogged than attempts in a stove top kettle.  

Coconut creme brulee. 

Horseradish Mashed Potatoes 

(serves 6)

2 lbs russet potatoes

3/4 c sour cream

3/4 c whole milk

1/4 cup butter

4 tsp prepared horseradish

Peel potatoes, cut into chunks. Boil 15 mins or until tender. Mash with all ingredients plus salt and pepper. 

Coconut Creme Brulee (adapted from The Dusty Baker)

(serves 4) 

4 large egg yolks

2 large eggs

1/2 C white sugar plus more for dusting

1 C full fat coconut milk

1/4 tsp almond extract

Preheat oven to 300° F.  Boil a pot/kettle of water. 

Whisk eggs, egg yolk, sugar and almond extract until creamy and smooth.  Add coconut milk and blend until smooth.

Pour into 4 ramekins.

Place in a glass or ceramic baking dish. Pour the hot water around the ramekins until it comes halfway up the ramekins.

Bake for about 40 minutes, until just slightly jiggly in the middle.

Cool until ready to serve or chill until cold.  When ready, sprinkle with about 2 tsp white sugar and torch until crispy and brown. If you don't have a torch you can put them under the broiler... just watch closely!

Me and Mr. James Got a Thing Going On...

And it involves lots of food!!!

 Like scrambled eggs cooked in bacon grease over the camp fire....

 and smoked salmon enjoyed at Devil's Lake... 

 Along with skewers of veggies and beef. 

 And then there's beer cheese soup enjoyed in New Glarus.... 

With the thickest summer sausage sandwich you've ever seen. 

And fabulous supper clubs Up North.... 

 With sizzling steaks. 

Or you can stay home and enjoy crab legs.

There's also Halloween parties to go to... 

Dressed like Burt Reynolds and some random 80s chick. 

Going on honeymoon cruises is fun too, 

with the all-you-can-eat buffets at all hours. 

And the fancy dinners at night... 

Then it's back home and back to homecooking.... 

(Moroccan chicken tagine) 

If you go out afterwards, nothing is better 

at bar time than gyros and fries from Parthenon's...  

Sometimes you may forget to take your food photos 

before you eat... like when it's delicious Peruvian food.  

To work off those calories, 

ride your bikes to a frozen custard place.

You can start all over again the next day with a gigantic prime rib. 

And maybe some more crab legs at home...  

For Valentine's Day of course!!! 

Pizza with prosciutto and a fried egg is nice way to celebrate

a graduation from college. 

But when you're in the Upper Peninsula, only a pasty will do. 

Or some very large steaks you grill outside, 

surrounded by tall trees and beautiful silence. 

Then you can go fishing while looking like a gigantic dork. 

Unless it's winter -- then you REALLY look like a dork. <3

Pistachio-Crusted Pork Chops

Power to pistachios! They're good for combatting heart disease, diabetes, and aging. And more importantly, I recently discovered they're good on pork chops!

Grinding the pistachios, garlic, and lemon peel. 

 

Browning the chops in olive oil before throwing them in the oven.

I used butterflied boneless chops, mainly because I don't like paying for bones when I'm just frying or baking, rather than simmering/slow cooking.  

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup shelled pistachios
• 1 clove garlic (I used 3 cuz I LOVE garlic)
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
• Salt
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• Pepper
• Four 1-inch-thick pork chops (or two 1-inch butterflied chops)
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Using a food processor, finely grind the nuts, garlic, lemon peel and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Transfer to a shallow bowl; whisk in the breadcrumbs.
2. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper. Dip each chop into the egg, then coat with the nut mixture; transfer to a baking sheet.
3. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chops and cook until golden, about 2 minutes on each side; return to the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 140°, about 20 minutes.

 

Cornbread-Topped Bourbon BBQ Chicken

This is a fun recipe because you get to set it on fire! Very exciting for a pseudo-pyromaniac like myself. 

I took photos of almost every step...Sometimes blogs like that annoy me, but I'm testing it out. Enjoy!

Sauteing the red onions and garlic.

Adding tomato paste and smoked paprika. 

Adding the broth, brown sugar, hot sauce, worcestershire, and orange peel. 

Cooking the chicken. 

Pouring the sauce and bourbon over then taking a match to it. The blueish steam below is actually flames. 

Topping it off with the cornbread mixture and shredded sharp cheddar. 

Wholla! 

The final result was real good, although I might do a bit less bourbon next time. I've never been a fan of an obvious liquor flavor. 

The recipe is below. I actually cut it in half when I made it, because my cast iron skillet is medium sized and you'd definitely need a large or extra large size for the original recipe.

Cornbread Topped Bourbon BBQ Chicken

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 3 to 4 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons hot pepper sauce
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon grated orange peel, plus 1 tablespoon orange juice
• 2 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts and thighs, coarsely chopped
• 3/4 cup bourbon
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• Two 8.5-ounce boxes corn muffin mix, such as Jiffy, batter mixed according to package directions

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon EVOO, 1 turn of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and red onion and cook until tender, 4 to 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Stir in the tomato paste and smoked paprika and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, brown sugar, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, orange peel and orange juice and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer the barbecue sauce until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a large cast-iron skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken, season with salt and pepper and cook until golden brown on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Pour the barbecue sauce into the skillet and drizzle the bourbon on top. Remove the pan from the heat and light the alcohol with a match. Return the pan to the heat and cook until the flames subside.
3. Fold the scallions and 1/2 cup cheese into the mixed corn bread batter. Spoon the mixture evenly over the barbecue chicken in the skillet. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheese on top. Bake until the corn bread is golden-brown, about 30 minutes.