Posts Tagged festive friday
Posted on July 16, 2010 by admin
If you’re like me, you tend to shy away from the whole tofu thing. No flavor. Boring food. Sounds exciting, doesn’t it? Well here’s a little something to help bring us nay-sayers around. Tofu parmesan subs! If cheese can’t spice up tofu, I don’t know what can… So go out and enjoy some tofu. And remember that it all started here.
Eat On!
Chef Poppy
Tofu Parmesan Subs
Ingredients
1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 clove garlic, smashed
8 fresh basil leaves, torn
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1 large egg
1 12-ounce package firm tofu, drained and sliced into 8 pieces
2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 loaf whole-wheat Italian bread, cut into 4 pieces and split in half
1/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 pound baby spinach (about 8 cups)
Directions
Preheat the broiler. Combine the tomatoes, garlic, basil and 1 cup water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Season with salt and pepper and simmer until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.
Toss the breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons parmesan and the Italian seasoning on a plate; season with salt and pepper. Beat the egg in a shallow bowl. Dip the tofu in the egg, then in the crumbs, turning to coat.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the tofu and cook until crisp, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Place the bread cut-side up on a broiler pan; spread the bottom halves with sauce, then top with tofu, more sauce, the mozzarella and remaining parmesan. Broil until the cheese melts and the bread is toasted, about 2 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in the empty skillet over medium-high heat. Add the spinach, season with salt and pepper and let wilt, about 1 minute. Place on top of the cheese and cover with the bread tops.
Posted on July 9, 2010 by admin
What food is more versatile than quiche? Pair it with some sliced fruit and you have a diverse and healthy breakfast. Plate it with a salad and there’s your lunch. Throw it on a plate with some steak and veggies and it’s a perfect dinner side dish. Plus, you can use pretty much anything in your refrigerator to make the quiche your own. Options include: spinach and bacon, sundried tomato and basil, feta and broccoli….the list goes on and on. Although one of my favorite parts of the quiche is the crust, I’ve provided a crustless recipe for those of you who decide on the low-carb, lower-fat option. With the smoked gouda in the quiche and the endive salad on the side, this quiche will have the depth of flavor everyone will love!
Eat On!
Chef Poppy
Crustless Spinach Quiche
Ingredients
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for greasing and drizzling
- 4 ounces smoked gouda cheese, cut into 4 pieces
- 1 10-ounce package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- 2 large eggs plus 2 egg whites
- 1 15-ounce container part-skim ricotta cheese
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 6 to 8 scallions, chopped
- 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 heads endive, sliced lengthwise
- 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
Directions
Position a rack in the upper third of the oven, place a baking sheet on the rack and preheat to 450 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9-inch round or 8-inch square baking dish with olive oil.
Pulse the gouda in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the spinach, whole eggs and egg whites, ricotta, flour and nutmeg and process until well combined, about 30 seconds. Add the scallions and pulse to mix.
Pour the mixture into the prepared dish and sprinkle with the parmesan and paprika. Place the quiche on the preheated baking sheet and bake until the center is just set, 25 to 30 minutes.
Drizzle the endive and walnuts lightly with olive oil and toss. Serve the quiche hot or at room temperature with the endive.
Posted on June 25, 2010 by admin
Fried chicken has always held a place in my heart. It’s so succulent, juicy, and delicious, but full of fat and calories. The question is how do we get the all the goodness of fried chicken without all the downsides. The answer comes from rice crispies and bagel chips, yogurt, and your oven. The yogurt is used to bind the crispies and crushed chips to the chicken and then it’s baked at high heat to really crisp things up. Granted, the chicken loses the fatty, greasy exterior that we all love, but it also loses about a bazillion calories and grams of fat. (It might be slightly less than a bazillion, but you get the point.) Pair this chicken with some braised collard greens to give the dish an authentic southern feel.
Eat On!
Chef Poppy
Unfried, Fried Chicken
Ingredients
* Cooking spray
* 1 1/3 cups crispy rice cereal
* 2 1/4 cups bagel chips or Melba toasts
* 5 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 3/4 teaspoon hot paprika
* Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
* 1 1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt (2%)
* 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
* 4 skinless, bone-in chicken thighs or halved bone-in breasts (about 6 ounces each)
* 2 bunches scallions
* Harissa, chili sauce or ketchup, for the sauce
Directions
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Set a rack on a foil-lined baking sheet and generously coat the rack with cooking spray.
Finely grind the cereal and bagel chips in a food processor and transfer to a large resealable plastic bag. Add 3 teaspoons olive oil, the paprika, 2 teaspoons salt, and pepper to taste and toss.
Whisk 1/2 cup yogurt and the mustard in a shallow bowl. Add the chicken and turn to coat, then transfer to the bag; seal and shake to coat. Place the chicken on the rack and mist with cooking spray.
Toss the scallions with the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil and place alongside the chicken. Bake until the chicken is crisp and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 160 degrees F, about 30 minutes.
Make the dipping sauce: Mix the remaining 1 cup yogurt and harissa to taste in a bowl. Serve the chicken and scallions with the sauce.
Posted on June 11, 2010 by admin
Is there anything better than picking your own peas and snapping into them right off the plant? Probably not. These sweet and tender morsels are a part of Spring like strawberries, asparagus, and blueberries. Honestly, I used to hate peas. Eating them would make me shiver. But, over time I grew to like them and now I can’t wait to pop ‘em in my mouth. Raw or cooked they’ve become a staple in my kitchen. A popular accompaniment for peas is mint. They always seem to go hand-in-hand. Today’s recipe is a Spring pea salad that incorporates mint, lemon juice, and goat cheese. Quick and delicious!
Eat On!
Chef Poppy
Spring Pea Salad
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, torn
- 1 tablespoon capers, roughly chopped
- 1 small shallot, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pound green peas, blanched 1/2 cup (4 ounces) crumbled goat cheese
Directions
- In a medium bowl, combine the mint, capers, shallot, zest, oil, salt, and pepper.
- Add the peas and goat cheese and toss gently. Serve at room temperature.
Posted on June 4, 2010 by admin
Tis the season for going over to friend’s houses and outdoor parties. Potato salad is always a staple, but, personally, I don’t like creamy potato salad. Today I’m providing you with an alternative the creaminess that everone expects. This warm German potato salad is tangy and bacony. (Bacon makes everthing better.) When making it, be sure to salt the water the potatoes are cooked in. Finally, dont be afraid to serve the salad cold, its delicious either way. This will for sure be a crowd pleaser!
Eat On!
Chef Poppy
German Potato Salad
Ingredients
3 pounds new potatoesIngredients
3 pounds new potatoes
1 yellow onion, quartered
1/2 pound bacon, diced
1 large red onion, diced
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1/4 cup canola oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
8 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
Directions
Preheat the grill to high. Place potatoes in a large pot with the onion and cover with cold water. Cook, on the grates of the grill, or on a burner, until tender. Drain, discard the onion, and cut the potatoes into cubes when cool enough to handle. Place the potatoes in a large bowl and cover to keep warm.
Place a large saute pan on the grates of the grill. Add the bacon and cook until crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Add the onions to the rendered bacon fat and cook until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully add the vinegar and mustard seeds and cook for 2 more minutes. Whisk in the canola oil and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Add the hot dressing to the potatoes and toss gently to coat. Fold in the green onions and parsley. Season again with salt and pepper, to taste.
Posted on May 28, 2010 by admin
Memorial Day is upon us and I’m sure you all have plans to spend the weekend outside enjoying the beautiful weather. With that always comes a BBQ. This week’s recipe is a pot-luck crowd pleaser. It’s a blend of mac and cheese with a dose of buffalo chicken. The easiest was to make this is to pick up a precooked rotisserie chicken from your local grocery store and use that for the shredded chicken. Quick, easy and tasty…what more could you ask for when you’re headed to a gathering of friends and family? Happy Memorial Day!
Eat On!
Chef Poppy
Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
Ingredients:
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the dish
- Kosher salt
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
- 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3/4 cup hot sauce (preferably Frank’s)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons dry mustard
- 2 1/2 cups half-and-half
- 1 pound yellow sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 1/2 cups)
- 8 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
- 2/3 cup sour cream
- 1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
- 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain.
Meanwhile, melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken and garlic and cook 2 minutes, then add 1/2 cup hot sauce and simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 more minute.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and mustard with a wooden spoon until smooth. Whisk in the half-and-half, then add the remaining 1/4 cup hot sauce and stir until thick, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the cheddar and pepper jack cheeses, then whisk in the sour cream until smooth.
Spread half of the macaroni in the prepared baking dish, then top with the chicken mixture and the remaining macaroni. Pour the cheese sauce evenly on top.
Put the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave until melted. Stir in the panko, blue cheese and parsley. Sprinkle over the macaroni and bake until bubbly, 30 to 40 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
Posted on May 22, 2010 by admin
Shrimp is always a favorite at any gathering. Shrimp cocktail, skewered shrimp, and shrimp ceviche are pretty much the most popular methods of preparing the light, sweet delicacy. Here’s a method that will have your guests raving over the buggly-eyed sea creatures and wanting more. The method…salt roasting. Roasting the shrimp this way will multiply their sweetness, while the salt will enhance their natural flavors. Once cooked, place the shrimp on a salad or leave them as peel-and-eat. Either way they won’t last very long.
Eat On!
Chef Poppy
Salt-Roasted Shrimp
4 cups kosher salt (2 pounds)
1 1/2 pounds unshelled large shrimp, preferably head-on
Extra-virgin olive oil, for serving
1. Preheat the oven to 500*. Pour the salt into a large ovenproof skillet and heat in the oven for 15 minutes, until very hot.
2. Arrange the shrimp in a single layer in a deep metal baking pan. Pour the hot salt completely over the shrimp, covering them completely. Roast the shrimp for 5 minutes, until just cooked through. Rinse the shrimp briefly under hot water and pat dry. Serve immediately with olive oil for dipping.
Posted on May 14, 2010 by admin
Location:
O’dell Brewery
Beers:
India Barleywine – how can u call something a barleywine when it’s
only 9.4%? unimpressive for a barleywine. But a good representation of
an IIPA
Sabateur Brett Brown Ale – funky and malty. Very tasty.
Brettanomyces is my favorite yeast for secondary fermentation in
beers. You can’t compare that nose and flavor to anything else.
Funk-a-licious!
Eat (and drink) On!
Chef Poppy
Posted on May 14, 2010 by admin
First stop, Dillon Dam Brewery.
Beers:
McLuhr’s Irish Stout-Dry, slightly bitter, good coffee overtones
Pallavicini Porter-Watery and unremarkable
Extra Pale Ale-Flowery nose and flavor, easy drinking pale ale
Food: Bison burgers. Juicy but over-cooked. Oh, and bison and sharks
are the only creatures cancer has never been found in. I’m trying to
eat more, bison that is.
Next stop, who knows…
Chef Poppy
Posted on May 14, 2010 by admin
Today’s installment of Festive Fridays is truly festive. I’m celebrating my 34th birthday by touring (and sampling) numerous breweries and brewpubs in Denver/Boulder/FT. Collins. Expect coherent ramblings initially, but I can’t guarantee what the rest of the day will bring. Most likely it’ll be a lot of beer, food, and bathroom reviews. I know you all can’t wait!
Eat (and drink) On!
Chef Poppy
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