I wanted to really bless a close friend and she was heading up a luncheon….so I offered to create magic if at all possible. I chose a Southwestern – New England Fusion menu and I will be blogging it over the next week or so.

This is Kyrie creating magic. My daughter Erin took the picture. One of my favorites…

Anyway….

The menu looks like this :

• Maple Caramelized Pear and Pecan Salad with Sharp Cheddar Wedges and  Cranberry Vinaigrette
• Chicken Breast with Maple Chipotle Glaze (only I am not breading the chicken this time)
• Chili Lime Corn
• Dinner Rolls
• Apple Cake with Dulce de Leche Drizzle and Granny Smith slices as garnish

Basically I tried to pull together the spicy southwest with the sweet harvest flavors of the East Coast.  So, I will get Saturday Surfing up as soon as I can.. in the meanwhile – Bake something!

image:   Erin Audet Myers

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Needless to say I did not cook like his mom. I needed to find a way to get the vegetables I loved into our diets without setting off his anti-vegetable meter. What was the answer?

Stir fry! You can chop up nearly anything and put it in a stir fry. So very slowly I introduced things like broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus and brussels sprouts. I chopped them very tiny at first and then increasingly bigger hunks. Eventually Marc was eating all kinds of veggies. He will even eat Brussels Spouts once in awhile…although they are not his favorite. He admitted that he likes spinach the way I fix it…

This sorta stir fry is one of the dishes that has no real recipe and I have been making it for 30 years. You can stretch a little bit of meat and add nearly any vegetable you want.

Marye’s Sorta Stir Fry

• 1-2 lbs of meat: hamburger, sliced beef, chicken, pork, etc.
• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• 4 oz dried maitake mushrooms, reconstituted
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 4 stalks of celery
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
• 2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
• 1/2 lb spinach
• 1/2 lb snap peas
• Any other vegetables you have that need using up
• 1/4 cup organic tamari
• 1/4 cup white wine
• soaking water from mushrooms
• 2 tbs to 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tablespoon fennel pollen or 1 teaspoon dried fennel
• 2 tbs balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbs organic cornstarch to thicken (you may want a little more)

1. Mix the sauce ingredients together and set aside.
2. Heat the wok or pan with a tablespoon of oil. Saute the vegetables until crisp-tender. Remove from pan.
3. Add the meat and cook until done.
4. Add the vegetables and the sauce and simmer until sauce is thickened and vegetables are as tender as you like. Serve with rice.

Serves 8

images:marye audet

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The chicken breast is covered with a dusting of herbes de provence, to which I added fennel pollen. If you don’t have the fennel pollen just use fennel or omit it. I baked the chicken, but  it could be grilled for even more flavor.

Served with green beans and biscuits, with the rest of the Coconut Cherry White Chocolate bars for dessert,This recipe was a big hit at our house.

Herbed Chicken Breast with Portobello, Bacon, and Parmigiano Reggiano

• 12 boneless chicken breast halves
• Herbes de Provence
• Fennel Pollen
• Kosher salt
• 3 cups sliced portobello mushrooms
• 4 slices applewood smoked bacon, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 tbs balsamic vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 ozs or so of good Parmigiano Reggiano

1. Preheat the oven to 375F
2. Lay the chicken in a large pan with sides and sprinkle it liberally with the herbs.
3. Sprinkle it with salt and put in the oven.
4. Cook until it reaches an internal temp. of 165F
5. Saute the bacon until it is done and crisp.
6. Pour off the fat and reserve it.
7. Add the onion to the pan and saute until transparent.
8. Add more bacon drippings as  needed to to keep the vegetables from sticking and scorching.
9. Add the garlic and saute three minutes.
10. Add the mushrooms and stir ingredients together.
11. Cook slowly, stirring often, until mushrooms are tender.
12. Add 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and allow to simmer for about 3 minutes.
13. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed.
14. Add the mushrooms
15. Spoon some of the mushrooms over each chicken breast and garnish with a few shavings of Parmigiano Reggiano.

Serves 12

images:marye audet

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If you are eating that stuff stop it. Stop it now. You will end up glowing in the dark and if we ever get attacked by zombies they will find you first. Reason #106 NOT to eat weird food. Besides, in the same amount of time..or close to it you could be eating this:

These are serious nachos. The real thing. Tex-Mex at its absolute best. And it is an easy nacho recipe. Here’s a secret. ALL nacho recipes are easy! You can either broil or bake nachos. Leave off the chicken and you have a vegetarian nachos recipe.

Cubes of chicken breast are sauteed until golden and then simmered in a chipotle-adobo with cilantro, cumin, onion, and garlic.  While that party is going on corn tortillas are being transformed into slices of fresh, hot, crunchiness… Into the oven for a few minutes and …

Yep. Right there with ya.

Nachos are an inexpensive lunch or quick dinner, and kids will eat them because they are chips. When you fry the chips yourself, and use real cheese…well the difference is amazing. And I will tell you a secret…Lean in now….closer…

Do you see it? Yes it is. Yellow crookneck squash. You could use zucchini as well. Just chop it up a little smaller than the chicken and simmer it with the adobo.

I know, right? Brilliant.

This is very spicy. If your family doesn’t do spicy so well you will want to cut back on the amount of adobo and chipotle, and probably cut the jalapenos out all together.

Spicy Chicken Nachos

• 1/2 lb of corn tortillas cut in wedges
• Peanut oil for deep frying (you can substitute, this is my preference)
• Olive oil for saute pan
• 2 boneless chicken breasts, cut in cubes
• 3 tablespoons of chipotle in adobo (or less)
• 1 jalapeno, chopped
• 2 cups cubed yellow squash
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 2 cups organic, dark red kidney beans, cooked (you cn use pinto, black beans, or what you like)
• 2 cups shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack, colby or a mixture of your favorites
• Salsa, tomatoes, lettuce, avocado,cilantro etc. as you like.
• Sour cream

1. Preheat the oil in a deep fryer to 370F
2. Saute chicken in a little olive oil until it starts to turn golden. Add onion, squash, peppers, and garlic and saute about three minutes.
3. Add the chicken broth, cumin, and  adobo/chipotle mixture. Chop and mash the chipotles as you go. Add the cilantro.
4. Simmer until the chicken is done and the stock has evaporated. Do not let it go dry.
5. Stir in the beans.
6. Set aside.
7. Fry the tortillas until golden and crisp. Drain and place on cookie sheet in a single layer.
8. Using a slotted spoon, spoon chicken mixture over the tortilla chips as evenly as you can.
9. Sprinkle with cheese
10. Broil on high until cheese melts
11. Serve immediately, topping with tomatoes and other toppings of choice.

Serves 8

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Another thing I love is chicken and noodles, or Pennsylvania Dutch chicken pot pie.  I thought I had come up with every variation known to man but I was inspired the other day to add rosemary and Swiss cheese to a basic recipe.

The flavor went from comfort food to sophisticated comfort food.  I was in love.  This is my entry into this week’s Presto Pasta Nights, hosted by Patsy of Family, Friends and Food.  I am getting to know her on Twitter and she is so very sweet!  Many thanks to Ruth, of Once Upon a Feast for keeping this going!

One thing I do, that you might like to try, especially if you are wanting to save a little money is this.  I buy bone in chicken thighs rather than breast.  The bone and skin adds an incredible amount of flavor.  Now, I buy like 20 lbs at a time and dump it all in my big slow cooker.  I add some salt, an onion  (just peel it) and a few cloves of garlic.  Add a few cups of water and then slow cook for about 12 hours.  Let it cool and then remove the bones.  What you end up with is a lot of great tasting chicken meat, about two quarts of homemade stock, and a savings of about $3.00 a pound over chicken breast.  You can just bag the meat in freezer bags in two cup portions and you have a casserole ingredient that is ready to go.

Nothing special about this.  I used whole wheat egg noodles but you can use what ever you like.

I had some left-over mixed vegetables so I stirred them in.  Traditionally I would add carrots, peas, and celery.  Hey, if you have something leftover? Go with what you’ve got!

Chicken and Noodles with Rosemary and Swiss

• 2 lbs egg noodles
• 3 cups cooked chicken
• 2 cups rich chicken stock
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tbs.  flour
• salt  and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup fresh rosemary, leaves stripped form twigs
• 1 cup cooked vegetables of choice
• 1 cup grated Swiss cheese

1. Cook the egg noodles until tender.  Drain.
2. Meanwhile beat flour into the stock  until smooth.  Add the rosemary, and the seasoning to taste and bring to a simmer.  Simmer for several minutes until the broth thickens slightly.  Stir in cream.  Allow to simmer three minutes but do not allow to boil.
3. Pour the noodles in a casserole dish and cover with the stock mixture.  Stir in the vegetables and chicken.  Cover the top of the mixture with the Swiss Cheese and bake at 375 for 20 to 30 minutes.

Serves 8

images:maryeaudet (c) 2009

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It seems like pork has been on sale a lot at the local Tom Thumb store.  Translated that means that the Audets have been eating a lot of pork!

I wanted something different and I wasn’t sure what.  I knew that I wanted rosemary potatoes because I bought four rosemary trees after Christmas for a ridiculously low price.  In other words, you can plan on seeing a lot of rosemary dishes.

But for the pork I wanted something..different..something..spicy..but not southwestern.

I was sipping a cup of chai and all of a sudden I felt inspiration hit.  (Actually it was Chef Kyrie jumping into my arms unexpectedly but let’s not spit hairs, o.k.?)  Chai and balsamic reduction.  Yum.  I thought of all of those flavors of chai; anise, cloves, black pepper, cardamom….perfect!

This is fantastic.  The balsamic gives the chai just enough fruitiness to bring out the flavor of the pork.  I did add a pinch of chipotle to give it some authority.  I did this in the house but searing the meat on a grill pan and then baking but you would probably get an even better result on the grill.  Cook the pork just until done, don;t overcook it.  Pork used to need to be cooked until it resembled cardboard but now days it is really a very clean meat and is best cooked just to 155.  Let it rest about five minutes out of the oven and it will be succulent, juicy perfection.

Grilled Pork Loin Chops with Chai Reduction

• 8 pork loin chops
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 c triple brewed chai
• 1/4 tsp dried chipotle, or to taste
• 2 tbs balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbs honey

Make reduction:

Simmer chai, honey, and chipotle until reduced to about 1/4 cup.  Add balsamic vinegar and set aside.

Make Pork Chops:

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Season the meat and add to a preheated grill pan to create grill marks.  Place on a baking sheet.
3. Repeat with each chop.
4. Brush with the reduction and place in the oven.
5. Brush 3 or 4 more times using up all of the reduction.
6. Bake until internal temp is 155, about 40 minutes.

Serves 8

images:(c)MaryeAudet 2009

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This is such an easy dish that it is terrible to even post.

I love pork loin.  It is a tender and flavorful cut of pork that is easy to fix and hard to mess up.  In my book that makes it perfect.

In the jelly section of your grocers there should be, on the top shelf way out of your sight, a jar of red stuff with a label that says something like “Red Pepper Jelly” or “Jalapeno Jelly.”

Grab it and pay for it.  It is going to be your new ingredient of choice.  I am so serious.  Sweet and spicy you can use red pepper jelly to add complexity to everything from apple pie to chicken.

Here it makes a fantastic glaze for this pork loin.   Remember not to over cook the meat.  Bake it at 350 for about 30 minutes per pound or until the internal temperature registers 160 degrees.  I try to catch mine at about 155 and let it sit for 20 minutes.  This allows it to finish cooking without getting dry or leathery.

Pork Loin with Red Pepper Jelly and Cilantro

• 1 4 lb pork loin
• 1/3 cup red pepper jelly
• 1 tbs amber agave if desired
• Kosher salt
• Cracked pepper
• 1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro (set aside)

1. Preheat the oven to 350F
2. Salt and pepper the pork
3. Lightly oil a baking dish
4. Mix the agave and red pepper jelly.  Heat until the jelly liquifies
5. Brush over the meat
6. Place in pan fat side up
7. Bake for 30 minutes a pound, or until internal temp is 160F
8. Brush with remaining jelly, sprinkle with cilantro and serve with pan juices.

Serves 8-10

That is it.  Seriously.  Serve it with some corn and black beans on the side and you are good to go.

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I made a rolled beef roast the other day and it was so good.  There is something so down to  earth good about old fashioned, plain cooking.  We don’t seem to do it so much anymore, preferring to look to European, Asian, and Noveau cuisines for our special meals.  But set a platter of good roast, some roasted potatoes, buttermilk rolls, salad, and pie down in front of most Americans and they will lick the plate.

It is our roots. Someday maybe I will create a new trend in food and call it Noveau American Gothic.

These potatoes are easy easy easy.  Just peel as many potatoes as you are going to need for dinner. Cut them into fourths. Douse them with a good balsamic based Italian salad dressing, either commercial or homemade.  Just don’t use low fat or fat free because you will need the oil for the potatoes to roast properly.

Toss  the potatoes to coat well, add kosher salt and pepper to taste.  You can also toss in some chunks of onion and garlic

Lay them next to your roast to allow them to soak up some of that flavor and just roast at 375 about an hour.  If your roast is going to cook more than an hour and a half you might want to just put the potatoes in for the last hour or so of the cooking time.

So easy.  So good.  So……American Gothic that you might want to add a chunk of cheddar to your apple pie.

image:marye audet (c)2009 all rights reserved

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I am not really sure why I started calling htis quiche recipe Alsatian, only that I did.  It isn’t at all a fancy thing; good stick to your ribs food really.  With having our own chickens, quiche is not only an easy meal, it is a cheap one.

The first time I ever tried quiche I ws 17.  I took my boyfriend’s mom, who I adored, out to shop at a local, upscale mall.  She was from Europe and had not been in the states too long.  We went to a restaurant that I thought she would like and as we were reading the menu I asked her what quiche was.

Her eyes twinkled and she said , “Oh, try that Chick, you will love it.”

So I did, and I did love it.  When Marc and I married I could not cook a thing so I determined I would learn.  One of the first things I learned to make was quiche and I made it in enough varieties and enough ways that I think it was my signature dish for years.  I have made it with champagne, with olives, with leftover venison chili and nearly everything else you can imagine. It is just one of those dishes that you make the crust, throw some leftovers in, pour the filling over and bake.

Voila.  DInner.  Breakfast.  Brunch.  Lunch. Snack. Tea.

This particular quiche is filling because of the potatoes and bacon.  The potatoes create a new layer of texture and truly, this is one of my favorites.

Inevitably someone is going to ask me if you can use skim milk (shudder) and low fat cheese and egg substitute.  If you must, go ahead.  Personally I would rather eat a sliver with taste than a chunk of cardboard.  Do be aware that if you change the ingredients, especially the fat content, the flavor is going to be different.  I know the diet books tell you that it isn’t so, but they are crazy.

If you need a refresher on how to make pie dough click on the pie dough tutorial.

There really is no trick to good quiche.  Mix the eggs well, cook at a slow rate, don’t overcook, and serve promptly.

Alsatian Quiche

• 1 9 inch pie crust, with sides pinched a little higher than normal
• 1 cup of cheese: swiss, jack, cheddar, edam or what ever you have (I used mild cheddar and jack here)
• 8 sliced of peppered bacon, chopped
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 potatoes, peeled and sliced
• 6 eggs
• 1 3/4 cups half and half cream
• Salt to taste
• cracked black pepper (trust me) to taste

1. Saute bacon and onion in a pan until bacon is crisp and onion is tender.  Carefully reomove bacon and onion and reserve, leaving bacon drippings in the pan.
2. Fry the potato slices in the bacon until tender and they show golden brown color here and there.  Remove the potatoes to the crust, making a flat layer of the fried potato slices.
3. Cover with the bacon and onion.  Sprinkle with the cracked black pepper.
4. Cover with the cheese.
5. Mix the eggs, cream, and salt very well.  Pour carefully over the filling.
6. Bake at 325 for 45 minutes to an hour or until the egg is set.  Check by placing a knife about 1 inch from the center of the quiche.  The knife should come out clean.
7. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Quiche freezes well both in its baked and unbaked states.  If you plan to freeze this I suggest omitting the potatoes as they do not freeze well at all.
Serves 6

images:(c)Marye Audet 2009 All Rights Reserved

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I don’t cook pork nearly enough.  I just don’t think about it for some reason.  Dear God, I am in a foodie rut!

Anyway, I found a package of center cut loin chops on clearance (love those meat clearances!) for 50% off the lowest price…The lowest price was $10.00 and there was 10 of them in the pack. SO, in the cart they went, nestled against a couple of pounds of burger and a roast.

I always liked the combinations in food and recently the thought of chipotle and maple have been calling to me;sweet,smoky and hot.  Honestly I want to try that with duck, but I had pork so pork it was.

I liked the results.  The chops were tender and juicy, and the flavors arrived in layers.  First the sweet, then the smoky, then the hot.  I served them with homemade dinner rolls, creamed corn, and broccoli.  Sort of a nice, retro-suburban dinner with a twist.

These are really easy.  For the best flavor, go ahead and glaze the chops in the morning and stick them in the fridge until time to cook for dinner.  The flavors will blend and mature and really get into the meat.  On the maple syrup, grade b is darker and has, I think, the most flavor.  Different syrup will give different results and overall the organic syrups are more flavorful…I am not sure why.  Also, I get chopped up dried chipotles so when I say a tablespoon it is of the chopped, dried chipotle NOT the powder.  If you can only find powdered chipotles then use a teaspoon, maybe.

In the summer this would be amazing on the grill.

Maple Glazed Chipotle Pork

• Center cut pork loin chops
• French gray salt and cracked black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup grade B organic maple syrup
• Dried chipotle, about a tablespoon, more if desired
• A few drops of liquid smoke
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1. Mix the salt, pepper, syrup, chipotle, liquid smoke, and vinegar and whisk together.
2. Put the pork in an oven proof baking pan.
3. Cover with the glaze. Reserve any remaining glaze.
4. Cover with plastic wrap  and refrigerate until dinner.
5. Brush on the remainder of the glaze.
6. Preheat oven to 400F
7. Bake for 30 minutes, or until pork registers 160 degrees.

image:maryeaudet

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