Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Step two:
Peel off the outermost layer of the brussel sprouts, then cut the bottom off the sprout and cut lengthwise.
Step three:
In a large bowl, toss brussels sprouts with olive oil, kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to coat thoroughly. Transfer veggies to prepared baking sheet and roast until tender and caramelized, about 20 minutes.
Step four:
Place roasted brussel sprouts back in bowl. Add green apple, balsamic vinegar and honey and toss to coat evenly. Taste and season with kosher salt if necessary and serve.
Notes: This side goes well with Miso Glazed Sea Bass. Add bacon, pomegranate and feta for a fancier dish
Step one: In a small bowl, mix miso, mirin, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger. Spread the miso mixture over the fish and place it in a covered container. Refrigerate overnight
Step two: When ready to cook, set the oven to 450 degrees. Bake until tender, about 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish
Instead of blueberries, you can substitute chocolate chips or keep the bagel plain.
Instructions:
Step One: Combine 2 cups of bread flour, yeast, honey, salt, sugar, cinnamon, and warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook. Mix on low and slowly add 2 more cups of flour
Step Two: Mix on low until most of the loose flour has been worked into the dough and the dough looks shredded, about 2 minutes. Add the blueberries. Dough may get wet as they incorporate, add more flour as necessary. Increase the speed to medium low and continue mixing until the dough is stiff, smooth, and elastic, about 8 to 9 minutes more. Add more flour if necessary
Step Three: Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a large oiled bowl, and turn it to coat in oil. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let the dough rise in a warm place, until it is puffy and springs back when you poke it, about 20 minutes. It will not double in size
Step Four: While the dough rises, preheat the oven to 425°F. Fill a saucepan with water and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium low and let simmer. Cover until you’re ready to boil the bagels. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper greased with oil or cooking spray. Place a metal rack inside of a second baking sheet and set aside
Step Five: Turn the risen dough out onto a dry surface. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces, about 3 ounces each, for smaller bagels, or into 8 pieces, about 4 ounces each for larger bagels. Roll each piece into a 9-inch-long rope, lightly moisten the ends with water, overlap the ends by about 1 inch, and press to join so you’ve created a bagel. As necessary, widen the hole in the middle so it is approximately the size of a quarter. Cover the shaped bagels with a damp towel and let rest 10 minutes
Step Six: After resting, stretch the dough to retain the quarter-size hole (the dough will have risen a bit) and boil the bagels, taking care not to overcrowd the pan (I could only boil 2 at a time). Make sure they have room to bob around. Cook for about 30 seconds on each side until the bagels have a shriveled look, then remove to the baking sheet with the rack in it. Adjust heat as necessary so the water stays at a simmer
Step Seven: Stir together the sugar and cinnamon. Once all of the bagels have been boiled, whisk together 1 tablespoon water and the egg white until evenly combined. Brush the egg white mixture onto the bagels. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the bagels
Step Eight: Arrange the bagels on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper about 1-inch apart and bake. You may need to do it in two rounds. Rotate the pan after 15 minutes and bake until the bagels are a deep caramel color and have formed a crust on the bottom and top, about 10 minutes more. Remove from the oven and let cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes so the interiors finish cooking and the crusts form a chewy exterior
1 35-ounce can of San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
4 basil sprigs
Dried oregano
OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS
To make this a spicy marinara, add 2 or 3 tablespoons of Calabrian chili oil or red pepper flakes.
For a richer flavor, add balsamic vinegar or red wine after adding the whole peeled tomatoes. Allow the sauce to cook for at least an hour so the wine has time to dissipate.
Chicken broth or bone broth
Instructions
Step One: Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven. Once hot, add garlic cloves and onion. Saute until garlic and onion are fragrant and translucent, roughly 7 – 8 minutes
Step Two: Add tomato paste. Spread the paste around the bottom of the pot. The paste will develop a deeper red color when it is cooked. Once the color has developed, add San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes. Lightly crush the tomatoes with a wooden spoon
Step Three: Once the tomatoes have broken up into smaller pieces, add the salt, basil sprigs and dried oregano. Stir everything up and cook for 15 minutes. Remove basil sprigs
Step Four: If the sauce is too thick for your preference, add chicken broth or water until you reach the desired consistency. If you prefer a smooth sauce, blend everything together with an immersion blend or hand blender
Notes: This sauce is great for spaghetti, pizza, meatballs, and lasagna.
1 lb ground chicken. You may also use ground turkey
1 large egg
1/2 cup plain panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated parmesan
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly grated black pepper
OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS
Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, any other seasonings you prefer
Instructions:
Step One: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with olive oil
Step Two: Add all ingredients to a large bowl. Mix everything together with your hands until it is well combined
Step Three: Take a spoon-sized amount of the mixture and roll it into a ball in your hands. Place the meatball on the baking sheet. This mixture should create roughly 30 meatballs.
Step Four: Cook the meatballs in the oven for 25 – 30 minutes
Notes: These meatballs taste great with marinara sauce or teriyaki sauce. These are delicious in meatball subs or with zoodles. Meatballs freeze great.
Step One: If mushrooms are large, cut them in half. Small mushrooms leave whole
Step Two: Heat a medium pan with olive oil. Once hot, add the mushrooms. Try to organize the mushrooms in the pan so that one side of each mushroom has contact with the bottom of the pan. This will form a nice color on the mushroom
Step Three: Saute the mushrooms, allowing color to form on the side of the mushrooms. After ten minutes, add the balsamic vinegar, soy sauce and garlic. Stir to combine
Step Four: If the mixture needs more liquid, add chicken broth or water. Scrap the bottom of the pan with a wooden fork to release the flavor. Mix everything up well
Step Five: Add thyme, black pepper and parsley. Give it another mix and serve
Step one: Take the steak out of the fridge one hour before cooking. Place the steak on a paper towel during this time
Step two: Heat a large pot with water – enough water to cook the crab legs. Heat a medium pan with olive oil on medium-high heat. Heavily season the steak with salt and pepper
Step three: Once the pan is hot enough that you see heat rising from the pan, add the steak. Do not move the steak for three minutes. Once the pot of water is boiling, add the crab legs
Step four: Add butter to the pan. Let it melt for a few seconds. Flip the steak. Tilt the pan to one side and use a spoon to baste the steak with butter. Allow this side of the steak to cook for three minutes
Step five: Using a thermometer, check the steak’s temp. Remove the steak if the temperature is 125 (medium center)
Step six: Remove crab legs from the water, and pat the outside dry with a paper towel. Serve the steak and crab legs immediately, with lemon slices and melted butter.
Step One: Measure the flour as precisely as you can. Scrape off the excess from the top of the measuring cup. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine all the dough ingredients and mix until shaggy. Knead the dough until it’s smooth, bouncy, and slightly tacky
Step Two: Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let it rise until doubled, about 50 to 60 minutes
Step Three: Divide the dough into eight equal pieces. Shape each into a ball, cover, and let rest for 20 minutes
Step Four: While the dough is resting, preheat a cast iron pan over medium-high heat, or an electric griddle to medium-high
Step Five: On a lightly floured surface, hand stretch or use a rolling pin to roll each ball into a 6” round or 7″ oblong, for thicker naan; or an 8″ round or 10” oblong, for thinner naan. Keep the other pieces covered while working
Step Six: Once the pan or griddle is hot, cook the naan for 30 to 40 seconds, until bubbles form on the top side and the underside browns. Flip it over to brown the other side for 40 to 50 seconds, checking regularly to ensure doneness
Step Seven: Remove the bread from the pan, and brush with melted ghee or butter. Sprinkle with seeds and cilantro, if desired. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough. Keep the finished naan in a warm oven (200°F), or wrap in foil until ready to serve
Step Eight: Add optional ingredients. My favorite is garlic, parmesan and cilantro
Step Nine: Store naan, well wrapped, at room temperature for two days; freeze for longer storage.
5 lbs bone-in short ribs, at least 1 1/2 inches thick
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 large heads of garlic, cut in half crosswise
1 medium onion, yellow or white, chopped
4 ribs of celery, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups dry red wine, about half a bottle
2 cups beef stock or bone broth
4 sprigs of thyme
1 cup of chopped parsley
1/2 cup finely chopped chives
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
Instructions:
Step one: Heat oven to 275 degrees. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season short ribs on all sides with salt and pepper. Working in batches, sear short ribs on all sides until deeply and evenly browned, 6 to 8 minutes per batch. Transfer browned short ribs to a large plate and continue with remaining ribs
Step two: Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of remaining fat, leaving the good browned bits behind. Reduce heat to medium, and add garlic, cut side down and cook, undisturbed, until golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add onion, celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and continue to cook until vegetables are softened but not yet browned, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir to coat. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until tomato paste has started to caramelize a bit on the bottom and up the edges of the pot, about 2 to 3 minutes
Step three: Add red wine and, using a wooden spoon, scrape up any browned or caramelized bits. Let this simmer 2 to 3 minutes, just to take the edge off and reduce a bit. Stir in beef stock along with thyme. Using tongs, return short ribs to the pot, along with any juices that have accumulated, nestling them in there so that they are submerged (if they are just barely covered, nestle them bone side up so that all the meat is submerged, adding more beef stock or water as necessary to cover). Bring to a simmer, then cover and transfer to oven
Step four: Cook, undisturbed, until short ribs are meltingly tender and falling off the bone (you should be able to shred the meat with a fork), 3½ to 4 hours
Step five: Using tongs, remove the ribs from the pot, taking care (for presentation purposes, really) not to let the bone slip out and transfer them to a large plate. (While you could serve the short ribs right out of this pot, the vegetables have all given up their flavor and texture and aren’t worth much now, so feel free to strain the sauce for easier eating.) Scatter parsley, chives and lemon zest over the top of the short ribs. Separate the fat from the sauce, season with salt and pepper and serve alongside
Notes: Serve with mashed potatoes or steamed vegetables. If there are leftovers, shed up the meat and serve as a sandwich.
