Asparagus Puree: Baby Food

You will need this puree when making the Asparagus Risotto for your baby. You can also serve the puree on it's own if your baby is 6 -7 months old. :)

INGREDIENTS

* 1 bunch asparagus (about 1 pound)

UTENSILS

* Beaba Babycook
* cutting board
* 5 inch santoku knife

PREPARE

1. Cut the woody ends off of the asparagus and discard.

2. Chop asparagus and place in the Babycook steaming basket.

3. Fill the cooking container to the 3 line and pour into heating unit.

4. The asparagus will take 10-15 minutes to cook.

5. Pour asparagus into regular cooking container and puree until smooth and creamy.

Baby's Stock

This baby stock will be needed for the recipes I posted previously (Asparagus Risotto and Potato & Butternut Squash Stew).

INGREDIENTS

* 6 asparagus spears
* 1 large leek, cut into chunks (1 cup)
* 1/2 sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks (1 cup)

UTENSILS

* Beaba Babycook or medium pot
* cutting board
* 5 inch santoku knife

PREPARE

1. Chop all items and place into babycook steamer basket.
2. Fill line to 3 in the cooking container and pour into heating unit.
3. The vegetables will steam for about 10-15 minutes.
4. Place baby stock in needed recipe.
5. Throw leeks away and use sweet potato and asparagus in another recipe. If you're not making another recipe right away you may freeze the vegetables until you need them.

Asparagus Risotto: Baby Food

In making a variety of new foods for my baby I wanted to make sure I selected foods that are rich in nurtirents and also rich in flavor. I am a HUGE risotto fan so this recipe would definitely sit well with my son! LOL! :) I also decided to throw in 1/2 a sweet potato into this meal as well. I hope your baby enjoys this meal!

INGREDIENTS

* 1/2 cup Arborio rice
* 1/2 cup Baby's Stock (click link for recipe)
* 1/2 sweet potato, peeled and chopped
* 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
* 2 tsp fresh tarragon, minced
* Asparagus Puree (click link for recipe)

UTENSILS

* Beaba Babycook
* cutting board
* 5 inch santoku knife
* medium, heavy bottomed saucepan

PREPARE

1. Put rice, stock, and oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
2. In the meantime chop sweet potato and cook in Babycook, then puree.
2. Reduce heat to low and cook stirring once, until liquid has been absorbed and rice is thick and creamy.
3. Remove saucepan from heat, stir in taragon, and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.
4. Fluff rice with fork, stir in asparagus and sweet potato purees and place in Babycook and puree until a smooth consistency is reached.

Potato & Butternut Squash Stew: Baby Food

I love making my son healthy organic meals from scratch. This is a yummy recipe from Cooking for Baby. Of course another item out the endless amount of things I own from Williams-Sonoma. But what can I say? Their store is wonderful! Up to now my son has only had butternut squash puree alone but it's time to take it up a notch and make him purees with a lot of flavor. I hope your baby enjoys this savory meal! :)

INGREDIENTS

* 1 cup butternut squash, chopped
* 1 Fuji apple, peeled, havled, and cored
* 2 small yellow potatoes
* 1 tbsp olive oil
* 1/2 cup Baby Stock (click link for recipe)

UTENSILS

* Beaba Babycook
* cutting board
* 5 inch santoku knife

PREPARE

1. Fill the steaming unit using the cooking cup and filling the line to 3.
2. Chop the squash, fuji apple, and yellow potatoes and place into the babycook steaming basket.
3. Turn the dial to steam and it will cook the veggies for about 15 minutes or less.
4. Empty all of the food into the processor unit.
5. Stir in 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
6. Puree food until smooth and creamy.
7. Serve. Place any unused food in the Beaba Babycook containers and store in your freezer for up to three months! :)

Balsamic Quick-Braised Pork Chops

As most of you know my husband is in the army. He recently drove down from his base and surprised me early on Thanksgiving morning! :) He is such a wonderful man! Thanksgiving dinner turned out really nice at my brother's house. I made a delicious apple pie from scratch and Savory Pecan Pumpkin Spread. The next day I wanted to enjoy a nice warm meal without having to use leftovers so I made this recipe (which surprisingly I found at Williams-Sonoma.com). It was definitely a hit with my husband and I enjoyed it was well so we will be making this again in the future. I hope you enjoy it with you and your special loved one! :)

INGREDIENTS

* 4 bone-in pork chops, each 1 inch thick
* Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
* 1 Tbs. olive oil
* 4 bacon slices, diced
* 1 red onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 2 Tbs. firmly packed dark brown sugar
* 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
* 1 tsp. minced fresh thyme
* 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
* 2 tsp. chicken demi-glace
* Fresh rosemary leaves for garnish

UTENSILS

* cutting board
* 5 inch santoku knife
* large saute pan
* spatula
* slotted spoon

PREPARE

1. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper.
2. In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil.
3. Add the pork chops and sear, turning once, until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
4. In the same pan over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy, 5 to 8 minutes.
5. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.
6. Pour off all but 1 Tbs. of the fat in the pan.
7. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the onion and partially cover the pan.
8. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is caramelized and tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
9. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
10. Stir in the brown sugar, vinegar, thyme and bacon.
11. Increase the heat to medium and cook until the liquid is thickened and reduced by half, 10 to 12 minutes.
12. Stir in the broth and demi-glace and bring the sauce to a simmer.
13. Return the pork chops to the pan.
14. Cook, uncovered, coating the chops with the sauce, for 10 to 12 minutes.
15. Garnish with the rosemary leaves and serve immediately. Serves 4.

Caramel Apple Pie

Want to make a staple Thanksgiving dessert dish that will be 10 times better than any store bought dessert? Use this Williams-Sonoma recipe to really WOW your guests! I made this for Thanksgiving dinner and once it was over there was not a crumb left. Yes it's easier to buy one...but you'll have to try this pie and you'll never want another again! Hope you enjoy this recipe and enjoy eating even more! :)

INGREDIENTS

* 2 rolled-out rounds deep-dish piecrust (see related recipe at left)

For the apples:
* 4 lb. Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and each cut into 8 slices
* 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
* 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
* 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
* 1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
* 3 Tbs. cornstarch
* For the caramel:
* 1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
* 1/3 cup light corn syrup
* 6 Tbs. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
* 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
* 1/2 cup heavy cream

* 1 egg white, beaten with 1 tsp. water
* 2 tsp. granulated sugar

UTENSILS
* 9 inch pie dish
* Fall Forest Pie Crust Cutters
* dutch oven
* rolling pin
* cooking spoon
* heavy 4-quart saucepan
* large mixing bowl
* wire rack

PREPARE

1. Transfer 1 dough round to a 9-inch deep-dish pie dish and gently press into the dish. Trim the edges flush with the rim.
2. Reroll the dough scraps and cut out shapes using decorative pie cutters.
3. Refrigerate the pie shell, cutouts and remaining dough round for 30 minutes.
4. To prepare the apples, in a large Dutch oven over medium heat, stir together the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon juice.
5. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are just tender, about 20 minutes.
6. Uncover and let cool to room temperature.
7. Stir in the cornstarch.
8. To prepare the caramel, in a heavy 4-quart saucepan over medium heat, combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, butter and salt.
9. Cook until the mixture is bubbling vigorously, about 9 minutes, stirring only during the first 2 to 3 minutes of cooking.
10. Off the heat, carefully stir in 1/4 cup of the cream, then stir in the remaining 1/4 cup cream.
11. Let cool until just warm.
12. Preheat an oven to 400°F.
13. Let the pie shell, cutouts and dough round stand at room temperature for 5 minutes.
14. In a large bowl, combine the apple mixture and 3/4 cup of the caramel; reserve the remaining caramel for serving.
15. Pour the apple filling into the pie shell and place the top crust over the pie. 16. Trim the edges flush with the rim and press the top and bottom crusts together. 17. Brush the underside of the cutouts with egg wash and gently arrange them on the pie.
18. Brush the entire top crust with egg wash and sprinkle with the granulated sugar.
19. Place the pie dish on a baking sheet.
20. Bake until the crust is golden brown, about 1 hour; check the pie after 30 minutes and cover the top and edges with foil if they become too dark.
21. Let the pie cool on a wire rack for at least 2 1/2 hours before serving.
22. Warm the reserved caramel sauce and serve alongside the pie for drizzling. Serves 8.

Savory Pumpkin Pecan Spread | Williams-Sonoma

Oh Williams-Sonoma...I spend all day every day dreaming of that store and of their recipes online! On one of my recent visits to my favorite store I went to pick up the new Star Wars Cookie Cutters. Of course they have to be sampling something delicious geared towards Thanksgiving. They had this dip/spread that tasted heavenly and to my surprise used only four ingredients! One of the ingredients is sold at Williams-Sonoma and it is the Pecan Pumpkin Butter. I paired it with some regular crackers for Thanksgiving but you can make this for any time of year (that is as long as Williams-Sonoma carries it being that it is a seasonal item). Worse case scenario just Google Murihead Pecan Pumpkin Butter and you'll find it for sale on sites such as Amazon.

INGREDIENTS

* 4 oz. Pecan Pumpkin Butter
* 8 oz. cream cheese
* 3 slices cooked bacon, chopped
* 2 green onions, chopped

UTENSILS

* cutting board
* 5 inch santoku knife
* small nonstick saute pan
* small food processor
* serving dish

PREPARE

1. Cook the bacon sliced on medium-high for 4 minutes make sure to turn over once.

2. Chop the bacon when it is cooked and cooled off along with the green onion.

3. Place all items into a small food processor until green onion and bacon are chopped finely and the spread is smooth.

4. Place in a serving dish and enjoy with crackers!

Golden Broccoli Gratin

Of course since I don't talk about Williams-Sonoma and their recipes enough here I go with another one of their recipes! :) This makes a good side for a steak or whole chicken dinner. I paired it with Buffalo sirloin and it was just the comfort dish my husband and I were craving! You can also make this dish for Thanksgiving. It's the perfect cheesy vegetable dish! Keep an eye out for my yummy Thanksgiving dishes within the next week! Enjoy! :)

INGREDIENTS

* Kosher salt, to taste
* 2 lb. broccoli
* 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
* 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 2 cups milk
* 1/2 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
* 1 bay leaf
* 1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
* Freshly ground pepper, to taste
* 1 cup panko
* 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
* 2 Tbs. olive oil

UTENSILS

* large saucepan
* cutting board
* 5 inch santoku knife
* large mixing bowl
* small mixing bowl
* 10 inch ovenproof fry pan
* whisk
* grater
* cooking spoon

PREPARE

1. Preheat an oven to 350ºF.
2. Bring a large saucepan of well salted water to a boil over high heat.
3. Cut the heads from the broccoli stalks and cut the heads into small florets.
4. Peel the stalks and thinly slice.
5. Add the broccoli to the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes.
6. Transfer the broccoli to a bowl filled with ice water, then drain well.
7. In a 10-inch fry pan over medium heat, melt the butter.
8. Add the flour and stir until well incorporated and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
9. Slowly whisk in the milk and bring to a boil.
10. Reduce the heat to low, add the onion and bay leaf and simmer, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens, about 8 minutes.
11. Remove and discard the bay leaf and add the Gruyère, stirring until the cheese is melted.
12. Season with salt and pepper.
13. Carefully fold in the broccoli and spread in an even layer.
14. In a small bowl, stir together the panko, Parmigiano-Reggiano and olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
15. Sprinkle the panko mixture over the broccoli mixture.
16. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the gratin is golden and bubbly, 40 to 45 minutes.
17. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving. Serves 4 to 6.

Braised Buffalo

What do you make for a hungry husband who is in the army and is home for only a few days? Tatanka...Buffalo! The American Natives were not kidding when they said Tatanka was the finest tasting meat. If you can think of the flavor and look past the price then it will all be worth it. I bought my bison loins at Whole Foods. They also carry bison ribs, ribeye, and bison hot dogs! Bison is definitely better than any beef sirloin or filet mignon I've tried to date! This meat is definitely fit for any hungry man...or woman! Lol! Enjoy! :)

INGREDIENTS

* 2 bison loins, trimmed
* fresh ground salt and pepper
* 2 to 4 tablespoons Bobby Flay Steak Rub
* 2 tablespoons canola oil
* Cilantro leaves, for garnish
* butter

UTENSILS

* medium ovenproof skillet
* tongs
* 7 inch wanting knife
* cutting board

PREPARE

1. Season both sides of of the loins with salt and pepper and coat ones side with the steak rub.

2. Heat the canola oil in a medium ovenproof skillet over high heat until it begins to simmer.

3. Sear the sirloin, rub side down, until golden-brown, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook 1 more minute.

4. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 20 minutes.

5. Garnish will cilantro and 1 tablespoon of butter and serve!

Coq Au Vin

I've longed to make Coq Au Vin for so long! This was a delicious meal but as you may know...extremely time consuming. Along with all that time you need a lot of bowls. Everything is done in sections and you keel having to set items to the side so be armed with plenty of bowls! This was so flavorful and the chicken and veggies were juicy and tender! This is definitely on my top favorite recipes! Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

* 1 bottle (750ml) Pinot Noir
* 5 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs, plus 2 Tbs. finely chopped parsley
* 3 fresh thyme sprigs
* 1 bay leaf
* 1/2 leek (cut lengthwise)
* 6 oz. thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch dice
* 3 1/4 lb. whole chicken legs
* Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
* 1 lb. small button mushrooms
* 3/4 lb. shallots, halved
* 1 Tbs. unsalted butter
* 3 garlic cloves, minced
* 2 Tbs. tomato paste
* 2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
* 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
* 3/4 lb. carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces

UTENSILS

* large dutch oven (Le Creuset Pot)
* cutting board
* 7 inch santoku knife
* large saucepan
* baking twine
* 3 medium mixing bowls

PREPARE

1. Preheat an oven to 350°F.
2. In a large saucepan over high heat, boil the wine until reduced by half, about 15 minutes.
3. Place the parsley sprigs, thyme sprigs and bay leaf against the cut side of the halved leek and tie with kitchen twine. Set aside.
4. In a 5 1/2-quart Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp, 10 to 12 minutes.
5. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Discard all but 2 Tbs. of the fat from the pot.
6. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
7. Set the pot over medium-high heat.
8. Working in 2 batches, brown the chicken, turning once, 8 to 10 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate.
9. Discard all but 2 Tbs. of the fat from the pot.
10. Return the pot to medium-high heat, add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes.
11. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
12. Reduce the heat to medium and melt the butter.
13. Add the garlic, tomato paste and flour and cook for 1 minute.
14. Whisk in the reduced wine and the broth, increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer.
15. Add the bacon, chicken, mushroom mixture, carrots and bouquet garni.
16. Cover, transfer to the oven and bake until the chicken is tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
17. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
18. Skim the fat off the sauce, set the pot over medium-high heat and simmer until the sauce is thickened, 12 to 15 minutes.
19. Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper.
20. Discard the bouquet garni.
21. Return the chicken to the pot.
22. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately. Serves 4 to 6.

Maggiano's Rigatoni D

It's been a year and a half since I've been to a Maggiano's and the craving has gotten the best of me. I've been searching for the Rigatoni D recipe for quite some time and finally came across a good one on someone else's blog. You'll know the dish if you've been there and ordered it before. The Rigatoni is mixed with a sauce fragrant of wine and tender mushrooms and chicken! Mmmm! Enough to make anyone's mouth water.

In searching for this recipe I came to find out that there's a Maggiano's about 30 minutes away from me! I always thought they only existed in the Northeast! My husband and I will definitely have to make a trip there at some point because I've also been craving their fried Zucchini! Goodness I'm getting hungry just writing about it! :) Bon Appetit!

INGREDIENTS

* 8 oz. rigatoni
* 2 tbsp. olive oil, divided
* 1-2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
* ½ cup chopped yellow onion
* 4 oz. baby bella mushrooms, sliced
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 tbsp. dry white wine
* ¼ cup Marsala wine
* 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
* 1 cup heavy cream (or half-and-half)
* 2 tsp. minced fresh basil
* 2 tsp. minced fresh parsley
* 1 tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
* 1 tbsp. butter

UTENSILS

* cutting board
* 5 inch santoku knife
* large pot
* large skillet
* whisk
* cooking spoon

PREPARE

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil.
2. Once boiling, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well.
3. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Add the chicken breasts to the pan and cook, turning once, until golden brown on both sides and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes.
5. If necessary, turn down the heat to medium-low so the outside doesn’t brown too quickly.
6. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.
7. When cool enough to handle, cut into bite-size pieces.
8. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan with the heat on medium-high.
9. Add the onion to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes.
10. Add the mushrooms to the pan and continue to cook until most of the liquid has been released and the onions are softened, about 5 minutes more.
11. Mix in the garlic and sauté just until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
12. Remove the pan from the heat and add the wines, scraping with a spoon to deglaze the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
13. Whisk in the chicken broth.
14. Return Bring to a simmer, lower the heat to medium and continue to simmer until the liquid is reduced by about half.
15. Stir in the cream and cook until heated through.
16. Add in the herbs, Parmesan and butter; mix until well blended and the butter is completely melted.
17. Add the cooked rigatoni to the pan and toss with the sauce. Serve immediately with additional grated Parmesan as desired.

Tre Salumi Panini and Herbed Haystack Fries

My husband came home for our anniversary! He arrived this morning and will be staying for few days. He'll officially be done with the army December 15! Yay! Since my hubby took me out to dinner on our anniversary I figured I'd fix him a nice lunch! My husband is big into sandwiches so I don't want to bore him with the same ole' ham and cheese number every time. Of course I found this recipe on William Sonoma's website...being as obsessed as I am with that store and all of their recipes! :)We don't have a panini press but are hoping to get the one from Williams-Sonoma for Christmas. I used our handy George Foreman grill and it worked out great! :)

When trying to find the salumi...its really salami. I figured I'd save you all of the trouble I went through trying to find out what in the world salumi was! Lol! For the fries...I just cut up the potato and fried them in a pan the way my mom used to. We're also hoping to get a deep fryer and the special mandolin with the respective attachment to make the fries skinny or more haystack-like. I hope you enjoy this simple yet delicious sandwich!

INGREDIENTS

For the herbed haystack fries:

* 3 large russet potatoes, about 2 lb. total
* Canola oil for frying
* Salt, to taste
* 1/2 cup lightly packed fresh sage leaves
* 1/3 cup small rosemary sprigs, with little or no stems

For the panini:

* 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
* 2 Tbs. mayonnaise
* 1 loaf focaccia, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 4 slices, each 3 inches wide
* 3/4 lb. provolone cheese, thinly sliced and each slice cut in half
* 2 oz. Italian salumi, thinly sliced
* 2 oz. herbed salumi, thinly sliced
* 2 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch strips

UTENSILS

* cutting board
* 5 inch santoku knife
* mandoline with julienne attachment
* 2 large mixing bowls
* 1 small mixing bowl
* deep fryer
* panini press (or George Foreman grill)

PREPARE

FRIES

1. To make the herbed haystack fries, using a knife, square off 3 long sides of each potato, leaving 1 side and the 2 ends untouched.
2. Set a mandoline to 1/8-inch thickness; using a 3/8-inch julienne attachment, create long, thin lengthwise planks of potato.
3. Place the potatoes in a large bowl and add cold water to cover.
4. Just before frying, drain the potatoes thoroughly and place on towels to absorb as much moisture as possible.
5. In a deep fryer, heat oil to 350°F according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Line a baking sheet with paper towels.
6. Working in batches, fry the potatoes until crispy and golden, 3 to 5 minutes per batch.
7. Transfer the fries to the paper towel-lined baking sheet and season with salt.
8. Transfer the fries to a large bowl. Then fry the sage leaves and rosemary sprigs until they are crisp but still retain their color, about 1 minute.
9. Drain on paper towels, then add to the bowl with the fries and toss to combine.

PANINI

1. To make the panini, preheat a panini press to medium-high heat according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

2. In a small bowl, stir together the mustard and mayonnaise.
3. Spread the cut side of each bread slice with the mustard mixture.
4. Place 2 half-slices of cheese on each bottom half of the bread.
5. Top with the salami and roasted bell peppers, dividing evenly.
6. Top with the remaining cheese slices and cover each sandwich with a top half of the bread.
7. Place 2 of the sandwiches on the preheated panini press, close the lid and cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions until the cheese is melted, 5 to 7 minutes.
8. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches. Serve immediately with the haystack fries alongside. Serves 4.