Sous Vide Cooking- Starting Easy with Eggs

Every day I come home from my day job I see the box starting at me. Daring me. Willing me to open it and play. I honestly have no excuse. At first it was "I'm not sure what to do with it" but that evolved into reading loads of recipes and hints and blogs online. Pinning dozens of recipes and ideas. Then it became "I need to find a friend who has used one before" which of course, was easy. I've even joined a Facebook group of sous vide enthusiasts to get ideas and suggestions and hints. Discussions had, ideas shared, and still.......the box sits there. Judging me. It's time to break out the immersion circulation and end this standoff!

Originally I had bought a nice pork loin to cook for my first recipe. Grabbed some fresh herbs to throw in the bag. Lots of garlic. However, I over estimated the size of my stockpot and discovered that I don't have a large enough vessel to cook in. Ugh, that threw a wrench in my plans, and I ended up using the pork for something else. I thought about some Rubbermaid containers I used to use for herb storage, don't laugh, I had a HUGE herb garden, but must have gotten rid of them. The pressure canner? Surely that would be deep enough.

Once I got my cooking vessel issue sorted out I narrowed down my recipe selections and decided (after sitting in the drive thru of a very very very slow Starbucks one morning) that I need to start by coming up with a copycat version of their sous vide egg bites, and that is what I did. In the course of reading all different types of recipe ideas I came across quite a few recipes for eggs and creme brulee and other soft foods that are cooked in 4 ounce canning jars rather than bags. Genius! The heat of the sous vide is much lower than a canner, so the jars would be perfectly safe, as opposed to food BAKED in canning jars- that kind of dry high heat of an oven can weaken the glass and cause jars to explode. Serious safety hazard. The immersion circulator uses temps much lower than the rapidly boiling water and pressurized heat used in home canning and we know they are food safe.

Cooking eggs in the sous vide is foolproof. Butter the inside of the jar, crack in a fresh egg, one per jar, and plain eggs can be cooked to any temp, from coddled to hard boiled. Beaten in a separate bowl, the eggs can be combined with any kind of omelet ingredient you can imagine- cheese, sauteed vegetables like peppers, onions, mushrooms, cooked and drained meats like ham, sausage or bacon, or even bits of crab or lobster. Fresh herbs. Beaten eggs. While this looks and sounds like something truly luxurious, it's actually quite healthy- you're not frying your eggs in a skillet full of butter and if you keep the add-ins on the healthy side, you get the idea.

Since we are going to be cooking with the immersion circulator today, let's unpack this bad boy and get it set up. The pressure canner pot is the perfect deep vessel for this circulator. There is a spring-loaded clamp on the side of the unit that helps stabilize it on the side of the pot. It's not a tight clamp but works perfectly fine with the curved side of this pot.

For our first batch of eggs we are going to use some familiar flavors- scallion and cheese. You're going to love the soft creamy texture of the eggs. It's almost fluffy. We're adding cottage cheese to add body and to lighten up the texture. I HIGHLY recommend using a blender or food processor to mix your egg mixture. You'll incorporate air into the egg mixture, especially using a blender, and that will keep your eggs super fluffy.

Sous Vide Eggs in Jars

4 large eggs
1/4 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used colby jack)
1 scallion, chopped, white and green parts
salt and pepper
butter or cooking spray

Set up the sous vide per the manual's instruction and set to 172 degrees. 

Lightly butter the inside of four 4 ounce canning jars or spray with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a food processor or blender, combine the ingredients, adding salt and pepper to taste. Pour into the jars, dividing equally. Fix the lids and rings on the jars and place in the bath.

Cook the eggs in the immersion circulator for one hour. Remove from the bath. 

To serve, you can eat from the jars (perfect for taking to work) or loosen the sides and carefully remove the eggs and place on a late. You can brown them under the broiler if you like a little color. I personally don't like my eggs browned so I prefer them NOT broiled.

How easy was that? This, for me, is a Sunday food prep recipe, not something I'm going to make in the morning, but the eggs reheat easily in the micro for breakfast at the office or a snack. Two eggs make a serving, so I can easily see myself setting up a couple dozen eggs, an assortment of vegetables, cheeses and meats, and making a large batch. Like canned foods, you can double stack these little jars in the bath, so long as the lids are completely covered by the hot water, by at least a couple inches they will cook properly. Now I just need to work out some combinations!

Instead of the cottage cheese, use sour cream, cream or half and half, cream cheese

Cheese- use Swiss, Gruyere, Havarti, Colby, Colby Jack, Monterrey Jack, white cheddar

Vegetables- saute until softened:  garlic, onion, celery, bell peppers, hot peppers, mushrooms, asparagus tips, cubed zucchini or summer squash, broccoli or broccolini, scallions, leeks, shredded cooked potato, uncooked chopped Roma tomato, fresh herbs, salsa or pico de gallo.

Meats- diced ham, cooked and crumbled sausage, cooked crumbled bacon, diced turkey or chicken, diced seafood such as crab, shrimp or lobster

FINAL NOTES ON THE TAYAMA- A lot of people I talked to before my first sous vide experience have other brands. I didn't find anyone else who has a Tayama unit. I only had reviews on Amazon to go by and some of those were not that good. However, I was really pleased at the ease of setup and programming. I did not buy a separate plastic tub for the water bath and instead used a great big stockpot and it worked out perfect. The Tayama unit fits snugly against the side of the pot and didn't slip or fall over. It's a very quiet unit. Except for the beeping when it reaches the programmed temp, it's absolutely silent. I would highly recommend this unit to anyone else looking to get started. It's an excellent unit for the price.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 55: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Two for One Recipes- Sauteed Chicken with Warm Brussels Sprouts Salad

My friend Mary, who lives in Missouri, has a very unique business venture going. In her home, a gorgeous and charming Victorian in a sweet small town, Mary cooks gourmet three course dinners for every day or special events, and invites guests to come and dine at The House on Vine. Since she lives in a small town, restaurant options are somewhat limited and Mary offers a very unique service that even in larger cities can be hard to find- meals tailored to the guests likes and tastes and special dietary requests.

She has hosted some pretty awesome dinners. Centered around the holidays she made a steak dinner common in Des Moines but unheard of in other cities- Steak DeBurgo. Her guests were so impressed! On another occasion she had a group of ladies who are following the Whole 30 diet, and Mary's menu for their dinner fit their requirements. From incredibly creative appetizer to decadent soups Mary's dinners have quite a loyal group of regulars with word spreading fast! It won't be long and the House on Vine will have to move into larger restaurant quarters!

Anyway, since Mary and I have been friends for years you can bet we have talked food and recipes and cooking many times over. When she used to live here we would often meet for dinner or cook at her place or mine. Sometimes we'd have a dinner of all appetizers, and sometimes we'd make a regular meal, like one night when we made homemade fried chicken and Mary made the BEST chicken gravy ever. I wish I could nail the gravy like she can. We have shared recipes by the dozen and often talk about what we're making. Mary was telling me about a dinner she was making for some guests over the weekend and it sounded like something I knew I needed to try out. The original recipe called for sea scallops but both of us thought it would be just as delicious and a lot more budget friendly if we swapped pricey seafood for more affordable chicken. I am a big fan of pounding out chicken breasts into schnitzel-like pieces, giving them a dusting of flour or coating of panko and a quick pan fry with a little butter and olive oil. You can't beat that for quick cooking and delicious tender chicken. I thought about that, but in the end went for a quick saute of lightly seasoned and floured chicken tenders with a creamy leek and Dijon mustard sauce. The rest of the recipe is composed of a warm salad of shredded Brussels sprouts. I added shredded carrot for color (I still had some rainbow carrots to use up), garlic for bite, and a sauteed leek for a milder onion flavor. No added dressing is needed as I sauteed the sprouts in a little of the Sinful Food garlic olive oil and finished with a squeeze of fresh lemon for the acid you need to cut the richness. A few sprinkles of crispy bacon go on top for a fabulous and flavorful cold weather salad you will love.

This recipe also uses products from Sinful Food. I used their Signature Seasoning to boost the flavor of the chicken and to season the vegetables in the salad. Their garlic olive oil is perfect for sauteing the vegetables and tossed with a few squeezes of fresh lemon, make a lovely dressing right in the salad bowl. You can get your own Sinful Food products by clicking HERE.

Sauteed Chicken Tenders with Warm Brussels Sprouts Salad

1 lb boneless skinless chicken tenders

Sinful Food Signature Seasoning

1 cup flour
Sinful Food garlic olive oil

butter
1 leek, sliced
3/4 cup Pinot Grigio
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 lb Brussels sprouts

1 or 2 carrots

1 leek

3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 pound bacon, cooked crisply and crumbled

Sinful Food garlic olive oil

Slice the Brussels sprouts and separate into shreds. 

Use a sharp knife to slice the sprouts, then separate the
shreds with your fingers.

Shred the carrot and add to sprouts. I used a vegetable peeler to create long ribbons of carrot. Set aside.

Leave one end of the leeks uncut, so you can fan out the petals
and rinse out any sand, then you can hold together and slice.

Trim off the green tops of the leek, Slice lengthwise and clean thoroughly. Slice thinly and set aside. Finely chop the garlic cloves. Set aside.

Set all the vegetables aside for now. I sliced all the leeks together and just used half for each dish.

For the chicken, place the flour in a shallow dish and add a good 1 teaspoon Signature Seasoning. Heat a little butter and olive oil in a heavy skillet. Dredge the chicken tenders with flour and add to the hot skillet. Brown on each side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove to plate and keep warm. Repeat to cook all the tenders.

When the chicken is done add the leek to the skillet, adding additional oil if needed. Cook for several minutes until the leeks are softened. Add the wine and chicken stock. Bring to boil and reduce by half. Add the cream and Dijon mustard. Cook until desired thickness. Keep warm.

In another large skillet heat 2 tablespoons garlic olive oil. Add the leek to the skillet, cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Add the Brussels sprouts and carrots and cook, stirring, for a minute or two. You want the vegetables to be barely cooked and still crunchy. Season with the Signature Seasoning. Sprinkle the lemon juice over all and toss again.

Now you can serve the salad piled onto a large platter with the chicken on top and sauce on the side. I made a small pot of couscous and served the chicken and sauce over the couscous with a mound of salad on the side. This is a great salad for lunches too. It's just as delicious chilled as warm. Next time I think I'll try it with great big shrimp, or maybe those sea scallops. I'm sure it will be fantastic.

Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a "sponsored post." As a Brand Ambassador, the company who sponsored it compensated me via a cash payment, gift or something of value. Regardless,  I only recommend products or services I believe are of good quality and safe. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Bacon Isn't Going Away Anytime Soon

I know I said bacon is so last year. It kind of is, but it's still delicious, and we're all still gobbling it up by the ton every year. How well do you know your bacon facts? 

The average slice of bacon is 1/16 of an inch thick, and about 16-20 slices per pound. This sliced bacon, which I have never seen, is 1/32 of an inch, and thick sliced measures up at 1/8 of an inch, which yields 10 to 14 slices per pound. Two slices of regular bacon, in spite of appearing to be mostly fat, seem pretty diet-friendly at 73 calories. In the United States over 60% of restaurants have bacon on the menu. At the breakfast table, bacon clobbers the other breakfast meat, beating out ham and sausage and making up nearly 50% of meat eaten at breakfast! A survey of U.S. households revealed over 80%of households purchased bacon in 2013 and 2014. The average American eats about 18 pounds of bacon every year. **

That's hard to imagine. I'd like to meet these "average Americans"- I certainly am nowhere near 18 lbs. of bacon! 

As you know, I got to visit a modern pork producing farm earlier this summer and got to meet the baby bacons literally at the moment they were entering the world. It's amazing that on one farm those baby piglets will grown up, be weaned, and move in graduating barns as they grow up, until they reach market size and....gulp.......go off to the pork plants. I'd rather not dwell on that part, because pork is just so delicious, and I am so thankful to get to see how invested the farmers and producers are in the animals' welfare that it does give me some level of comfort. 

Once we have passed the unpleasant stage of meat production, we have, well, meat. In this case pork, and if it's going to become delicious bacon it's got to be cured and smoked. A lot of folks have been busy curing their own bacon at home in recent years, perfecting their techniques, the cure mixtures, smoking temps, even the cut of meat can be a bit off the track. My friend Ross, from STATE, often uses part of a pork butt to make home cured bacon instead of belly. This must make one of the leanest bacons imaginable. Another friend, Marty, from Ohio, goes the more traditional route using pork belly. He shares his technique and recipe HERE.

Check out Marty's bacon- perfectly hand sliced even!

I noticed in Marty's directions he mentioned smoking to an internal temp of 150 degrees by smoking at 200 degrees. Amazingly that was something my friend George, a professional chef and master of all things food, mentioned I asked him about curing your own bacon. He balked at the recommendation but didn't say what temps he shoots for when curing and smoking meat. Trade secrets and all, you know? Dan, from Waterloo, says he warm smokes bacon and even does a vegan bacon. You might remember Dan- he is the pit master at Phat Kat Barbeque and is a barbeque judge and has shared food stories with us before. 

All this bacon talk has got my mind whirling. I happen to have some bacon, not a lot, but enough to do something with....... and some bone-in country style ribs, a cast iron skillet, and untold numbers of herbs, spices, sauces and condiments around I bet I can whip something up really quick- like this Recipe Free Dinner.

Easy to do- season the bone-in pork country style ribs with salt, pepper, whatever meat rub you like and lay two slices of bacon on each one, lengthwise, securing with toothpicks. Heat that cast iron skillet til it's nice and hot, then place those ribs in there, bacon side down, and let them cook til the bacon is starting to brown. Flip em over, pop the skillet in a hot oven to finish (145 degrees for perfect juicy pork). Sauce them if you like, and serve.

We can't be totally recipe free however, so I am going to share a recipe that was shared with me, and since we're on the bacon topic- well, you just need to try this. Bacon jam. Yep. Jam. You know I am always checking out the latest unique and artsy fartsy condiments, and when a friend was telling me about this one- I became hooked. I have no idea where the original recipe came from- she passed it on to me and I'm passing it on to you guys. I can see millions of possibilities for using this stuff to make amazing dishes. I plan on keeping my freezer stocked from now on. Let's make some!

Bacon Jam

3 lb bacon, cut into pieces

4 large sweet onions, chopped

8 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 cups leftover strong coffee

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup cider vinegar

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon black pepper

In a heavy Dutch oven cook the bacon over medium low heat, in three batches, until browned and crispy; removing each batch and draining off the fat in between. Reserve 2 tablespoons fat from last batch.

Return Dutch oven to medium heat and add the onions. Cook, stirring often, until softened but not brown. Add the garlic and cook another couple minutes. Add all ingredients except the bacon. Bring to a boil; boil for 2 minutes.

Add the bacon and stir well. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thick, sticky and syrupy. Spoon into freezer jars and store in the fridge, or freezer for long term storage.

Now for those of you who are curious about making your own home cured bacon, you can check out Marty's recipe by clicking that link above. I did a little searching online and found all kinds of recipes and smoking styles and cure recipes. I'm sure you'll find one you like or create your own!

**National Pork Board

Church Cookbook Recipe Renovation- Company Chicken

Long long ago, in a galaxy far far away.... no wait. That's a different story. Well just about that far away and long ago my late mother-in-law used to make this baked chicken dish. She called it Company Chicken, and she got the recipe from the cookbook assembled and published by the ladies at the Evangelical Covenant Church in Des Moines. She made this dish all the time, and man oh man, was it ever good. Naughty. Really naughty and totally not healthy in any way. Company Chicken was simple to make and required ingredients most people had on hand: chicken, bacon, canned soup, sour cream and a jar of dried chipped beef. 

Like so many old church cookbook recipes, there wasn't a lot of seasoning or herbs going on. Just basic belly-filling food. Here's the deal- take a boneless skinless chicken breast half, wrap it in a couple slices of chipped beef, then wrap that in a couple slices of bacon and put it in a casserole dish. Mix together canned cream of something soup (usually chicken) and a cup of sour cream and pour that over. Bake it, probably about an hour, seems like most of those dishes are 350 degrees for an hour, and you get this rich, creamy sauce and these juicy chicken breasts wrapped in salty savory goodness. Add some mashed potatoes and a vegetable and it's "good enough for company." It really was good! I've even made it a bunch of times for my own family.

Times have changed and while I am not particularly concerned about turning those recipes into health food, they often do need an upgrade- modern ingredients and new techniques (or heck, old techniques, just new to the dish) and fresh combinations can take those dated old recipes and turn them into something totally new. I've talked about how my mom cooked every evidence of life and freshness out of just-picked garden-grown vegetables. So did Evelyn. Freshly snapped beans looked like they came from a can from the grocery store, spinach or broccoli cooked into oblivion. What they did to asparagus would make you cry. My renovation includes fresh asparagus as well as red bell pepper and keeps the fresh flavor and texture intact. I still use a can of cream of chicken soup, but the sauce is a little less rich with half the sour cream and milk added. Let's get this renovation on the road!

Modern Company Chicken

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

6 slices bacon

small bunch scallions

1 large red bell pepper

1 bunch asparagus

Penzey's Greek Seasoning*

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup milk

salt and pepper

Clean the scallions and cut into 2-3 inch pieces. Cut the bell pepper into julienne strips. Snap the ends off the asparagus. Set vegetables aside.

In a small bowl, stir the soup until it's smooth, adding the sour cream and milk. Pour into a large baking pan, like a lasagna pan, or a deep 9x13 pan. Set aside for now.

Pound out the chicken breasts to an even thickness. On a board, lay on strip of bacon, pointing away from you. Lay the chicken breast on top of the bacon, so it's centered underneath. Sprinkle liberally with the Greek Seasoning. On each breast lay 3 or 4 pieces of scallion, 3 or 4 pieces of red pepper, and 5 or 6 asparagus spears. Roll up using the bacon strip to help, and securing with a toothpick. The bacon makes it easy to secure with pick. Place the roll in the baking dish in the sauce. Continue with all the chicken breasts.

Sprinkle additional Greek Seasoning over, and salt and pepper. Bake, uncovered, in a 400 degree oven for about an hour until chicken is cooked through, bacon is crisp and the sauce is thickened. Serve with rice, spooning the sauce over.

*I used Penzey's Greek Seasoning for this dish but you can use any seasoning blend you like. Italian seasoning is also delicious.

This was such a great update to a classic homestyle recipe. The vegetables inside the chicken were cooked perfectly and the sauce is rich and creamy without being overly heavy. I'm a huge fan of roasted vegetables and the asparagus and pepper had that roasted flavor and texture. The bacon is super crispy and delicious on top, but on the bottom it stays soft, and the fat from the bacon lends another savory element to the sauce that's really delicious.

For me, this was such a successful "renovation" I think I'll spend some quality time with those old cookbooks, and see what else could use a little remodeling.

It's the weekend- might as well make some meatloaf

Why did meatloaf end up with such rep anyway? I actually LIKE it! It's the perfect comfort food, something you can get in almost every diner, maybe something you remember Mom making when you were little. I love the classic meatloaf with a drizzle of ketchup baked on the top, and once in a while I like to jazz it up a bit.

Meatloaf is easy to upgrade. Different meats, different toppings, different things tucked inside. We are big fans of mushrooms around here and I had some to use up so of course- mushroom stuffed meatloaf came to mind. Chopped up, tossed with some onion and garlic, it's a quick and easy stuffing with lots of flavor. A quick glance through the fridge and I also have half a package of bacon to use up so I grab that, chop it up, get it going in a pan....... and the rest is history.

Lakehouse Stuffed Meatloaf

2 lbs ground beef
8 oz package mushrooms
1 small onion
6 cloves garlic
1/2 cup beef stock
2-3 tablespoons cooking oil
half pound bacon
3 slices stale bread
2 eggs
salt and pepper or meat rub of choice

Clean the mushrooms by wiping with a damp paper towel. Trim the ends off the stems and chop the mushrooms. Finely chop the onion and garlic. Add to mushrooms and set aside.

Cut the bacon into small pieces and place in a skillet. Cook the bacon until browned and crispy, drain on paper towel and set aside. Drain off the fat. I don't like to cook mushrooms in bacon fat- they absorb too much of the fat and then everything is overwhelmingly bacon flavored. Add the cooking oil to the skillet and when hot, add the mushroom and onion mixture. 

Cook over medium heat until onions are softened and mushrooms start to brown. Add the beef stock, raise heat to high and cook to evaporate the liquid. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, crumble the ground beef. Crush up the stale bread into crumbs, season with salt and pepper of a good meat seasoning/rub (we like Feiny's Everything) and mix together with the eggs. Don't over mix but make sure the eggs and bread are fully incorporated.

Place a large sheet of waxed paper on the counter and pile the meat mixture in the center. Pat out into a rectangle about 10x15 or so, make sure you keep in mind the size of the baking pan you're going to use. Spread the mushroom mixture over the meat as evenly as possibly.  Sprinkle the bacon over.

Grasp the long edge of the waxed paper and lift, rolling the meat over the mushrooms away from you and continue until you reach the other end. Seal as well as you can. Use the waxed paper to help transfer to an oil baking dish, and place the roll seam side down. 

Bake at 325 degrees for one hour. Remove from oven, pour off any grease in the pan and cover loosely with foil; allow to rest at least 15 minutes before slicing.

Served with mashed potatoes and homemade gravy instead of the ketchup drizzle, this was such a tasty take on meatloaf. The bacon pieces stay quite crunchy during baking and it's easy to slice after that rest time. We had lots of leftovers too- and I love a cold meatloaf sandwich the next day.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 55: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

The End of the Trend

Sometimes I like to throw a question out and ask what all our readers think about a subject. So I did that. I posted this question on Facebook and then we'll talk about the answers-

"What is a current food trend that you wish would just go away?"

A couple people missed the mark, with answers like "McDonald's" and "high food prices"- not even in the ballpark. But I did get some great responses. What were they?

Kale- I for one am late to the kale party, but I definitely can understand this answer. For a while it seemed like everyone was making kale chips. Kale in smoothies with fruit kind of.......grosses me out. As a new kale eater I am just learning how to integrate this leafy green into different dishes but I can understand how anyone who follows food trends just might already be over it. Even when I posted a request to friends to help me find some interesting recipes for kale, I was overwhelmingly answered with kale chips. I'm pretty sure I don't want dried up leaves to munch on. So yes, the kale explosion is over. Time to move to the next super food.

Balsamic vinegar-  I am not on board with this at all, but I am a balsamic worshiper. I don't really see it as a trend, or even a trendy ingredient really. Sadly, most of what we use in the US is not true balsamic, even in upscale restaurants- rather it's a reduced and further sweetened vinegar with caramel coloring. A taste of real, true balsamic is a real treat.

Battered and deep fried anything-  I am not a fan of deep fried foods, in general. I rarely, if ever, deep fry anything I cook, and don't normally order fried foods if eating out. Not because I'm watching what I eat but just because I prefer to not eat so much oil and I am terrified of fire, so I don't even own a fryer. The worst time of year for these battered and fried treats are during the summer months, when all the fairs and festivals are going on- fried food vendors are everywhere,and they fry EVERYTHING- candy bars, Oreos, sticks of butter........ yuck.

Cupcakes-  Yep. I agree. Cupcakes are everywhere, even on television. Cupcake bakeries, cupcake competition shows. We have certainly gone into overdrive since the original Sprinkles Cupcake Bakery opened and created a monster. Pinterest is filled to the brim with cupcake recipes and decorating ideas. People are passing on the traditional wedding cake and instead doing cupcake displays. And don't get me started on cake POPS. Yes, I agree. It's time to say goodbye to cupcakes.

Paleo-  I had to look this one up. I've heard people talk about it and know a handful of people who eat a paleo diet but I really didn't know the specifics. Supposedly the diet is meant to reflect the foods that would have been available to people living during the Paleolithic period. Basically protein and non-starchy vegetables and fruits. No grains. Generally I am not a fan of any restrictive diet that takes large groups of food out of our diets. 

Clean Eating-  Apparently The Chef and I have accidentally been following this trend and didn't realize it. Clean eating is simply avoiding processed or refined foods and sticking to whole and unprocessed foods. We do so because we COOK but I can understand why others would choose this lifestyle. Processed food is full of junk. Period. As a trend, it's like any fad diet. It will be a buzzword for a while, and then fade away. In reality, clean eating is just what people did a couple generations ago before humanity became focused on fast and easy.

Food on a stick-  This is another food that goes hand in hand with fair season. Meant to be easy to eat while wandering around the fairgrounds, I can agree, this is a little overboard. The Iowa State Fair has no shortage of foods on a stick and a great many of them could be eaten without a stick just as easily, if not easier. Rice Krispie Treat on a stick. Um.....no. Get rid of the stick. Salad on a stick? Again, no. Impossible to dip into dressing and NOT have it all over your face. Have a seat and eat a salad. 

Bacon everything-  I love bacon. I cook with bacon. Sometimes, that is. Think about it- bacon wrapped everything is all over Pinterest and food blogs. Bacon ice cream. Bacon candy. Bacon donuts. Bacon wrapped hot dogs, tator tots, steak, whole turkeys, meatloaf, meatballs. Bacon vodka. Bacon milkshakes. Bacon OVERLOAD!!! Enough already!

Chimichurri-  The friend who gave this answer said "Chimichurri is the new aioli" and I absolutely agree! Aioli, a holdover from the mid 90s, was one of those things I thought would never go away. Mayo with a fancy name.... get out of here. I am seeing the same thing with chimichurri. I have made it once. That was enough. Not a big fan. I see this one everywhere- all kinds of recipes, as a marinade, a finishing sauce, a drizzle, a condiment. It's also not an especially attractive sauce. This one I also agree- chimi needs to go.

Chipotle pepper- As a pepper lover, I don't dislike chipotle, but I totally understand why the person who gave this answer did- chipotle is pretty much the bacon of the pepper world. It's in everything. It's everywhere. It's nothing special to begin with- roasted smoked jalapeno. Dried they look like......something a dog left behind. In adobo sauce they are just smooshy and gross. It's time to move on. Not to ghost peppers, either. Been there done that.

Pumpkin everything-  This one is a seasonal trend that will be gone before we know it. But it will be back, year after year. Every autumn pumpkin and pumpkin spice are given the "bacon treatment" and are added to everything- coffee, ice cream, cake, pie, savory sides, pancakes, candles, soap and room sprays. *cough*

And my food trend I wish would go away- sliders. Seriously people, they are just little sandwiches. That's all. White Castle may be credited with inventing the slider, but it's gone Frankenstein since then. Every sandwich appears in miniature, on menus, blogs, Pinterest, in cookbooks. Some of them are just plain goofy. BLT Sliders are just BLTs- quartered!!! Peanut butter and jelly sliders? No. Leftover Turkey and Stuffing Sliders? NO! Those are just leftovers on a dinner roll- something we have been eating for decades. Kind of like the cupcake craze, it's time to make a real sandwich again and stop with the miniatures!

So, The Chef and I want to hear from you guys. What is a food trend you would like to see go away?

Jumping Off the Bacon Bandwagon

Are you as tired as I am of the Bacon Bandwagon? Don't get me wrong, I love the stuff, but it's everywhere. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, even cocktails and candy. We've done the bacon-wrapped thing here too but I was looking for something a little different, a little more refined. Prosciutto came to mind when I was pondering my options. I knew I was going to use it to roll something, but exactly what I wasn't sure yet.

Exactly what is prosciutto? Well, the short answer- ham. It's a dry cured ham that's usually cut super thin and served in many different dishes. It's cured and not cooked. Typically made from the leg of a pig or wild boar, it can take as long as two years to cure and craft the perfect prosciutto. You need a cool and damp environment to have a good prosciutto. Too warm and the meat is going to soil and be inedible. If you don't have a lot of humidity, you're just making jerky.

What do you do with it? Almost everyone has seen it wrapped around wedges of juicy melon. It might be wrapped around bread sticks or asparagus and roasted. It might be tossed with pasta and a creamy sauce, or cut up and sprinkled on a pizza when it comes out of the oven. Saltimbocca is a classic Italian dish in which pieces of veal are topped with a sage leaf and wrapped in prosciutto. Of course, many a panini is made with prosciutto too. I thought about using it in an appetizer using cubes of chicken and a sage leaf but we just don't need that many appetizers for the two of us. Instead, I have decided to stuff my chicken breasts with a garlicky, herby goat cheese and wrap them, baking until the prosciutto is crispy and brown and so delicious. So non-bacon.

Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken with Prosciutto

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied
• 3 oz goat cheese, room temperature
• 1 tsp minced garlic (one small clove)
• butter
• 1-2 tsp minced fresh thyme, chives, parsley, plus more
• prosciutto
• salt and pepper

Butterfly the chicken breasts- this makes pounding so much more efficient and you don't have to beat the heck out of the chicken to get it the right size for rolling. 

It's super easy to do-place your hand flat on the top of the chicken breast; using a sharp knife, slice the chicken breasts horizontally but NOT all the way through. Lay open the chicken- voila! Place the chicken between sheets of plastic. Lightly pound them with mallet or heavy rolling pin to 1/4 inch thickness. Season with salt and pepper.

In a small skillet melt a tablespoon or so of butter. Saute the garlic for a couple minutes until softened but not brown. Crumble the goat cheese into a small bowl. Add the garlic and herbs, mix well. 

Divide between chicken breasts. Spread or pat the goat cheese evenly over the chicken. It doesn't have to cover every bit of the meat, just evenly. Roll up the chicken.

Using slices of prosciutto, wrap the chicken rolls, and secure with picks. Place on shallow sheet pan. Drizzle with a couple tablespoons of melted butter. Note: If you use a high-sided pan it's much harder for the prosciutto to crisp up nicely. It sort of steams the rolls and we don't want that.

Bake at 375 degrees for 25-35 minutes until chicken is done. While the chicken is in the oven, get your sides together. Sprinkle chicken with additional fresh herbs and serve.

I served the chicken with mashed potatoes made with a little roast garlic, minced fresh herbs, drizzled with the pan drippings from the chicken, and sauteed baby zucchini. It was so delicious! It smelled amazing in the oven- like Thanksgiving dinner- seriously, like a roast turkey, and the prosciutto was SO MUCH BETTER than bacon- super thing, crispy, no flab even on the bottom. The goat cheese added the delicious tangy twist that chicken needs, and is really a blank canvas for you to play with herbs, spices, flavors. Give it a try!