Stacy’s Guacamole

Guacamole isn’t my favorite dish, but people ask me to make them a batch from time to time and it is always a hit. It has a bit of a kick to it. Try it out and let me know what you think.

Ingredients:

• 4 large Haas avocados
• 1/2 large red onion, chopped (a white onion works well too)
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 3 Roma tomatoes, deseeded and diced
• 4 Serrano chili peppers, chopped
• 2 Jalapeno chili peppers, chopped
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons Cayenne pepper
• 8 drops Tabasco sauce
• zest and juice of 2 limes
• 2 shots tequila
• 1 lime wedge

Directions:

Stacy's Gaucamole

Ah, the easy part. Add peppers, bell peppers, onion, garlic in food processor. Mix until well blended. Add rest of ingredients reserving 1 shot of tequila, lime wedge and 1 teaspoon of salt. Lick the skin between your thumb and forefinger, then sprinkle salt onto the area. Using the same hand that contains the salt, hold the lime with thumb and index finger. Lick the salt, down the tequila, and bite the lime. Swish it around in your mouth for a couple of seconds and then swallow. Now mix rest of ingredients in the food processor until well blended and creamy. Serve with tortilla chips.

If there are more than one person in the kitchen, this recipe may require more tequila, salt and lime wedges.

Popularity: 5% [?]

Italian Sausage Faux Risotto

Some may not consider this a real risotto but it’s close.  All of the ingredients are there but the exact preparation is not quite true to a traditional risotto. In this recipe the fat comes from the sausage, the wine is added at the end rather than the beginning, and the Romano is not stirred in. In any case, it’s a very tasty dish.

Italian Sausage Risotto

In a traditional risotto, the rice is cooked briefly in butter or olive oil to coat the grains with fat. White wine is added and absorbed by the grains. When the wine evaporates, the heat is raised to medium high and hot stock is gradually added in small amounts while stirring gently, almost constantly.  Stirring loosens the starch molecules from the outside of the rice grains into the surrounding liquid, creating a smooth creamy-textured liquid. At about 17 minutes from when the wine evaporated,  take the rice off the heat and dice cold butter and finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano cheese.  Whip in the cheese and butter to make the texture as creamy and smooth as possible.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb mild Italian sausage or hot Italian sausage, (2-3 links) casing removed
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 chopped onion, red preferred
• 1 bell pepper, rough chop
• 2 Anaheim peppers, rough chop
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
• 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup white wine
• 1 chopped tomato
• 1/4 cup grated Romano cheese

Directions:

In a large frying pan, cook sausage over medium-high heat, breaking into small pieces, approximately 4 minutes or until browned. Add garlic, onion, bell pepper, Anaheim peppers, oregano, salt and pepper. Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring often, approximately 3 minutes or until the vegetables are softened. Add rice and mix well. Add chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring once. Add white wine, stirring often and simmer approximately 5 minutes or until rice is tender and creamy. Stir in tomato. Top with Romano cheese and serve immediately.

Popularity: 11% [?]

Italian Sausage Meat Sauce

Fucilli tossed with Meat Sauce and garnished with Grated Romano Cheese

Any pasta can be used with this meat sauce which is also known as a bolognese.  I normally use Fusilli because the meat sauce clings to it easily. I serve this meal in a bowl with a spoon and top it with fresh grated Parmesan or Romano cheese.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, medium chop
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 red bell pepper diced (red preferred)
• 2 tomatoes diced (approximately 1 3/4 lbs)
• 1 lb Italian sausage, removed from casing
• 8 ounce can of tomato sauce
• 6 ounce can of tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried basil leaves
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
• 4 1/2 ounce can mushrooms, drained
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon fennel seed

Directions:

Meat Sauce

In a large pot heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute until semi soft being careful not to burn them. Add Italian sausage and cook until browned. Drain sausage.

In pot with drained sausage, stir in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and tomato paste. Mix in oregano, basil, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, red pepper flakes, mushrooms, cumin, fennel seed, and bay leaf.  Bring to a boil. Turn heat down to low and simmer for about 1-2 hours, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes.

Popularity: 12% [?]

Sausage Wraps

During college football season, a Saturday afternoon backyard barbeque or grill session is almost a given. One of the dishes I love to cook in these situations is sausage wraps. Sausage wraps are very easy and always a hit.

Julianne bell peppers and onions

Ingredients:

• 4 medium to large bell peppers. I prefer to use 1 each of green, red, yellow and orange.
• 1 medium to large onion. I prefer to use 1/2 of a white and 1/2 of a red.
• 1 Anaheim pepper
• 2 tablespoons coarse salt
• 2 tablespoons fresh ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 stick butter
• Spray butter
• 10 – 12 Sausages. I prefer to use Italian Hot, Mild or Sweet
• 10 – 12 Flour Tortillas. I prefer a specialty tortilla made local called a Southwestern Tortilla.
• Dijon mustard

Directions:

Veggies after being spiced and tossed

Julianne the bell peppers and Anaheim pepper; Anaheim julianned slices should be cut in half. Slice onion in to 3/8 inch rounds, cut each round in half, remove any odd shaped pieces. Add bell and Anaheim peppers and onions into a large mixing bowl. Cut butter into small cubes. Add salt, pepper, cajun seasoning, garlic powder, cumin, worcestershire sauce and chopped butter. Mix thoroughly.

Preheat grill to 375 degrees. Add one half of the vegetables each to a sheet of aluminum foil and wrap. To a second piece of aluminum foil, add the first bundle but flip such that the unfolded side is up. Place on grill such that folded side of outer bundle is face down. Grill 20 minutes then flip and grill an additional 20 minutes.

Sausage should be cooked for 30 minutes, flipping sides every 5 minutes.

Spray tortillas with butter and place on grill 1 minute both sides.

Ready to wrap and eat

Serve sausage on top of tortilla, adding vegetables to taste. Top with Dijon mustard.

This dish could also be made vegetarian by simply omitting the sausage and piling on the vegetables.

Popularity: 16% [?]

Spicy Chicken Cacciatore

This dish was inspired by Barbara Lynch. I don’t cook chicken that often but this one came out pretty good. Chef Dan made some suggestions of turning it in to a soup or stew.

Serves: 3

Ingredients:

2 lbs. Chicken Thighs (6), bonless, skinless
1 Red Bell Pepper, thinly sliced
1 Onion, thinly sliced
3 Pickled Jalapenos, thinly sliced
4  Cloves of Garlic, thinly sliced
1 lb Grape Tomatoes, quartered
2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper
2 tablespoons Basil
2 tablespoons Cayenne Pepper
1/2 cup Dry Red Wine
1 1/2 cups of Chicken Stock
1/2 cup Flat Leaf Parsley, chopped

Directions:

Spicy Chicken Cacciatore

In large skillet, over a medium-high heat olive oil. Add chicken to the skillet, season with pepper, salt, cayenne, and basil. Brown for 4 minutes. Turn chicken and season again. Brown for an additional 4 minutes, then remove to a plate. Add bell pepper, onion, jalapenos and garlic to skillet. Season with rest of cayenne, basil, salt and pepper, about  1 tablespoon of each. Reduce heat so medium-low and saute for 10 minutes, until vegetables are softened. Add wine and simmer for 5 more minutes until wine is almost completely reduced. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes to skillet and add the chicken on top of the vegetables. Cover and cook for an additional 10 minutes.

Plate the chicken and spoon the vegetables over the chicken along with some of the juice. Garnish with parsley.

Popularity: 7% [?]