Dressed up Pot Roast?

I just have to start this post by saying that I got a fabulous new camera so I no longer need to be embarrassed by my pictures anymore! With this new camera I just had to cook something wonderful last night and this dish was the perfect fit. I found this recipe in the October issue of Food & Wine and liked that the ingredient list was not over the top and that it took very minimal work. Short ribs are all about the sauce and I would describe this dish as pot roast in evening wear wearing a velvety sheath of yumminess. It is elegant, but comforting and would be absolutely perfect for company. Although, I just made it as a Sunday night dinner that paired great with football. I included a super easy smashed potato recipe with this that you can make ahead of time, but you could also serve it with noodles. Enjoy this dish and I hope to dazzle you with my photography now and let's hope that I can figure out all the bells and whistles of my new gadget as fast and easy as these short ribs.

Short Ribs Braised in Red Wine

adapted from Food & Wine, October 2010

serves 4

Cooking time: 40 min Active; 3 hours Total

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 large celery rib, finely chopped

1 large carrot, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

one 750-milliliter bottle dry red wine

2 whole sprigs of rosemary

1 bay leaf

2 cups veal, beef or chicken stock

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Four 2-inch-thick, flanken cut, short ribs with the bone (I could not find this exact match, so just get about 2 3/4 lbs of the best short ribs you can find)

Salt and pepper

buttered egg noodles or smashed potatoes (recipe to follow), for serving

1. In a large, enameled cast-iron casserole, melt the butter. Add the onion, celery, carrot and garlic, stir to coat with the butter, cover and cook over moderate heat until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Uncover and cook until the vegetables are lightly browned, about 3 minutes longer. Stir in the tomato paste. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Add the wine, stock, rosemary and bay and bring to a simmer.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet until simmering. Season the ribs with salt and pepper, add them to the pan and cook over moderately high heat, turning, until they are well browned, about 15 minutes.

3. Transfer the short ribs to the casserole. Partially cover and cook over moderately low heat until very tender, about 2.5 to 3 hours.

4. Transfer the ribs to a plate and remove the bones. Strain the sauce into a heatproof measuring cup and skim the fat (I did this right in the casserole as there was not that much). Return the sauce to the casserole and boil until reduced to 2 cups, 10 minutes. Return the meat to the sauce and simmer over low heat until heated through. Serve the ribs with the egg noodles or potatoes with extra sauce. (Make Ahead: Short ribs can be refrigerated in the sauce for up to 5 days, just reheat on the stove top over medium heat)

Smashed Potatoes

serves 4

5 medium Yukon gold potatoes, washed, cut in half length wise, then in thirds

1/4 cup half and half

1 1/2 tablespoon butter (I like to use a flavored butter like truffle or garlic if you can find it, if not add in whatever you would like; roasted garlic, horseradish, chives, sauteed onions, wasabi, Parmesan, etc.)

salt and pepper

Boil a large pot of water and drop the cut potatoes in. Cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and place back into the pot over low heat to rid the excess moisture from them, about a minute or so. Smash the potatoes with a masher or large fork. Add the half and half, butter, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Taste the potatoes for seasoning and add more of what you think might be missing. Keep warm in the oven or serve right away with the short ribs.

Enjoy!

xoxo

Erin

Mini Soft Center Chocolate Cakes

I don't post a lot of desserts as I find baking complicated and a bit too precise for my overstimulated brain. But I do have the opportunities to make something that can dazzle whoever is at my dinner table and always take advantage. When I entertain I use a lot of recipes that can be done ahead of time and this recipe fits that description. My mother is a fantastic baker and pastry master. She describes so many desserts she has made as "easy" yet I find myself in awe of the precision and skill that goes into it. She has shared a few gems with me that she knows I will use and are super easy to make. Like me, she likes to pull out all the stops, or at least make your guests feel that way. I made these beautiful, warm mini chocolate cakes for my anniversary and my husband loved it. I made it in less than 15 minutes earlier in the day, popped them in the oven while we were eating dinner and they were warm, delicious and oozing with chocolate goodness when we were done. These cakes have a soft center that is luscious and pairs fantastically with some good vanilla ice cream or whipped cream (as my mom would say, always make your own! heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, stabilizer, which can be found in the baking section in little packets; beat until stiff peaks form with a hand or standing mixer). Enjoy this dessert and know that it make you look like such a pastry all-star with little work to do!

Mini Soft Center Chocolate Cakes

Forks & Amusement 2010

makes 4 servings

1 stick (4 oz) butter, plus a little extra for buttering the molds

4 oz bittersweet chocolate (preferably Valrhona)

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsp. flour, plus a little extra for dusting molds

4 - 4oz ramekins, molds or custard cups (this size is kind of odd, I used 3 oz ramekins and you could for sure use 5oz as well, anywhere in this ball park)

Butter and lightly flour the ramekins, tapping out the excess flour and set aside.

Use a double boiler to heat the butter and chocolate together until the chocolate is almost completely melted. If you do not have a double boiler, you can simmer a few cups of water in a saucepan and place a mixing bowl over it.

While that is heating, beat the eggs, yolks and sugar together with a whisk or electric beater until light and thick.

Beat melted chocolate and butter together ; it should be quite warm. Pour in the egg mixture, then quickly beat in the flour, just until combined. Divide batter among the molds.

At this point, you can refrigerate the desserts until you are ready to eat for up to several hours; bring them back to room temperature before cooking.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bake cakes on a baking sheet for 7 to 10 minutes until the sides are all set, but the center is quite soft. Invert molds onto a plate, let sit for 10 seconds, unmold by lifting up one corner of the mold, then lift the entire mold off the cake. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Enjoy!

xoxo

Erin

BBQ Asian Sea Bass

I have been experimenting with grilling fish all summer and it is not easy. You need to pick the right type of fish, marinade, cooking temperature and vessel. This Asian sea bass turned out fantastic and finally came off the grill perfectly cooked. I made some spaghetti squash and a simple Asian slaw, which I included prep for below. I have to give a shout out to my grill master, my husband, for continuing to try these recipes! I usually just throw some protein at him and tell him to write down what he did. He nailed this one and it was so yummy. This is also a great week day meal if you are looking for a little detox from a heavy weekend. With football season here, this is perfect to make after a weekend of beer and wings.

BBQ Asian Sea Bass

Forks & Amusement 2010

serves 4

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger

1/2 tablespoon chili garlic paste or hot sauce

2 scallions, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1 teaspoon honey

4 sea bass fillets, about 24 oz total (you could also use salmon or halibut for this as well)

Combine all of the ingredients, except the fish, in a bowl and whisk to combine well. Place fish fillets in a plastic resealable bag, pour marinade over the fish and seal up the bag. Massage the marinade into the fish gently, making sure to get it all over the fish. Refrigerate the fish for up to 2 hours and at least 30 minutes.

Heat grill to medium heat. Place a small saucepan over high heat. Take the fish out of the bag and pour the marinade into the pan. Bring to a boil and let reduce by half.

Meanwhile, place some aluminum foil over the grill and brush with oil. Place fillets skin side down on top of the foil and cook for 7 minutes or until you can see the sides of the fish begin to cook through. Flip the fillets and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

To serve, place a fillet on each plate and spoon the sauce over each fillet.

Serve with:

Spaghetti Squash:

Ingredients: spaghetti squash, olive oil, salt, pepper, ground cumin

Cut squash in half, spoon out the seeds. Place cut side up on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast in oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Allow to cool slightly. With a fork, rake the squash strands away from the skin and place in a bowl. Toss with butter, ground cumin, salt and pepper to taste.

Simple Asian Slaw

Ingredients: napa cabbage, carrots, red onion, cilantro, rice wine vinegar, light mayo or sour cream, lime, hot sauce, honey, sesame oil

Toss shredded napa cabbage, thinly sliced carrots, thinly sliced red onion and chopped cilantro in a bowl. In a small bowl combine 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar, 1/4 cup light mayo or sour cream, juice of half a lime, hot sauce to taste, a little honey and splash of sesame seed oil. Combine dressing with slaw and serve cold.

Enjoy!

xoxo

Erin

Classy Quesadilla

Here is an easy appetizer everyone knows how to make, but classed up a bit. I got the inspiration from this in Cabo at the One & Only. Amazing restaurant and so many ideas to try at home, I am still trying them out months after my trip. This is such a simple idea, bringing a cheese course to the loveliness that is a quesadilla. This is perfect for an appetizer for a party or even a yummy lunch for yourself. I would make my apple slices a bit thicker next time, but other than that the assembly in the picture is exactly how I would repeat it. The picture is how I arranged everything before I placed the top tortilla on.

Brie & Apple Quesadilla with Chipolte Cream

Forks & Amusement 2010

serves 4 appetizers

1/4 c light sour cream

2 canned chipotle peppers, seeded, minced

tablespoon of adobo sauce from can of chipotle peppers

2 large flour tortillas

6 oz brie cheese, sliced

1/2 granny smith apple, sliced

1/2 handful of arugula

In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, peppers and adobo sauce. Set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place one of the tortillas on the hot skillet. Arrange the cheese all over the tortilla, top the cheese with the apple slices and scatter the arugula over the apple. Apply the second tortilla on top. When cheese starts to melt and tortilla begins to toast, flip quesadilla and toast the other side. When done, all the cheese should be melted.

Remove quesadilla from pan. Cut in wedges and serve immediately with the chipolte cream.

Enjoy!

xoxo

Erin

Beet It

I made this simple beet and arugula salad last night that I would like to share. Now you might thinking "beets?" but, I swear you will love them. My Dad is visiting and has always been a fan, which has rubbed off on me. This is the kind of salad that you see on restaurant menus and that chefs love to make. I am telling you here that you can make it too in about 5 minutes. Beets are also super good for you and have a sweet taste that pairs great with a tart dressing and creamy feta. Give beets a chance! I promise you will like this! And let's not forget to point out what a pretty salad this is that could wow your family or guests with little effort.

Beet & Arugula Salad

Forks & Amusement 2010

Make as much as you need for your table!

arugula

sliced beets (you can use canned beets that are drained, I found bags of cooked beets in the produce section, or you can roast whole beets that have been peeled and drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper until tender)

slivered red onion

crumbled feta (you can also use goat cheese)

vinaigrette (big spoonful of Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, 4 tablespoons of vinegar, 5 tablespoons of olive oil all whisked together)

Scatter the arugula on a plate or platter. Gently place the slices of beets all around the plate and do the same with the onion. Sprinkle the feta on top and drizzle with the vinaigrette.

Enjoy!

xoxo

Erin

Super Simple Saucy Ribs

• 
• 
• 
  
• Hello everyone! I am back from a long stretch of being out of town and am excited to be back and cooking. I have not had too much time at home yet to plot out amazing recipes and complicated ingredients, but I was able to catch a rerun of the Martha show at the gym last week and saw this easy recipe for ribs. Most recipes for BBQ are long and have so many steps your head spins around, which can be intimidating. I have tried these recipes and while they are amazing, they are for those that have lots of extra time and patience on hand. I have not had either this week. I served the ribs with steamed artichokes and a Caprese salad (heirloom tomatoes chopped, diced fresh mozzarella, chopped basil, slivered red onions, drizzle with olive oil, balsamic, salt and pepper), which are not traditional BBQ fare, but I thought I would class the place up a bit.
• 
  
• EJ's Simple Oven-Barbecue Ribs
• adapted from Marthstewart.com 2010
• 4 servings
• 
  
• 2 racks baby back ribs
• 6 tablespoons Emeril's Rib Rub spice blend (I used my own: 2 tbls sugar, 3 tbls salt, 1 tbls pepper, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tea onion powder, 1 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp celery salt; you could use any variety of rib rub as well)
• Emeril's Bam! B-Q Original Sweet Barbecue Sauce or other favorite barbecue sauce (I used the Bone Suckin' Sauce brand)
• Preheat oven 300 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with a piece of aluminum foil large enough to cover the pan twice. Line the aluminum foil with an equal sized piece of parchment paper. (You will be folding this over the ribs and sealing it.) Place ribs, meat side up, in an even layer on prepared baking sheet; set aside. Divide seasoning evenly between both slabs of ribs, coating well on each side. Fold the extra length of parchment paper-lined aluminum foil over ribs and seal tightly on all sides. Transfer baking sheet to oven and bake until ribs are very tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Remove baking sheet from oven. Peel back parchment paper-lined foil so that ribs are exposed. Using a basting brush or the back of a spoon, coat meat side of ribs lightly with barbecue sauce. Return ribs to oven, and bake, uncovered, until sauce is thickened and lightly browned, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove ribs from oven and let cool briefly. Cut between each rib and serve with additional barbecue sauce, if desired.
• 
  
• Enjoy!
• xoxo
• Erin

Roasted Asparagus with Panzanella

I took a trip recently to see Jenna and of course it was filled with lots of food and lots of fun. We went to this fantastic new restaurant in downtown Minneapolis called Bar La Grassa. Think hip atmosphere and lots of Italian specialties with a modern twist. You can order everything in a small portion so that you can taste a lot of dishes, which is my favorite way to eat at a new place. Jenna and I died over so many of the dishes, especially the pasta, but this roasted asparagus with panzanella was amazing. I knew I could take a crack at it when I got home and this is what came out. This is a great side dish to any meal and I will absolutely make this over and over again. Hopefully I am doing this restaurant justice with my recipe and thank you for the inspiration! Two notes, try to cut all the veggies the same size. I did it in a small cube. My pancetta had some heat to it, which I loved, but if you can't find that, just add some crushed red pepper before simmering the veggies to add a little heat.

Roasted Asparagus with Panzanella

Forks & Amusement 2010

makes 4 side dish portions

1 bunch of asparagus, trimmed

olive oil

2 thick slices pancetta, small dice

2 large slices of your favorite bread, small cubes

1 medium onion, small dice

1 red pepper, small dice

1 small eggplant, small dice

1 zucchini, small dice

24 oz can of whole tomatoes, drained and crushed with your hands

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar (you can use red wine vinegar as a substitute)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss asparagus on a baking sheet with olive oil, salt and pepper to coat and arrange them so it is one layer. Roast in the oven until cooked through, but still crisp, about 25 minutes.

In a large skillet or pot, cook the pancetta over medium heat until crisp, stirring often. Remove pan from heat and place pancetta on paper towel lined plate reserving fat in the pan. Return the pan to medium heat and cook bread cubes in pancetta fat until crisp and crunchy, stirring often. Remove pan from heat and add the bread cubes to the plate with the pancetta.

Return pan to medium heat and add a bit more olive oil if there no longer is any oil in the pan. Enough to just coat it. Add the onion and red pepper and cook until just tender. Add in the eggplant and zucchini, tossing everything together, cook until eggplant and zucchini is tender. Stirring often. Add the tomatoes and vinegar to the pan, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze and combine all ingredients. Add the garlic and salt and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil, then turn heat down to medium low and let simmer for 15 minutes. When it is done, all the vegetables should be cooked through, but not so soft that they loose their shape.

Place vegetable mixture in a large serving platter. Sprinkle the reserved crispy pancetta and bread cubes over the vegetables. Top with roasted asparagus and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Enjoy!

xoxo

Erin

Pizza Round 2: Taking It Indoors

I think I may be becoming an Italian somehow in my brain. All I can think of Italian food, how I can make and what to cook from that amazing country next. I think everyone can pretty much agree that anything from this extraordinary country is delicious and dreamy. You are probably thinking that I must be from this culinary capital, but no, I am an Irish girl who dreams of long summers in Positano and moonlit strolls through the streets of Rome. I recently made my own pizza and am VERY excited about the results. I found a great dough recipe that was easy (I am no baker, so take my word for it) and it can be frozen for later use. Which was an amazing revelation when I easily made this same recipe a week later with no dough-making required. There are a ton of pizza dough recipes out there, but I liked the simplicity of this one and it was delicious.

Basic Pizza Dough

Epicurious December 1996

makes dough for one 12-inch pizza or two 9-inch pizzas

Ingredients

1 teaspoon active dry yeast

2/3 cup warm water (105-115 degrees)

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

olive oil

Sprinkle the yeast over the water. Let stand 1 minute, or until the yeast is creamy. Stir until the yeast dissolves.

In a large bowl, combine the 2 cups flour and the salt. Add the yeast mixture and stir until a soft dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead, adding more flour if necessary, until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.

Lightly coat a large bowl with olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to oil the top. Cover with plastic wrap. Place in a warm, draft-free place and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.

Flatten the dough with your fist. Cut the dough into 2 pieces if you want two 9-inch pizzas and shape into balls. Flatten the dough slightly. Dust the tops with the flour. Place the balls of dough on a floured surface and cover each with plastic wrap, allowing room for the dough to expand. Let rise 60 minutes, or until doubled.

At this point you can either use the dough or freeze it. If you freeze the dough, make sure to fully defrost the dough and bring to room temp before rolling it out.

Prosciutto, Fig and Mozzarella Pizza

Forks & Amusement 2010

makes one 9-inch pizza

Ingredients

pizza dough

olive oil

6 thin slices fresh mozzarella (before using, press the slices between 2 pieces of paper towel to remove as much moisture as possible)

2 figs roughly chopped

2 thin slices of Prosciutto

chopped basil for topping

crushed red pepper (optional)

salt and pepper

Tools

Pizza Stone

Wooden Pizza Peel

Preheat your oven to 500 degrees and place pizza stone in middle of the oven to preheat as well for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a 9 inch diameter circle, flour the rolling pin if needed. Lightly flour the pizza peel and place pizza on it. Brush the top of the pizza with olive oil. Place the mozzarella, prosciutto and figs on the pizza and sprinkle with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper if using. Slide the pizza into the oven onto the stone and bake for about 15 min or until pizza is bubbling and crust is done. Slide the peel under the pizza and remove from the oven. Sprinkle with basil, slice as desired and eat!

Enjoy!

xoxo

Erin

Twitter!

You can follow the blog now on twitter using handle @forksandamuse. We need all the support we can get and would love to "tweet" with you! More recipe ideas and instant answers to your cooking questions! http://twitter.com/forksandamuse xoxo

Zucchini "Pasta" Salad

PS: Sorry for the terrible pictures! My camera is not cooperating!

In an effort to bring all of you something light and lovely for what has become a very hot week for most of the country, I put together this fast and fresh salad. I call it "pasta" in the title because essentially you are making zucchini ribbons that almost seem like noodles. So feel free to use this technique with any of your favorite pasta salads and watch the carbs disappear (everyone knows my love of pasta, so by no means will it be disappearing for too long). I like to pair a light, lemony salad like this with something rich like a grilled steak. This is also a great addition to antipasti platter, which is my new favorite dinner lately. Pair this salad with the ricotta crostini I wrote about last week with some fresh Italian meats and cheeses (I like Genoa salami, hot salami, prosciutto, Parmesan, provolone, and Gorgonzola). Add in a bowl of olives, fresh bread and side of gardinara and arrange on platters on your table with an Italian wine of your liking. This is a great way to bring some variety to a meal without a lot of cooking. This is great for a romantic night at home for two or a summer get together for a crowd.

Zucchini "Pasta" Salad

Forks & Amusement 2010

makes 4 sides

juice of 2 lemons

1 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

2 large zucchinis sliced with a vegetable peeler into long thin ribbons (see photo)

1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese shavings (You can make these with the vegetable as well)

In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Taste it and add in more of what you think it needs, especially olive oil if tastes too tart for your taste. Place the zucchini ribbons in a serving bowl and add in the lemon mixture in stages tossing the ribbons well until they are all coated (you might not need all of the lemon mixture, taste it!). Sprinkle the Parmesan shavings on top and serve.

Enjoy!

xoxo

Erin

Take a Trip on the Spice Trail

I don't know if you have noticed, but I don't enjoy bland foods. Flavor is so key and I like big, bold taste. I go through bottles of cumin at an unbelievable rate which makes me think I should be exploring beyond that rich smokey flavor. But, instead of substituting, I am expanding what cumin can do for me. I just can't give it up! So I came up with this easy recipe for chicken tenders which could be used as a fun appetizer for a party or an entree for your family. Curry powder is a strong taste, but not spicy, which many people think it has to be. I added some heat, but for those that can not take it or want to serve this to their little ones (I am a huge fan of exposing kids to new flavors!), just don't add it in the marinade. Enjoy your trip to the East!

Yogurt Marinaded Curry Chicken Skewers

Forks & Amusement 2010

makes appetizers for 6 or entrees for 4

12 oz plain yogurt

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons curry powder

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

salt and pepper

1 tablespoon of fresh ginger, minced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 1/4 pounds of chicken tenders (you can also do this with breasts if you prefer)

wooden skewers

cilantro for garnish (not in the picture, I forgot it!)

In a bowl combine all the ingredients and coat the chicken well. Place everything in a large resealable plastic bag, massage the marinade into the chicken, refrigerate for 1 hour or can be done day before.

In a shallow dish with water, soak enough skewers so that each piece of chicken has its own. Do this at 30 minutes before you take the chicken out of the fridge.

Preheat a grill at high heat. brush some oil on the grates or non-stick spray to make sure chicken will not stick. Take the chicken out of the fridge, skewer once piece on each stick. Place the skewers on the grill (test one and if it seems to be sticking, place some foil on the grill and place chicken on foil) and cook for 3-5 minutes on each side until cooked through. (I usually cut one open to make sure it is done)

Place skewers on a platter, sprinkle with a little cilantro and serve. You can do this ahead of time and serve at room temperature as well.

Enjoy!

xoxo

Erin

Ricotta and Rosemary Crostini

This appetizer was so delicious and easy. It hardly needs words. A few simple ingredients and poof!, you are star in your kitchen. This crostini would be prefect for a party or just a snack. I have had about a hundred of them and am still making them every afternoon for myself. If you are going to pass for a party, I would use small rounds of baguette or you can even buy the ready-made toasted bread points as a short cut. I made mine big and thick and it, which made it more of a four bite dish. This flavor combination is fresh, creamy and sweet. The honey is a real surprise and it goes perfectly with the ricotta.

Ricotta & Rosemary Crostini

Forks & Amusement 2010

serves 4 for a starter

Toasted or grilled slices of bread brushed with olive oil, I used a rustic Italian bread and just popped it in the toaster. You could also broil it or grilling it would be delicious. Whatever you have time for!

3/4 cup Whole Milk Ricotta

Rosemary, a couple of sprigs chopped

Salt and Pepper

Honey

In a bowl, combine the ricotta with some of the rosemary you chopped and salt and pepper to taste. Top the bread with the ricotta mixture and drizzle with honey.

How simple is that?! This is amazing and I am off to make more for myself!

Enjoy!

xoxo

Erin