Groumet S'Mores

Ok, so we've all made s'mores at some time in our lives, right? Well one day last season we were talking about s'mores and I figured for one of the luncheons I could make them in a way that would be able to be served in a restaurant. These are super rich and decedent but I love them!

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
4-5 Tbsp melted butter
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup finely chopped or ground hazelnuts (or any type of nut you like)

8 oz semi sweet or milk chocolate chips
6 oz heavy cream
1/4 tsp rum extract (if you don't have rum you can use vanilla or almond)
1/4 tsp instant espresso (optional)

Marshmallow Fluff

Instructions:

If you can't find graham cracker crumbs in the grocery store just buy some graham crackers and crush them up either in a food processor or crush them in a zip top bag
grind up nuts in a food processor or finely chop them
mix together the graham cracker crumbs, nuts, and sugars before adding in the melted butter.
You want it to be fairly moist so that you end up with a nice crust
Press that into small ramekins, large pie tin or mini pie tins
Put into the fridge to let set

while that is setting heat up the heavy cream in a pan until it just starts to bubble along the edge, add in the instant espresso
pour the heavy cream over the chocolate chips add in the extract and stir until the chocolate is fully melted

pour a thin layer of chocolate into each ramekin or pie tin
This is a very rich chocolate, you don't have to use a lot, but its up to you how much you put in

Put that in the fridge to set up for about 30-60 mins

You have 2 options for the marshmallow fluff. You can either spread it on top with a knife which can be difficult because its so sticky, but you can either coat your knife with corn starch to spread it easier
Or you can put the fluff into a piping bag (or zip top bag with a tip cut off) and pipe it onto the chocolate.

Either way you do it, just go with whatever works best for you.

Finally to finish this off and give you that s'more feel toast the marshmallow under the broiler until golden brown

Garnish with chopped nuts and shaved chocolate

Beer and Cheese Chowder

So for whatever reason lately I've been obsessed with soups, strange cause the weather is getting warmer and you're less likely to want a thick and hearty or even just super hot thin soup. But I'm loving them either way! This is one of my favorites that I used to make at the Cheeky Monk in Denver. And I still make it from time to time cause its just delicious! You can't go wrong, beer and cheese together with sweet and regular potatoes! yum!

1 1/2 bottles of beer (I use New Castle Brown Ale, but you can use whatever you prefer, remember this flavor will be concentrated so use something you like! Lagers work great so do Ales)
1 large carrot diced
2-3 ribs of celery diced
1 large onion diced
2 large cloves garlic
1 sweet potato peeled and diced
1 russet potato peeled and diced
1 can vegetable or chicken stock/broth
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4-1/2 cup milk
1 Tbsp hot sauce (optional)
2 Tbsp cajun seasoning (optional)
2 cups of cheddar cheese or blend
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

dice up all the veggies to approx the same size. You want 1 part celery, 1 part carrot, 2 parts onion.
Saute all the veggies lightly, season with salt and pepper
deglaze the pan with the beer
let bubble away covered until veggies are softened about 20 mins
using either an immersion blender, food processor or blender blend until mostly smooth adding stock/broth to help blend if necessary
once blended return to the pot and add the rest of the stock/broth
bring to a bubble and add the cheese, hot sauce and cajun seasoning
once the cheese has melted add the sour cream and milk
if too thick thin our with more stock/broth
if too thin allow to cook down until thickened.

Garnish with a small dollop of sour cream and fresh chopped parsley

Portobello Mushroom Chicken Sandwich

I may be the self proclaimed queen of sandwiches! I LOVE them! And this one is no different. There are 2 different ways to make it, one as a sub and one as a more classic sandwich. I love both, Nick's fav is the sub.

2 portobello mushroom caps per sandwich
1 4-6 oz chicken breast per sandwich
2 Tbsp Light Honey Mustard Salad Dressing
1 Tbsp chopped sun dried tomatoes
1-2 slices of swiss or white american cheese per sandwich
1 sandwich thin or sub roll per sandwich
salt and pepper to taste

Mix together the sun dried tomatoes and the dressing set aside
cook the chicken breast through lightly seasoning with salt and pepper
scrape out the inside gills of the mushroom with a spoon and cook in a pan 3-4 mins each side lightly seasoning with salt and pepper
assemble the sandwich bottom bun, mushroom gill side up, top with cheese, then with the chicken breast and with another slice of cheese if desired, top with dressing mixture, top with the 2nd mushroom gill side down and finally finish with the top bun.

If you decide to do this in a sub roll you are going to need to slice up the mushroom then saute and either slice up or shred the chicken. With this one put the dressing mix down in the roll first then top with shredded or chopped chicken, and then cheese. If desired melt the cheese under the broiler for a few minutes.

Carnitas

Normally I make shredded chicken enchiladas, BUT I bought some pork and didn't feel like having bbq pulled pork so I decided this would be a nice change. You can serve this a few different ways by shredding it and throwing it into tacos or a burrito or even on its own just as an entree with rice and beans on the side. As for me I'm making this into enchiladas cause they are my fav!

Pork Carnitas

3 whole garlic cloves
1 can condensed milk
1 can cola
Water to fill if necessary
Pork shoulder cut into parts with bone
2 cinnamon sticks
1 T cumin
1 T chili powder
1 t cayenne pepper
salt and pepper

Optional
Instead of cola - Dr Pepper, or Ginger Ale
1 onion
1/2 bell peppers
1 chile pepper (optional, Anaheim or poblano)

Sear pork in a hot skillet
Layer in pork and all veg into the crock pot
Sprinkle in cumin and add cinnamon sticks
Pour condensed milk and cola on top
Fill to top with water

Let cook for 8 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high
In a pot or in the oven for 3-4 hours keeping an eye on it.

To make enchiladas put a small amount of pork into a tortilla with some cheese, roll up and place in a casserole dish seam side down.

for a sauce you can either use a canned sauce or make your own with a can of diced tomatoes, some hot sauce, sauteed onion, and jalapeno. cook until flavors combined and spoon over filled tortillas, sprinkle with cheese and bake at 350 until cheese is bubbly!

serve with rice and beans if desired! YUM

Roasted Eggplant Parmesan

So it was Friday and we needed a meat free meal, and let me tell you, I was getting sick of Talapia... Its a great fish but gets boring after a while. While grocery shopping this week I picked up an eggplant (you want it to be firm with even coloring and as heavy as possible) not sure of when I was going to use it but sure that I wanted to at some point. When Friday came along and Nick reminded me that we needed to eat meat free at first I was super bummed, but then I remembered the eggplant. I was going to make a more classic eggplant parm where you bread the eggplant and pan fry it and then add the sauce and the cheese but decided I could make it healthier and full of flavor, so here is what I came up with. (if you double this you can just use 1 large can of tomatoes, or if you want left over sauce for tomorrow you can use 1 large can and double the amounts for everything else =])

Roasted Eggplant Parmesan
serves 2; 45 mins

1 Eggplant
1 small can stewed tomatoes
1/4 cup onion – diced
2 cloves garlic
1/2 T sugar
4 slices mozzarella or 1 cup shredded
1/4 cup graded or shredded Parmesan cheese
garlic powder
Italian seasoning
olive oil or olive oil spray
salt and pepper

Instructions:

cut eggplant into 4 thick slices
(optional let them weep – sprinkle each side with salt and let sit for 15-20 mins, this pulls some of the bitterness out of the eggplant, however nowadays its not really necessary unless you're using organic or home grown eggplant, after 20 mins dry with paper towel and continue with recipe)

drizzle each side with olive oil then sprinkle with
salt and pepper
garlic powder
italian seasoning
roast in a 350 degree oven for 15 mins on a broiler pan or slotted pan
flip and repeat seasoning on other side for another 20 mins

while eggplant is roasting

Heat about a tablespoon of oil in a pot
saute onion until slightly softened
add garlic, saute for few minutes
add entire can of tomatoes with juice
add 2 Tbsp Italian seasoning and the sugar
let come to a bubble
take potato masher and mash up tomatoes
let cook down a little until slightly thickened.

Once eggplant is roasted move to a casserole dish
top with tomato sauce
sprinkle a little Parmesan over entire casserole
top with mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with more Parmesan

bake in 425 degree oven until golden brown and bubbly.

Serve over pasta and with garlic bread

Chicken Apple Mac and Cheese

So after wanting to do something different with some Mac and Cheese I decided to do chicken apple sausage without the sausage! And it tastes a whole lot like it, Yum!

Chicken Apple Mac and Cheese
30 mins – serves 2-3

1/2 box medium shells (or any small pasta)
1 large chicken breast – diced
3 slices of bacon sliced thin
3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 medium onion diced
2 T butter – up to if needed
2 T flour
2-3 cups milk
1/2 package shredded cheddar mix (white and yellow if you can find it)
1 apple – small diced (granny smith)
1.5 tsp sage
1.5 tsp fennel seed
fresh grated nutmeg (optional, if available)
salt and pepper
breadcrumbs and cheese to garnish
sliced green onion to garnish

Instructions:

slightly under cook pasta according to box

cook the diced chicken and remove it from the pot
render the bacon and remove bacon from the pot leaving the rendered fat
add onion and apple to the pot, let soften slightly
add garlic, fennel seed and sage
once cooked add the flour, stir together, if too thick, add a little more butter
let flour cook out for a few minutes and add the milk
Start with 2 cups and if necessary add up to 1 more cup
season with salt pepper and nutmeg (optional)
once thickened add in cheese, remove from heat and stir until combined

add drained pasta, chicken, and bacon to cheese sauce, stir to combine
transfer to a casserole dish (sprayed with non stick spray)
sprinkle with a little more cheese and breadcrumbs

Bake at 350 until golden brown and melted

serve and garnish with sliced green onion