Friday, February 27, 2009
I was never a big red meat fan, that is until I started culinary school. The philosophy in class is TASTE everything. This really is the only way to expand your pallet and it also makes you a better cook! I realized that red meat is best enjoyed medium-rare (of course many people will argue) and I had always had it well done, thus leading to the chewy texture I did not enjoy.
Regardless of how you like your steak cooked this preparation is fabulous. Quick, easy, and full of flavor. The recipe below should lead to a medium-rare steak, so please adjust your cooking times, unless you want to taste the best steak ever :)
Meal: Pepper Steak & Lyonnaise Salad
Pepper Steak
Recipe from Kendall College
2-4 oz boneless strip steaks
Salt, to taste
1 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
1/2 fl. oz butter (preferably clarified)
1/2 fl. oz Cognac
1 fl. oz heavy cream
1/2 oz butter
Bring steaks to room temperature and season with salt. Spread peppercorns on your cutting board and press the steaks into them, lightly coating each side.
Saute the steaks in the (clarified) butter over high heat for 2-3 mins on each side.
Remove the pan from the heat. Pour the cognac over the steaks, return the pan to heat and flambe. When the flames subside, remove the steaks from the pan and keep warn on a plate.
Add the cream to the pan. Bring to a boil and reduce for 2 mins over high heat. The remove from the heat and add the butter in, stir till melted. Pour the sauce over the steaks and serve.
Serves 2Print Page
When I was in college and studying abroad in London my best friend was in Paris, I spent a few days visiting her and while there we went to some wonderful cafes. ahh... Paris (day dreaming...) I distinctly remember seeing patrons indulging in salads, burgers, and pizzas all with poached (or fried) eggs on top. At that time my palate was extremely UNDERDEVELOPED and I could not imagine ordering such a thing. What a dumbie I was.
Flash forward to 2009 and I am in love with all things egg. I recently made this pizza that was so decadent and now my new favorite salad, the Lyonnaise. My first experience with this salad was in my French Bistro class and since then I have made it home as well as ordering it at restaurants. It is a rich salad full of flavor. I highly recommend it!
Meal: Pepper Steak and Lyonnaise Salad
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
I have not watched foodnetwork in months, mostly because the last thing I want to do during my free time is watch cooking shows. Also, I just have not been a big fan of the new cooks/chefs. But this Saturday morning I was cleaning the condo and had the tv on in the background and Ask Aida came on. She was making PIZZA and this mushroom one looked so amazing that I had to make it right away. It reminds me of the type of pizza you would get in a cafe in Europe and who doesn't love that?
Roasted Mushroom Pizza Monday, February 16, 2009
There is this wonderful Filipino woman that lives in the condo building I work in who has a passion for food that I admire. She doesn't cook complex meals but rather uses the freshest ingredients (she shops daily at multiple markets) to create simple yet delicious meals. And lucky for me she brings me lunch or snacks every day. Last week she brought me pasta with apple and spinach with a side of bread and cheese. I decided to combine the cheese (melted of course) with the pasta and it was fabulous. So quick to put together and so flavorful. This is perfect for a quick week night meal or something to bring for lunch to spice things up.
Spinach & Apple Pasta Friday, February 13, 2009
In honor of the day, I found these adorable XO cutters at Target and knew I had to buy them so I could try Ahlee's FAMOUS sugar cookies. I had never used the flooding technique with royal icing but decided to give that a try as well. I need some more practice but for my first try I don't think they look to bad, and they taste great. I gave half of the batch to HusbandPlzak to bring to work and took the other half with me so that I could get them out of the house!
Ashlee's Famous Sugar Cookies!1 1/2 c. butter
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. powdered sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 tbsp. lemon zest
5 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
Powdered sugar, for rolling
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cream butter and sugars in a mixer for 5 minutes.
Add in eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly.
Add in vanilla, almond, and lemon zest.
Beat for 10 seconds.
Add in baking powder and salt, beat again.
Add in flour 1 c. at a time, mix for 15 seconds between each addition.
Do not over mix, this process should take about one minute.
Chill dough for alteast 30 mins then roll out and cut. (or chill up to a week in the fridge).
Bake on a parchment lined cookie sheet for 7 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom.
Royal Icing
3 oz pasteurized egg whites
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 c. confectioners' sugar
In large bowl of stand mixer combine the egg whites and vanilla and beat until frothy. Add confectioners' sugar gradually and mix on low speed until sugar is incorporated and mixture is shiny. Turn speed up to high and beat until mixture forms stiff, glossy peaks. This should take approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Add food coloring, if desired. For immediate use, transfer icing to pastry bag or heavy duty storage bag and pipe as desired. If using storage bag, clip corner. Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
I love lazy weekends, they don't come around often but when they do I love to take advantage of classic movies on TV and a yummy lunch. Last summer I found a recipe for a turkey sandwich with an aruguala salad in Real Simple and thought I would combine the sandwich and salad into one dish. The warm sandwich with the peppery arugula and sweet nectarines tasted extremely gourmet for a quiet Saturday afternoon.
Meal: Turkey, Brie, & Nectarine Sandwich with pretzels and onion dip (combine a packet of dry onion soup mix with a small container of sour cream, thank you Amylee!)
ps- Don't forget to vote on my future Personal Chef business name (the poll is on the top right of this page). Thank you!
Turkey, Brie, & Nectarine Sandwich
Adapted from Real Simple July 2008 (serves 2)
Friday, February 6, 2009
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Who has heard of Cave Cooking? Yeah me neither, until tonight. I took a tour of the facilities of Calihan Catering who specialize in off premise catering. They service high end clients in locations such as museums and parks where there are no kitchens. They aim to provide the highest quality of food and therefore have found a way to cook on premise even where no kitchen exists, cave cooking. This is extremely impressive to watch and is performed with such precision.
The food is blanched and seared before being brought to location. The cooks then place the food on sheet pans and place them in the pan rack (cave) and light sterno to cook the food. They cook meals for thousands this way and all the food is cooked perfectly. I saw them cook beef tenderloin, salmon, chicken, green beans, roasted tomatoes, and pasta. It is definitely a great skill!
After watching this technique I now understand why we had to pay over $135 a person for our wedding dinner! I definitely have a new found respect for off premise caterers. 
I am sorry this took me so long to post! I don't know what my deal has been. But I would like to thank both Erica from Erica's Kitchen and Num Yummy Recipes for giving me the Lemonade Award which is given to bloggers with a 'Refreshing' approach.
RULES:
- Add the logo in your blog.
- Add a link to the person who gave you the award.
- Nominate 10 other (refreshing…like lemonade) blogs of your choice.
- Add links to those blogs in yours.
- Also leave a message for your nominees in their blogs, informing them about the award.
I was also tagged by Melissa of Delicious Meliscious for 7 Random Facts. I have decided to combine both so I don't have to hound 27 different blogs, I will just use 7 for both the award and the Tag.
RULES:
-Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog.
-Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself.
-Tag 7 random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs.
-Let each person know they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
I now get to pick my favorite 7 blogs...
Alissa -Better Together for her great every day meals!
Steve (my brother-in-law) -Each and Every Inch for his great affordable design ideas for small urban spaces
Melissa- Delicious Meliscious (obviously you already did the 7 facts!) for her awesome pictures and great healthy recipes.
Eva-KitcheInspirations for her menu plans and party throwing abilities (and tips)
Sammy-SammyW for her mix of recipes, fashion, and design ideas.
Gabrielle-Design Mom for her ability to be a creative and interative mom!
Cate- Fresh From Cate's Kitchen for entries related to food as she travels the globe with her husband.
7 Fun COOKING Facts about WifePlzak at Big City Cooking
1. My favorite type of food to eat is French. (french onion soup, duck confit, and escargot)
2. My favorite type of food to cook is Vegetarian, I love experiementing with ways to create a complete meal without the addition of meat.
3. I hate to bake! I love to eat sweets but baking just isn't something I enjoy, because I hate to measure.
4. I rarely want to eat what I make. After preparing a meal I usually have no appetite for what I made. (no it is not because I tasted it along the way... well maybe it is)
5. I collect colorful serving dishes/platters from all my travels (and when I am lucky from family members travels)
6. My least favorite things to eat are hamburger helper and casseroles... just don't put that word in the name!
7. I hate tools in the kitchen that only serve one purpose (probably because I only live in 850 sq ft) like a garlic peeler, potato scrubber, or egg slicer.
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Sunday, February 1, 2009
Broiled Salmon
