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Big · Flavors
from a tiny kitchen
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It's official...Dino and I have been turned into full-fledged coffee snobs. But it's not our fault! He did some work for a friend, and as payment, he gave us THIS:  Behold, the Technivorm KB-741 Clubline. It's amazing. I didn't want to think that such an expensive coffee maker would reeeeally make a difference in how our coffee tastes, but woah...I was SO wrong. Read about it here and you'll get a peek into what this beauty can do. I would have never bought a coffee maker that costs this much (do you know how many video games I could get for that money?!), but I will honestly say that it makes the best cup of coffee I've ever had. HANDS DOWN. And it's a bonus because it was free. And I'm not the one who did any work to get it. So I just lucked out all around. Merry Christmas to me! ;) |
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This recipe comes from one of my middle school teachers from Fort Wayne, Indiana. This stuff is a hit EVERY year, and it makes a great gift. I can't remember the name of the teacher that gave it to me, and it drives me nuts every time I make it.  Uncle Tom's Cabin Moon Gulch Hot Cocoa Mix20 ounce box evaporated milk 30 ounce box Nestle Quik 13 ounce jar chocolate malt mix 2 pounds powdered sugar 22 ounce jar Coffee Mate 1 heaping tablespoon cinnamon 4-6 heaping tablespoons cocoa powder Mix all ingredients in large clean garbage bag. Watch out for the dust storm! Fill mug 1/3 of the way with mix and to the top with boiling water. Enjoy! Notes: Do not substitute Coffee Mate for other brand. Do not cut in half. MacGourmet Rating: 5 Stars |
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I'm not sure where I got this recipe, but I hadn't made it for a while and was craving it. It's such a comforting soup, and the cool sour cream is really nice mixed in with the hot curried soup. Dino doesn't usually like soup, but he LOVES this one. It comes together pretty quickly, too. My only word of caution is to make sure you get pureéd pumpkin only, and not pumpkin pie mix. My father-in-law got the canned pumpkin for it last year, and we didn't realize until it was too late (and too sweet!) that he had gotten the pie mix. Consider yourself warned!  Curried Pumpkin Soup6 servings 2 tablespoons butter 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced ¼ cup onion, chopped 2 tablespoons all purpose white flour 1 tablespoon curry powder 3 cups chicken broth 2 cups canned pumpkin 1 tablespoon honey ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg ¼ teaspoon black pepper 12 ounce can evaporated milk sour cream chives, chopped Melt butter in a large saucepan; add mushrooms and onion, and cook until tender, stirring often. Stir in flour and curry powder; gradually add chicken broth, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened. Stir in pumpkin and next 4 ingredients; reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in milk, and cook, stirring constantly, until thoroughly heated. Garnish, if desired. MacGourmet Rating: 5 Stars |
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This meal was really easy and tasty! The only complaint I have is that it didn't reheat so well (and the recipe makes a LOT).  Spaghetti Alla Ceci30-Minute Meals - Rachael Ray1 lb. spaghetti Salt 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 3 turns of the pan ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 can, (14-ounce) chick peas, drained ½ teaspoon dry thyme, eyeball it Pepper ½ cup dry white wine or chicken broth 1 can, (14-ounce) crushed tomatoes Handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped Grated Parmiginao-Reggiano, to pass at table Difficulty: Easy Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Yield: 4 servings Boil water for pasta, salt it, and cook spaghetti to al dente. While spaghetti cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, 3 turns of the pan, crushed red pepper flakes and garlic. Place chick peas in food processor and pulse grind them to a fine chop. Add chick peas to garlic and season them with thyme, salt and pepper then saute them for 3 to 4 minutes. Add wine or broth and cook down 30 seconds or so then stir in tomatoes and adjust seasoning. Drain pasta and toss with sauce. Top with parsley and grated cheese. MacGourmet Rating: 4 Stars |
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The first time that Dino made French toast for me, I was amazed! I hadn't ever had such flavorful French toast at home, and it still impresses me every time he makes it! We got a loaf of challah this week and he made another awesome batch of French toast - and the challah makes it extra special. I asked him to write up a recipe for me to share, so here it is!  French ToastDino Covelli4 Eggs ½ cup Milk 1 Tspn Cinnamon 1 Tspn Sugar 1 Tspn Vanilla or Almond Extract 4-6 slices of bread Mix all ingredients except bread until well blended. Dip bread in and let soak for 20-30 seconds per side. Place on heated griddle and cook until golden. Flip and cook the opposite side until golden. Top with butter, maple syrup & powdered sugar. MacGourmet Rating: 5 Stars |
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We decided to pick up some new cheese from the grocery store a few nights ago. I threw on some salami nuggets, grapes, and pumpernickel bread and it made for a great snack while dinner was cooking! I can't believe how many awesome cheeses are in the regular grocery store now - and we've already eyed some up for the next time we want to splurge.  Top Left: Applewood Smoked Gouda Top Right: Winey Goat
Lower Left: White Stilton with ApricotDinner was a really tasty beef dish. I couldn't find cremini mushrooms so I used a mix of portabella, shiitake and button mushrooms instead. I could only find red pearl onions, so I subbed those too. The flavor is very good, and it was great served over egg noodles. It's definitely a comforting meal.  Beef Braised with Red Wine and MushroomsCooking Light October 2007½ cup dried porcini mushrooms (about 1/2 ounce) 1 cup boiling water 1 ¼ lbs. lean beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes ¾ teaspoon salt, divided ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup pearl onions (about 16) 6 cups chopped cremini mushrooms (about 1 pound) 1 ½ cups (1/4-inch) slices carrot (about 2 large) 1 ½ cups fat-free, less-sodium beef broth ½ cup dry red wine 4 thyme sprigs 3 cloves, garlic crushed 2 bay leaves 1 tablespoon water 2 teaspoons cornstarch Add a teaspoon or two of ground dried porcini mushrooms along with the broth and red wine to give the dish an extra layer of mushroom flavor. Meaty, earthy-tasting mushrooms such as porcini or black trumpet are ideal. Serve over egg noodles or rice.Combine porcini mushrooms and 1 cup boiling water in a small bowl; let stand 30 minutes. Drain mushrooms through a sieve into a bowl, reserving liquid. Chop mushrooms; set aside. Sprinkle beef with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add half of beef to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until lightly browned on all sides. Remove beef from pan with a slotted spoon; place in a bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining beef. Add onions to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Add cremini mushrooms and carrot; sauté 3 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Add beef, porcini mushrooms, porcini liquid, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, broth, and next 4 ingredients (through bay leaves); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 1/2 hours or until beef is tender. Uncover and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Combine 1 tablespoon water and cornstarch in a small bowl. Add cornstarch mixture to pan; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until liquid thickens. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Wine note: Mushrooms and merlot are a natural match. An affordable California version like Buena Vista Carneros Merlot 2004 ($20) provides classic merlot flavors of plum and black cherry fruit along with a touch of earth and smoky oak that marries beautifully with mushrooms. The wine's rich flavor and firm tannins make it a perfect choice for flavorful beef, as well. --Jeffery Lindenmuth Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups) Nutritional notes: CALORIES 307 (30% from fat); FAT 10.3g (sat 3.8g,mono 4.3g,poly 0.6g); PROTEIN 33.5g; CHOLESTEROL 88mg; CALCIUM 47mg; SODIUM 716mg; FIBER 3.5g; IRON 4.8mg; CARBOHYDRATE 19.9g MacGourmet Rating: 4 Stars |
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I saw this idea in a magazine and just had to try it out to give as gifts to a few people at work. I made the Five-Chile and the Coffee ones, and they were a huge hit! I didn't try them out (yet), but I found bottles at the container store, printed out some labele, and wrote a recipe on a tag on each bottle. It's a great gift to give, and it's super easy to make.    Infused VodkaEvery Day with Rachael Ray December 2007STEP 1 Place 1 liter of vodka and your infusion ingredients in a large bottle and seal shut; let rest in a cool, dark place for 2 to 5 days, depending on your desired strength. COFFEE 1/2 cup crushed (not ground) coffee beans; shake every 2 days during infusion. APPLE VANILLA 2 whole, split vanilla beans + 1 apple, peeled and sliced. FIVE-CHILE 5 dried chiles, chopped ORANGE GINGER 1 orange, sliced + 1/2 cup sliced fresh ginger STEP 2 Strain and pour into gift bottles. STEP 3 Print recipe gift tags, (rachaelraymag.com). |
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I made this for dinner last night and ate it again tonight. It's really easy and very tasty. Since we had rice the night before, I threw on some couscous that I added raisins and peas to. It paired really nicely - the sweetness of the raisins was a great compliment to the stew. The yogurt really brings this dish to the next level. Yum!  Moroccan Chickpea StewCooking Light November 20072 teaspoons olive oil 1 cup diced yellow onion (about 1 medium) 1 cup diced carrot (about 1 large) 2 cloves, garlic minced 1 jalapeño pepper, minced 1 ½ cups cubed peeled Yukon gold potato, about 1 large 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon chili powder ½ teaspoon ground turmeric ⅛ teaspoon salt 1 can (28-ounce) diced tomatoes, undrained 1 (15 1/2-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained 1 can (14-ounce) organic vegetable broth (such as Swanson Certified Organic) 3 cups hot cooked brown rice ½ cup plain low-fat yogurt Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve over whole wheat couscous instead of brown rice, if you prefer. For milder heat, seed the jalapeño.Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, garlic, and jalapeño to pan; sauté 6 minutes or until tender. Stir in potato and next 7 ingredients (through broth). Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until potato is tender. Serve over rice. Top with yogurt. Wine note: With spicy ethnic cuisine, seek out the German grape gewürztraminer, which yields wines with floral and lychee aromas, as well as natural sweetness that makes a perfect foil to the jalapeño and cumin in the stew. Chateau St. Jean Gewürztraminer 2006 ($15), from Sonoma, California, offers classic honeysuckle and melon aromas, with a spice-friendly sweetness and snappy acidity that adds texture to the dish. -Jeffery Lindenmuth Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups stew, 1/2 cup rice, and about 1 tablespoon yogurt) Nutritional notes: CALORIES 251 (14% from fat); FAT 3.8g (sat 0.6g,mono 1.9g,poly 1g); PROTEIN 7.3g; CHOLESTEROL 1mg; CALCIUM 97mg; SODIUM 401mg; FIBER 6.8g; IRON 2.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 47.5g MacGourmet Rating: 4 Stars |
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I know this doesn't look fabulous since the beef is cold in the picture (hardened butter looks icky) but it made for a wonderful lunch on Wednesday:  Top: Khoreshe Karafs (Celery Sauce), Yogurt Sauce (plain yogurt with mint, honey, salt & pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice) Bottom: Basmati Rice |
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My cousin gave me a wonderful collectiton of recipes in a book as a wedding gift, and I finally decided to try one out. The directions were a little confusing - it said to add apples after it already said to cook them with the cabbage - but it was pretty easy. I used a wild mushroom pilaf mix with it. I thought it was OK but something about it didn't wow me. I usually love cabbage, but I think it might have been the cabbage that bugged me in this. Dino really liked it a lot, so maybe it was just me.  Pork Chops PilafCarey Burchfield3 tablespoons oil 4 pork chops 2 medium apples 1 small head of cabbage 2 ¼ cups water 1 teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper 1 6 ounce package rice pilaf mix Heat oil in skillet; cook chops until well browned. Remove chops. Dice apples and cabbage, cook until tender crisp, stirring occasionally. Add water, salt, pepper, pork chops and apple. Over high heat, heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 20 minutes. Stir rice into liquid in skillet; over high, heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 20 minutes until rice is tender. MacGourmet Rating: 3 Stars |
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I finally made another recipe from this fabulous cookbook that my friend Megan got for me. The first recipe I made from it was AMAZING (Persian Meatloaf), and I just didn't know what to make next until a few days ago. I always giggle when I go through the recipes in this book because they'll have a name like "Vegetable Sauce" and the first ingredient will be ground lamb. So this one was called "Celery Sauce" but it was much more than that. I'd like to make this again but cut down the amount of sauce and increase the amount of meat. The flavors worked SO well together, and we loved it, but we ended up throwing out leftover celery after we finished off the meat. Another winner though!  Khoreshe Karafs (Celery Sauce)In a Persian Kitchen: Favorite Recipes from the Near East4 tablespoons butter 1 pound stew beef or round beef, cut in 1" cubes 1 large onion, finely chopped ½ teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon nutmeg 2 cups water 4 tablespoons butter 4 cups celery, diced 1 cup parsley, chopped 3 tablespoons lemon juice Melt butter in a 2-quart pot. Add meat, onions, and seasoning and sauté until the meat is browned. Add water to the meat, cover, and let cook for about 30 minutes or until the meat is tender. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a skillet, add celery and parsley, and sauté it for 10 minutes. Add the sautéed vegetables and lemon juice to the meat and let simmer for another 15 minutes. Serve with chelo. Makes 4-5 servings. MacGourmet Rating: 4 Stars |
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We made these cookies a few nights ago and we're still enjoying them. They were easy to make and definitely taste like the holidays. The only "issue" that we had was that Dino was rolling them a lot larger than I was, so it didn't even make half of the number of cookies that it was supposed to. It's always fun to try to navigate the tiny kitchen with a helper though, so it was worth it.  Molasses CrinklesBetty Crocker's Cooky Book3/4 cup soft shortening 1 cup packed brown sugar 1 egg 1/4 cup molasses 2 1/4 cups flour 2 teaspoons soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon cloves 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon ginger Granulated sugar Mix shortening, sugar, egg and molasses thoroughly. Measure flour by dipping method or by sifting. Blend all dry ingredients; stir in. Chill. Heat oven to 375°. Roll dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Dip tops in sugar. Place balls, sugared side up, 3-inches apart on greased baking sheet. Sprinkle each with 2-3 drops of water. Bake 10-12 minutes, or just until set but not hard. Makes 4 dozen cookies. MacGourmet Rating: 4 Stars |
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Dino is great at making breakfast food. He sought out a new waffle recipe to try out and it was fabulous! He threw chocolate chips on them while they were still warm, dusted them with powdered sugar and drizzled them with maple syrup. These were by far the best waffles we've had at home. The batter made 4 waffles for us, and we froze 2 of them for later. Actually, they were so good that we forgot to take a photo the first time (when they also had bananas on top) so the photo is from last weekend when we ate the 2 frozen ones!  Classic Wafflesallrecipes.com - Megan2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 4 teaspoons baking powder 2 tablespoons white sugar 2 eggs 1 ½ cups warm milk ⅓ cup butter, melted 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 15 Minutes Ready In: 25 Minutes Servings: 5 "Simple waffles made with flour, egg, butter and sugar."1. In a large bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking powder and sugar; set aside. Preheat waffle iron to desired temperature. 2. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Stir in the milk, butter and vanilla. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture; beat until blended. 3. Ladle the batter into a preheated waffle iron. Cook the waffles until golden and crisp. Serve immediately. MacGourmet Rating: 5 Stars |
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So this is the second time that I've made these scones. They're SO good, but it's really messy to work with. This time, I thought I'd try scooping them onto a cookie sheet with an ice cream scoop instead of cutting them into triangles. I drizzled some honey on top to sweeten them up a little, too. They were really good, but I'm still convinced that there has to be a better way to actually work with this dough. Hmm...  Blackberry SconesBlogger - everybodylikessandwiches ½ cup milk 1 egg 2 cups flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1⁄ 2 teaspoon salt ¼ cup cold butter, cubed 3 tablespoons white sugar 2 large handfuls of frozen blackberries 1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Whisk the milk and the egg together until frothy and then set aside. In a large bowl, blend the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter and blend the mixture with your hands until you have no lumps larger than a pea. Add the sugar and the blackberries and toss about until the blackberries are coated with the flour mixture. Add the egg mixture slowly until the dough comes together. Leave any remaining egg mixture to brush on as glaze. 2. Turn dough out onto a clean counter and knead it no more than 12 times. Pat dough into a round approximately 1/2 an inch thick, and cut into 8 wedges. Place on an ungreased baking sheet or a Silpat. Using a pastry brush, glaze wedges with remaining egg mixture. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until golden. Cool on a wire rack. MacGourmet Rating: 5 Stars |
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We had our second round of Thanksgiving celebrations a few weekends back. We brought some of my standard dishes as well as a new one the my mom has made for years but I never cared for until recently. My grandma gave me her deviled egg tupperware when we were in Indiana. I told her I'd put it to GREAT use. I make them just how she does, and they're always a big hit! I've posted them here before, but here's a shot of the tupperware:  Dino put toogether a board with the cheeses that we picked up at the store (Jarlsberg, Winey Goat & Brie). The Winey Goat was awesome! It was a more firm goat cheese bathed in red wine. Talk about combining two of my favorite things! Here's a shot of his set up:  I know a lot of people talk smack about green bean casserole, but it's just not Thanksgiving to me without it:  I made the same apple pie that I made last year, except I used store bought crust this time around. It worked out well except that it tore REALLY BAD on top when i flipped the crust to cover it. That just means it's a "rustic" pie, right?   So now, the squash casserole recipe. I usually don't like things with stuffing mix in them. I try really hard but I'm just not a fan of stuffing. But when we were in Indiana for the first round of Thanksgiving fun this year, I promised my mom I'd try it again. It was really good! It had been quite a few years since I had tried it, and my tastes have changed since then...so why not?  Squash CasseroleMom1 medium onion, chopped 2 cups butternut squash ½ cup butter 2 Tablespoons butter 1 can Cream of chicken soup 1 cup sour cream 1 8 ounce package herb seasoned stuffing, (typically sold in 16 ounce packages) Cook squash until soft; mash with fork Sauté onion in 2T butter until soft. Add squash, soup and sour cream. Melt 1/2c butter and add to stuffing; mix well. Add to mixture, reserving 1/3 of stuffing; top with remaining stuffing. Pour into 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. MacGourmet Rating: 5 Stars And a shot of Dino's first plate of Thanksgiving dinner (for the second time in 2 weeks):  Happy Holidays! |
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These lettuce wraps are different because they have pork and tofu inside. I'm used to either meat or tofu in lettuce wraps, not both. We thought they were pretty good. Dino loved them.  Asian Lettuce Wrapsallrecipes.com - sandii4 cups water 2 cups uncooked white rice 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 lb. ground pork 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced ½ teaspoon minced garlic 1 (14 ounce) package firm tofu, drained and cubed 2 carrots, shredded 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 teaspoon sesame oil ¼ teaspoon hot chile paste 1 head iceberg lettuce leaves, separated Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 32 Minutes Ready In: 47 Minutes Servings: 4 "Flavorful stir-fried pork, tofu, and green onion are rolled into a lettuce wrap with steamed rice. Serve family style at the table, and let everyone wrap their own."1. In a saucepan combine the water and rice. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes, until water is absorbed. Set aside and keep warm. 2. Heat oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Cook the pork, green onions, and garlic for 5 to 7 minutes, or until lightly brown. Add the tofu, carrot, Hoisin, and soy sauce, stirring frequently until heated through. Remove from heat, and stir in the sesame oil and chile paste. 3. To serve: spoon a small amount of rice into each lettuce leaf, top with the stir-fry mixture, and drizzle with additional soy sauce or hoisin, if desired. Wrap the lettuce leaf to enclose the filling. MacGourmet Rating: 4 Stars |
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We were out of town for a week, so tonight was my first night back in my kitchen. I was a little frazzled because I had a million things to catch up on, so I didn't realize until just now that I totally forgot to drizzle this salad with truffle oil. I think it would have helped (how could it not have?), but otherwise this salad was just OK. There was entirely too much lemon juice soaked into the mushrooms. I had 2 large lemons, so I only juiced 1 1/2 of them, but it was kind of overpowering. It was an OK dinner for something light and easy to make, but I won't make it again. There are just too many other recipes to try out!  Portobello Salad with Crispy ProsciuttoEvery Day with Rachael Ray October 2007Four Servings ¼ lb. thinly sliced prosciutto 4 small portobello mushroom caps, stemmed and thinly sliced 6 ribs celery from the heart with leafy greens, thinly sliced on an angle ½ small red onion, thinly sliced ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) Juice of 2 lemons Salt and pepper 2 cups baby arugula ½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves Truffle oil, for drizzling (optional) 1. Preheat the broiler. Arrange the prosciutto in a single layer on a foil-covered baking sheet and broil until crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside. 2. Toss the mushrooms, celery and onion with the EVOO and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. Arrange on a platter and top with the arugula and parsley. Drizzle with truffle oil, if using. Break up the crispy prosciutto and scatter over the salad. MacGourmet Rating: 3 Stars |
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 I used the leftovers from the dinner party as sides for another meal the next day. I picked another one from Binnur and it was really good. The only negative thing was that I doubled it and there was a LOT of liquid when it was done cooking. The only beef at the store was a little tough, too. The flavors were awesome, and it kind of tasted like a stew. I've never had a bad recipe from Binnur's blog! Another tasty Turkish dish!  Beef with Mushrooms (Etli Mantar)Binnur's Turkish Cookbook7.14 oz. beef, cut in cubes 7.14 oz. mushrooms, sliced 1 onion, sliced 2 cloves, garlic sliced 1 tablespoon butter 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon tomato paste 2 cups water 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon pepper Cook the beef in a medium sized pot with 1 cup water on medium-low heat. Add the butter, olive oil, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomato paste, mushrooms and another cup water. Put the lid on and cook for another half hour on medium-low heat. Serve with any kind of rice. Note: Make sure not to wash the mushrooms as they will retain water and lose texture. Instead, wipe off with a damp paper towel. MacGourmet Rating: 4 Stars |
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