Saltimbocca Coast to Coast and Overseas

Yep....its that time! The BakeSpace beeps have organized another cook-off. This time we have a lot more participants and even one from overseas :). You'll see links to everyones goodies at the bottom.


Ok, let me present.......Saltimbocca.


I looked around at several recipes. Lots of them called for veal or chicken.


Me? I had a pork tenderloin that I wanted to use.


Soo....after lots of searching and trying to decided what looked good, sounded good and matched my frame of mind that day, I decided to use Tyler Florence's recipe for Saltimbocca Alla Romana, with a few minor alterations.

1 pork tenderloin
10 - 12 very thinly sliced prosciutto or twice as many as there are slices of tenderloin
10 - 12 fresh sage leaves, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon butter
All purpose flour
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons evoo
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1/4 cup chicken broth
lemon wedges
1 lb of spinach (2 lbs if you know you're family will eat it :) )
minced garlic to taste (at least 2)
1 tablespoon butter (or evoo...don't matter)
a little more chicken broth or water


First...I melted some butter in a pan and crispified my sage leaves....

You're basically sauteing them, turning once. They get kinda crunchy when you do that. No need to brown them.


This is my first time making Saltimbocca. My first time eating Saltimbocca. Soo...keep that in mind as you read along. Thank God this is a simple recipe that lends itself to personalization.


Anyways...remove the leaves from the pan and set them on a paper towel (or as some of us have come to know them as....power towels...but thats a different story that requires mass amounts of consumed wine!)


Then...on to the messy stuff. I sliced the tenderloin into maybe 2" thick slabs, covered with plastic and pounded away....

(hopefully you're not in need of a lot of stress release because these babies flatten so fast that you'd be done before you started feeling better)

You want them about 1/4" thick.


I cut some of my pieces in half so that they were about the size of my hand. Easier to work with and made the next step more symmetrical...the prosciutto and the tenderloin would be about the same size.


Get a long strip of plastic wrap. Lie the tenderloins on the plastic wrap, place one slice of prosciutto over each tenderloin. Cover with another strip of plastic wrap and gently roll over it all with a rolling pin until the prosciutto adheres to the tenderloins. Remove the top piece of plastic wrap...

When I saw the sage leaves in the recipe, I thought it would be nice to crispify the leaves.....but that was before I realized what was suppose to happen when you assembled and cooked the meat.


You see...you're suppose to place the fresh, pliable, soft sage leaf on top of the prosciutto and weave a toothpick in and out of the meat to secure everything together.


Crispy leaves don't like to weave.


Oh bother.


think
think
think....


Ok....lets try this......


Place 2 leaves over the prosciutto. Then place another slice of prosciutto on top of that. Cover again with the plastic wrap and roll away....

So far so good....keep your fingers crossed


In a shallow dish, season your flour with a good amount of salt and pepper. Dredge the tenderloin ....

I got a little nervous doing that. I thought I'd end up leaving some prosciutto and sage behind in my flour. But luckily it all stayed intact.

At this point you may want to cook the spinach. Melt some butter in a pan. Throw in some minced garlic and saute for a few seconds...

Toss in the spinach and maybe a little bit of chicken broth....

Remove from pan and place on a serving platter...

Now...back to the meat: heat up the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Put your meat in the pan, prosciutto side down. Cook for a couple of minutes on each side. It won't take long....maybe 3 minutes per side?

Transfer the cooked meat to the serving platter with the spinach and keep warm.


Add the wine to the pan....stirring to de-glaze...bringing up all those flavorful crunchies on the bottom of the pan. Let the wine cook down for a minute. Add the chicken broth and 1 tablespoon of butter......swirl around, add salt and pepper to taste....

Pour the sauce over the Saltimbocca and spinach. Garnish with lemon, and sage...and enjoy!

YUM! seriously good stuff here. It was easy.....quick. Lets put it this way. When cooking a meal, with the intent to blog, while taking pictures and reading instructions....it takes a while. I made this meal in the time that it took for my risotto to cook (that will be another blog very shortly). I imagine that the saltimbocca could be done in half the time if I weren't snapping pictures and reading instructions over and over again.


Now for our little International Saltimbocca tour....


Check this out...Thanks to DD over at DDPiesSlice, we have this awesome little map thing. Basically what you do is click on the link below...and it will take you to a world map of all the locations of the people who have participated in our little cook-off. You can either choose from the listings along the left side of the screen that pops up, ooor you can click on a utensil icon to see a picture of their dish. Clicking on the picture will take you to their blog with all the info about their wonderfully tasty version of Saltimbocca.


So click on the link and get ready for a fun filled tour of culinary bliss!!

International Saltimbocca Tour

4-Cheese Jalapeno Poppers

Warning: Although this recipe was a great success....please learn from my mistakes as noted.

I mean...I knew the risks, but I didn't think it would happen to me.

I didn't think it would pertain to Jalapenos.

I didn't think.

These little lovelies were my main contribution to the final summer hurrah! As stated on my recipe notes by one of my daughters YUM (followed by a smiley face).

You will start out with....

Lots of Jalapenos. The quantity will depend on the size.

Yes, size matters

I started with 12 very large Jalapeno Peppers

and ended up needing 17.

You will also need:

12oz cream cheese, softened

3 oz cheddar cheese, shredded

3 oz pepper jack cheese, shredded

3 oz monterey jack cheese, shredded

1 cup milk (more if needed)

1 cup flour (more if needed)

2 cups bread crumbs (more if needed)

Oil for deep frying

Combine the cheeses in a medium bowl.

Place your milk in another bowl, your flour in a separate bowl and your bread crumbs in yet another separate bowl.

You will make a slit along the length of one side of each jalapeno (not cutting all the way though)

With a spoon, scoop out the seeds and scrape the ribs off the wall (unless you really like the heat....I'm a whimp so I scraped). Be careful when scraping so you don't rip them or puncture them with the end of the spoon.

Kinda looks like one of those change purses I use to keep my lunch money in

Now....this is where I must ask that you heed the warnings

WEAR GLOVES! I have chopped, diced and sliced jalapenos before and have not had any issues other than spicy fingers for a little while. And even though I did not touch the insides of any of these jalapenos....the skin on my fingers burned. And tingled. They felt like they were extremely chapped. Not fun.

If you can, WEAR GLASSES! umm....getting squirted in the eye by jalapeno juice is not fun. You might want to keep your mouth shut too

And....VENTILATION! After every 3 0r 4 gutted jalapenos, I had to toss the insides into the trash....inhaling jalapeno fumes causes one to cough.

Stuff each pepper with the cheese mixture

Dip in milk, then roll in flour, set aside to dry

Once dry (about 10 or so minutes later), dip in milk again and roll in bread crumbs. Set aside to dry....

And one final time.....dip in milk and roll in bread crumbs, making sure they're thoroughly coated.

Only this time I got smart. I realized that the little stems that I left on the peppers could be pretty handy during these steps. Do yourself a favor and pour the milk into a tall glass. Don't fill too much cuz it will overflow, and dip away....

Set them all aside to dry and await for your big ole pot of ole to heat up to about 350 - 360'

Check these babies out!!!

Once the oil is heated, carefully drop about 3 or 4 peppers into the oil for about 2 or 3 minutes or until golden brown.

Let cool on a paper towel before serving.

I didn't have anything to dip them in, but I bet Ranch Dressing would've been good. I also wanted to wrap some bacon around them, but Sir Sportsalot vetoed that idea. (wth??). But they were good as is :)

Salubrious Sunday - Greek Chicken Pasta

I had no idea what to make for dinner on Sunday. I wasn't in the "mood" for anything and it was really getting on my nerves. So I searched the net. Didn't find the loads of "healthy" meals that I thought I would but I did come across something that intrigued me.

Greek Chicken Pasta

I found this at AllRecipes....submitted by Lalena

I did make some changes. Most of which I hope are for better health.

Well, one of them is.

Then the other change, which was more due to what was defrosted and not a deliberate alteration, well...it kinda voided my "healthy" change.

But this recipe has great potential for total salubriousness.

1 lb whole wheat/ whole grain Penne pasta

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 cup red onion, chopped and divided

4 skinless chicken thighs (should be boneless skinless chicken breast, chopped)

1 14oz can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped (I used the kind that was in water, not oil)

1 large tomato, chopped

4 oz herb goat cheese

3 tablespoons chopped parsley

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tsp oregano

Salt and Pepper to taste

More lemons for garnish

Small amount Light Greek Vinaigrette (if desired)

Cook the pasta according to package instructions

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup of the onion and saute for 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and heat for maybe 30 seconds. Season chicken with salt & pepper and add to skillet....

Cook until juices run clear. If you are using chicken with bone, you may have to cover the skillet with a lid for a few minutes.

Remove chicken from the pan. (Although if you're using chunks of chicken breast, just leave the chicken in the pan.) When the chicken cools off, cut it off the bone.

While the chicken is cooling, de-glaze the pan with the lemon juice, scraping up all that flavor from the bottom of the pan.

Combine the artichoke hearts, tomato, cheese, remaining onion, parsley and oregano

Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

Yaaaa....this looks pretty darned good as is!

Now....put the chicken back into the pan along with the veggie mix and the pasta....

oook, this skillet is awfully full. I would've transfered it all to a large bowl, but I wanted to make sure I had every ounce of flavor from the de-glazed bottom.

And so I very carefully combined with a spoon.....

Slowly turning...from the edge to the center....as if I were folding in foo-foo egg whites. Stirring until heated through.

But as careful as I was...and as much as I tried to keep it all safe and sound, inside my skillet....

We had a casualty

Man overboard!!

I'm sorry little guy. I tried....I really did

But..being the strong survivors that we are we over came our loss and stoically continued on our way to success (or course the hungry whines coming from the other room didnt hurt). Garnished with a little sprig of parsley...and lemon wedge and added just a drizzle of the Greek Dressing for a tad bit more flavor and voila!

Dinner is ready.

I have no idea how many calories this has. I don't know if I'll make it again.

Possibly.

I'd probably make more changes.

It would be good as a cold salad.

I'd add olives, more tomatoes...maybe those cute little grape tomatoes.

And I'd use a different cheese. I'm not a huge feta fan (as suggested in the original recipe) but maybe a garlic and herb feta, or some other kind of crumbly cheese.

The important thing is...I made dinner. We ate, we liked, therefor we're happy.

Homemade Chicken Soup - It's all about comfort

Homemade Chicken Soup

Is there anyone who has not had chicken soup? (well, besides vegetarians). There's something about chicken soup...its nostalgic, comforting, healing, and just plain good.

And easy to make!

In my opinion.....the success of a soup is in the broth. If the broth is flavorless, the rest of the soup will deflate in its wake.

I use lots of seasonings both in the making of the broth as well as in the making of the soup.

Ingredients is a hard thing to list here. I have no measurements. I begin the same way every time but as I go along, it shifts and becomes its own.

In a large pot of water, cook your chicken with some onions, bay leaf, cumin, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper.

In a pan with heated oil and / or butter, saute some chopped onion, a couple of diced carrots and one or two sliced celery stocks.....

Once your chicken is cooked, remove it from the broth and let everything cool, both the chicken and broth. When the broth is cool enough to deal with, I separate the crud from the good stuff. I have one of those really nifty little thing. Don't know what its called...maybe its a fat separator? You pour the broth into it. Let it sit for a bit. You'll see all the fat rise to the top.....

The pour spout comes from the bottom....leaving the fat untouched at the top. But all the sediment is at the bottom...so you can either strain that out, or watch very closely so that the sediment doesn't come out through the spout....

Pour the broth back into your large pan. Let it reduce some (not much...but some). Add your carrots and stuff to the broth.....cut up your chicken into bite sized pieces....toss in a handful of some pasta. ( I usually use egg noodles but I didn't have any ) You can add some other veggies.... broccoli, corn, zucchini...what ever floats your boat. This time I kept mine simple.

Taste the broth. You may and probably will have to add more seasoning; garlic, salt, pepper....and even some Italian seasoning is really good. Maybe add some parsley. I just basically ransack my spice cupboard and toss in what ever smells good. And just for that added flavor kick...a teaspoon of chicken bouillon.

If you happen to have some homemade bread...then you're really in luck. With broth as good as this, you won't want to waste a drop.

Chorizo and Corn Cakes

Ready for some good stuff?

My first exposure to mexican chorizo was back a few weeks when I made Paella and used it instead of Spanish chorizo. I've been wanting to try it in its natural "habitat" ever since.

With the advice of a very sweet and helpful co-worker, I presented chorizo to my family last night. I purchased beef chorizo from the market (they also have pork chorizo). However from what I understand, its not nearly as good as the chorizo that is made by the "chorizo man" and sold every few months. I'm gonna have to get my hands on some of that stuff!!

Anyways....here's what I did this time (I have other plans for next time)

I sliced a few potatoes....small chunks would've been good too. I also sliced some onion, garlic and jalapeno (in my whimpy ass version...the seeds and ribs were removed)....and sauteed. I only used 2 potatoes and 1 jalapeno for my 12oz chorizo. Chorizo has a very over powering presence. I probably should've used 3 or 4 potatoes and 2 or more jalapenos. But it was still really good!

I then removed the potatoes from the pan and squished the chorizo into the pan and cooked until done. Then tossed the potatoes back in.

Aaaaaand....while all this was going on I made these corn cakes...oh man....these things were seriously good stuff!!

I'll show you what I did but you'll have to get the recipe from the same place I got it from...

My Columbian Recipes

Its basically corn, cheese, eggs, sugar, salt and butter....all blended together in a food processor

btw....this thing is over 20 yrs old and it kicks ass!!!

Then I divided the mixture between small sheets of aluminum foil....

Twisted the ends and steamed for about an hour

Scooped it all out and served with my chorizo and a simple salad of tomatoes, avocados and red onions with lime juice drizzled over the top.

I would've loved to have had some cilantro for this dish.... It would've been great with the chorizo and in the salad. but...(sigh)...I didn't have any. :( My local market was out of it?!

Sooooo....Have you ever cooked with mexican chorizo? What did you do with it?

Ohh...and, do you want to play the Chorizo drinking game? For every time I said "Chorizo" (ya, that time counts too)....you get to take a shot of tequila. See what a great hostess I am?

Orange-Zest Chicken: Salubrious Someday

Sunday came around and I was not in the mood for anything "salubrious" like. (can you say bbq beef sammies, cole slaw and creamed corn? YUM!!!)

Anyways...I always say better late than never though.......right? Right...so Wednesday it is.

I had some chicken that needed cooking ASAP. I was informed last night not to cook.

Noooo....not a bash on my cooking abilities. It was just HOT.

We had salad 2 days in a row. (uuugh)

Tonights dinner...which required cooking (YEAH!) came from my beloved Pillsbury Fast & Healthy Cookbook.

It was simple. Need I say more? Perfect after a long day.

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt (I used lemon pepper)

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 teaspoon grated orange peel (umm....zest!!)

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used bone-in chicken thighs)

I doubled the lemon pepper and garlic powder, which may or may not be necessary. You decide.

In a teeny tiney bowl, mix the seasoned salt and garlic powder....

In a 10-inch skillet, heat oil and orange peel over medium heat.....

It smells reeeeeeeeally good!

Add your chicken and sprinkle with seasoning mix....

I only sprinkled half of the seasoning so that I could season the other side too. Thats why I doubled that part of the recipe, but I didn't end up using all of it. Maybe just half it again.

Cook, turning once, until chicken is done (juices run clear, yadda yadda yadda). If you're using chicken breast, this should take about 15 minutes. Other parts will take a little longer.

I steamed some veggies on the side

Then I ruined the whole thing by making one of those packages of noodle-roni. But man was it good!

O'well.... what can I say? I'm not gonna beat myself up over it. At least 2/3rds of the meal was healthy. Not too bad.

Btw...the chicken had great flavor. I imagine this would be really good on the bbq too.

Orange-Zest Chicken Breast Stats (if cooked as recommended by Pillsbury)

4 servings

Calories: 160

Calories from fat: 60

Total fat: 7g

Saturated fat: 1.5g

Trans fat: 0g

Cholesterol: 70mg

Sodium: 230mg

Total Carbohydrate: 0g

I was wondering....if any of you would like to participate in my Salubrious Sunday recipes? I could post your links and pics with my posts. I would just need the info by Wednesday, say noon-ish, PST in order to include them with mine.

If you're interested, send the links and pictures to me: peacefulcooking (at) gmail (dot) com

It would be fun. And I'd love to see what Salubrious stuffs you all might be cooking up.