December 11, 2012 by stevesacooking

Muffaletta

While working for Twentieth Century Fox I spent 2 years in New Orleans. Went from 169 to 189 lbs, learn to suck-dat-head pinch-dat-tail (crawfish) learn that “y’all” is singular just like “you guys” is in the Northeast and most especially how to slow down and enjoy. Here is a New Orleans original – the Muffaletta – is a deliciously melodious collaboration of cured meat, provolone cheese, olive salad and sesame seeded, white fluffy bread that is the sandwich’s namesake. Thank Sicily for the round sesame bread but the ingenious sandwich is a New Orleans invention. In 1906, Central Grocery, right in the French Quarter, developed the sandwich and has been the muffaletta headquarters ever since. This is where Lyn and I discovered it on one of our Sunday morning ritual to the French Quarter for chicory coffee and beignets, the Sunday paper and a trip to the Zoo with a picnic lunch. We tried one for our picnic and it was soon added to the ritual. People stood in line on a daily basis for the sandwich, as well as the in-house made olive salad (a pickled concoction of olive, celery, carrot, cauliflower, olive oil and Italian spices). I wonder if it is still there. Make this New Orleans original sandwich at home with Chef Emeril’s recipe. It’s a great game day sandwich.

Ingredients:

5 ounces pimento-stuffed olives (1 cup), sliced, plus 2 tablespoons of liquid from the jar
6 ounces chopped giardiniera (pickled Italian vegetables) (1 cup), plus 1 tablespoon of liquid from the jar
2 tablespoons drained capers, plus 2 teaspoons of liquid from the jar
3 ounces pitted Calamata olives (1/2 cup), sliced
2 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
Pinch of dried thyme
Pinch of crushed red pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 large loaf seeded Italian bread (about 1 1/4 pounds), split width wise – halfway between top and bottom
1/4 pound sliced fresh mozzarella
6 ounces sliced capocollo or prosciutto
1/4 pound sliced Genoa salami
1/4 pound sliced mortadella
1/4 pound sliced mild provolone cheese
Pepperoncini, for serving

How:

In a medium bowl, stir the pimento-stuffed olives with the giardiniera, capers and their respective liquids. Add the Calamata olives, garlic, shallot, oregano, parsley, thyme and crushed red pepper. Stir in the olive oil and let the mixture stand for 1 hour.

Open the Italian bread on a work surface. Spoon the olive salad on both sides of the bread and spread evenly. Arrange the mozzarella slices on the bottom half of the bread, then top with the capocollo, Genoa salami and mortadella. Arrange the provolone cheese on the top half of the bread, covering the olive salad completely.

December 6, 2012 by stevesacooking

Schar Gluten Free Pizza

Test your knowledge on Gluten Free.

A few months ago we went to Maine to see the twins so my wife could get that baby sparkle in her eyes.

They are the cutest, taking after both parents.

Anyway while there we got to meet up with the rest of the family in Portland at a great restaurant called the Pepper Club and I keep saying it I have never had a bad meal there. Anyway not sure how we got on the subject of gluten free pizza but Nick and Marcia mentioned that they had found a great pizza crust. Up until now most that we have found frozen or not seem too dry and or crumbly. Schar Gluten Free Pizza crust was not frozen and we found it at Price Choppers for I think $7.99 for two 12” crusts. They were right it is great we have made a few different pizzas depending on what is in the frig all have been great. So if you have to or just like gluten free try this brand.

Do you want pizza made exactly to suit your taste? Top these pizza bases with anything you wish, pop them in the oven and voilà! You have an original Italian pizza with a personal touch!

The ideal starting point to satisfy your pizza craving. Schar’s basic crust allows you to create the pizza of your choice anytime you want in only 15 minutes.

Yes that was their words and an add my God I’ve gone commercial!

no additional eggs
no additional soy
no preservatives

Ingredients water, corn starch, rice flour, potato starch, corn syrup, yeast, guar gum, mono- and diglycerides, cream of tartar, baking soda, glucose, milk protein, salt, tartaric acid, citric acid, natural flavor

Serv. Size: 1/3 of pizza crust (50g), Amount Per Serving: 6, Calories 130, Fat Cal. 5, Total Fat 0.5g (1% DV), Sat. Fat 0.5g (3% DV), Trans Fat 0g, Cholest. 0mg (0% DV), Sodium 270mg (11% DV), Total Carb. 30g (10% DV), Dietary Fiber 2g (8% DV), Sugars <1g, Protein 2g, Vitamin A (0% DV), Vitamin C (0% DV), Calcium (2% DV), Iron (2% DV)

Toppings

Lyn’s sauce
Mushroom broken into pieces
Cherry tomato slice in half
Feta cheese crumbled
Baby spinach
Olives cut in half
Pepper to taste ( Lyn’s a pepper head)

Why Gluten Free?

Most people have no need to cook gluten free. For those with wheat allergies or celiac disease, however, gluten-free cooking must become a way of life. Presumably, those who are looking for gluten-free recipes already know why they cannot eat wheat, barley, rye or derivatives therefrom. The following information will, perhaps, be most useful for your relatives and friends who wonder why in the world you eat the way you do. (As an apology to those with a simple wheat allergy: We know much more about celiac than about allergies, and so the following information will apply more to those with celiac disease than those with allergies. Sorry!)

Celiac disease (also known as celiac sprue and non-tropical sprue) is a genetic disease that is most common among people of northern European descent. Recent studies have shown the incidence of this disease in the US to be 1 in 133 people. First and second degree family members of a person with celiac have a much higher chance of having the disease, more like a 1 in 20 chance. This percentage is high enough that first and second degree relatives of people with celiac should also be tested for the disease. (After all, if you had a 1 in 20 chance of winning the lottery, how many tickets would you buy?) For more information here is the rest of this article Why Gluten Free?

Here is another one

Broccoli, Chicken, Red Bell Pepper and Olive

December 2, 2012 by stevesacooking

Thanksgiving Turkey with Maple Syrup and Crispy Bacon Glaze.

Ingredients:

12-14 lbs fresh turkey
1 tablespoon hot sauce, such as Tabasco
salt and pepper
1 quart buttermilk

Glaze (for last 15-30 minutes)

1/2 cup Maple Syrup
1 Tbsp Trader Joe’s Dijon Mustard
2 strips Crisp Crumbled Bacon

To stuff inside turkey

1 Navel orange quartered
1 large sweet onion quartered.

How:

Wash and pat dry the turkey. Place the turkey, breast side up, in an oven-roasting bag.

Add the hot sauce, 1 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper to the buttermilk container; shake to combine.

Pour the buttermilk mixture over the turkey trying not to get in cavity. Seal the bag, transfer to the refrigerator and let marinate, overnight turning the turkey over once at least 5 hours. I also turned on side for 1 hour each side.

Remove the turkey and pat dry inside and out. Rub the skin with 1 tbsp. oil; season with salt and pepper. Let rest at room temperature.

Stuff turkey with oranges and onion in body and neck cavities. This is great with chicken also, really adds moisture in my opinion.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees . Tuck the wings behind the back of the turkey. Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack set in a large roasting pan. Roast, basting once with the pan juices, for 1 hour. Lower the heat to 350 degrees and roast, basting every half hour, until an instant-read thermometer registers 155 degrees when inserted into the thigh, 1 to 1 1/2 hours more. If the turkey is over browning, tent with foil. Remove from the oven, tent and let rest for 30 minutes. We also basted with some maple syrup mixture at the end and allowed to crisp up.

Stuff with oranges and onion season with oil salt and pepper

Gravy

Save 1-3 tbsp of drippings for the Make Ahead Gravy.

Note: The skin was nicely colored, crisp and tasty the meat was really juicy and tender even the breast.

Buttermilk-Marinated 1/2 Turkey with Caramelized Onion Gravy – Trial Run (stevesacooking.com)

November 21, 2012 by stevesacooking

Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato and Jerod Mayo Sandwich

Jerod Mayo was drafted by the New England Patriots in the first round (10th overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft … Signed by the Patriots (7/24/08). This Thursday we play the Jets again we need him to play as he did the first meeting with I believe 11 Tackles – 10 Solo and 1 Assist and caused 1 fumble. He hits often and hard, maybe too hard sometimes. Here is a sandwich that hits you hard in a good way. This came from Scup’s In the Harbor the restaurant my sister and her husband used to own and operate in east boston, now they live on the opposites coast in Washington state but still root for the patriots. We even Skype some of the games for them if not on national TV. They are still keeping some stuff a secret so I had to wing it, gee my own sister go figure. Kind of like your Mom a little of this and handful of that.

Oh if you want a Thanksgiving Day recipe try my Buttermilk Marinated Turkey but marinated at least 8 hours or overnight turning once start breast side up.

Ok It’s half time let’s eat!

Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato and Jerod Mayo Sandwich

Ingredients

2 slices of Grilled Italian Bread
Romaine lettuce
Oven roasted cherry or grape tomatoes sliced in half length wise. (Roast at 450 for about 10-15 minutes) – You do not have to roast them if you do not want to or just can’t wait.
Crispy Smoked apple wood “thick” bacon
Sliced cheddar (optional)

Basil Mayo ( this is my recipe not theirs, secrets you know)

Whisk all ingredients together
1 cup good mayonnaise
10 to 15 basil leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon good olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic

Serve:

Make sandwiches cut in half and stake on platter or serve all ingredients on a platter and have a build your own sandwich.

Wendy says: I Hope Mr. Mayo enjoys his namesake sandwich.

Alternative sauce chili-mayonnaise

nepatriotslife life Mayo mentions

Video: Mayo goes down with shoulder injury.

Video: Jerod Mayo hates Tom Curran from CSNNE

Revitalizing The Dynasty Defense

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Boston Magazine 8-2009

We admit it’s tough to make a bad BLT (there is bacon in there, after all). But it’s a genuine challenge to ace every element—crisp strips of meat, sweetly ripe tomato, lettuce with just the right crunch—and elevate this humble sandwich to warm-weather classic. Scup’s in the harbor rises to the occasion with cherry wood–smoked bacon and roasted cherry tomatoes nestled on red leaf lettuce. Sliced cheddar and a spot of pesto mayo add zing and texture without overpowering the key players, and sturdy slices of toasted wheat keep hands clean and flavor at the fore. Boston Magazine 8-2009

November 17, 2012 by stevesacooking

Make Ahead Gravy

I ask you, what else can you make ahead?

We are doing whole berry cranberry sauce also.

After Tday I will post more pictures

Ingredients

1/2 cup minced onion
1 medium clove garlic, minced
2 cups canned chicken broth
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup apple juice or cider
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup evaporated skim milk
1 teaspoon Gravy Master
1 teaspoon finely minced fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
salt and pepper
3 tablespoons turkey drippings Add at end after you cook turkey and reheat gravy

How

1 day ahead: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, sauté onion and garlic in 3 tablespoons chicken broth for 4 minutes. Add flour and stir 1 minute. Slowly add the rest of the broth, stirring constantly. Add apple juice, lemon juice, evaporated milk, Gravy Master, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes, until thickened slightly. Remove from the heat and place in a blender. Pulses 30 seconds on liquefy. Place in a covered container and refrigerate.

Next Day: Half an hour before serving, place gravy in a saucepan over low heat. Whisk in 3 tablespoons turkey drippings and simmer on low, stirring occasionally, until serving.

Make Ahead Grvy Ingredients 100_1076 100_1077 100_1079

Buttermilk-Marinated 1/2 Turkey with Caramelized Onion Gravy – Trial Run (stevesacooking.com)

November 13, 2012 by stevesacooking

Buttermilk-Marinated 1/2 Turkey with Caramelized Onion Gravy – Trial Run

About 2 weeks ago whiles cooking, I was turned and asked Lyn, I wonder how turkey would be marinated in buttermilk. I had used butter milk with many of my chicken dishes and always love the results, tender and juicy. So why not Turkey, let’s try it for Thanksgiving. She smiled and said that is a good idea but I hate to try an experiment on that day why not try it first. I personally feel she was secretly hoping I would get discourage and go with a beef tenderloin roast. I did not. I “Googled” turkey and buttermilk and was surprised that others had beat me to it, I was not the genius I thought. Armed with their ideas we marched to Wholefoods because they were the only ones who had a half turkey before the big day. With half a turkey and a quart of butter milk in my arms I was happy as live turkey after thanksgiving something new to try.

Ingredients:

Half (1/2) fresh or thawed frozen turkey (about 6-7 lbs)
1 tablespoon hot sauce, such as Tabasco
salt and pepper
1 quart buttermilk
2-3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of butter (optional)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil to rub the turkey with
3 onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
Touch of gravy master

How:

Wash and pat dry the half turkey. Place the turkey, breast side up, in an oven-roasting bag.

Add the hot sauce, 1 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper to the buttermilk container; shake to combine.

Pour the buttermilk mixture over the turkey. Seal the bag, transfer to the refrigerator and let marinate, turning the turkey over once, for at least 4-5 hours. I suppose you could do it over night.

Remove the turkey and pat dry inside and out. Rub the skin with 1 tbsp. oil; season with salt and pepper. Let rest at room temperature.

Gravy

While this is cooking

In a large pan, heat the remaining oil over medium heat, add optional butter. Add the onions, garlic, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and browned until caramelized, about 35-45 minutes. Add the flour cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth and cook, stirring, until thickened. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups broth and bring to a boil. Stir in a touch of gravy master. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve the gravy with the turkey. I was lazy but a nice touch might be to blend the end results together.

Note: The skin was nicely colored, crisp and tasty the meat was really juicy and tender even the breast.

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Originally, buttermilk was the liquid left over from churning butter from cultured or fermented cream. Traditionally, before cream could be skimmed from whole milk, the milk was left to sit for a period of time to allow the cream and milk to separate. During this time, naturally occurring lactic acid-producing bacteria in the milk fermented it. This facilitates the butter churning process, since fat from cream with a lower pH coalesces more readily than that of fresh cream. The acidic environment also helps prevent potentially harmful microorganisms from growing, increasing shelf-life. However, in establishments that used cream separators, the cream was hardly acidic at all.

November 12, 2012 by stevesacooking

Ridley Believe it or not Nachos

Growing up my son Mike’s specialty was nacho’s he always threw together the best nacho’s ever. When it hit the table we just dove in like a fumble recovery. So I present my version of his Nachos for NEpatriotslife.com game day recipe. I do him no justice.

Did you know Howard Cosell made a huge impact on nachos acceptance to the mainstream!

Do you know who Howard is?

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef, chicken or turkey
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
3/4 cup water
1 (18 ounce) package restaurant-style tortilla chips
1 cup shredded extra sharp Cheddar cheese, or more to taste
1 (15.5 ounce) can refried beans
1 cup salsa
1 cup sour cream, or more to taste
1 (10 ounce) can pitted black olives, drained and chopped
4 scullion onions, sliced thin
1 (4 ounce) can sliced jalapeno peppers, drained

How:

Cook and stir ground beef or whatever- if chicken or turkey add a little olive oil to brown,in a skillet over medium heat until meat is crumbly and no longer pink, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain excess grease. Stir in taco seasoning mix and water and simmer until beef mixture has thickened, 8 to 10 minutes.

Set the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Spread tortilla chips on the prepared baking sheet; top with Cheddar cheese and dot with refried beans and ground beef mixture.

Broil in the preheated oven until cheese is melted, watching carefully to prevent burning, 3 to 5 minutes.

Top nachos with salsa, sour cream, black olives, green onions, and jalapeno peppers

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Howard Cosell: Nachos ultimate champion!!

Now here is where the story gets even better. The tasty snack becomes a specialty in many restaurants in Southern Texas but is virtually unknown anywhere else on the planet. That is until a gentleman by the name of Frank Liberto decided to try to sell the stuff as a concession stand item! He changed up the recipe by reformulating the cheese to be soft all the time and using simple tortilla chips. He began to sell his new version of nachos in 1977 in Arlington Stadium in Arlington Texas. but what really made the concept take off was a visit by “Monday Night Football” later that year. Before the game started they were offering the product in the reception area where Howard Cosell took a liking to the name. That night and for weeks after, Cosell and the rest of the “Monday Night Football” team worked the word nacho and the product itself in wherever they could! From there on out nachos quickly grew into the massive force they are today!!

November 9, 2012 by stevesacooking

Mimi Chili

Every once in a while I come home from work and there is a package sitting there beside the garage door with the return address of Maine on it. A smile grows across my face I know that it is a special treat from Lyn’s sister, Mimi. This time is was chili packed with just the right amount of freezer bags keeping it a perfect temp and ready to heat up. I asked her for the recipe and as she says it kind of hard I just sort of throw it together but here ya go! So I give you a totally buildable recipe that I know I have enjoyed for years. What about some of that spinage bread?? Take some pictures while you make it and I’ll post with your permission ofcourse.

Ingredients

1 lb to 1 1/2 lb. Hamburg
1 big can Cento Crushed tomato
1 big can Hunt’s Sauce
1 can Stewarts shelled beans
1 can Bush’s black beans
1 can Bush’s dark red kidney bean
1 bag frozen diced green peppers
1 can Hunt’s tomato paste
Frozen corn
1/2 bag frozen diced onions
Old El Paso Chili mix
Weber’s Grill Master’s Hamburg seasoning to taste
cumin
chili powder
onion powder
garlic powder
basil
cilantro
salt & pepper

How

Heat in pan, add Old El Paso Chili mix, spice with cumin, chili powder, onion & garlic power, basil, cilantro salt & pepper to taste. 1 can Stewarts shelled beans, 1 can Bush’s black beans, 1 can Bush’s dark red kidney beans. In frying pan brown hamburg, season with salt & Weber’s Grill Master’s Hamburg seasoning to taste. Strain and add to chili pot. Add 1 can Hunt’s tomato paste to chili w/ little water if chili too thick. Add some corn to it if you like, as always season to taste with spices & hot sauce.

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Cumin

An aromatic spice with a distinctive bitter flavor and strong, warm aroma due to its abundant oil content. Cumin “seeds” are actually the small dried fruit of an annual plant in the parsley family. Native to the Mediterranean, cumin is hotter to the taste, lighter in color, and larger than caraway, another spice it’s sometimes confused with. Sold whole or ground, the seeds come in three colors: amber, white or black. Amber is most widely available, but the black has such a complex flavor it should not be substituted for the other two. Cumin is a popular ingredient in Middle Eastern, Asian, Mediterranean and Mexican cuisines, and is one of the main ingredients in curry powder.

How to store: Store in an airtight container and place in a dry, cool area, away from light. Flavor and aroma can be retained for up to six months.

Matches well with: beans, chicken, couscous, curry, eggplant, fish, lamb, lentils, peas, pork, potatoes, rice, sausages, soups, stews, eggs

November 7, 2012 by stevesacooking

Crockpot Beef Stew with Red Wine

I love when the temps turn to sweatshirt weather, a time when your cheeks get that slight wind chill burn when you’re out for a walk. Work is located downtown and I walk 2 miles every lunch time to keep in shape, get some fresh air but mostly just to clear the head. I have come up with many solutions to the days pressing issue while walking. I’m and IT guy with 35 or so users spread out in 5 locations with an additional 6 servers/PCs to service. To top it off sales is on the road here and in Asia a lot of the time. So every call I get it is 99.99% chance of being issue call. As anyone in my situation will tell you every caller does not give a _____ about anyone else problems just theirs. Oh yeah you take care of the president first, no matter what.

Anyway back to my daily walks, some of the shop owners, police and the mentally challenged give me the nod as I walk by with ear buds blocking out the sounds of downtown Milford and the local neighborhood. I have become a townie it has been since I was in my teens that I’ve been there. Different town different times.

Lyn and I finally broke down and bought a new crockpot, one that you can put the pot on the burner and brown saving those great little flavor bits on the bottom. With sweatshirt weather there is nothing better than coming in from outside and smelling the rich flavors of a great beef stew, heck even a bad one smells good. As promised here is that quick beef stew recipe I made. I made a small batch since I am still on the fend for yourself diet but made sure I had left overs.

Ingredients

1 pounds stew beef like bottom round, well trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp. ground pepper
*********
Pinch or two of red hot pepper flakes
1-2 Tbsps. olive oil (plus more if needed)
1 medium to large onions, ruff chop
¼ cup ketchup – I did not have tomato paste that would probably be about 1-2 Tbsps.
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 large potato, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 cup bay carrots
¼-_1/2 cup chicken broth would have been better with beef broth but again I did not have.
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
*********
¼-_1/2 cup frozen peas put in when almost ready to serve
¼-_1/2 cup frozen corn put in when almost ready to serve

Directions

1. Coat the beef in the flour and pepper. I like to put in plastic bag and shake to coat. Heat a few tablespoons of the oil in a crockpot pot over medium-high heat. Brown the meat, a few pieces at a time, adding more oil as necessary. Remove and set aside.

2. Add the onions to the skillet and cook over medium heat until tender, about 5-10 minutes. Stir in the ketchup and coat the onions. Remove and set aside.

3. Place pot in crockpot, pour the wine into the pot and scrape up any browned bits. Stir in the potatoes, carrots, broth, salt, thyme, red pepper flakes and bay leaf.

4. Cover and cook on low heat for 7 ½-8 hours, or on high for 4 hours. Add the peas and corn and heat through.

I was nervous because it was a small batch but it came out pretty darn good.

My pictures did not come out that great so I admit it I borrowed one from the web. Thanks Susie Cushner interestingly enough her recipe was real close to what I did. Our gut instincts must be close.

November 7, 2012 by stevesacooking

Lettuce Wrapped Pork with Pine Nuts in a Hoisin Sauce

Ok I have been absent for a little while, I have been cooking and taking pictures but just got into politics and maybe a little lazy. Ok mostly a little lazy. I am still on the fend for yourself diet so a lot of what I make is spur of the moment, open the Frig and see what’s in there. We did buy a new crock pot, do they still call them that? I did a quick beef stew in a red wine gravy which came out great but that’s another post to come.

Ingredients:

Remember I eyeball most times

1 Tbsp. Peanut Oil.
About 1 lbs. of pork cutlet pounded then diced 1/8 to ¼” or smaller. If you partially freeze the cutlet it is so much easier to dice or mince.
1 small onion 1 diced about 1/3 cup.
1/2 red bell pepper minced
pinch or two of red hot pepper flakes cause spice is nice
1/3 cup finely pan toasted pine nuts.
1 ½ to 2 Tbsp. Hoisin sauce.
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Romaine, Iceburg or Boston Bib Lettuce I suggest the Bib lettuce it wraps better. However, this was a spur of the moment meal. YA use what you’ve got.
1 carrot diced small. I have a julienne which makes dicing so much easier

How:

In large skillet or WOK, heat the peanut oil until shimmering. Add the pork and stir fry over high heat until just cooked through about 3-5 minutes depending on the dice size. Use slotted spoon to remove the pork and put aside.

Add the onion, carrot and red bell pepper to the skillet cook over medium or slightly lower heat until soften about 2-4 minutes. Stir in the pine nuts, and Hoisin sauce. Return the pork to pan stirring to coat evenly about 1 minute.

Spoon the mixture into lettuce leaves for wrapping.

Hint, you may have to remove pan from heat if it is too hot so it does not thicken up too much. You can always add a touch of chicken broth or water in needed but you want it semi thick not watery.

I served with Lyn’s homemade ginger pickled cucumbers on a bed of wide sliced carrots, now if she would only tell me how I could post.

Enjoy

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Lettuce wraps are turning up in restaurants across the country. First popular in Asian cuisines, lettuce wraps are now popping up on the menus of other styles of restaurants. In restaurants, they are most often offered as an appetizer, but I like them as my main course. Kids love them as they get to eat with their hands and it is ok. You don’t have to visit a restaurant to enjoy lettuce wraps. They’re quick and easy to prepare at home. This is also a great way to lower your consumption of carbohydrates by replacing the bread on a sandwich

Lettuce wraps are very easy to create with an almost endless array of ingredient variations. You can also use the same ingredients that you use in burritos, tortillas, pita bread, or spring rolls. Jut let your imagination and taste buds be your guide. They key to great wraps is the contrast of warm, flavorful fillings with the cool crunch of lettuce.

For a party, offer a variety of lettuces and a variety of fillings such as cold chicken salad, grilled beef teriyaki strips, Italian sausage, onions, shredded cheese, and water chestnuts.

Iceberg is the most common lettuce used, but the wide, strong leaves of romaine, red leaf, or slightly bitter escarole offer surprising changes of pace.

For best results, pick the largest, most pliable lettuce leaves. types to use are iceberg, red lettuce, radicchio and/or large spinach leaves. Dry lettuce well before using in the wraps.

To keep iceberg lettuce crisp, cut the core out. Fill the core with cold tap water, then drain for 15 minutes. It will stay crisp for up to two weeks in the refrigerator.

Gourmet Dad, Don’t Let The Title Fool You

I think I enjoy the cooking more than eating, there is nothing better than to watch the smile grow after someone’s first bite. Note from Steve: I am a flow of thought writer and apologize up front if I lose you. My family is used to it.

Main Course