SMS - (Savory) Bosc Pear, Blue Cheese, and Walnut Muffins

Hosted by: Andrea of Nummy Kitchen (recipe found here)

Recipe: Bosc Pear, Blue Cheese, and Walnut Muffins

Hello! Today is Sweet Melissa Sundays day to shine and share. Usually we bake something sugary sweet but this time we changed gears. Andrea chose savory muffins and what cute little muffins these are.

The muffins are quite moist just out of the oven with creamy Bosc pear chunks, toasted pecans (what I had on hand), and lots of crumbled blue cheese. I was worried about the flavor being overpowered by the blue cheese, but instead, hardly tasted the pungent cheese. Interesting.

I also wished I had added chives or green onions for color.

The recipe made 18 muffins instead of 12 and I found the muffins to be done at 20 minutes. In fact, my muffins were almost too done.

I had a complete mental block as to what I was serving my muffins with so dinner it is. I made smoky rib-eye steaks with loaded mashed potatoes and my garden vegetables, roasted with a red pepper dipping sauce.

The recipe came from a Fine Cooking magazine and takes about 30 minutes to cook and serve.

(All the ingredients in a loaded baked potato—bacon, scallions, cheese, and sour cream—are added to mashed potatoes.)

Smoky Rib-Eye Steaks with Loaded Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

2 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch chunks

4 slices thick-cut bacon

2 boneless beef rib-eye steaks (about 2 lb. total)

1-1/2 tsp. sweet smoked paprika

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup whole milk

2 Tbs. unsalted butter

3 oz. grated sharp Cheddar (3/4 cup)

1/2 cup sour cream

2 medium scallions, thinly sliced

(My first crop of Yukon Potatoes and Green Beans out of my Garden)

Directions:

Arrange a steamer basket in a large pot with 1 inch of water in the bottom. Spread the potatoes in the basket in an even layer, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and steam until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat, turning once, until crisp, 7 to 8 minutes total. Transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate; discard all but 1 Tbs. of the fat from the skillet.

Season the steaks all over with the paprika, 1-1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Heat the skillet with the reserved bacon fat over medium-high heat. Arrange the steaks in the skillet in a single layer. Cook, flipping once, until deep golden-brown outside and medium rare inside, 10 to 12 minutes total. Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, transfer the hot potatoes to a large bowl. Stir in the milk and butter and mash with a potato masher until just combined. Stir in the cheese, sour cream, scallions, and salt and pepper to taste.

Slice the steaks across the grain and transfer to dinner plates. Serve the potatoes on the side with the bacon crumbled on top.

(My first try at green beans. It is funny how proud I feel, even though I do not have beans like my Grandpa used to grow.)

Andrea, thank you for hosting this week and choosing a simple, easy recipe with a new flavor twist for us. My family enjoyed these with dinner and I have some in the freezer for later. Check out the rest of our baker's muffins to see how imagination can change one recipe into so many directions! Happy baking everyone and see you again soon, Shandy.

CEiMB and Dinner - Delicious!

CEiMB

Hosted by: Pam of Cooking with Boys

Recipe: Mixed Berry Cobbler (Blueberries, strawberries, and Marionberries)

Does this dessert not look incredible? Easy to mix together; I would say 15 minutes tops. Throw in the oven and wait 30 minutes. I love the brown flour addition to this recipe.


The dough has a slight nutty flavor and is moist, a perfect accompaniment to the mixed berries. This is a dessert I will go-to continually. Guilt free nibbling - just what we like for that little something after dinner.

Thank you Pam for hosting this week. She has the recipe posted on her site and you can also go to the Food Network recipe site to retrieve the recipe. A true Winner!

Fluffy was looking at me, as if she was abused over the lack of attention while I was making dinner. I couldn't help taking a picture. Her and Shadow just love their little beds in the window. I know they dream of catching the squirrels, chipmunks, and birds.

I made Ellie's Mixed Berry Dessert to go with Dinner which was:

A Hearty Beef Stew in the Crockpot

Onion and Cheddar No-Knead Casserole Bread

and Zucchini Oven Chips (Fresh out of my vegetable garden.)

Plus Ellie's Dessert (mentioned numerous times now, sorry)

A Hearty Beef Stew in the Crock Pot

3 lb. pkg. Beef stew meat

6 medium red potatoes, leave peel on and cut into large cubes

1 medium pkg baby carrots, leave whole, they are baby carrots =)

1 large sweet onion chopped

1 c. catsup

* 1 t. salt

* 1 t. pepper

*1 T. beef granules

* 1 t. brown sugar

* 1 T. garlic powder

* 2 t. Creole seasoning

*4 c. water

* 2 T. Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

Mix all ingredients and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours.

Zucchini Oven Chips

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Panko flakes

1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons fat-free milk

2 cups (1/4-inch-thick) slices zucchini (about 2 small)

Cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425°.

(Zucchini came from my Garden - 1st one)

Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Place milk in a shallow bowl. Dip zucchini slices in milk, and dredge in Panko mixture. Place coated slices on an ovenproof wire rack coated with cooking spray; place rack on a baking sheet. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes or until browned and crisp. Serve immediately.

Onion and Cheddar No-Knead Bread

5 1/2 to 6 cups all-purpose flour, divided

2 Tablespoons sugar

2 packages (1/4 ounce each) quick-rise yeast

1 1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

2 c. water

2 T. butter

3/4 c. plus 2 Tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 1/2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, salt and pepper. In a saucepan, heat water and butter to 120 - 130 degrees F. Add to dry ingredients; mix with paddle attachment just until moistened. Stir in 3/4 cup of cheese, onion and remaining flour. Change to bread hook attachment and mix until smooth. Turn into a greased 2-quart round baking dish. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. F while dough rises.

When dough is done rising, bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Remove from dish to a wire rack to cool. (1 loaf)

Dinner: Smoked Salmon Pasta Pomodorini and BBQ Meatloaf Sandwiches on Onion Sourdough

Dinner NEEDS to have a growing, learning approach in my kitchen. Otherwise boredom sets in and Larry is looking at opening a bag of Top Ramen for dinner. I want to use flavors incorporating seasonal vegetables, especially with having my own garden this year. I get such a kick going out and picking peas, heirloom and cherry tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, cucumbers, potatoes (okay, I dig those up), and soon, green beans. Love the colors, making dinner just as fun to make as it is to eat!

We also love both our charcoal double barrel grill for smoke/roasting and for grilling along with the propane grill with a searing grate. I am "not" one of the few die-hard grilling aficionados who grill during all seasons. Late spring, summer and early (no-rain) fall . . . grill. Rain, snow, freezing cold . . . that is what a kitchen stove is for.

Dinner started out with Spicy Apricot Wings. The wings were marinated in my homemade apricot preserves, along with other spices for 36 hours. I was waiting for the rain to stop BECAUSE the whole idea behind the wings was to grill them over natural briquettes AND apple wood chips. Never happened! I had to bake them instead.


The recipe originally came from Big Bob Gibson's BBQ Book with a few adaptions from me.

Spicy Apricot Wings

1 1/4 c. apricot preserves

1/3 c. Worcestershire sauce

1/4 c. brown sugar
2 1/2 T. low sodium soy sauce

2 T. + 2 t. Dijon mustard

1 T. salt

4 t. freshly ground black pepper

1 T. freshly minced garlic

1 T. paprika

1 t. cayenne powder

1/2 t. ground ginger

10 whole chicken wings, cut into wings and drumettes

Directions:

In a small bowl, mix all ingredients, except chicken, and whisk until well blended. Place the chicken wings in a shallow dish, or sealable plastic bag, and pour the marinade over the wings. Cover, or seal, turn to coat, and marinade the wings in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours to overnight.

Build a fire using hickory, apricot or apple wood, or a combination of wood and charcoal. Leave half of the grill empty, and place coals and/or wood on the other half, for indirect heat.

When the temperature reaches 450 degrees F., remove the wings from the marinade without shaking off excess marinade, and place them on the empty half of the grill. Close the lid, and cook for approximately 30 to 35 minutes, flipping each wing piece once halfway through. Remove the wings from the grill, and serve.

Dinner was Smoke Salmon Pasta Pomodorini and BBQ Meatloaf Sandwiches on onion sourdough.


BBQ Meat Loaf Sandwiches

(adapted from Weber's Way to Grill book)

1 1/4 pounds (80 percent lean) ground beef

1 1/4 pounds ground pork

2 c. Panko bread crumbs

1 c. finely chopped sweet onion

1 large egg

1 t. Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 t. granulated garlic

1 t. dried tarragon

1 t. salt

1 t. freshly ground pepper

1 c. bottled BBQ sauce (I used Stubbs spicy BBQ sauce)

2/4 c. ketchup

Directions:

In a large bowl, using your hands, gently combine ground beef, pork, bread crumbs, onion, egg, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, tarragon, salt and pepper. Divide the meat loaf mixture in half, form into 2 loaves, each about 4- by 7- inches (aluminum loaf pan size), and place on a baking sheet. Prepare the grill for indirect cooking over medium-low heat, about 300 degrees F.

In a small bowl, mix the BBQ sauce and ketchup. Top each meat loaf with 3 Tablespoons of BBQ sauce, coating thoroughly, and reserve remaining sauce for later.

Brush the cooking grates clean. Using a metal spatula, gently pick up each loaf from the sheet pan, and place directly on the cooking grate. Grill the meat loaves over in-direct medium-low heat, with the lid closed, until a thermometer inserted horizontally through the top of each loaf registers 155 degrees F., approximately 50 to 60 minutes. Remove the loaves from the grill, and let rest 10 to 15 minutes. Once removed from the grill, the loaves will continue to cook, so allow them to reach the recommended 160 degrees F. Cut the loaves into 1/2-inch slices, and serve with the reserved sauce.

To make meat loaf sandwiches, cut the meat loaf into the 1/2-inch slices, and slather both sides with reserved BBQ sauce. Grill over direct low heat (250-350 degrees), with the lid closed as much as possible, for 4 to 6 minutes, turning once. (I had rain happening so pulled out my panini grill to finish toasting the sandwiches.) Serve on onion sour dough bread with provolone cheese.

Smoked Salmon Pasta Pomodorini

(adapted from a recipe found in Michael Chiarello's Casual Cooking Cookbook)

Cherry tomatoes have a way of multiplying in the garden when your back is turned. The more you pick, the more there are.

Serves: Serves 4
3/4 pound spaghettini or spaghetti
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1/4 cup sliced garlic
1/2 teaspoon finely minced Calabrian chilies, or 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pint small cherry tomatoes, stems removed, crushed between your thumb and forefinger
Sea salt, preferably gray salt
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, each torn into 2 or 3 pieces
1/2 lb smoked salmon, shredded into larger pieces
Wedge of Parmesan cheese ready to grate over pasta dish


Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta.

While the pasta cooks, heat the 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over moderate heat. Add the garlic and cook until the slivers are golden brown and crisp, then add the chilies and cook for about 30 seconds. Raise the heat to high and add the tomatoes. Simmer briskly to soften the tomatoes and thicken the juices, about 3 minutes. Season with salt.

When the pasta is al dente, scoop out about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta. Return the pasta to the warm pot off the heat. Add the sauce, smoked salmon, and the basil and mix well. Add some of the reserved cooking water if the pasta seems dry. Transfer to a warmed serving bowl and grate Parmesan over the top to taste. Drizzle with a little more olive oil.

Serve immediately.

Football Food ~ Philly Cheese Steak

Football Playoffs require messy, meaty food, ice cold beer, dip and chips to go with loud commercials and living room fans yelling at the TV, gesturing at the stupidity of referees, yelling at poor call choices from team coaches, blundering quarterback passes and dropped receiver catches. Either the defense or offense sucks or are brilliant (neither at the same time). The quarterback is continually getting sacked; is the team fighting? Why isn't the quarterback getting coverage?

Fortunately for me, I grew up in a home where my Dad loved football so you will find me front and center yelling at stupid calls or poor plays, catching air off the couch cushions when the receiver screams across the field on an unbelievable return or (of course) a touchdown with a 2 point conversion instead of a fieldgoal. What I do not get is how we can yell, get huffy, gobble down great food (I made the food, trust me, it's great!), drink beer and live to talk about it. Our stomachs must practice becoming grid iron.

I absolutely, beyond doubt, LOVE making Philly cheese steaks! Food can be a work of art if the home cook is not afraid to add passion to his or her cooking accompanied with fearlessly intermixing of flavors to create amazing food (a cooks own concoction deviating from any recipe). Not all combinations are going to be the next big hit but when you do get a result that blows your socks off ~ you do 'not' forget it and the reward lasts in our memories for a lifetime. ***When a result this earth shattering happens, you IMMEDIATELY write down the ingredients used, the amounts and cooking times. Trust me, unless there is a photogenic mind involved, the recipe will quickly become vague and frustration and disbelief will follow. Especially if certain family members and friends drive you nuts asking you to make the food again. Of course you are not going to tell them the recipe was never written down and you forgot how to make it! Even blogging recipes and taking astronomical amounts of food pictures does not insure against this one BIG kitchen goof-up.
Here is how I basically make the Philly cheese steaks, give or take a few peppers, mushrooms and seasonings:
2 pounds sirloin or rib steak, well trimmed and boneless
About 1/4 cup olive oil plus Pam spray for the griddle
2 (at least) Vidalia or other sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 large bell pepper, thinly sliced
About 4 Chile peppers of your choice~I use 2 red jalapenos and 2 poblanos
1/2 pound button mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
6 soft hoagie rolls, halved
Balsamic vinegar
1/3 lb. Provolone cheese, thinly sliced (American is also delicious)

Directions:
Slice the beef on an electric meat slicer OR: using plastic wrap, tightly roll the steak into a log shape. Put the beef into the freezer for about 45 minutes to firm up the meat. You do not want the meat completely frozen. Now use a serrated knife to 'thinly' slice the beef (as close to paper thin slices as possible). Once all the beef has been cut, refrigerate until the remaining ingredients are ready.

Heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saute pan (I use my cast iron skillet) set over low heat. Put in the onions, season with salt and pepper, and cook until nicely softened and lightly caramelized but not browned, about 20 minutes. Transfer the onions to a bowl and set aside. Add the bell peppers, chile peppers and mushrooms to the pan, season with salt and pepper, and fry on medium low heat for about 6 minutes. NOW, add the minced garlic and continue cooking until everything is soft and tender, about another 6 minutes (12 minutes total). Transfer to the bowl with the onions. Keep the onions and peppers covered and warm.

Get the griddle warmed up on medium-high. When hot, add the oil (sometimes I add Pam spray while the griddle is cold then heat the griddle). Take your meat out of the refrigerator while the griddle is heating up so the beef can start to come to room temperature. Put half of the beef slices on hot griddle and saute about 2 minutes. Mix in half the onions and pepper mixture; set a large pan lid over all and allow to steam for several more minutes.

You can now either put your Provolone slices over the meat while on the griddle or wait until the meat is spooned into the hoagie roll then add. The cheese will get soft and melt over the hot meat.

The BUN: Pull out a little of the doughy insides of each hoagie roll, then drizzle with a little olive oil and a splash of balsamic vinegar (this is optional), and a pinch of salt and pepper. Put beef mixture inside each roll and finish with several slices of Provolone cheese. Serve with pride!