Fideos Verdes (Green Pasta)-Peruvian Dish

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1 Package of fresh spinach (8-12 oz)

1 red onion (Med-Large)-large diced

10 oz queso fresco

1-2 oz Fresh basil

1 cup chicken broth

Salt

4 Garlic cloves

Seared Steak or grilled chicken

Spaghetti

Lime juice or some acid to brighten it up

I also added, garlic powder, adobo powder, coriander powder and hatch green chili powder

In a skillet, heat 1-2 tbsp of olive oil. Cook spinach, garlic, onion.

Add the cooked spinach mixture to a blender with chicken broth, all the queso fresco, basil, salt. Blend till combined, it should be smooth and the consistency of a sauce. Add more broth if needed.

Cook steak or chicken to your liking.

Cook pasta al dente or just barely undercooked

Setting a small amount of the sauce aside for plating steaks, once pasta is drained, combine it with the spinach sauce and cook for 1-3 minutes to blend the pasta and sauce together. If the pasta and sauce seems dry, add more chicken broth.

When plating steaks on top of pasta, add a dollop of green sauce of the plate and on the steak.

Risotto

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48 Ounce Low Sodium Chicken broth-simmering

3-4 Minced Garlic cloves

2 Minced Shallots

Cubed Butter

1/4 Cup White wine

Grated Parm cheese

Arborio Rice

Olive oil

Put 2 teaspoons butter in pan over med-high heat

Once melted add minced shallots and garlic

Turn to medium heat

Soften shallots and add a pinch of salt

Add three handfuls of rice (every handful is a portion)

Cook rice stirring, it will start to stick slightly. 

Rice will start to stick you don’t want color on the rice

Pour in about 1/4-1/2 C of wine. Stir

Let the wine cook off—it should be on a slow simmer

The liquid will become cloudy and as you run the wooden spoon over the pan you will see the rice leaves streaks-  the wine will be gone. Cook out the wine.

Watch your heat, you may have to turn it lower at this point.  See how it goes, don’t let it cook to fast.

Add the first of 3 additions of hot simmering stock to the rice.  Add about 2-3 lades of stock, just enough to cover the rice.  

Cook until the liquid  evaporates and you see streaks again, the liquid should be absorbed.

Add the second addition of hot simmering stock to the rice.  Add about 2-3 lades of stock, just enough to cover the rice.  

Cook until the liquid  evaporates and you see streaks again, the liquid should be absorbed.

Add the third addition of hot simmering stock to the rice.  Add about 2-3 lades of stock, just enough to cover the rice.  

Cook until the liquid  evaporates and you see streaks again, the most liquid should be absorbed, but you still want it wet.  

Taste the rice to see if you have the chew you want.

Take off heat.

Add a little olive oil

Add a little butter

Add parm cheese on top

Let sit for a minute

Stir and enjoy

Apple Chutney

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1 granny smith apple cut into small dices

1-2 tablespoons butter

Cinnamon-Taste

Brown Sugar-Taste

Squeeze of Lemon

Peal and cut apples

Place 1 tablespoon butter in pan with a handful of brown sugar

Put apples in pan 

Add cinnamon

Cook apples on medium heat till butter and brown sugar melted

Add squeeze of lemon

Continue to cook applies till soft.

If liquid cooks out, add water as needed.

Puff Pastry Pork tenderloin

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1 puff pastry thawed

1 Pork Tenderloin

1 package of prosciutto

Salt and pepper

Pre heat oven to the temp listed on the puff pastry

Line counter with plastic wrap to the length of the pork tenderloin

Lay out the Prosciutto short side facing you, overlapping a little bit.  Fold over the plastic wrap and lightly pound the prosciutto (so it sticks together)

Take out the pork tenderloin, wipe with paper towel to dry, season with salt and pepper.

Place pork on the prosciutto

Using the plastic wrap roll the prosciutto around the pork.

Take one piece of puff pastry, lay flat

Roll the puff pastry around the prosciutto wrapped pork

Place on a parchment lined baking sheet

Brush with egg wash 1 egg-1 tablespoon water

Bake till pork is 155-160 degrees ( meat thermometer is in the Pantry, looks like a pink dildo in a gray box usually by the salt and pepper), check temperature at 20 minutes

Let sit out for 5-10 minutes before cutting

French Onion Soup

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1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter

6 cups thinly sliced Vidalia or Spanish onions

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper 

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 

1/4 cup dry sherry

5 cups beef stock 

6 sprigs fresh thyme 

1 cup grated Gruyere cheese 

12 thin slices baguette

In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat.

Add the onions all at once and a small splash of water. Season the onions with salt and pepper.

Bring the onions to a simmer, stirring often. Reduce the heat if the onions begin to cook too fast.

Cook until the onions are soft and translucent, about 15 minutes. (If you want a sweeter soup, continue to cook the onions until they caramelize to the richness of your preference.)

Add the flour and cook for 3 minutes. Add the sherry and cook for a few minutes longer. Add the beef stock and bring to a very low simmer; simmer for about 35 minutes.

Preheat the broiler to finish the soup.

Add the thyme to the soup and simmer for 5 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Remove the herbs.

Toast or grill the baguette slices.

Ladle the soup into 4 soup crocks. Cover some baguette slices, then top with the shredded Gruyere. Transfer the crocks to a baking sheet and place under the broiler until the cheese bubbles and browns.

Chicken Cacciatore version 2

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4-6 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips

1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 small Fresno chile pepper, sliced into strips

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1/4 cup dry white wine

One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes with juice

1/2 cup Kalamata olives

1/4 cup drained capers

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves

Heaping 1/4 teaspoon sugar

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken stock

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Using paper towels, pat the chicken skin dry. Sprinkle each piece of chicken on both sides with salt and pepper (about 1/2 teaspoon of each per side). Dredge the skin sides of the chicken pieces in the flour to lightly coat.

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces to the pan skin-side down and cook until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. (If all the chicken does not fit in the pan, cook it in 2 batches.) Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.

To the same pan, add the bell pepper, onion, garlic and Fresno and sauté over medium heat until the onion and bell pepper soften, about 3 minutes. Add the tomato paste and allow to cook until lightly caramelized, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Deglaze with the white wine, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the tomatoes, olives, capers, oregano, sugar and 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar. Bring the sauce to a simmer and allow to simmer for a couple of minutes to thicken. Nestle the chicken back into the pan skin side up. Add the butter and chicken stock, being careful not to touch the chicken skin.

Place the pan in the oven and cook, uncovered, until a digital thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the chicken reads 160 degrees F, 28 to 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and drizzle the remaining tablespoon red wine vinegar over the sauce of the chicken. Garnish with the parsley and basil and serve.

White Bean Chicken Chili

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2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 rotisserie chicken-chicken diced or shredded and skin removed

1 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning

2 tablespoons ground cumin

1 tablespoon fennel seeds-ground

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon coriandar powder

1 teaspoon curry powder

2 teaspoons chili powder-Sometimes I use ancho powder, hatch green chili powder, and adobo powder in place of chili powder

3 tablespoons flour

1 or 2 (15-ounce cans) cannellini or other white beans, rinsed and drained

1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes-drained

1 bunch (about 1 pound) Kale, stems removed, leaves chopped into 1-inch pieces

4 cups low-sodium chicken stock

1 lime

Freshly ground black pepper for seasoning

In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

Stir the flour into the onion-garlic mixture. 

Add the beans, Kale, diced tomatoes, and chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a simmer, scraping up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. 

Add spices and juice of 1/2 of the lime to broth mixture

Simmer for 30 minutes until the liquid has reduced by about half and the chili has thickened. 

Add cut up chicken, season with salt and pepper to taste simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Milk Chocolate Cheesecake

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2 Cups chocolate cookie crumbs, such as Oreos or chocolate wafers

1 Stick unsalted butter, melted

3 Pounds cream cheese, softened

2 Cups sugar

6 Large eggs

1 Cup heavy cream

1/2 Cup all-purpose flour

Pinch of Salt

1 Teaspoon vanilla extract

8 Ounces milk chocolate, melted

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine the cookie crumbs and melted butter in a medium-size mixing bowl.   Thoroughly mix together, then press into the bottom of a 10-inch spring form pan.

Beat the cream cheese in a food processor until smooth.  Add the sugar and process.  Add the eggs 1 at a time, running the processor in between each addition.  Add the heavy cream, flour, salt and vanilla and process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  With the motor running add the chocolate in a steady stream.  Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.  Bake until center of the cake sets, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven and loosen the sides of the cake with a thin knife.  Cool completely.  If you like it slightly chilled, refrigerate for about 1 hour.

Malassadas ( doughnut-like pastries)

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1 Envelope active dry yeast

3/4 Cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 Cup warm water (110 degrees)

6 Large eggs, at room temperature

4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1 1/2 Cup half-and-half, at room temperature

1/4 Teaspoon salt

8 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour

Vegetable oil for deep frying

Sugar for sprinkling

In a small mixing bowl, combine the yeast, 1 teaspoon of the sugar, and the water.  Stir to dissolve the sugar and set aside.  If the yeast doesn’t foam after a few minutes, you need to buy new yeast and start again.

In an electric mixer, beat the eggs and the remaining 3/4 cup sugar until thick and pale yellow in color, about 6 minutes.  Change the mixer attachment to a dough hook.  With the machine on low speed, slowly add the yeast mixture, melted butter, milk, half-and-half, and salt.  Add flour, 1 cup at a time, and mix until a soft ball forms that leaves the sides of the bowl and climbs up the dough hook.  Remove the dough and turn into a lightly oiled bowl, turning it to oil all sides.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set the bowl in a warm, draft-free place until it doubles in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and dust it with flour.  Roll out the dough into a rectangle about 12 by 17 inches and 1/2 inch thick.  Cover the dough with a lightly oiled piece of plastic wrap.  Put the dough in a warm, draft free place and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Heat 6 inches of oil in a deep, heavy pot or and electric fryer to 360 degrees.

With a sharp knife, cut the dough into 2-inch squares.  Flour your hands, then pat the squares down a little to lightly flatten them.  Fry the squares, 2 to 3 at a time, until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. turning them to brown evenly.  Drain on paper towels.  Sprinkle the doughnuts with sugar and serve warm.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

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1 Stick Butter

1 1/2  Cup Sugar

2 Eggs

1 Cup Sour Cream

2 Teaspoons Vanilla

2 Cup Flour

1 Teaspoons Baking Powder

1 Teaspoons Baking Soda

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

1/2 Cup (or to taste) Chopped Nuts/Cinnamon 

Sm amount of milk (added to batter when mixing)

Preheat oven to 350-Grease baking pan

Beat butter and 1 C sugar until fluffy

Add in eggs one at a time

Stir in Sour Cream and Vanilla

Sift together dry ingredients and blend all with hand mixer into one bowl

Add milk and beat for 3 minutes (makes cake fluffier)

Spoon half of the batter into pan (sprinkle with Sugar/Cinnamon/Nuts/ and Chocolate Chips that have been mixed together in a small bowl)

Add remaining batter & repeat Sugar/Cinnamon mixture

Bake 50-55 minutes until toothpick inserted comes clean

Let cool and remove from pan

Pistachio Cookies

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1/2 Cup (4 ounces, 1 stick) butter
1/2 Cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
1/4 Cup (1 3/4 ounces) vegetable oil
1/4 Cup (2 ounces) water
1 Large egg
2 Packages (3.4-oz. each) pistachio instant  pudding mix, Jell-O brand preferred*
1/8 Teaspoon pistachio flavor OR 1  teaspoon vanilla
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1 Teaspoon baking powder
2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1/2 to 2/3 Cup 2 1/2 to (3 1/4 ounces) chopped pistachios

*Jell-O gives the best color. Your cookies won’t be nearly as green if you use a store brand.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets. 

Beat the butter, sugar, and vegetable oil in a bowl till combined, then add water and egg, beating until smooth. The mixture will look curdled at first, but will become creamy as you beat. Add the pudding mix, pistachio flavor, salt, and baking powder, beating until smooth; the mixture will turn a lovely pastel green. Stir in the flour and nuts. 

Drop the dough by the tablespoonful (a tablespoon cookie scoop works well) onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2" between cookies. Flatten the cookies, if desired, using a fork, the flat bottom of a drinking glass, or the end of the pusher from your food processor. If you don’t flatten the cookies, they’ll bake up in softly flattened mounds; they’re lovely either way. 

Bake the cookies for 15 minutes, until they’re starting to brown on the bottom. Remove them from the oven, and cool right on the pans.

Royal Icing (used to decorate sugar cookies)

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1/4 Cup meringue powder

1/4 Teaspoon salt

3 to 4 Cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

3/4 Cup cool water

Place the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add the cool water, and stir slowly to allow the sugar to dissolve.

Mix on low speed at first, increasing to high speed over several minutes. Beat until the icing is fluffy.

Keep the frosting covered with a damp towel and some plastic wrap until you have time to use it.

Divide the frosting into smaller containers and mix with food coloring for several colors.

To use for piping, put a tip in the bottom of a disposable pastry bag. Using a coupler will allow you to change tips with ease.

Use a tall, heavy-bottomed glass to hold the pastry bag while you add the frosting. Take care not to fill the bag more than half full.

Close the back of the pastry bag with a twist tie or spring clip, to keep the icing from backing up over your hand when you squeeze it.

Sugar Cookies

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1/2 Cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 Cup (4 ounces) cream cheese
1 Cup granulated sugar
3 Eggs
1 Teaspoon vanilla + 1 teaspoon almond extract
3 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
2 Teaspoons baking powder
1/4 Teaspoon salt

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, cream cheese and sugar till light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond. Stir in the dry ingredients. Divide the dough in half, wrap each half in plastic wrap, and chill for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Working with one portion at a time, roll the dough out to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into your favorite shapes with a cookie cutter. Sprinkle with sugar, if desired.

Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, or till they're a very light brown. Remove the cookies from the oven, and cool completely on a wire rack.

Chocolate Sour-Cream Frosting

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8 Ounces semisweet-chocolate 

1 Tablespoon butter

2/3 Cup sour cream

1/4 Cup confectioners’ sugar

1/4 Teaspoon salt

Melt chocolate and butter in a saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth.

Remove from heat. 

In small bowl mix at medium speed the melted chocolate and the sour cream, sugar, and salt until smooth.

Use to frost the Chocolate Sour Cream Cake.

Chocolate Sour-Cream Cake

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2 Cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 Cups sugar

1 1/2 Cups sour cream

1 Cup butter

1/2 Cup cocoa

1 Tablespoon instant-coffee powder (you may be able to use espresso powder, I never tried)

1 Teaspoon Baking soda

1 Teaspoon baking powder

1 Teaspoon almond extract

2 Eggs

Preheat oven to 350. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans.

In large bowl with mixer at low speed, beat first 10 ingredients until well blended, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula.

Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 35-40 minutes until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean.  Cool cake in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans, cool completely on racks.

When cool, frost with Chocolate Sour-Cream Frosting.

Cream Cheese Brownies

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2/3 Cup all-purpose flour

1/4 Teaspoon salt

1/2 Teaspoon baking powder

2 Ounces unsweetened chocolate

4 Ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate

1 Stick butter 

1 Cup sugar

2 Teaspoons vanilla

3 Large eggs

Cream Cheese Mixture

1/4 Cup Sugar

1/2 Teaspoon vanilla

1 Large egg yolk

8 Ounces cream cheese, room temperature

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, and preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Whisk flour, salt, and baking powder in a small bowl, set aside.

Line an 8-inch-square baking pan with a sheet of aluminum foil in the bottom of pan.  The foil overhangs both sides of the pan; use as handles to removed baked brownies from pan. Coat foil with cooking spray.

In a medium heat-proof bowl set over a pan of almost simmering water, melt chocolate and butter, stirring occasionally until mixture is smooth. (Alternatively, melt chocolate and butter in microwave oven. Microwave chocolate alone at 50% power for 2 minutes. Stir chocolate; add butter; and continue microwaving at 50% for another 2 minutes, stopping to stir the mixture after 1 minute.  If chocolate is not entirely melted, microwave an additional 30 seconds at 50% power.)

Remove melted chocolate mixture from heat; whisk in sugar and vanilla.

Whisk in eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next. 

Continue whisking until mixture is completely smooth.  

Add dry ingredients; whisk until just incorporated.

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese with sugar, vanilla and egg yolk until even consistency.

Pour 1/2 the brownie batter into prepared pan. 

Drop 1/2 the cream cheese mixture, by spoonfuls, over batter. Repeat layering with remaining brownie batter and cream cheese filling. Use blade of table knife or spoon handle to gently swirl batter and cream cheese filling, creating a marbled effect 

Bake until edges of brownies have puffed slightly, center feels not quite firm when touched, and a toothpick inserted into center comes out with several moist, fudgy crumbs. 50 minutes.

Cool for 5 minutes. Using foil handles, lift brownies out of the pan, allow to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 3 hours. Cut into squares.

Fudge

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18 Ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 Can  sweetened condensed milk Eagle Brand

1 1/2 Teaspoons  vanilla

1 Pinch  salt

Pour chocolate chips & condensed milk into a glass bowl.

Mix chips & milk together with a spoon.

Heat on high in the microwave for 2 minutes.

Carefully remove from the microwave.

Mix with a spoon until the chocolate is smooth.

Add vanilla, salt, and mix.

Pour mixture into a 9 inch round buttered pan.

Refrigerate until firm.

Smoked Gouda Macaroni and Cheese

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6 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon vegetable oil

1 pound small elbow macaroni

2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon unsalted butter

2 tablespoons bleached all-purpose flour

2 1/2 cups milk

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

1 teaspoon ground mustard

1/4 pound smoked Gouda cheese, grated  (sometimes I do a combination of cheddar and Gouda)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. 

Put the water, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and the oil in a large, heavy saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. 

Add the macaroni and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 8 minutes. 

In a small, heavy saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. 

Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. 

Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly. 

Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, ground mustard, and the white pepper and continue whisking until the sauce is smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 8 minutes. 

Remove the white sauce from the heat and stir in the cheese. Continue stirring until the cheese melts. 

Lightly grease a 6 1/2 by 10-inch casserole dish with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon butter. Combine the cheese sauce and macaroni in a large mixing bowl and mix well. 

Pour into the prepared casserole and bake until lightly golden on top, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve hot. 

Lo Mein Noodles

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3 tablespoons oyster sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/4 cup chicken stock

1 teaspoon cornstarch

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 teaspoons garlic, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons ginger, minced like the garlic

1/2 pound chicken breast, thin sliced

3 cups fresh lo mein noodles

1/4 pound baby bok choy, cut like celery slices, use the green leaves as well

3 scallions, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 

For the sauce: Stir together the chicken stock, oyster sauce, soy sauce, cornstarch and sesame oil. Set aside.

Heat a pan to high and add the oil. Once you see wisps of white smoke (or the oil glistens) add the ginger and garlic and cook until light brown and fragrant, about 20 seconds. Stir in the chicken and cook until medium, about 2-3 minutes.

Add the noodles and bok choy to the pan and cook until tender, about 1 minute. 

Stir in the sauce, allow the sauce to coat all the ingredients and start to simmer, about 1 minute.

Cook until the chicken is cooked through (1-2 minutes) and sauce starts to bubble into a glaze.