About these ads
Home

I Need Chunks of Potatoes

May 17, 2013

The Ranting Chef Cheese, Lunch, Pork, Soup, Vegetable , , , , , , , , , , , 6 Comments

Texture is such a component of cooking that very often is underrated.

When I last made potato soup I had just received my immersion blender for Christmas. As the soup was cooking I happily put the blender in the pot and with a quick flick of the switch it was on. I ran it for 10-20 seconds and when I was done, I had perfectly pureed soup. It was just so easy.

Then I went to eat it. Something was missing. In my mind when I am eating potato soup, I need chunks of potatoes. Not big chunks, but I need some never less. The taste was the same but the texture was off.

This time, with a different recipe, I kept texture in mind.

Photo Jan 26, 11 29 36 AM

This was a nice hearty soup.

Photo Jan 26, 10 21 53 AM

Somehow the scallions didn’t make the picture.

Photo Jan 26, 10 43 43 AM

Skinned and diced. Ready for the microwave.

Photo Jan 26, 11 06 47 AM

Building the soup. I put in about 2/3 of the potatoes and then used my immersion blender. This thickened the soup and spread the potato flavor. I then added the other 1/3 to have the chunky texture.

Photo Jan 26, 11 14 17 AM

I added some bacon bits into the soup. Probably about 1/2 cup.

Photo Jan 26, 11 29 25 AM

And added cheese, scallions and bacon bits at the end.

Loaded Potato Soup

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Makes: 12

Ingredients:

  • 8 potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 8 cups milk
  • 1/4 cup chopped onion
  • 1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
  • 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
  • Bacon bits
  • Sliced scallions
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Place cubed potatoes into a glass dish, and cook in the microwave oven for 7 to 10 minutes, or until soft.

2. While the potatoes are cooking, melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour until smooth, then gradually stir in the milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, or until slightly thickened.

3. Stir in the potatoes and onion, and cook for 5 more minutes. Stir in the sour cream and Cheddar cheese until melted and well blended. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with cheese, scallions and bacon on top.

Nutritional Info:

NutritionAmount Per Serving (12 total) Calories 338 cal 17% Fat 16.6 g 26% Carbs 37.6 g 12% Protein 10.7 g 21% Cholesterol 47 mg 16% Sodium 202 mg 8% See More Based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Source: http://m.allrecipes.com/recipe/13083/recipeloaded-potato-soup-i

About these ads

In a Big Ole Pot

February 19, 2013

The Ranting Chef Beef, French, Low Carb, Recipes, Wine , , , , , , , , , , 8 Comments

One of the first recipes I posted on the blog was one for a slow cooker version of Beef Burgundy. In fact, it became a very popular post as it gave my secret to ensure my slow cooker prep from the night before was not forgotten the next morning when it was time to start the cooking.

This version does it the old-fashioned way, in a big ole pot.

The flavors are so rich in this dish and served over Amish noodles, it was fantastic.

Make sure you never cook with a wine that you wouldn’t drink directly.

I used pre-cooked bacon, so this was doing just a little browning up.

I did add a little oil as the pre-cooked bacon yielded little grease.

Adding the veggies.

And the wine.

Putting the meat back in and the spices.

Finally the mushrooms.

Looking good!

So tasty. The meat melted in my mouth.

Beef Burgundy

Prep Time: 1 hr | Cook Time: 2 hrs | Makes: 10

Ingredients:

  • 2 slice(s) bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 3 pound(s) boneless beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks
  • 5 carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 3 clove(s) garlic, crushed with side of chef’s knife
  • 1 large onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 tablespoon(s) all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoon(s) tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon(s) salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon(s) coarsely ground black pepper
  • 2 cup(s) dry red wine
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 package(s) (12 ounces) mushrooms, trimmed and each cut into quarters, or halves if small
  • 1/2 cup(s) (loosely packed) fresh parsley leaves, chopped

Directions:

1. In 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until browned. With slotted spoon, transfer bacon to medium bowl.

2. Pat beef dry with paper towels. Add beef, in 3 batches, to bacon drippings and cook over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until well browned on all sides. With slotted spoon, transfer beef to bowl with bacon. Preheat overn to 325 degrees F.

3. To drippings in Dutch oven, add carrots, garlic, and onion, and cook 10 minutes or until vegetables are browned and tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in flour, tomato paste, salt, and pepper, and cook 2 minutes, stirring. Add wine and heat to boiling, stirring until browned bits are loosened from bottom of Dutch oven.

4. Return meat, meat juices, and bacon to Dutch oven. Add thyme and mushrooms; heat to boiling. Cover Dutch oven and bake 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until meat is fork-tender, stirring once. Skim and discard fat from liquid; discard thyme sprigs. Sprinkle with parsley to serve.

Source: http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/recipefinder/beef-burgundy-2684?click=recipe_sr

 

*** REMINDER ***

If you have an interest in participating in DICED! A Ranting Chef competition, the deadline is midnight on February 28, 2013. For full details about the competition, see the original post by clicking here.

DICED! A Ranting Chef Competition – Call for Entrants

February 18, 2013

The Ranting Chef Recipes , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 36 Comments

Calling all cooks:

I am announcing the first Ranting Chef cooking competition. In homage to, and in separation from a certain Food Network cooking show, I am announcing a call for entrants to a cooking competition: DICED! The competition works as follows:

  • Entrants  will be given a list of a few ingredients. With that they must create (or find) a recipe that contains and features those ingredients. They then must make the recipe, document it with a blog post, and take pictures of it. All writing and photography MUST be their own, even if they use a recipe they find elsewhere. Entrants will have a two week period from receiving the ingredient list to submit their post. I will post each blog on consecutive days
  • I will provide instructions to the readers of the blog to “like” the post as a vote. They will be asked to vote based on the use of the ingredients, desirability of the recipe, quality of the writing and great looking photos. The readers will vote on the one they like the best with the number of “likes”. The number the posts receives within one week of their posting date will count toward their total. Once a week goes by I will record the number of “likes” as their total. Readers can, and probably will, like more than one recipe.
  • Blog entries will be edited only for grammar, spelling mistakes and to add measurements typical to a US audience (if originally given in metric). Posts will go up in a random order.
  • Ingredients will be ones that I can obtain in my local grocery store and while I cannot guarantee you will be able to find them, I will not choose anything that I suspect to be obscure.
  • The first round will be posts about appetizer, soup or salad and will have five entrants. The top four will move on to the next round.
  • The second round will be post about a main course and relevant sides and will have four entrants. The top three will move on to the final round.
  • The final round will be a post about a dessert and will have three entrants.
  • In the event of a tie, the Ranting Chef will choose the winners of the tie.

Your prize will be the pride of winning and acclaim on this blog to readers around the world. I am working to see if I can get a sponsored prize or two, and if I do there will be something more tangible to win.

If you would like to compete and can fulfill the requirements stated above, send me an email at rantingchef@yahoo.com no later than midnight on February 28, 2013. I need your name, email address and a sentence or two about why you should be chosen. Those not selected for the first contest may be selected for future ones (if this goes well). For this first competition, I cannot guarantee any specific diet can be observed (gluten free, vegetarian, kosher).

Pasta Carbonara – Take 2

February 6, 2013

The Ranting Chef Breakfast, Cheese, Eggs, Italian, Lunch, Pasta, Pork, Recipes , , , , , , , , , , , , , 10 Comments

As previously mentioned in my Pasta Carbonara post, I love this dish. Here is a different but related take on it.

This is not the recipe from the B&B, but this one was quite good in its own right.

The recipe calls for guanciale, which is an Italian meat. If you cannot find it, bacon can be used.

Mixing up the egg.

Frying the meat.

And cooking the pasta.

It took all my focus to remember to retain some pasta water.

Mixing it all together.

Awesome tasting dinner!

Chef John’s Spaghetti alla Carbonara

Prep Time: 5 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Makes: 2

Ingredients:

  • 4 ounces guanciale, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  • 3 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano cheese
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
  • 6 ounces spaghetti
  • 1 cup reserved pasta water
  • 3 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  • 3 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Directions:

1. Cook guanciale with olive oil and 1 teaspoon ground black pepper in a Dutch oven over medium-low heat until almost crisp, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low.

2. Whisk eggs, 3 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, 3 tablespoons Pecorino Romano cheese, and 1 teaspoon ground black pepper in a bowl. Set aside.

3. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.

4. Pour reserved pasta water and drained spaghetti into the bacon-pepper mixture; stir to combine.

5. Slowly pour egg mixture into the pasta mixture; cook, stirring constantly until the egg mixture forms a thick sauce, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

6. Stir remaining 3 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and 3 tablespoons Pecorino Romano cheese into the pasta mixture and serve.

Nutritional Info:

NutritionAmount Per Serving (2 total) Calories 688 cal 34% Fat 30.3 g 47% Carbs 66.1 g 21% Protein 36.3 g 73% Cholesterol 242 mg 81% Sodium 984 mg 39% See More Based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Source: http://m.allrecipes.com/recipe/221971/chef-johns-spaghetti-alla-carbonara

My First Stone

January 24, 2013

The Ranting Chef Appetizer, Chicken, Recipes, Snack , , , , , , , , , , , 17 Comments

I’ve never been dragged to one of those “parties” where your host tries to sell you things. The granddaddy of these, of course, is the Tupperware party. I have knock-off Tupperware (is Rubbermaid really a knock-off?) and for the most part, my life is complete.

Maybe it is a gender thing, but my wife gets invited to many of these parties. The decision to attend or not attend is not always an easy one. How well do you know the person? Do you really want what they are selling, or not? If you really don’t want something but feel obligated to go, what is the anticipated “exit cost” of buying a low priced item to be nice.  It is all more than I want to think about. Sometimes, however, the stuff is good. Really good.

Quite a while ago my wife went to a party where they were showing cookware from this company that I had never heard of, Pampered Chef. Now the company is very well known, but at the time I hadn’t heard of them. She came home with this large, thin and heavy box. Inside was a round baking stone. My first thought was PIZZA and in the early years of our ownership is was used for mostly pizza, cookies and biscuits.

One of our first entertaining opportunities after getting the stone, my wife made a Chicken Sandwich Ring from a recipe in the booklet that came with the stone. It was awesome. She’s made it through the years and I never tire of it. This was the first time I tried.

Photo Nov 24, 11 37 31 AM

A great looking platter for a party.Photo Nov 24, 10 24 58 AM

Not too many ingredients.

Photo Nov 24, 10 33 22 AM

Mixing up the dressing.

Photo Nov 24, 10 37 06 AM

And the chicken mixture.Photo Nov 24, 10 44 38 AM

Spacing the triangles is important. Too far apart and you don’t have as much room for filling. Too close and you can get a doughy mess.

Photo Nov 24, 10 46 12 AM

It looks like the logo from the CBS Sunday Morning show, but much more tasty.

Photo Nov 24, 10 51 25 AM

Put the tomatoes in the slots.

Photo Nov 24, 11 37 37 AM

Chicken Sandwich Ring

Ingredients:

  • 2 packages Crescent Roll Dough – (8 oz. each)
  • 1 cup Chicken Breast – cooked & chopped
  • 6 slices Bacon, cooked crispy – crumbled
  • 1 cup Monterey Jack Cheese – shredded
  • 1 cup Mayonnaise – (not Miracle Whip)
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
  • 1 tablespoon Dried Parsley OR 2 tablespoons Fresh Parsley – chopped
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons Green Onions – finely chopped
  • 2 medium Roma Tomatoes – or other small tomatoes
  • 1 medium Red or Yellow Bell Pepper
  • 2 cups Lettuce – shredded

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a medium bowl, mix mayonnaise, mustard, parsley and onion. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix chicken, bacon, 3/4 cup of the cheese and 1/3 cup of the mayonnaise mixture and mix well. Set aside. Open and unroll crescent roll dough, and separate into triangles. Arrange triangles in a circle on a round baking stone (or a greased pizza pan if you do not have a baking stone) with the wide ends of triangles overlapping in the center and points hanging over outside edge, leaving at least a 5-6 inch clear circle in the center of the stone (pan). Spoon chicken mixture evenly onto dough, onto the wide ends of the triangles. Wrap pointed ends of dough around chicken mixture, and tuck under the wide ends of the dough, forming a closed ring with slits around the outside edge, where filling shows through in places. Slice Roma tomatoes into enough wedges to place one wedge in each open slit around the ring.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven, and sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese. Set aside.

Remove top from bell pepper, and clean out seeds and filaments which are inside. Wash and dry pepper with a paper towel. If needed, slice thin pieces from bottom of pepper to allow it to stand up like a cup or bowl, without wobbling. Fill pepper with mayonnaise mixture, and place in center of sandwich ring, then fill in the space between the pepper and the sandwich ring with the shredded lettuce.

Serve in wedges with the mayonnaise dip. This is a great appetizer, or as an accompaniment with a soup or salad.

Nutritional Info:

314.9 Calories, 33.6 Fat, 5.9 Protein, 2.1 Carb., 28 Chol., 275 Sodium

Source: http://www.razzledazzlerecipes.com/pampered-chef-recipes/chicken-sandwich-ring.htm

Older Entries

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 6,210 other followers