This YOUNG Chef??? I may have to change the name of the blog...
My first cousin thrice removed (I think I have that right now... his grandfather's mother was my first cousin Addie) has been cooking from This Old Chef!
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Feast on These Turkey-ish Delights! (Reposting Six Surefire Ways to Honor That Bird In the Days After Thanksgiving!)
OK, nobody loved turkey more than Ben Franklin, who tried to convince Congress to make it our national bird!
On Thanksgiving, of course, it is... and I think we can all agree that there's nothing quite like that first turkey…
Seasoning the Weeks Ahead! (And Giving Thanks for Days...)
As soon as November arrives, we're all inundated with TV shows, magazines, newspaper articles, and internet newsletters/posts/blogs, etc., telling us - down to the second - How to "Do" Thanksgiving! I won't add to that tsunami of info... I'm guessing…
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Comfort Food High (Roast Chicken with Gravy, Dressing, and Oven-Roasted Potatoes)
The temps were plunging and it was in the 30s. As luck would have it, there had been a great whole chicken sale at Stew's, so out came the big cast iron pan. I preheated it in the oven at…
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Tortilla El Greco (A "Greek" Spanish Tortilla)
Yes! A "GREEK" Spanish Tortilla!!!
Wait... Wait... Let me explain...
It's been cool and grey again... So I wanted something substantial, but not too substantial. And, upon inspection, I discovered that the larder was rather bare. Now, having said that…
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Old School! (Eggplant Parmigiana)
Nellie Misch, a friend we hadn't seen in years, happened to drive by while we were having a yard sale... (Yes, you heard me, a yard sale!) Before leaving, she shared with us two perfect eggplants that she had picked…
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From Hmmm to Mmmmm... (Pasta with Shrimp, Prosciutto and Sage, Topped with Parsley and Toasted Breadcrumbs)
So...
Shrimp wasn't in the plan, but at the store there was a major sale, and the shrimp looked and smelled great... So shrimp it was!
When we got home, I realized there was some prosciutto that my friend Nick…
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Chicken Schnitzel wtih Crema di Porcini Tartufati and Golden Potatoes Sautéed... in Schmalz!
OK. I get it. Hyperbole = Diminishing Returns.
BUT...
Last Sunday night's dinner was in the Top Five Ever. Seriously.
Tough week... Tough weekend... and all of the Sunday food shows were MEAT! MEAT! MEAT! So, being the suggestible fellow…
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Lime Ice Cream!
Invited to a gathering...
Asked to bring a "healthy dessert..."
Panic ensued.
Generally, I'm of the vaguely French school: I'd rather end a meal with cheese. But when I'm in the mood for dessert, I go WAAAAY over the top…
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Thai of Many Colors (Ground Beef with Green Curry, Brown Rice, Orange Habañero, Black Beans and White Scallions)
OK... We both wanted Thai... and even our fave Thai green curry chicken didn't quite seem right. But I had Thai basil that needed to be harvested, and I had our first habañero pepper of the season...
So I had…
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Salmon with Cauliflower Purée and Green Zebra Caprese
There was a great sale on healthily raised salmon at my store, so... 3/4 pound works well for two people. I decided that the salmon looked so good, I'd keep it simple:
I sprinkled each piece with my homemade smoked…
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Chicken Saltimbocca with Cannellini Beans and Roasted Cauliflower with Gruyére, Cheddar and Caraway Seeds
In a belated celebration of his birthday, Charlie received a lovely Medoc from a wonderful friend who prefers to remain anonymous...
And that called for a dinner to match!
So I made a chicken saltimbocca...
...using shavings…
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Cold Comin' (Purple Pesto)
Low 50's last night... Therefore... A basil and tomato harvest was in order...
Regular green pesto, albeit with toasted, skinned hazelnuts replacing the pine nuts...
And ugly, delicious purple pesto with double the amount of hazelnuts...
Sometimes an experiment is…
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Black Bean and Quinoa Salad with Scallions, Garden Herbs and Tomatoes
I had quinoa.
I had tomatoes.
I had scallions.
The yard is full of herbs and tomatoes.
But there seemed to be something missing...
I looked around the kitchen and found a bag of dried black beans. So instead of…
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Toasted Indian Cauliflower with Black Beans, Greek Yogurt and Jalapeños
I wanted Indian food... My favorite... But I wasn't prepared to make the 20-30 things I usually do (OK, a bit of an exaggeration, but still...). I had some things in the fridge that I thought might make a fun…
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