eat.this.food.

Zack’s Five-Way Cincinnati Chili July 29, 2006

Not long ago Zack was reminiscing of his childhood days in Florence, Kentucky and this dish popped into his head. The flavor of the sauce is very unusual, complex, and delicious. We like it so much, we’ve added it to our monthly rotation!

Ingredients

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 Tbs chili powder
• 2 tsp allspice
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 Tbs unsweetened cocoa
• 2 15 oz cans unsalted tomato sauce
• 2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 15 oz can kidney beans, drained
• 1 16 oz package uncooked spaghetti

Toppings

• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 1/2 cups shredded medium or sharp cheddar cheese
• oyster crackers **

Directions

1. In a heavy bottomed 5 quart pot, saute onion, ground beef, garlic and chili powder over medium-high heat until ground beef is slightly cooked.
2. Add allspice, cinnamon, cumin, salt, cocoa, tomato sauce, kidney beans, Worcestershire sauce, and water.
3. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for an hour and a half.
4. 30 minutes before sauce is done, boil water and cook spaghetti.
5. To serve, place a serving of noodles on plate and top with sauce, cheese, onions, then oyster crackers.

Serves 6-8 (or 4 if you eat like we do!)

**We have found one brand of oyster cracker beats the rest – Olde Cape Cod from Safeway.

Parmesan Chicken July 27, 2006

This dish is good on warm summer days. It’s light and refreshing. The contrast between the crispy warm chicken and cool salad greens is delicious!

Ingredients

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 2 extra large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups seasoned dry bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
• Unsalted butter
• Good olive oil
• Salad Greens for 6 (washed and spun dry)
• Lemon Vinegrette (recipe below)

Directions

1. Pound the chicken breasts until they are 1/4 inch thick. You can use either a meat mallet or a rolling pin. In a pinch, I have used a bottle of wine wrapped in plastic wrap!
2. Combine the flour, salt, and pepper on a dinner plate.
3. On a second plate, beat the eggs with 1 Tbs of water.
4. On a third plate combine bread crumbs and 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese.
5. Coat chicken on both sides with flour mixture.
6. Dip both sides into the egg mixture.
7. Dredge both sides in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing lightly.
8. Heat 1 Tbs butter and 1 Tbs olive oil in a large saute pan.
9. Cook chicken breasts for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through. (You may need cook chicken in two batches.)
10. Place in a 200 degree oven to keep warm while finishing the rest of the chicken.

Salad Greens with Lemon Vinaigrette

Dressing:

• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
• 1/2 cup good olive oil
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 lb chunk of very good Parmesan Cheese (Parmigiano Reggiano)

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, wisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
2. Place washed and spun salad greens in a large bowl.
3. Pour on enough dressing to lightly coat salad.
4. Place chicken on an individual plate and a large helping of salad on each chicken breast.
5. With a sharp knife or vegetable peeler, shave parmesan into large shards over salad.

Serves 6

Recipe from Barefoot Contessa: Family Style

Proscuitto and Pasta July 21, 2006

This is what I make when I want to eat at a restaurant…but don’t want to leave the house. It is THAT good. It is rich and creamy…and simple to make.

• 1/4 cup sweet butter
• 1/4 cup chopped scallions
• 1/2 lb. proscuitto-julienned in 1/4 inch strips
• 1/2 lb. sliced mushrooms
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper (if you like white pepper…you could use that instead)
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 12 oz. penne pasta cooked al dente

Directions:

1. Melt butter over medium heat.
2. Add onions, mushrooms, proscuitto. Cook for a few minutes…until onions and mushrooms are soft.
3. Add cream and pepper.
4. Simmer over medium/low heat for 5-8 minutes.
5. Toss with al dente pasta and cheese.

Enjoy!

Superb Spaghetti Sauce

Okay…I’m not gonna lie, this is not something you would want to make if you are in a hurry. In fact, there is nothing hurried about this sauce. It needs to simmer for like 6 hours. So, it’s best for one of those winter days where you have nothing to do but hang out at home with a good book to help pass the time. BUT, I have to say, if you do have the time…it is well worth the wait. This is some special sauce.

• 1lb. ground beef
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 2 large carrots coursely chopped
• 3 medium onions coursely chopped
• 10 cups tomato juice OR vegetable juice (like V8)
• 6 Tbs. tomato paste
• 2 16oz cans of whole tomatoes
• 4 Tbs. chopped parsely
• 1 1/2 tsp. oregano
• 1 1/2 tsp. dried basil
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 Tbs. butter
• 1 tsp. chili powder

Directions:

1. Saute ground beef and garlic in the olive oil in a skillet until brown.
2. Transfer beef mixture to a large heavy pot.
3. Saute carrots and onions in the same skillet (adding oil if necessary) over very low heat for 30 minutes.
4. Add vegetables to the pot.
5. Then add all remaining ingredients and cook slowly over low heat for 6 hours, stirring occasionally.

Makes approx. 6 cups

Recipe from San Francsico a la carte

Shawna’s (Kick-Ass) Flank Steak Marinade July 20, 2006

Ingredients:

• Up to 2 lbs. Flank Steak
• 4 oz Italian dressing
• ½ cup orange marmalade
• 2 tsp. powdered ginger
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¾ cup low sodium soy sauce
• ¾ cup water
• 1-4 cloves garlic pressed

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a container and marinate at room temperature for 4-6 hours.
2. If you are going to marinate overnight, refrigerate after the first 4-6 hours at room temperature.
3. Grill or broil steak 9 minutes on each side.
4. Discard extra marinade.

Turkey Meatloaf

This is a great recipe for a healthier version of traditional meatloaf. To speed up the cooking process, you can make mini-loaves, individual servings that take about 20 minutes to bake!
**This recipe is a half recipe.**

• 1 ½ Cups chopped yellow onion (1 large onion)
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 Teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ Teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/4 teaspoon dried)
• ¼ Cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/3 Cup chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• 2 ½ pounds of ground turkey (2 packages)
• ¾ cup plain dry bread crumbs
• 1 large egg beaten
• ½ cup ketcup

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

1. In a medium pan, on medium-low heat, cook the onions, olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme until the onions are translucent but not browned, approximately 15 minutes.
2. Add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste and mix well.
3. Cool to room temperature. (To speed things up, I transfer the mixture into a very shallow bowl and put it in the freezer for a few minutes.)
4. Combine groud turkey, bread crumbs, eggs, and onion mixture in a large bowl.
5. Mix well and shape into a rectangular loaf on an ungreased baking sheet Spread ketchup evenly on top.
6. Bake for 1 ½ hours until the internal temperature is 160 degrees and the meatloaf is cooked through. (I have found it takes the full 1 ½ hours to fully cook – even at 350 degrees instead of 325.)

Serve hot, at room temperature, or cold in a sandwich.

Recipe from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook