March 30 - Serve it Differently with Roasted Ducks and Pears

Ever since I have prepared the roasted Peking duck (with Mandarin Crepes) at home, I have been more confident in cooking duck dishes for my family.

Instead of cooking the whole duck though, I have been buying the Long Island duck breast since it is easier to prepare and cook.

Roasted duck with pears came out really delicious. The sweetness of pear, the sourness of tomatoes and sherry gave this duck dish a kick.

Roasted Duck with Pears

Ingredients

2 Long Island duck breast (2.5 lbs)

salt

freshly ground pepper

4 Anjou pears, peeled, cored and quartered

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 large onion, minced

4 carrots, chopped

1 tsp fresh thyme

1 tsp fresh parsley

2 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped

2 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup sherry

Cooking time (1.5 hours)

Season the duck breasts with salt and pepper.

Heat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

Put a cup of water on a pan and place the duck breasts on a rack, then on the pan.

Roast for an hour or until the duck's skin is golden brown.

Meanwhile, parboil the pears in a small pot with one cup of water.

In a large pot, add the juices from the roasted duck and 2 cups of chicken stock.

Add the garlic, onion, carrots, thyme, parsley, tomatoes and sherry.

Cook for 30 minutes.

Add the juice from the pear.

Slice the duck breast and put on the large pot.

Add the pears, as well, and cook for 5 minutes.

Take the duck slices and pears and arrange in the serving platter.

Add flour and cook for 5 minutes.

Place the mixture in a bowl and puree it.

Pour a spoonful of the sauce on a serving of duck slices and pear.

March 28 - Egg Burrito with a Twist

I serve eggs mainly during the weekends for breakfast. Once in a while we have bacon and eggs (scrambled and fried), plain boiled eggs, or egg omelet (vegetable pizza, as my kids call it).

This morning, I tried the egg burritos. It's like the serving an egg omelet but burrito style.

You can pretty much put anything as a filling. You can make it as cheesy with ham and cheese, or Spanish style with sausage, tomatoes and onions. Either way, I am pretty sure you would enjoy having one for breakfast, too.


Egg Burrito

Ingredients
7 eggs to make 4 large burritos
butter for frying

Filling:
3 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large sweet onion, minced
2 large tomatoes, chopped
10 link (Applegate Farm) chicken apple sausage, chopped
Grated cheese (Parmesan)









Cooking Time (30 minutes)
In a large pan, heat the olive oil.
Saute the garlic and onion.
Add the tomatoes.
Add the sausage.
Saute for 10 minutes and leave it cooking in low heat.
In a large, round pan, heat some butter.
Pour in some whisked egg and spread around the pan.
Cover the pan and cook each burrito for about 3 minutes.
Place the burrito on a large plate.
Put a serving of the filling on the left side of the egg burrito.
Sprinkle some grated cheese on top.
Roll up the burrito.

March 16 - Passing a Serving of Creamed Spinach

When my kids were much younger, they fear anything that is red or green on their plate. Fried rice was unappreciated. Mixed vegetables dishes were a no-no.

But with much prodding (from Mommy, of course), broccoli and spinach became their favorites.

Creamed Spinach with Carrots

Ingredients

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 large onion, minced

1/2 cup olive oil

2 chicken bullion

10 oz. baby spinach, chopped

8 medium carrots, chopped

1/2 cup cream

4 cups water

Cooking Time (1 hour)

Heat the olive oil in a large pan.

Saute the garlic and onion until the onion is caramelized.

Add the baby spinach, 4 cups of water and chicken bullion.

Cook for 20 minutes in medium heat.

Add the carrots and cook for another 20 minutes.

Add the cream.

March 11 - A Complete Meal with Spanish Chicken and Rice

Spanish chicken and rice is a complete meal by itself. And it is really filling.

This is one dish that my kids appreciate. They like it when the chicken itself is really tasty.




Spanish Chicken and Rice


Ingredients
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 piece Italian dry sausage, sliced
1 15oz can sweet peas
6 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, minced
6 cloves garlic, minced
salt and freshly ground pepper
6 tbsp chopped parsley
5 fire-roasted red peppers
1 tbsp paprika
0.25 grams saffron
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup vermouth
2 cups white rice

Cooking Time (1 hour)

Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper.

In a large pot, heat the olive oil and brown the chicken.

Set the chicken aside.

Brown the Italian sausage on the same pot and set aside.

Saute the garlic, onion and parsley on the same pot.

Add the red pepper, paprika and saffron.

Add the chicken broth and vermouth.

Add the rice and let it boil for 20 minutes or until the liquid is almost gone.

Place the peas, chicken and sausage back to the pot.

Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Mix chicken and rice before serving.

March 10 - Going Simple with Crumbed Lamb Chops

If you ever get tired of eating the usual pork chops, go for this simple dish of crumbed lamb chops.
Besides being tender, lamb chops are tastier.

Crumbed Lamb Chops

Ingredients

8 lamb loin chops

salt and pepper

vegetable oil for frying

1 cup flour

2 eggs

1 cup Italian bread crumbs (or simply, bread crumbs)

Cooking Time (30 minutes)

Place the flour, 2 beaten eggs and bread crumbs in 3 shallow bowls.
Season the lamb chops with salt and pepper.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan.

Dip the lamb chops first, in flour, then eggs, then cover with bread crumbs.

Fry the lamb chops in low heat for 3 minutes each side.

Bake the lamb chops for 20 minutes in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Serve with rice and vegetables.

March 5 - A Comforting Bowl of Shrimp Gumbo

One Southern dish that I have learned to like is shrimp gumbo.

This dish is not too appealing (being a thick, dark soup). But when it's cold and snowing outside, this warm dish is comforting.

Shrimp Gumbo

Ingredients

3 tbsp butter

1 lb small pod okra, sliced

1 carrot, diced

6 small zucchini, diced

1 large onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

4 tbsp oil

4 tbsp flour

6 cups water

1 dry sweet sausage, cut-up

1 tbsp basil

1 tbsp thyme

1/4 cup parsley

4 bay leaves

4 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp salt

1 tsp ground pepper
1 lb shrimp, cut-up

additional thickening:

4 tbsp flour mixed with 1/4 cup water

Cooking time (45 minutes)

In a large non-stick pan, saute the vegetables
with 3 tbsp butter.

In a large stainless pot, heat the oil and flour and stir constantly until it is dark in color.

Slowly add 6 cups of water (1 cup at a time, then stir)

Add the sausage.

Add the sauteed vegetables.

Add the thyme, parsley, basil and bay leaves.

Add the soy sauce, salt and pepper.

In the last 5 minutes, add the shrimp.

If the dish is not thick enough, add the thickening mixture of flour and water. Serve warm with white rice.