dinner omelet

who doesn't love an omelet??? i didn't season these at all, mostly because we had a really long day and i forgot. i thought they'd be a little on the bland side, but they were actually pretty good.

1 c asparagus, cut into 1-2 inch pieces
6 mushrooms, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 small sweet onion, chopped
1 tbs olive oil
2 chicken and apple sausages, sliced
4 eggs
4 tbs milk
2 tbs butter
1/2 c grated smoked black pepper white cheddar

1. warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. saute asparagus, mushrooms, garlic and onion until asparagus is slightly tender. remove from pan.

2. add sausage to pan and saute until browned. remove from pan.

3. melt 1 tbs butter in same pan. reduce heat to low.

4. in a small bowl whisk together 2 eggs and 2 tbs milk. whisk for about a minute- you want all the air bubbles in the mixture you can get.

5. pour into pan. allow to cook until the egg is mostly solid, about 1 minute. add half of the veggies and sausage sliced to half of the omelet. sprinkle on 1/4 c cheese. carefully fold the other half over.

6. repeat steps 3-5 with the remaining ingredients.

beer brat

i set out with the intention of making my own sauerkraut. really, how hard could it be? after much research and consideration i've realized that this just is not possible. sauerkraut takes weeks, if not months, to ferment and acquire the perfect flavor. and you can't just make a little... while i love preparing meals from scratch, i just can't justify making 5 pounds of sauerkraut when we really only need about half a cup. so in the end, the star of this meal was the beer brat. mmm-mmhmmm delicious!

1 pint bottle guinness

2 tbs butter

1/2 small sweet onion, sliced

4 bratwurst

in a medium sauce pan heat beer and butter until butter is melted. add bratwurst and onion slices. simmer over medium-low heat until the beer has reduced into a syrupy sauce, about 1 hour. turn bratwurst about every 10 minutes to prevent burning. serve with sauerkraut, mustard, and toasted bread rolls.

easy, cheap, and yummy! 

leftovers... now what? beef short rib ramen

sometimes i just can't get my rear in gear to cook. and sometimes we have so many leftovers i don't know what to do with them. and sometimes, those two things combined can turn into a great meal!

beef short rib ramen

this really doesn't require a formal recipe. just heat up whatever meat you have leftover. i used my braised short ribs (i also made my own broth using the gravy from the ribs, heating it with some filtered water, instead of the ramen broth mix). prepare your ramen, add a fried egg and enjoy!

honey dijon chicken with rosemary rice

honey dijon chicken with rosemary rice

honey dijon chicken

1/3 c honey
1/3 c smooth dijon mustard
1 tbs olive oil
2 chicken leg quarters
salt
1/4 c chicken stock
2 or 3 rosemary sprigs
1 slice onion

preheat oven to 350f.
in a small bowl mix honey, mustard, and olive oil.
season chicken with salt, then place, skin side up, in a shallow casserole dish. spoon honey mustard sauce over the top, coating the chicken. pour chicken stock into the bottom of the dish. place rosemary sprigs in between and around chicken. separate rings from onion slice and layer over chicken.
place in oven, 45 minutes. remove and spoon sauce over the top of the chicken. turn oven up to 425f. place chicken back in the oven for 15-20 more minutes, until skin is crisp.

rosemary rice

prepare 2 servings of basmati rice, adding 1 sprig of fresh rosemary.

thistle of the gods

artichokes are my go-to comfort food whenever they're on sale at our market. my nerd likes them too! i've always had them boiled or steamed, and wanted something a little different. these were fantastic, roasted in the oven, with garlic, fresh lemon and a bit of salt. yummmmmm!

2 artichokes
2 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbs olive oil
1 lemon, halved

preheat oven to 425f. using a serrated knife cut off the stem and 1 inch off the top of the artichokes and rub with lemon to prevent discoloration. push a garlic clove down into the center of each artichoke and sprinkle 1/4 tsp salt over each one. drizzle 1 tbs olive oil over the top of each, and squeeze 1/2 lemon over each, making sure to squeeze out all the juice. if you have dry lemons, feel free to use a whole lemon on each artichoke. wrap with tinfoil and place on a baking sheet. place in oven and roast for 1.5 hours. serve with peppery white cheddar mac'n cheese.

blue box revolution episode 3: peppery white cheddar with ham and broccoli

in the mood for something different, but don't have any idea what to make? whip up this recipe for white cheddar mac'n cheese and have your nerd drooling over his plate! i splurged a bit and bought a brick of tillamook smoked black pepper aged white cheddar, and it was totally worth it. add some caramelized onions, broccoli, and ham, and you've got a cheesy masterpiece!

peppery white cheddar mac'n cheese with ham and broccoli

1 box shells and white cheddar mac'n cheese
1/4 c smoked black pepper white cheddar
6 oz ham steak, diced
1 c chopped broccoli
1/2 c yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbs olive oil

in a large skillet heat olive oil over medium heat. add onion and garlic. saute until golden brown. add broccoli and ham, continuing to saute until broccoli is tender.

prepare mac'n cheese according to directions, but brown the butter before mixing it in (you may need to add a little extra milk). add the onion, garlic, broccoli and ham, then add the white cheddar, stirring until completely melted.

of royal feasts: braised beef short ribs and rosemary fingerling potatoes

this was one of the most labor intensive meals i have ever made, and i can't wait to make it again! i've never braised anything before, so i went out and bought a dutch oven just for the occasion (i've actually been dying for one for years). this recipe calls for wine, a lot of it, but don't let that dissuade you if you're not a wine person (we aren't). the ribs were fall-apart tender, super juicy, and had a really robust, aromatic flavor, and the rosemary fingerling potatoes were butter soft and delicious.

braised beef short ribs and rosemary fingerling potatoes

12 beef short ribs, bone-in
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 c olive oil
1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 dozen baby carrots, halved lengthwise
1/2 lb white mushrooms
750ml bottle dry red wine (we used barefoot cabernet sauvignon)
6 c beef stock

preheat oven to 350f. season ribs generously with salt and pepper. heat olive oil in a 5 qt dutch oven over high heat.

add ribs to the pot, a few at a time, and brown on all sides.

set browned ribs on a plate and add onion, celery, carrots and mushrooms to the pot.

saute, stirring often, until onions are golden brown. empty veggies into a bowl and set aside.

using the wine, deglaze the pan, scraping off any browned bits from the bottom. reduce the wine by three quarters until thick and slightly syrupy (15-20 minutes).

return the ribs to the pot and pour in the beef stock, adding enough water to cover everything. bring to a boil.

cover and place in oven. cook in oven (braise) for two hours.

remove from oven and return the veggies to the pot. continue cooking in oven for 30 more minutes. allow pot to cool completely, then place, covered, in refrigerator overnight.

the next day remove from fridge and scoop out all the fat that has solidified at the top. discard the fat. 

place the pot, uncovered, over medium heat. cook for about 40 minutes. remove the ribs and place them on a plate. cover with foil. using a slotted spoon, scoop out all of the veggies. place them in a bowl, cover with foil. continue to reduce the sauce, adding a mixture of 2 tbs cornstarch and 1/2 c hot water, for about 30 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced by half. 

spoon a little sauce over the ribs and serve, veggies on the side. we used some of the excess sauce for dipping.

 for the potatoes, just toss a couple handfuls of fingerling potatoes in a bowl with olive oil, salt, pepper and dried rosemary. transfer to a foil lined sheet and bake in oven at 350f for 45 minutes.

serves 6 (or 2 with enough leftovers for ramen and sandwiches!)

french bread

french bread fresh from the oven. perfectly crusty, doughy, and salty. i used the same recipe as last time, but i adjusted the time and temperature. it turned out perfectly! can't wait for the nerd to get home from work to taste it!

1 packet dry active yeast

1 tsp granulated sugar

1 1/2 c water (105-115 degrees)

4 1/2 c all purpose flour

2 1/2 tsp salt

in a large bowl, sprinkle yeast and sugar over water. set aside to allow yeast to activate, about 5 minutes.

in a medium bowl mix together 2 c flour and salt. set aside.

mix 2 c flour into bowl with water and yeast, 1 c at a time. mix in flour/salt mixture, a little but at a time, until a stiff dough is formed. 

turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and kneed, adding the last 1/2 c flour, for about 8 minutes. add extra flour, as needed, to keep dough from sticking to surface and hands.

set dough in a lightly oiled, deep bowl and cover with plastic. let rise until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

preheat oven to 375f.

uncover dough, and punch down. remove from bowl and form a long, slender loaf. place diagonally on a lightly oiled baking sheet and let rise for 30 minutes.

using a sharp knife, make 4-5 diagonal slits along the top. sprinkle with cold water. 

bake for 30 minutes.

fail bread

ok, so i'm not even going to bother typing up the recipe for this disaster. i pulled this recipe off some baking site, and i'm not sure if the temperature setting was wrong, or the bake time, but what we ended up with was a loaf of burnt fail, me in tears, and my nerd with only half a meal on his plate.

i had planned on serving this bread with two separate meals: with leftover soup, and as french toast. not going to happen. we did end up scooping out the insides, which were pretty good, but most of this loaf was thrown in the garbage.

acorn squash

hearty, healthy, and delicious. acorn squash are packed full of vitamins, fiber, and sweet deliciousness. they have a wonderfully sweet, nutty flavor, and pair well with just about any cut of meat. my nerd had never eaten acorn squash before he met me, and was super skeptical about the concept. turns out, he loves it!

1 acorn squash

2 tbs butter

2 tbs brown sugar

3 slices bacon, halved
4 squares of tinfoil

preheat oven to 400. cut the acorn squash in half, lengthwise. do not cut through the middle, because the squash will not lay right in your oven. scoop out and discard the seeds.

using a fork, poke several holes in the squash flesh.

deposit 1 tbs butter and 1 tbs brown sugar into each squash half.

cover each squash half with three bacon slice halves.

wrap the bottom of each squash half with foil. using the remaining foil, cover the tops.

place directly on the middle oven rack, and bake for 40 minutes. remove the top foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes. depending on your oven, you may need a little more or less time. the squash is done when the flesh is tender.

spinach & pesto pizza

here at nerd headquarters we love pizza. but not just any old pizza. great pizza. we're always on the lookout for the freshest, most delicious pizza we can find. there are a couple spots locally that we frequent, all of them favorites for different reasons. one has the best mozzarella- fresh, gooey, and plentiful. another has the yummiest crust, and another that's open 24 hours (which is great because the nerd works crazy hours) that has super fresh toppings. but our all time best spot for pizza is right here at home. i have yet to make the dough from scratch, and i really hate those pre-made pizza crusts that come in a bag, so i buy my dough from trader joe's. they carry three different types: plain, garlic and herb, and wheat. the garlic and herb is our fave.

1 bag trader joe's garlic & herb pizza dough
pesto of choice (i also get this from tj's)
handfull of fresh baby spinach, rinsed and dried
8 oz fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
1/2 tomato, thinly sliced
4-5 medium sized white mushrooms
1 small can black olives, sliced
about a dozen pepperoni slices

sandwich the tomato slices between paper towels to absorb the excess moisture. otherwise you'll end up with watery pizza.
prepare pizza dough according to package directions. spread pesto over dough, all the way to the edges. use as much or as little as you like, but keep in mind that while pesto is delicious, it can be overbearing if you use too much.
layer the pie with spinach, then the sliced mozzarella, saving one slice to grate over the top. add the tomato slices, mushrooms, black olives, and pepperoni. shred the remaining slice of mozzarella over the top of the pizza.

bake according to dough directions, 475 for about 10 minutes.
remove from oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes. slice and serve.

this recipe never fails to please my nerd. sometimes we switch up the toppings, or use a tomato sauce instead of pesto, but it's always a hit, and we rarely have leftovers.

the soup of many things

with a refrigerator full of fresh summer veggies i just couldn't help making this stew for my nerd. it's really easy, and i happen to like it because i can spend my time playing with our baby (or watching my nerd paint his miniatures) and less time standing over the stove. it's hearty, healthy, and just a bit spicy.

vegetable and bratwurst stew

14 oz chicken broth

11.5 oz can vegetable-tomato juice cocktail

1 c water

1 lg potato, cubed

2 carrots, sliced

2 celery stalks, diced

1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

1 cup fresh green beans, chopped

1 cup fresh corn kernels

6 bratwurst, fully cooked and sliced

pepper to taste

creole seasoning to taste

in a large pot over medium heat, combine all ingredients. bring to a boil. cover and reduce heat, simmering for 1 hour. remove from heat and allow to cool completely. refrigerate for 24 hours. reheat on the stove and serve.

serves 6- if preparing for just two or three, portion out half into a gallon freezer bag and freeze for future enjoyment!

apricot ale battered cod

i rarely serve fried food, but when i do i like to do it right. apricot ale battered cod, onion rings and zucchini with a heaping plate-full of oven roasted broccoli, butternut squash, carrots, green beans and mushrooms. i used pyramid apricot ale, and it really was wonderful. the batter was tangy, crisp, and perfectly salty.

1/2 c corn starch
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 c pyramid apricot ale
2 tbs white wine vinegar
1 lb frozen cod, thawed
1 zucchini, quartered
2 onion sliced, separated into rings

toss the cod, zucchini, and onion in cornstarch, making sure it is evenly coated (i can't stand the feel of cornstarch, so i got my nerd to do this part!).

in a large skillet heat about 1 inch of oil to 350 degrees.

in a large bowl whisk together salt, flour, and baking powder. whisk in ale and vinegar (don't over mix! you'll want the batter to retain as much carbonation from the ale as possible).

dip the cod, zucchini, and onions in the batter, coating evenly, then fry in oil- 7 minutes each side for cod, 3-4 minutes each side for zucchini & onion. the batter should develop a rich, golden brown color.

you could serve this with malt vinegar and tartar sauce, but we had it plain because the flavor of the batter was great on its own!

behold bacon!

a good friend (and fellow nerd) recently asked me "what's the deal with bacon lately?"i answered him honestly, "it's delicious." it's everyone's guilty pleasure, and it's so perfectly salty that it adds the most fantastic dimension to sweet treats.

a few weeks ago i experimented with adding bacon to my brownies. that proved to be one of the best desserts we'd ever eaten. it also got me thinking, what else would bacon be delicious with?

the nerd and i were cozied up together on the couch, watching last week's episode of breaking bad, when i got my answer. bacon banana cookies. we were not disappointed.

these cookies did not turn out how i expected, but that's not to say that they weren't absolutely amazing. they are reminiscent of banana bread, in that they are super soft and cakey. not too sweet, we actually had them for breakfast this morning, with a fresh pot of french roast coffee.

 
2 1/2 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c unsalted butter, room temperature
1 c granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
4 bananas, mashed (seriously... mash the hell out of them. i use a hand blender until there are nearly no lumps left)
1/2 lb bacon, well rendered and chopped

for dusting:
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 c granulated sugar

preheat oven to 400. line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

in a large mixing bowl sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and ground cinnamon.

in a medium mixing bowl, cream together butter and granulated sugar. beat in eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated. beat in vanilla. add to flour mixture.

stir in mashed bananas until fully incorporated, then fold in the chopped bacon.

in a pinch bowl, stir together 1 tsp ground cinnamon and 1/4 c granulated sugar.

drop dough by heaping tablespoonful onto prepared baking sheet. dust generously with cinnamon sugar. bake 10-12 minutes, until slightly browned.

yield: 30 cookies