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This month, I am including two slow cooker recipes. Hopefully that will make it super easy to participate. I am also including a special Valentine's menu with THREE desserts. I have posted all the desserts before, so I urge you to try at least one. If you only try one thing this month, try the custard. Please someone try it! It is my own recipe and my favorite dessert. I am so proud of it.
Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore
Slow Cooker Barbeque Baby Back Ribs
Steak Diane
Shrimp Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette
Chocolate Mousse
Molten Chocolate Cakes
Italian Creme Custard
Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore
3 lbs. bone-in chicken pieces, skin removed, pices seasoned with kosher salt and black pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup dry red wine
1 can whole tomatoes, drained and cut up (15 oz.)
1 can crushed tomatoes (15 oz.)
1 onion, sliced
8 oz. cremini or button mushrooms, quartered
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. anchovy paste
1 red bell pepper, sliced
Fresh oregano
Parmesan cheese curls
Dredge chicken in flour, shaking off any excess.
Brown chicken on both sides in hot oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer chicken to a 4-6 qt. slow cooker.
Deglaze saute pan with wine, cooking until liquid is reduced by half. Transfer wine mixture to the slow cooker.
Add whole and crushed tomatoes, onion, mushrooms, garlic, Italian seasoning, and anchovy paste to the slow cooker.
Cover cacciatore; cook until chicken is tender, on low heat setting for 3.5 to 4.5 hours. Add bell pepper, cover, and cook until pepper is tender, 30 minutes more. Garnish cacciatore with oregano and parmesan.
Slow Cooker Barbequed Baby Back Ribs
For the rub-
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
4 tsp. kosher salt
4 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 tsp. garlic powder
For the ribs
1 medium red onion, sliced
1/2 cup carbonated cola beverage
2 slabs pork baby back ribs (about 4 lbs. total), rinsed, patted dry, and trimmed
1 cup purchased barbeque sauce (I like Sweet Baby Ray's)
Combine brown sugar, salt, chili powder, paprika, pepper, and garlic powder for the rub in a small bowl. Thoroughly coat ribs with the rub using all of the mixture.
Add onion and cola to a 4-6 qt. slow cooker. Place ribs on top cutting to fit if necessary. Cover; cook until ribs are tender, on high heat for 3.5 to 4.5 hours or on low heat setting for 6-7 hours.
Preheat broiler to high with the oven rack 6-8 inches from the heating element. Transfer ribs to a foil-lined baking sheet; brush ribs with sauce. Broil ribs until sauce caramelizes, about 5 mintues.
Steak Diane
4 (3-ounce) filet mignon medallions
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 teaspoons minced shallots
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup sliced white mushroom caps
1/4 cup brandy
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup reduced veal or beef stock
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 drops hot red pepper sauce
1 tablespoon finely chopped green onions
1 teaspoon minced parsley leaves
Season the beef medallions on both sides with the salt and pepper.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meat and cook for 45 seconds on the first side. Turn and cook for 30 seconds on the second side. Add the shallots and garlic to the side of the pan and cook, stirring, for 20 seconds. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until soft, 2 minutes. Place the meat on a plate and cover to keep warm.
Tilt the pan towards you and add the brandy. Tip the pan away from yourself and ignite the brandy with a match. (Alternatively, remove the pan from the heat to ignite, and then return to the heat.) When the flame has burned out, add the mustard and cream, mix thoroughly and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the veal stock and simmer for 1 minute. Add the Worcestershire and hot sauce and stir to combine. Return the meat and any accumulated juices to the pan and turn the meat to coat with the sauce.
Remove from the heat and stir in the green onions and parsley. Divide the medallions and sauce between 2 large plates and serve immediately.
Shrimp Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette
2 strips thick-sliced bacon, dices
1/2 cup vegetable oil, divided
2 T. apple cider vinegar
2 T. sugar
1 tsp. fresh lime juice
16 jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined
2 T. minced garlic
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp, red pepper flakes
chopped tomato
candied almond slices
Baby Spinach
Candy 1/4 cup of sliced almonds in 1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp. sugar. Heat over meduim heat until it melts to coat almonds. Poor onto parchment, aluminum foil, or plate that is lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Break apart when cool.
Fry bacon for the vinaigrette in a large saute pan leaving bacon bits in the pan. Stir in 2T. of the oil, vinegar, sugar, and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm. Toss seafood with remaining oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and and pepper flakes. Saute or grill until cooked through. Remove from heat, and dress spinach with shrimp, tomatoes, almonds, and vinaigrette.
Italian Creme Custard
2 cups half-and-half
5 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla or other flavoring
1/8 tsp salt
4 oz. ripe red raspberries (optional)
1. In a small saucepan scald half-and-half over medium-low hear until just bubbly. Remove from heat.
2. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl mix egg yolks, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Whisk until combined. Add a small amount of the hot half-and-half to temper the eggs. Continue adding the rest of the half and half slowly to the sugar and egg mixture until it is all combined.
4. Line a large rectangular baking pan or roasting pan with a damp dish towel.
3. Place 6 ramikins (6 oz.) in the baking pan. Place 3 or 4 raspberries in the bottom of each ramikin. Pour custard mixture evenly into the ramikins over the rasberries.
4. Add hot water to the baking dish to come about half-way up the outside of the ramikins to create a water bath.
5. Bake custards in a 325 degree oven until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. About 35-40 minutes.
6. Remove custards from water bath and cool on wire rack. Refrigerate.
To vary the recipe, instead of vanilla use amaretto or grand marnier for different flavors.
Topping:
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
...or a sweetened mascarpone (harder to find).
Top chilled custards with cheese topping. Refrigerate.
When ready to serve, sprinkle each ramikin with a bit of brown sugar on the top and microwave for about 40 seconds, until the custard is warm. You can also brulee the sugar on top of the custard if you prefer/have a brulee torch. Garnish with more fresh raspberries, almond slivers or mint leaves.
Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore
Slow Cooker Barbeque Baby Back Ribs
Steak Diane
Shrimp Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette
Chocolate Mousse
Molten Chocolate Cakes
Italian Creme Custard
Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore
3 lbs. bone-in chicken pieces, skin removed, pices seasoned with kosher salt and black pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup dry red wine
1 can whole tomatoes, drained and cut up (15 oz.)
1 can crushed tomatoes (15 oz.)
1 onion, sliced
8 oz. cremini or button mushrooms, quartered
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. anchovy paste
1 red bell pepper, sliced
Fresh oregano
Parmesan cheese curls
Dredge chicken in flour, shaking off any excess.
Brown chicken on both sides in hot oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer chicken to a 4-6 qt. slow cooker.
Deglaze saute pan with wine, cooking until liquid is reduced by half. Transfer wine mixture to the slow cooker.
Add whole and crushed tomatoes, onion, mushrooms, garlic, Italian seasoning, and anchovy paste to the slow cooker.
Cover cacciatore; cook until chicken is tender, on low heat setting for 3.5 to 4.5 hours. Add bell pepper, cover, and cook until pepper is tender, 30 minutes more. Garnish cacciatore with oregano and parmesan.
Slow Cooker Barbequed Baby Back Ribs
For the rub-
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
4 tsp. kosher salt
4 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 tsp. garlic powder
For the ribs
1 medium red onion, sliced
1/2 cup carbonated cola beverage
2 slabs pork baby back ribs (about 4 lbs. total), rinsed, patted dry, and trimmed
1 cup purchased barbeque sauce (I like Sweet Baby Ray's)
Combine brown sugar, salt, chili powder, paprika, pepper, and garlic powder for the rub in a small bowl. Thoroughly coat ribs with the rub using all of the mixture.
Add onion and cola to a 4-6 qt. slow cooker. Place ribs on top cutting to fit if necessary. Cover; cook until ribs are tender, on high heat for 3.5 to 4.5 hours or on low heat setting for 6-7 hours.
Preheat broiler to high with the oven rack 6-8 inches from the heating element. Transfer ribs to a foil-lined baking sheet; brush ribs with sauce. Broil ribs until sauce caramelizes, about 5 mintues.
Steak Diane
4 (3-ounce) filet mignon medallions
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 teaspoons minced shallots
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup sliced white mushroom caps
1/4 cup brandy
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup reduced veal or beef stock
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 drops hot red pepper sauce
1 tablespoon finely chopped green onions
1 teaspoon minced parsley leaves
Season the beef medallions on both sides with the salt and pepper.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meat and cook for 45 seconds on the first side. Turn and cook for 30 seconds on the second side. Add the shallots and garlic to the side of the pan and cook, stirring, for 20 seconds. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until soft, 2 minutes. Place the meat on a plate and cover to keep warm.
Tilt the pan towards you and add the brandy. Tip the pan away from yourself and ignite the brandy with a match. (Alternatively, remove the pan from the heat to ignite, and then return to the heat.) When the flame has burned out, add the mustard and cream, mix thoroughly and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the veal stock and simmer for 1 minute. Add the Worcestershire and hot sauce and stir to combine. Return the meat and any accumulated juices to the pan and turn the meat to coat with the sauce.
Remove from the heat and stir in the green onions and parsley. Divide the medallions and sauce between 2 large plates and serve immediately.
Shrimp Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette
2 strips thick-sliced bacon, dices
1/2 cup vegetable oil, divided
2 T. apple cider vinegar
2 T. sugar
1 tsp. fresh lime juice
16 jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined
2 T. minced garlic
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp, red pepper flakes
chopped tomato
candied almond slices
Baby Spinach
Candy 1/4 cup of sliced almonds in 1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp. sugar. Heat over meduim heat until it melts to coat almonds. Poor onto parchment, aluminum foil, or plate that is lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Break apart when cool.
Fry bacon for the vinaigrette in a large saute pan leaving bacon bits in the pan. Stir in 2T. of the oil, vinegar, sugar, and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm. Toss seafood with remaining oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and and pepper flakes. Saute or grill until cooked through. Remove from heat, and dress spinach with shrimp, tomatoes, almonds, and vinaigrette.
Italian Creme Custard
2 cups half-and-half
5 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla or other flavoring
1/8 tsp salt
4 oz. ripe red raspberries (optional)
1. In a small saucepan scald half-and-half over medium-low hear until just bubbly. Remove from heat.
2. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl mix egg yolks, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Whisk until combined. Add a small amount of the hot half-and-half to temper the eggs. Continue adding the rest of the half and half slowly to the sugar and egg mixture until it is all combined.
4. Line a large rectangular baking pan or roasting pan with a damp dish towel.
3. Place 6 ramikins (6 oz.) in the baking pan. Place 3 or 4 raspberries in the bottom of each ramikin. Pour custard mixture evenly into the ramikins over the rasberries.
4. Add hot water to the baking dish to come about half-way up the outside of the ramikins to create a water bath.
5. Bake custards in a 325 degree oven until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. About 35-40 minutes.
6. Remove custards from water bath and cool on wire rack. Refrigerate.
To vary the recipe, instead of vanilla use amaretto or grand marnier for different flavors.
Topping:
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
...or a sweetened mascarpone (harder to find).
Top chilled custards with cheese topping. Refrigerate.
When ready to serve, sprinkle each ramikin with a bit of brown sugar on the top and microwave for about 40 seconds, until the custard is warm. You can also brulee the sugar on top of the custard if you prefer/have a brulee torch. Garnish with more fresh raspberries, almond slivers or mint leaves.
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