Growing up, didn't you hate it when your favorite TV show cheated you with a "clip show" episode?  I haven't seen a "clip show" in quite awhile...do TV shows still do them?

The memory of clip show episodes came to me when writing this post.  I know it's a total cheat, but I wanted to post SOMETHING before the big game...(1) to confirm that my blog still works and (2) to hopefully get my creativity going again.  Fingers crossed this actually works!

Here's some of my favorites that would be perfect for a Super Bowl party...

Appetizers

Pretzel-Wrapped Sausage Bites

Spicy-Sweet Wings

JD's Chex Mix

Caramel Popcorn

Main Dishes

Dinner on the Grill

Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork (sorry no picture for this one)

Yankee Chili

Lasagna

Desserts

Fudge Brownies

Chocolate Toffee Bars

Peanut Butter Cookies

Cocktails

Classic Margarita

Tequila in the Tropics

Enjoy your Super Bowl Sunday!

Like many food bloggers, I am a huge fan of Ree Drummond over at The Pioneer Woman.  She always makes me laugh, she takes beautiful photos (food, family, and life around the ranch) and I have yet to try one of her recipes that wasn't delicious.

So although I first reviewed this recipe with trepidation, I had faith in Ree's culinary wisdom and made the lasagna exactly as written.  Many foodie snobs would turn up their nose at this...a lasagna made with dried herbs and Kraft parmesan cheese and breakfast sausage?!?!?  Blasphemy!  And yet, The Pioneer Woman was right.  This is really the most delicious lasagna I have ever had.  Hands down.

"From the Pantry" Lasagna
adapted from The Pioneer Woman

1 pound ground beef
1 pound hot breakfast sausage (I used Bob Evans)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans (14.5 ounces) whole tomatoes (I used a quart jar of homemade canned tomatoes)
2 cans (8 ounces) tomato paste
2 tablespoons dried parsley
2 tablespoons dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups cottage cheese
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I used good ol' Kraft in the green jar)
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound sliced mozzarella cheese
1 package (10 ounces) lasagna noodles
more grated Parmesan cheese for sprinkling

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add some salt and olive oil to the water.  Cook the lasagna noodles, following package instructions, until al dente.  Don't overcook.  Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, brown the ground beef, sausage, and garlic in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Drain off most of the fat, but leave some behind.  Fat is yummy.

Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons dried parsley and 2 tablespoons dried basil, and 1 teaspoon salt.  Stir to combine, bring to a boil, then reduce heat.  Simmer 45 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine the cottage cheese, beaten eggs, grated Parmesan, the other 2 tablespoons dried parsley, and 1 teaspoon salt.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In 9" x 13" or similar pan, arrange 4 lasanga noodles at the bottom of the pan, overlapping if necessary.  Spoon half of the cottage cheese mixture on top of the noodles and spread evenly.  Arrange half of the mozzarella slices over the cottage cheese mixture.  Spoon a little less than half of the meat sauce mixture on top and spread evenly.  Repeat one more layer:  noodles, cottage cheese mixture, mozzarella cheese, and meat sauce mixture.  Sprinkle more Parmesan cheese on top.

Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.  Let the lasagna sit for at least 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Of all of the Food Network stars, Bobby Flay has always been my favorite.  Aside from his cute Irish-tough-guy looks, he is fun on camera and I love his food.  This recipe is from Throwdown!, his latest show.  Bobby lost this challenge to Mike Maroni, a restauranteur in Long Island who is famous for his meatballs, made from his grandmother's 100-year old recipe.

Growing up, we never had meatballs with spaghetti.  We usually just added browned ground beef to the sauce...and the sauce was never homemade.  Not that there is anything wrong with jarred sauce, especially Newman's Own Sockarooni Sauce.  Yum.

I was curious to taste a meatball that beat Bobby in a throwdown, so I thought I would give this recipe a try.  Dee-lish.  The meatballs were so flavorful and tender, not dry or tough like I imagined them to be.  The sauce was delicious, too.  JD commented that there was a bit too much garlic, but he still said the meatballs were awesome.  Me, I can never have too much garlic, but I'll probably tone it down a little the next time I make it for him.

Mike Maroni's Spaghetti and Meatballs
adapted from Bobby Flay's Throwdown!

Meatballs:
1 pound ground chuck
1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 1/4 cups fresh bread crumbs
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup minced parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 small onion, grated
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Sauce:
1/3 olive oil
1 head garlic, cloves minced
1 large onion, finely diced
2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes (or 2 quart jars home grown canned tomatoes, crushed, if you have them)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
handful basil leaves, torn into pieces

1 pound spaghetti, cooked al dente

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Brush baking sheet with olive oil.

Combine all meatball ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.  Roll mixture into meatballs, each about the size of a golf ball, and place on prepared baking sheet.  Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until cooked through and browned.

Meanwhile, make the sauce.  Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic and saute about 5 minutes.  Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, salt and pepper, and red pepper flakes.  Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, for 20 minutes.  Taste and add salt if necessary.  Remove from heat and stir in the basil leaves.  Add the meatballs to the sauce.

To serve, put some spaghetti on serving plate, and top with meatballs and sauce.

Roast Chicken sounds boring and blase, but it can be one of the most delicious things you could ever learn to make.  We learned to make this last week in my class, and it looked so unassuming...until you tasted it.  Tender, juicy, flavorful...anything but boring.  I was so excited that it turned out just as delicious when I made it at home.  Even JD said he had never had chicken so good.

Simply Delicious Roast Chicken with Jus

1 4-5 pound roasting chicken, giblets removed
kosher salt
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon peppercorns, cracked
canola oil
1/2 cup or so of dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock

Rinse chicken inside and out, and pat dry with paper towels.  Sprinkle cavity generously with salt.

Stuff chicken cavity with diced onion, carrot, celery, thyme, garlic cloves, and cracked peppercorns.

Tuck wings underneath the bird.  Tie the legs together with kitchen twine.

Heat a few tablespoons of canola oil (or clarified butter if you have it) in a large ovenproof skillet or roasting pan over medium-high heat.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Carefully place the chicken on its side in the skillet so the leg/thigh is on the bottom.  Sear for a few minutes until the leg is nicely browned.  Repeat with the other side.

Lay chicken flat on its back and place in the oven for 10 minutes.  Remove from the oven, baste with pan drippings, and sprinkle with salt.  Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees and place back in the oven.

Repeat every 10 minutes until oven temp is reduced to 350 degrees.  Continue to roast until nicely browned, and instant-read thermometer inserted into thigh reads 165 degrees.  Carefully remove chicken to cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest 15 minutes.  Pour off the fat from the pan.

Using a sharp slicing knife, carve the legs and breast from the chicken.  I'm not even going to try to describe how to do this (I can barely do it myself!) but there are plenty of websites and videos available out there.  Keep chicken warm on platter while you make the jus.

Heat skillet/roasting pan over medium-high heat.  Scoop out the veggies from the chicken cavity (discard the thyme sprigs) and put in pan.  Hack the chicken carcass into large pieces and put in the pan with the veggies.  Saute until vegetables and chicken pieces are lightly browned.  Deglaze with some white wine, and reduce until nearly evaporated.  Add chicken stock and heat to boiling.  Taste and add salt as needed.

Strain jus.  Drizzle some jus over carved chicken and serve the rest on the side.

We made this risotto in last week's cooking class, and my kitchen partners and I were amazed with our success.  Every once in a while, you make a dish that tastes so incredible, so delicious, that you can't help but feel like a real chef.  Or at least that you should be getting paid for making it.  This is one of those dishes.

Risotto with Butternut Squash and Mushrooms

1 cup diced butternut squash
8 ounces mushrooms, quartered
olive oil
3-4 cups chicken stock
1 cup finely diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
chopped parsley for garnish

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in saute pan.  Add squash and a sprinkle of kosher salt.  Saute until the squash is tender and lightly browned.  Remove from pan and set aside.  Repeat with the mushrooms.

Bring chicken stock to a boil in saucepan, reduce heat and let simmer, covered.

In another saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium to medium-high heat.  Add onions and sweat until softened, 3-4 minutes.  Do not let onions brown.  Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add rice and stir until rice is evenly coated with butter.  Saute for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until rice becomes translucent at the edges, 3-4 minutes.

Add white wine, stir, and cook until evaporated.

Begin adding chicken stock, a ladle at a time, allowing rice to absorb stock before adding next ladleful.  Stir frequently and keep the risotto at a simmer...not a fast boil.

After about 15 minutes, add squash and mushrooms to risotto, stir to combine, and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes.  Taste risotto and check for doneness.  The grains should be tender but with a little bite and the risotto itself should be creamy but not soupy.

Add 1 tablespoon butter and Parmesan cheese and stir.  Taste for seasoning and add salt if necessary.

Pour into serving dish, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve immediately.

Be prepared for rave reviews, bribes for the recipe, and marriage proposals.

Fall is the perfect time for meals like this...slow-braised meat, soft onions, and warm, rich broth.  Makes the house smell delicious too!

Chicken Normandy
adapted from Simply Recipes

4 tablespoons butter
2 Fuji apples, cored, peeled and sliced into wedges
flour
8 chicken thighs
salt
1 onion, peeled, sliced in wedges lengthwise
1/2 brandy
2 cups apple cider
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 cup cream (I used milk)

Season chicken pieces with salt and let it at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Saute apple slices in 2 tablespoons butter in a large oven-proof skillet over medium heat until they start to brown.  Remove apple slices to plate lined with paper towels to drain.  Sprinkle with salt.

Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to pan.  Dredge chicken pieces in flour, shake off excess.  Fry chicken on medium heat 3-5 minutes per side, until golden brown.  Remove and set aside.  Add onions to skillet; increase heat to medium-high.  Saute onions until just starting to brown.

Add brandy to the skillet.  Use wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.  Cook until reduced to about half.  Add apple cider and bring to a boil.  Stir in thyme and pinch of salt.

Place chicken pieces back in skillet on top of onions, skin side up.  Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

Remove pan from oven (watch out for the hot handle!) and remove chicken; set aside on warm plate.  Add apples to skillet, return to stove on high heat, and boil until sauce is reduced by half.  Remove from heat and add cream (or milk) and stir.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve chicken with the apples and onions and top with sauce.

Most cooks have a standard favorite recipe of a specific dish...one they always rely on for consistent quality and comments.  Those are great, but there is the danger of getting too comfortable, to the point where you don't make any other variations or even look at different recipes for that same dish.  Don't get stuck in a rut...branch out!  Do something different!  Take a leap!

Remember that episode of "Frasier" where he tells everyone to take advantage of the extra day and "Take a Leap" on February 29?  Daphne gets a disasterous new haircut, Roz makes a fool of herself on air trying to meet a guy, Martin takes a horrible trip...so Frasier chickens out of his own "leap" (singing a difficult aria instead of his usual "Buttons and Bows") and then forgets all of the words..."Hippity-bippity-boppity-bow, something and something buttons and bows!"

Anyway, my chili recipe is one of those "old standbys" for me.  It's always good and I get raves from JD so it's great for a stress-free meal.  So recently I decided to branch out and try a completely different recipe for chili, and I'm so glad I did.  YUMMY.

Chorizo, Beef and Bean Chili
recipe adapted from Cooking Light

2 links chorizo sausage
1 1/2 pounds stew meat, cubed
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon ground coriander (I didn't have this, so I left it out)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup lime juice
32 ounces reduced sodium beef broth
1 quart canned tomatoes, undrained and chopped
2 tablespoons masa harina or fine ground cornmeal
2 15-ounce cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

You'll notice I rarely post a picture of a recipe's ingredients...here's the main reason.  I left out the following items from this picture:  the other can of pinto beans, tomato paste, red wine, sugar, and masa harina.  Oh well.

Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Brown chorizo in pan until browned; remove from pan and set aside.  Brown the stew meat in batches; remove from pan and set aside.

Add onion and garlic to pan; saute for 3 minutes, or until softened.  Remove 2-3 chipotle chiles from the can and chop.  Save the remaining chiles and sauce for another use (put in zip-top bag and freeze).  Add chorizo, beef, chopped chiles, tomato paste, sugar, salt, cocoa, coriander, oregano and cumin to the pot with the onions.  Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Add the wine, lime juice, beef broth, and tomatoes to the pot and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

After 1 hour, gradually add the masa harina, stirring well to avoid lumps.  Stir in the pinto beans and black beans.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.

Serve with grated cheese, sour cream, chopped green onions...or all on its own.

More comfort food...this is super easy and makes your house smell heavenly. JD said it smelled like Christmas. Not bad for a random Sunday in August.

Sunday Pot Roast
adapted from BigOven.com

3 tablespoons olive oil
4 pound boneless rump roast
3 onions, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons paprika
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 cups red wine
2-3 cups beef broth
2 pounds small potatoes
8 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Heat olive oil in large oven-safe pot over medium-high heat.

Pat roast dry with paper towels and sprinkle all over with salt and pepper. Brown roast on all sides in pot. Remove and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium; add onions and stir. Cook, stirring, for 10 minutes.

Add paprika, bay leaves, rosemary, oregano, thyme and garlic. Stir and cook for 1 minute.

Add wine and 1 1/2 cups broth. Bring to a boil. Add potatoes, carrots, and roast to pan. Add enough broth so the liquid just covers the roast and vegetables. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer.

Cover pot with foil and then cover tightly with lid. Place in oven for 2 1/2 hours. Remove from oven, uncover, and carefully turn over roast. Replace foil and lid and put back in oven for 1 1/2 hours, or until meat and vegetables are very tender.

Remove roast (it may fall apart on you; that's a good sign!). Put on plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Remove potatoes and carrots to deep platter; cover. Bring remaining liquid in pot to a boil; reduce until it is at the desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Slice roast (or cut into chunks if it's falling apart) and put on platter with vegetables. Drizzle with sauce and serve.

This is another one of those deceptively simple recipes...it looks unassuming and nothing special, but tastes soooo good! I was just trying to find a different way to prepare pork chops, and I stumbled upon this.  Forget bland, tough pork chops...these are tender, juicy and full of flavor. This has become one of JD's new favorites.

Honey Mustard Pork Chops
adapted from Can I Get The Recipe

Marinade:
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce

4 pork chops

In a shallow bowl or zip-top bag, combine the marinade ingredients. Add the pork chops and turn to coat well. Cover bowl or seal bag, and refrigerate overnight.

Take pork chops out of the fridge about 30 minutes before cooking. Get your grill (or grill pan) nice and hot. Remove pork chops from marinade; discard marinade.

Cook pork chops 4-5 minutes per side. Rest on warm plate 5 minutes, then serve. These are especially good when served with grilled pineapple.

This is another favorite of JD's.  Wonderful flavor.  Not glamourous, but sooooo good.

Red Beans with Sausage
recipe adapted from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything

1 pound pinto or kidney beans, rinsed and picked over
sliced ham hocks
1/2 pound Italian sausage (I use sweet, not hot)
1 large onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
5 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
2 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 cup chopped tomatoes (canned or fresh)

Put beans in large pot and add water to cover.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Add the ham hock slices and reduce heat to simmer.  Cover loosely.  Add more water if necessary.

Meanwhile, put sausages in skillet over medium heat.  Turn occasionally until browned on all sides; remove from pan.  Sausages will not be done in the middle, but don't worry about that.  Cut sausages into chunks.

Add a little canola oil to the skillet and add onion, bell pepper and garlic.  Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened...about 10 minutes.  Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Return the sausage chunks to the pan and cook over medium heat until browned all over.

Add the onion/peppers, thyme, bay leaves, allspice and tomatoes to the pan.

Reduce heat to medium-low and cook 10-15 minutes.

Remove the ham hocks from the pot of beans, remove bones and chop. 

Return chopped ham to the pot of beans along with the sausage/vegetable mixture.

Cook at a simmer until the beans are very tender.  Remove and discard bay leaves and thyme sprigs.

Serve alone or over rice; sprinkle with chopped parsley.