Normally on a Sunday I tend to be a little more traditional with a full cooked meal. This Sunday was a little different. I wanted to go to the farmers market which for me is therapeutic. It relaxes my mind and brings out my creativity.
Well after more than an hour in the market I realized we had passed the hour for brunch and moved into the hour of a late lunch or an early dinner. What shall we have. Sandwiches. What kind? Roast beef chimed my daughter. And now i was on the hunt for the right fresh ingredients to make the ultimate roast beef sandwich.
I started off with the roast beef of course. What type of bread shall hold all this goodness. Well the market makes a french loaf perfectly sliced for sandwiches. Done deal, It took a place in the cart. I know I wanted to make a spread. What goes best with beef than some fresh herbs, oregano and flat leaf parley. I’d incorporate into some cream cheese once we got home. What other things did I want to adorn what was to be the ultimate roast beef sandwich. I wanted heirloom tomatoes but the we out so I went with yellow tomatoes instead. caramelized onions and mushrooms made the list followed by alfalfa sprouts and green leaf lettuce. Home we headed.
I immediately started the onions and mushrooms. Then I created the spread I envisioned. I used 4 oz. of cream cheese that I softened in the microwave for a few seconds then I added 2 tablespoons each of chopped parsley and oregano, a pinch of salt and black pepper. then combined it all. I used it on one side of the sandwich. I added butter with a little oil to a pan then added the bread slice with no spread to the pan . I added cheese on top of that, then roast beef, the mushroom onion mixture, topped by two slices of the yellow tomatoes, alfalfa sprouts, lettuce and the slice of bread that had the herb spread on it. I toasted the sandwich until golden brown on both sides. Removed and cut in half. Boy did everyone enjoy it..
If you re-create this sandwich let me know. Now go forward and make new memories.
So what do you do when one of your best friends is in town and stopping through? Well I always plan to feed people. Problem… she no longer eats meat and she’ll be there in less than an hour. You do what I did. You create a cheese platter with Saregento’s new tasting cheeses.
One of my best friends, Lavern
It was a fun experience for us all. My cheese board included 4 of the 8 tasting cheeses Sargento has created: the New Zealander (hands down everyone’s favorite), the Aged Vermont White Cheddar (second runner-up in the list of favorites), the Parmentino (which I enjoyed with a slice of fresh pear) and the Medium Asiago. I included crackers, sliced pear and sliced apples one the board also.
My cheese board
New Zealander…taste winner
Aged Vermont White Cheddar….taste runner up
I look forward to trying the other 4 cheeses Sargento created in this line. I can’t wait to see what I will cook up with these cheeses. As it stands we still have some of the cheeses left over from last night and I’m thinking quick and easy. I see grilled cheese in our future with a blend of the leftovers on maybe a nice brioche.
I’ve come to realize that most of my food posts have been to my social media sites. Which if you aren’t following you should. I’m on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram as you guessed it TheChefInPearls.( go follow me now if you aren’t already) . I seem to always have something food related on those sites. So this month I’m going to do a review of some of the things I have created or eaten that were posted and not blogged about. Keep reading it should be fun.
First I’d like to share with you an amazing time I had at a food tasting with Chef Ed Harris. He was a Food Network “Chopped “winner. I got a chance to see why first hand. He created a night of Dim Sum. Anyone that knows me well will tell you Asian cuisine always wins in my book and Chef Harris did a great job of presenting on this night.
Best Bartender ever…He creates his own drink mixes from scratch including his bitters..his name Fire
Brittany passing Salmon Tartare atop a purple potato
Ratatouille with Parmesan Cream
Can’t recall the name of these dumplings but they were good.
Chicken Pot Stickers
Raspberry filled Mini Vanilla cupcakes… a sweet ending
Chef Ed Harris, Food Network’s Chopped winner along side The Chef In Pearls
Another event I attended in December was Bella N Black. I had the opportunity to vend as Gems and Baubles while taking in the networking, music and food. The event took place at the Glenn Hotel. They did their take on a passed hors d’oeuvre of Chicken & Waffle. It came off a bit large for a passed hors d’ oeuvre and a little messy since it had been drizzled with syrup and served on a napkin. Other than that it was quite tasty.
The Chef In Pearls with Miss Ruby Woo and Mr. J Lang
Ruby & J performing
chicken & Waffle hors d’oeurve
In honor of winter, the holidays and childhood memories I spent some time creating hot chocolate which I did blog about. If you missed it you can always check it out here. Had to include it because it happened in December.
Hot Chocolate with fresh whipped cream with grated chocolate on top
Whenever I get a chance to visit the DeKalb Farmers Market it always brings me joy ( I smiled just writing that sentence). The fresh ingredients always inspire me. The fresh broccolini inspired an Asian dish along with fresh ginger and Shiitake mushrooms. Those ingredients became Gingered Beef with Broccolini & Shiitake Mushrooms served over steamed rice.
broccolini
shiitake mushrooms
ginger root
Prepped veggies
stir fried veggies
I always try to get some clams when I visit the farmers market because well, I like them and also they make an easy lunch. I start off by dicing onions, celery and sweet bell peppers and sauteing them in olive oil with chopped garlic and a few red pepper flakes . I add the cleaned clams and then approximately 1/2 cup of either wine or chicken broth to steam them open. Once open I removed them from the pan turn the heat up to reduce to a sauce adding butter and fresh chopped parsley to finish it off. I top the clams with sauce and then serve with french bread slices.
Steamed Clams for lunch
For the Christmas Holiday I was able to travel to North Carolina where my Dad and his wife relocated to from New Jersey. I love a good road trip and this turned out to be pretty good. We got to stop at one of my favorite spots off I-85 for lunch, JPeter’s Grill & Bar. They make a juicy burger and their steaks are like buttah. Check them out the next time you are in South Carolina. They keep expanding so I’m sure you’ll be able to find one close to where you may be visiting.
We made it just in time for Christmas Eve dinner with my Dad and older brother’s family. Since both men are married to Filipino women we were lucky to have some Asian cuisine on the dinner table. I always enjoy good Asian food and this was no exception. Christmas morning we were blessed to have a traditional Jamaican breakfast of cabbage & saltfish, fried dumplings, plantains and bammy courtesy of the Dred aka my husband. I think it’s great to have such an international flair within my family.
Shrimp in an oyster sauce
Vegetable lumpia
Le Chon- Roasted Pork Belly
Cabbage & Saltfish with plantains and bammy
I hope you enjoyed my December food recap. I look forward to bringing you more interesting things in the coming new year. Now go forward and make memories.
Ooh yeah I forgot I made this wonderful frittata with broccoli, sweet potatoes, cheese and topped with a black bean corn salsa…hey I made it in December so it should be included. Now go get fab for NYE!
Most people haven’t thought beyond turkey sandwiches on the day after let alone what’s gonna happen to the leftover leftovers. And by day 3 believe you me your family doesn’t want anything more to do with turkey either. Here’s a way to move beyond that bump in the road.
My one suggestion is to get rid of the turkey. No I don’t mean throw it away. I mean get it out of your family’s eye sight. Then you can re-introduce it at a later time…in a different form. First things first you have to…
Freeze your leftover turkey. Remove you turkey meat from the carcass. Portion them out into plastic freezer bags and date. Try to remove as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn.The USDA says that turkey can last in the freezer for up to 4-6 months. If you want to keep it moist when you thaw, freeze with gravy or some stock.
Now that you know how to freeze turkey you need to know what to do with it once you decide to thaw it. Actually this is one for the day after the big meal or the day before the big freeze. This one may get rid of quite a bit of your leftovers and still keep the family interested. Got turkey? Mashed potatoes? Gravy? Vegetables? Then you’ve got the makings of Turkey Shepherd’s Pie.
2 cups cubed leftover turkey meat
1 1/2 cups gravy
2 cups of leftover vegetables (broccoli, peas, carrots string beans whatever you like or rather whatever you have on hand)
3 cups leftover mashed potatoes
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Heat oven to 400°. Lightly grease a 9″x 9″ pan. Heat gravy and turkey together in a sauce pan. Transfer heated mixture to 9″x 9″pan. Top meat with vegetables and then top vegetables with mashed potatoes (Have potatoes at room temperature or warm some. It makes the next step easier to do). Spreading potatoes out to within a 1/2″ of edge of pan. Sprinkle shredded cheese across top of potatoes. Place pan on top of sheet pan and bake in oven for 30 minutes.
Ok so suppose you still have turkey to freeze after this dish. Consider yourself lucky and proceed to freezing it. What do you do with the turkey when it comes time to thaw. It’s really up to you. Take your favorite recipe and substitute the meat it calls for with your thawed turkey meat. Like Chili or maybe a Brunswick Stew. Or try adding it to a dish that doesn’t traditionally have meat in it like maybe your favorite Mac & Cheese recipe. Use your imagination. .you never know you create a favorite for your family.
I hope this series has helped with the madness of holiday meals. Let me know how this series may or may not have helped you. Leave a comment.
Happy Holidays from Cassandra as The Chef In Pearls and owner of Gems and Baubles. Now go make some memories!
So your gravy is…well…not the best. Lumpy is just the start of what makes your gravy unappealing. So what do we do to make it better? Well we turn to a little math, If you have this little equation you are well on your way to better gravy. 2 + 2 +1= Perfect Gravy. That is 2 Tablespoons of fat plus 2 Tablespoons of flour plus 1 cup of liquid and you’ve got gravy kinda. The only special equipment I suggest for this gravy making task is a whisk,it helps to eliminate lumps.
2 Tablespoons Fat ( butter, olive oil or fat drippings from meat)
2 Tablespoons all Purpose Flour
1 cup Liquid (stock,broth or meat drippings)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Melt fat in a sauce pan. Once melted add flour and allow to cook for about 1-2 minutes. Then add liquid while whisking to prevent lumps. Allow to simmer until thickened 3-5 minutes. Taste so that you can adjust seasonings as needed.
Once you have this basic gravy down then you can get a little fancy with it. You can make a mushroom beef gravy by sauteing freshly sliced mushrooms before melting fat and adding flour and using either a beef broth, stock or dripping from cooked beef. Or maybe you want something a little spicy add cracked peppercorn to the melted fat before adding flour. The varieties are limitless and left only up to your imagination and taste-buds.
Now you’ll be the champion of gravy at your next holiday meal
So Halloween is over and now it’s time to prepare for the big guns….Thanksgiving and Christmas. It’s a time of family and friends and lots of food. So many make it a very nerve racking time of year and it doesn’t have to be. It’s all about planning and being prepared for anything. For the next couple of posts I will help get you ready for the holiday meals before you. I’ll take you from shopping lists, how to make the perfect gravy, un-canned cranberry sauce and even dessert. Hope it helps to ease your mind for this holiday season.
I don’t know if it’s because I was raised by a Jamaican mother or if it was the era I was raised in but I always feel like you should never leave your home not properly dressed. As a kid I remember seeing my mother getting dressed to leave the house, face made up and clothing well-chosen. She never left the house less than and she never allowed her children too either. Now as an adult it is engrained in me. Where nowadays people travel in jeans, tees and flip-flops I still (even with having to basically undress for the TSA) show up dressed to impress. I agree with Miss Chanel…..you never know who you might meet that may change your life even at the local Kroger…. so get up, dress up and show up.
I am a football fan. More importantly I am a New York Giants fan. I grew up watching football 1. because my bothers played and 2. because back in the day we were a one t.v. household and my brothers were older and bigger and therefore controlled the t.v. It was inevitably for me to have a love for football. And so to this day I love football season and all the excitement it brings.
With football season comes Monday Night Football. The N.Y Giants had their first game of the season on Monday Night Football. What better way to enjoy than for me to have the usual suspects over to enjoy it with me, my brother Dion aka Santa Dee, my sister-in-law Cassandra aka Sandy, my girlfriend Nykki aka Nykki and my hubby. With folks comes the need for food. Menu sweet and simple:
Chipotle Rubbed Chicken Sliders
BBQ Spiced Chicken Nachos
Seasoned French Fries
Chipotle Rubbed chicken tenders on top ciabatta rolls with carmalized red onions, gouda cheese , pesto mayo, lettuce & tomatoes
BBQ Spiced cheken atop tortilla chips with black beans, diced red onions, diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, siracha sour cream, shredded cheese and guacamole
We ate and drank well but My Dear, Dear Giants did not win. Trying to figure out how I can get a meeting with management, the staff and the team. Until the next game…..
At any given moment I can whip up something scrumptious in my kitchen. All because I keep what i consider staple items in my pantry. Things I feel with a little time and some effort can be transformed into a meal. So what do I consider staples?
Pasta (1 long noodle i.e. spaghetti or fettuccine and 1 short noodle i.e. macaroni or rigatoni)
Stock or broth ( I keep chicken. beef and vegetable in the 32 oz size)
Flour (all-purpose & self-rising)
Rice
Oil (I like canola for frying & olive oil for sauteing)
Canned tomatoes (diced and pureed)
Canned beans ( black, pinto red or your favorite)
Onions
Bell peppers (I prefer colored to green ones)
Assortment of frozen vegetables (i.e. broccoli, mixed vegetables,corn)
Ground beef
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Butter
Eggs
Milk
With a combination of just a few of these items you can have a wonderful meal. For instance you can make a quick pasta e fagioli ( broth, short pasta, diced tomatoes, a can of beans) or maybe a vegetable fried rice( oil, cooked rice, frozen mixed vegetables, onions) or even chili ( ground beef, beans, tomatoes, onions, bell peppers). Once you have the basics or the items that you use repeatedly in cooking you will always be prepared to whip something great up.
P.S. My pantry list is a little longer than the one I have included because I have a pretty sized family and lots of friends who like stop by to eat)
P.S.S. This post is dedicated to my son, Akeem, the newly wed and apparently the chef in his new household
I don’t know if it’s because I was raised by a Jamaican mother or if it was the era I was raised in but
