Meatloaf Bolognese

This is a take on a recipe I saw in Cooking Light.

Cook 2 slices of bacon, chopped.  Add 1/2 cup chopped shallots and 1 finely sliced carrot.  Cook another 6-8 minutes.  Add 1 tbsp tomato paste.  Cook another minute.  Add 1/4 cup red wine.  Reduce.  Cool.  In a large bowl add 1 egg, 1/2 cup bread crumbs, 1/4 cup 2% milk, salt and pepper along with 1 pound of ground meat.  I used half beef and half a sausage I made from pork shoulder and venison.  Mix until just combined.  Shape into a loaf on a cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.  Let sit 10 minutes.

For the sauce, melt 1 tbsp butter.  Add 4-8 oz sliced mushrooms and 1 large chopped shallot.  Cook about 5-6 minutes.  Add 1 1/2 tbsp flour.  Cook, stirring, one minute.  Add 1 cup beef broth.  Bring to a boil, then simmer for 2 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Stir in a couple of tbsp of half and half.  Cook another minute.

Serve with noodles.

Pressure Cooker Risotto

I tried polenta this week in the pressure cooker.  It was definitely not as good as slow cooked, constantly stirred polenta, but was better than the cover and sit method.  I may try it again.  I'll let you know if the results turn out better.

So tonight, I tried risotto.  I was pleased with the results.  I am not sure it is any quicker, but it does free up your hands to make the other parts of dinner.

Saute 1 diced onion with 5-6 minced garlic cloves in 1 tbsp olive oil.  Cook for 3-4 minutes, until soft.  Add 8 oz sliced mushrooms.  Cook another couple of minutes.  Add 1 cup risotto, stirring until grains are covered with oil.  Season with pepper.  Turn heat up to med high and add 1/2 cup white wine, stirring.  Then add 2 cups hot chicken broth.  Cover and bring to pressure.  Lower temp to the lowest setting to keep jiggler jiggling.  Cook 7 minutes.  Quick cool under cold water.  Remove lid and put back on med high.  (At this point mine was soupy, but the rice was tender).  Cook stirring constantly until liquid is absorbed and the texture is correct, this took about 5 minutes.    Season with salt and pepper.

One Month at a Time: One Month at a time Supper Club: Lebanon

One Month at a Time: One Month at a time Supper Club: Lebanon: Tonight's dinner was hosted by Holly and Billy Likos.  The dinner was Lebanese.  I didn't get a lot of the recipes this month, so hopefu...

Lasagne adapted from Jam it, Pickle it, Cure it.

Tomato Sauce:  Heat 1/4 cup oil in a pan.  Add one very thinly sliced yellow onion.  Cook 6-8 minutes, until translucent.  Add 6 thinly sliced garlic cloves, 3 chopped anchovy fillets, and 1 tsp red chili flakes.  Cook another 2 minutes.  Add 1 cup dry red wine and bring to a simmer.  Add 1 28 ounce can of whole italian tomatoes, one tomato at a time crushing them in your hands before adding.  (Use San Marzano tomatoes, they are worth the extra cost).  Simmer 15 minutes.  Add 2 tsp kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.  Let cool.

Meat cheese and spinach filling:  Cook 10 oz frozen spinach in microwave with water sprinkled on it for 1 minutes.  Stir and cook another minute.  Cool.  Drain off all of the water.  Set aside.  Heat 2 tbsp olive oil.  Add one thinly sliced yellow onion with one tbsp salt.  Cook 6-8 minutes.  Add 3 sliced garlic cloves.  Cook another minute.  Remove from pan.  Add 1 pound ground beef to the unwashed pan and brown the beef with another tbsp salt.  Drain off any excess fat.  We used grass fed beef, so there was no extra fat in the pan.  Add 2 tsp oregano, 1 tsp crushed fennel seed, 1 tsp sage and 1 tsp red chili flakes.  Stir.  Add the onions and garlic back into pan, along with the drained spinach.  Stir to combine and cook another 3-5 minutes, making sure any excess water from the spinach is cooked out.  Turn off the heat.  Fold in 2 cups ricotta cheese.  Add 2 tbsp chopped parsley, along with the juice from half of a lemon.  Allow to cool.

Pasta:  Put 3 1/2 cup flour into a bowl.  Add 1 tsp kosher salt.  Whisk.  Make a well.  Add 4 eggs and 1 tbsp olive oil.  Stir to incorporate.  Put in kitchenaid with a dough hook and knead for 10 minutes.  (or you can do this by hand).  Let rest in damp towel for 30 minutes.  Roll out dough to form lasagne noodles.  You can do this by hand, or I used a pasta roller.

To make the lasagne:  Preheat oven to 350.  Put a cup of sauce in the bottom of the pan.  Place a layer of noodles over it.  Add 1 1/2 cups meat mixture.  Add another cup of sauce and a sprinkling of mozzarella cheese.  Repeat until you have 4 layers of noodles and 3 layers of meat.  Rub a little olive oil over the top of the last noodle.  Cover with foil and back 40 minutes.  Remove foil, add some more mozzarella on top and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes.  Let rest 10 minutes.

Sunday Night Supper Club: Mexico

Mexican Domestic Partner Cookies by Ellen

Ceviche by Kurt. 

Taquitos:  I cut 2 pounds pork shoulder into cubes.  Cooked it in the pressure cooker with 1 cup of water for 15 minutes.  Let cool on it's own.  I then added ancho chili paste (from the Month of Mexico) and cooked it over low heat until the raw flavor was gone.  Roll into steamed tortillas.  Rub with olive oil.  Bake in 350 degree oven until crispy.  Served with mayo mixed with diced chipotles in adobo.

Kurt's chicken wings in mole.  I really wish I had this recipe.  It was so good!

Ceviche.  I'm sorry to say I don't remember who brought this...this was Jennifer's

Black Beans

Rainbow Trout by Mary Beth and Pete. 

Mary Beth and Pete's corn

This time we gathered at Mary Beth and Pete's for a night of Mexican food.  Once again I failed on getting the recipes.  Please post your recipes on our website...Also not pictured, because they came later and I was well into the margaritas - Dri's carnitas and tres leches and Pam's homemade tortillas.

Sunday Night Supper Club: Ireland

We had an extra supper club in March for St Patrick's Day.  Unfortunately, Jack had the flu so I was not able to attend.  Here are the photos that Pam took.  I don't have any of the recipes, so hopefully everyone will add their recipes.

Dri's Shepherd Pie

Holly and Billy's yogurt dip with brown bread and veggies

Holly and Billy's cheese plate

Jaime's Potato Cheese Soup

Joe and Julie's potato pancakes and smoked salmon

Mary Beth's Beer Cheese Fondue

Pam's potato au gratin

Sammy's soda bread and Irish herb butter

cabbage (kurt's)

Sunday Night Supper Club: France

This month took us to the McGarity's  for a taste of  France.  This was a little difficult for everyone, since we celebrated Katie's 40th birthday the night before with a trolley to Booneville, dinner at Sycamore, and dancing at Sideshow.  But everyone rallied, some better than others, and the food was delicious.

Chicken with Forty cloves of garlic:  Take 40 cloves of unpeeled garlic.  Put in boiling water for 10 minutes.  Drain and set aside.  We used 3 pounds chicken wings (if serving this for dinner we would have used thighs).  Brown hard in 2 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp oil.  Distribute the garlic around the chicken.  Add some dried thyme and a bay leaf.  Cover and cook over med low for 35 minutes.  Remove chicken and garlic to a platter.  Keep warm.  Add 1/2 cup white wine and reduce by half.  Add 1 cup chicken stock and reduce until you have about 3/4 cup.  Pour over chicken.  Sprinkle minced parsley over the top.  Serve with crusty bread.  (the sauce is the best part)

From the Kingsleys:   Little bite size "salad nicoise"  I didn't get the recipe from Kurt.  Hopefully he will put it in the comment section!

Host:  Tim

Sanford and Dri

Mr. Kurt Kingsley

Dri getting the Daube ready

Jack and Lucas stealing bread

From the McGarity's:  Daube Provencal:  Combine 3/4 oz porcini (dried) mushrooms with 1 cup water.  Cover with plastic wrap.  Cut 3 vents for steam.  Microwave on high for 30 sec.  Let stand 5 min.  Remove mushrooms from liquid and chop into 1/2 inch pieces.  Strain liquid through fine mesh strainer lined with a paper towel.  Set aside.

 Preheat oven to 325.  Dry a 3 1/2 pound bonless beef chuck-eye roast, trimmed and cut into 2 inch chunks.  Season with 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper.  Heat 2 tbsp olive oil.  Brown the meat.  Transfer beef to a bowl.  May have to do in batches.  Reduce heat to med.  Add 5 ounces trimmed salt pork, 2 chopped onions, 4 peeled and chopped carrots, 2 tbsp tomato paste, and thinly sliced garlic cloves.  Cook about 2 minutes.  Stir in 1/3 cup flour.  Stir constantly 1 minute.  Slowly add 1 bottle red wine.  Add 1 cup chicken broth, 1 cup water and the beef back into the bowl.  Bring to a simmer.  Add the mushrooms, strained liquid, 1/2 cup of chopped olives, 4 strips orange zest, 2 minced anchovy fillets, 5 sprigs fresh thyme (tied with kitchen string) and 2 bay leaves.  Partially cover and place in oven.  Cook 2 1/2 - 3 hours.  Discard salt pork, thyme and bay leaves.  Add 1 can drained tomatoes and 1/2 cup pitted nicoise olives (drained).  Warm until heated through, about one minute.  Cover pot and allow the stew to settle for about 5 minutes.  Skim excess fat.  Stir in 2 tbsp minced parsley and serve.  (Recipe from Cook's Illustrated)

The Wilsons: This little french pizza was quite tasty.  The recipe can be found at the following website: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Alsatian-Cheese-Tart-233788

Ellen and Theo

Laura Kingsley

From the Kingsleys:  Tartiflette.  These were wonderful.  Boil 2 pounds peeled potatoes until fork tender.  Drain.  Cool.  Cut into 1/4 inch slices  Melt 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp oil in pan.  Saute 1 chopped onion.  Cook until tender.  Add 6 oz bacon, cut into small strips.  Cook 5 minutes.  Add dried thyme and remove from heat.  In a buttered baking dish, place a layer of sliced potatoes (using half of the potatoes).  Layer with half of the bacon and onion mixture.  Repeat two layers.  Pour 1/3 cup white wine over this.  Cut a pound piece of Reblochon into two discs.  Place the slices rind side down on top of potatoes and bacon.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.  Serve hot. (Recipe from www.easyfrenchfood.com)

Sanford and Kurt

The Kids

Jennifer Erikson

Jennifer's cheese and pate.

The Werth's Asparagus Crepes

This is the cassoulet from the Likos.  I hope they put their recipe in the comment section.

Mary Beth and Pete:  Their potato recipe can be found at the following website:  http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Skillet-Cooked-Potatoes-and-Cheese

Tracy Jones and her salad.  Please post your recipe as well.

Creme Brulee a la the Werths. 

Double Chocolate Souffles:  Butter 8 3/4 cup ramekins.  Dust with sugar.  Place on rimmed baking dish.  Melt 2 tbsp butter in heavy med saucepan over med heat.  Add 2 tbsp four.  Whisk until bubbling, about one minute.  Increase heat to med-high.  Gradually whisk in 1 cup whole milk.  Cook until thickens and boils, whisking constantly, about 2 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Add 8 oz chopped bittersweet chocolate, 4 tbsp sugar and 1 ounce chopped unsweetened chocolate.  Whisk until melted and smooth.  Pour souffle base into large bowl.  Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.  Whisk 4 egg yolks into souffle base.  Using electric mixer, beat 4 egg whites and 1/4 tsp salt until soft peaks.  Gradually add in 2 tbsp sugar, beating until soft and glossy.  Fold 1/4 of whites into souffle base.  Fold in remaining whites in 2 additions.  Divide souffle mixture among ramekins.  (Can stop at this point and refrigerate covered 2 days or freeze up to 1 week.  Do not thaw frozen souffles before baking)  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Bake on rimmed baking sheet until puffed and centers move slightly when baking sheet is shaken gently, about 17 minutes for fresh or chilled or 22 minutes for frozen.  Serve with sweetened whipped cream.  (recipe from Bon Appetit)

The lovely Dri with her souffle

Pete, Mary Beth, Laura, Katie, and Olive

Tracy, Andy, Matt

Mary Beth and Pete

Now for next month.  Mary Beth and Pete will host next month's dinner, the country:  Mexico.  Since St. Patrick's Day is also next month, and I happen to know that Kurt makes a mean corned beef, we will have an extra dinner party at the Kingsley's.