Last night I saw the premiere of a new cooking show Worst Cooks in America (10 p.m. Sunday on the Food Network). The premise of the show is simple: round up some really bad cooks (24 total) and the worst of the worst will then be part of a ten-day culinary boot camp lead by two chefs.
The first thing the 24 contestants did was prepare their signature dishes. What the contestants made was, well, horrible. Of course I couldn't smell or taste them (thank goodness!), but seeing them was less than appealing. As I was watching, I kept wondering, "Oh come on, no one can be that bad a cook!" Apparently, I was wrong.
I was struck with the motivation of the contestants to be on this reality show. After all, they will be exposed as inept in the kitchen. But several of the cooks talked about a desire to learn how to cook for their families, or their friends, or even themselves. Most see this experience as an opportunity to become good cooks.
The show is an inspiration to me to continue with the Celebrate Every Day project. The 24 people who agreed to be on are not the only people who doubt their culinary ability. If even one person overcomes their uncertainty and starts to prepare meals to nourish both body and soul through this blog, it will be worth it!
Some tips to help get started:
Taste what you're cooking -- the chefs on the premiere episode echoed this tip I shared in an earlier blog post.
Don't be a afraid; you can do this -- Really, you can. I will do what I can to help. Browse through past posts for recipes and tips. And keep coming back for more. I promise to post at least twice a week.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Happy New Year!
It's a new year, a year in which I resolve to:
+ Celebrate every day
+ Prepare and enjoy meals can be spiritual, social, succulent, simple and special
and
+ Post tips, hints and recipes to help you do the same!
May this be a blessed New Year, a year to savor God's blessings and to be a blessing for others!
+ Celebrate every day
+ Prepare and enjoy meals can be spiritual, social, succulent, simple and special
and
+ Post tips, hints and recipes to help you do the same!
May this be a blessed New Year, a year to savor God's blessings and to be a blessing for others!
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Baked Pork Chops & Apples
Not only was our local supermarket having a special on boneless, skinless chicken breasts (see the previous post), but also on boneless pork chops. Like a chicken breast, a boneless pork chop is a versatile centerpiece for a meal. I have a favorite recipe for pork chops from The Joy of Cooking, but as wonderful as it is, making it every time we have pork gets monotonous. I wondered: how could I make something new?
I looked through an old cookbook for inspiration. One of the pork recipes I came across contained what seemed like it would be an interesting taste combination, but I thought I could do better. So I tweaked it, switching out ingredients, modifying the cooking method, and in the process I created a new recipe.
This new, improved recipe is simple and quick to prepare. It also tastes delicious, with a delightfully unexpected sweet-and-sour flavor.
Serves 4
4 boneless pork chops, ¾ inch thick (about 1 to 1 ¼ pounds total)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 medium apples (Gala or Golden Delicious are good varieties)
¼ cup maple syrup (real maple syrup, not pancake syrup)
¼ cup apple juice
¼ cup soy sauce (preferably reduced sodium)
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon corn starch
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Place pork chops in a baking dish. Season both sides of the chops with salt and pepper. Peel, core and chop the apples into bite size pieces. Place the chopped apple on top of the pork.
In a small bowl whisk together the maple syrup, apple juice, soy sauce, ketchup, corn starch and ginger. Pour the sauce over the pork and apples.
Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Turn the chops over and bake for another 15 minutes.
Two possible accompaniments to this dish are couscous or rice. Both taste great with the baked apples and sauce spooned over them.
I looked through an old cookbook for inspiration. One of the pork recipes I came across contained what seemed like it would be an interesting taste combination, but I thought I could do better. So I tweaked it, switching out ingredients, modifying the cooking method, and in the process I created a new recipe.
This new, improved recipe is simple and quick to prepare. It also tastes delicious, with a delightfully unexpected sweet-and-sour flavor.
Serves 4
4 boneless pork chops, ¾ inch thick (about 1 to 1 ¼ pounds total)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 medium apples (Gala or Golden Delicious are good varieties)
¼ cup maple syrup (real maple syrup, not pancake syrup)
¼ cup apple juice
¼ cup soy sauce (preferably reduced sodium)
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon corn starch
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Place pork chops in a baking dish. Season both sides of the chops with salt and pepper. Peel, core and chop the apples into bite size pieces. Place the chopped apple on top of the pork.
In a small bowl whisk together the maple syrup, apple juice, soy sauce, ketchup, corn starch and ginger. Pour the sauce over the pork and apples.
Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Turn the chops over and bake for another 15 minutes.
Two possible accompaniments to this dish are couscous or rice. Both taste great with the baked apples and sauce spooned over them.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Chicken Stuffed with Ricotta & Roasted Red Pepper
Once again, our local supermarket was having a special on boneless, skinless chicken breast. Chicken breast is a versatile centerpiece for a meal. Yet it can also be boring to prepare it the same way time after time. It can also be boring to have only four or five different ways to prepare it.
So I looked on this chicken breast special as an opportunity to experiment. I scanned the refrigerator for some inspiration. We had some ricotta cheese leftover from a previous dinner. And there was a jar of roasted red peppers. What if I combined these three ingredients to create a brand new recipe?
It turned out to be delicious!
Serves 4
½ cup ricotta cheese
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2/3 cup roasted red pepper (from a jar, preferably with the pepper packed in olive oil)
½ cup Italian-style bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Place the ricotta cheese in a mesh strainer and drain.
Meanwhile, trim the fat from the chicken. Put a 1 ½ foot-long piece of plastic wrap on the counter and place one chicken breast on the plastic wrap, four to five inches from the edge. Fold the remaining plastic wrap over the chicken. Using a kitchen mallet or rolling pin, pound out the chicken till it is about 1/4 -inch thick. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
In a small bowl, combine the drained ricotta cheese, salt and pepper.
Top each chicken breast half with approximately ¼ of the cheese mixture and spread evenly. Place approximately ¼ of the red peppers on one end of each chicken breast half. Then, starting at the end with the pepper, roll the chicken. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
Sprinkle each chicken roll with breadcrumbs to lightly coat. Place each roll seam side down in a baking dish. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
So I looked on this chicken breast special as an opportunity to experiment. I scanned the refrigerator for some inspiration. We had some ricotta cheese leftover from a previous dinner. And there was a jar of roasted red peppers. What if I combined these three ingredients to create a brand new recipe?
It turned out to be delicious!
Serves 4
½ cup ricotta cheese
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2/3 cup roasted red pepper (from a jar, preferably with the pepper packed in olive oil)
½ cup Italian-style bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Place the ricotta cheese in a mesh strainer and drain.
Meanwhile, trim the fat from the chicken. Put a 1 ½ foot-long piece of plastic wrap on the counter and place one chicken breast on the plastic wrap, four to five inches from the edge. Fold the remaining plastic wrap over the chicken. Using a kitchen mallet or rolling pin, pound out the chicken till it is about 1/4 -inch thick. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
In a small bowl, combine the drained ricotta cheese, salt and pepper.
Top each chicken breast half with approximately ¼ of the cheese mixture and spread evenly. Place approximately ¼ of the red peppers on one end of each chicken breast half. Then, starting at the end with the pepper, roll the chicken. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
Sprinkle each chicken roll with breadcrumbs to lightly coat. Place each roll seam side down in a baking dish. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Appetizer: Mediterranean Shrimp
We recently started a supper club with some friends. Kathleen and I were the first hosts, and decided that for our inaugural club supper, we would prepare all the dishes. We love Italian food, so Kathleen picked some great recipes from some of our favorite cookbooks: a succulent roast pork loin, a delicious side dish of green beans in chunky tomato sauce, and heavenly tiramisu for dessert. Kathleen also decided to make her delicious risotto for a side dish.
But we needed a great opening act. And I volunteered to come up with an appetizer. What would go well with the rest of the Italian-inspired meal, be easy to prepare and be a crowd-pleaser? How about shrimp, with Mediterranean flavors?
The verdict? Well, let’s just say, we polished off two pounds of it (and there are only three couples in our supper club at this point)!
Start 2 – 2 ½ hours before serving
Serves a crowd
½ cup olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dried oregano (do not use fresh oregano – it will burn in the oven)
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds shrimp (26-30 count per pound), shelled, deveined and tails removed.
Combine the olive oil, salt, oregano, pepper and minced garlic in a large baking dish (I use a 9- x 13-inch one). Add shrimp, and turn to coat thoroughly with the olive oil mixture. Be sure the shrimp are in a single layer.
Cover. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours, turning the shrimp several times.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Place the shrimp in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Roast for 8-10 minutes until the shrimp are firm, pink and cooked through.
Serve warm.
But we needed a great opening act. And I volunteered to come up with an appetizer. What would go well with the rest of the Italian-inspired meal, be easy to prepare and be a crowd-pleaser? How about shrimp, with Mediterranean flavors?
The verdict? Well, let’s just say, we polished off two pounds of it (and there are only three couples in our supper club at this point)!
Start 2 – 2 ½ hours before serving
Serves a crowd
½ cup olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dried oregano (do not use fresh oregano – it will burn in the oven)
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds shrimp (26-30 count per pound), shelled, deveined and tails removed.
Combine the olive oil, salt, oregano, pepper and minced garlic in a large baking dish (I use a 9- x 13-inch one). Add shrimp, and turn to coat thoroughly with the olive oil mixture. Be sure the shrimp are in a single layer.
Cover. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours, turning the shrimp several times.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Place the shrimp in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Roast for 8-10 minutes until the shrimp are firm, pink and cooked through.
Serve warm.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Cranberry Pork Chops
Cranberries are an underutilized fruit. We may drink cranberry juice cocktail. We may serve cranberry sauce along with turkey on Thanksgiving and maybe Christmas. But is it possible to have cranberries with something other than turkey? Is it even legal?
Not only is it perfectly legal, it’s delicious! This recipe creates a delicious taste combination – pork and cranberries. It turns out that pork is a great cranberry partner.
You have options with the cranberry component of this recipe. You can make your own cranberry sauce; the easy recipe is on the bag of fresh cranberries. Or you can use canned whole cranberry sauce, like I suggest here. But do not use jellied cranberry sauce; it is not a good substitute.
Serves 4
½ teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
½ teaspoon dried sage, crushed
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
4 boneless pork chops, ¾ inch thick (about 1 to 1 ¼ pounds total)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (16 oz.) can whole cranberries
¾ cup orange juice
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
Combine thyme, sage, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub over pork chops, coating each side evenly.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add seasoned pork to the skillet and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, turning once, until just barely pink in the middle. Remove from the skillet and cover to keep warm.
Combine the cranberries, orange juice, cinnamon and ginger in the skillet and stir together. Increase the heat and bring to a boil. Boil gently for about 2 minutes until the sauce is slightly thickened. Spoon some of the sauce over the pork, and serve the remaining sauce in a gravy boat or small bowl along with the pork
Not only is it perfectly legal, it’s delicious! This recipe creates a delicious taste combination – pork and cranberries. It turns out that pork is a great cranberry partner.
You have options with the cranberry component of this recipe. You can make your own cranberry sauce; the easy recipe is on the bag of fresh cranberries. Or you can use canned whole cranberry sauce, like I suggest here. But do not use jellied cranberry sauce; it is not a good substitute.
Serves 4
½ teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
½ teaspoon dried sage, crushed
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
4 boneless pork chops, ¾ inch thick (about 1 to 1 ¼ pounds total)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (16 oz.) can whole cranberries
¾ cup orange juice
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
Combine thyme, sage, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub over pork chops, coating each side evenly.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add seasoned pork to the skillet and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, turning once, until just barely pink in the middle. Remove from the skillet and cover to keep warm.
Combine the cranberries, orange juice, cinnamon and ginger in the skillet and stir together. Increase the heat and bring to a boil. Boil gently for about 2 minutes until the sauce is slightly thickened. Spoon some of the sauce over the pork, and serve the remaining sauce in a gravy boat or small bowl along with the pork
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Your Advent Traditions
Advent is an underappreciated season among Christians. The world around us is rushing headlong into celebrating Christmas, which can make this a very stressful time of year. As I wrote in the November 29 issue of FaithLink:* “It is a time to buy and wrap presents, bake batch after batch of cookies, attend office Christmas parties, send dozens of Christmas cards, and do everything possible to make Christmas special. In all the hustle and bustle of preparing for Christmas, this time of year can feel like one task after another. Christmas can turn into a big chore. In all the rush to prepare for Christmas, at times we forget the most important preparation of all: spiritual preparation. We run the risk of forgetting the significance of Christmas and missing out on its true joy.”
“Advent was created to help Christians prepare for the coming of Christ. Almost 900 years ago, Bernard of Clairvaux said that during Advent we commemorate Christ’s coming in three ways: his first coming in human flesh as a baby born in Bethlehem, his future coming on a day and an hour presently unknown to us, and his present coming into the hearts of believers through faith.”
Advent is ideally observed both at church and at home, including sharing every day celebrations around the dining table. So what are your Advent traditions that help you prepare for the coming of Christ? Please share your ideas, and include your name and your hometown so you can be properly acknowledged for your contribution.
*I am honored to be on the writing team for FaithLink: Connecting Faith and Life. FaithLink is published by Cokesbury and is available by subscription via e-mail (from subservice@abingdonpress.com) or fax (call 800-672-1789) or by downloading from the Web at cokesbury.com/faithlink.
“Advent was created to help Christians prepare for the coming of Christ. Almost 900 years ago, Bernard of Clairvaux said that during Advent we commemorate Christ’s coming in three ways: his first coming in human flesh as a baby born in Bethlehem, his future coming on a day and an hour presently unknown to us, and his present coming into the hearts of believers through faith.”
Advent is ideally observed both at church and at home, including sharing every day celebrations around the dining table. So what are your Advent traditions that help you prepare for the coming of Christ? Please share your ideas, and include your name and your hometown so you can be properly acknowledged for your contribution.
*I am honored to be on the writing team for FaithLink: Connecting Faith and Life. FaithLink is published by Cokesbury and is available by subscription via e-mail (from subservice@abingdonpress.com) or fax (call 800-672-1789) or by downloading from the Web at cokesbury.com/faithlink.
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