Basic Italian and Honey Dijon Vinaigrette

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I was surprised by how easy and simple these vinaigrettes were to make. It seems I always have some sort of dressing tucked into the door of the fridge so I don’t think to make it from scratch. I’m glad I did though, both were made from stuff I always have around and were super easy, the only thing I didn’t have in my pantry were the fresh herbs.

I loved how light and fresh they tasted on the simple salads I dressed with them. This is just another example of the superiority homemade versus store-bought.

Further more, the better the extra virgin olive oil, the better these taste. It’s not a bad idea to have some of the good stuff hanging around to make a fresh vinaigrette if impressing guests is the goal or a lighter healthier salad dressing is sought.

BEHIND THIS BITE
When I decided I was going to make these I wanted to get a good bottle of extra virgin olive oil, so I went to the store specifically to get some.

I settled on a better-quality, higher-priced version than what I usually purchase. I got some other items I needed and proceeded to checkout. The groceries were bagged and I went on my way. I went and watched a ball game with my dad and then settled in at my computer around 11 p.m.

Basic Italian and Honey Dijon Vinaigrette

I got a message by e-mail from a friend’s mom who said I left a bag at the store. She was behind me in line and saw the checkout girl find the bag that was left behind and told her that she would contact me. Sure enough, the bag I left contained the $14 bottle of EVOO! It was to late to go back that night so I went back first thing in the morning.

When I got to the store I checked with customer service. The bottle was never turned in. There is a box for left behind items that the checkout workers put forgotten items and bags in. No such luck for me, I was out $14 and ended up having to purchase another bottle. I would have ordered some really great EVOO from some Italian distributor had I known I would end up throwing down a total of $28!

My guess is that the checkout girl did one of three things: Got lazy and left it at the checkout when she was done, put it back on the shelf or returned the item at her station before the end of the shift and kept the money. Either way, I lost on this one. Sometimes that's just the way it is.

On the bright side, these vinaigrettes were awesome!

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPES
Makes 2 Cups each; 10 minutes
Italian vinaigrette
1 1/2 C Extra virgin olive oil
1/2 C White wine vinegar
1 Tbs Fresh parsley, minced
1 tsp Garlic, minced
1 tsp Dried oregano

Honey dijon vinaigrette
1 1/2 C Extra virgin olive oil
1/2 C White wine vinegar
1/4 C Dijon mustard
1/4 C Honey
2 tsp Chives, diced

Make vinaigrette
Mix all ingredients in a blender, sealed jar or in a bowl with a whisk until oil and vinegar have emulsified and mixture appears cloudy.

Creamy Bacon Jalapeño Bites

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This is the second of my cream cheese and sour cream appetizers that I created for a group of friends. (Here is the first.) This time, jalapeño and bacon are the star ingredients and a tortilla chip with a slice of cheddar cheese is the method of delivery.

This appetizer was inspired by the jalapeño popper and features many of the same items found in the popular bar snack. This was my favorite of all the little treats I put out for the gathering. Bacon makes anything great but when combined with jalapeño and cream cheese the salty and smoky flavor really stands out.

Next time I need appetizers for a party I’m going to start with this and go from there.

BEHIND THIS BITE

Creamy Bacon Jalapeño Bites

For the presentation of this treat I cut out a round piece of cheese that fit perfectly over the tortilla chip. Had I not been photographing this I would have just gone with a square piece of cheese.

I placed a small ramekin on a slice of cheddar and traced around it with a knife. I was able to get only one round piece out of each square slice, so I had a lot of scrapes of cheese left over when I was done. (Me and my dog snacked on them while I took the pictures.)

More and more I find myself doing things to the food for the sake of a good photograph that I wouldn't normally do. Everything is still edible though, I haven’t resorted to half-cooked pasta or near raw steaks with sear marks from curling irons yet. Although, I would consider it for the right amount of money!

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE

Creamy Bacon Jalapeño Bites

Make 20 to 24 snacks; 1 hour
8 slices Bacon diced
1 pkg Cream cheese (8 oz)
1 C Sour cream
1/2 C Jalapeño pepper
seeded, diced
20 to 24 tortilla chips round
1 lb Cheddar Cheese cut into 20 to 24 sliced
1/4 C Chives, diced

Cook bacon
In a fry pan over medium heat cook bacon until rendered and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove to a paper towel lined plate and let cool.

Make spread
In a large bowl mix together cream cheese, sour cream, bacon and jalapeño until well incorporated. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Cover and let flavors meld for at least 30 minutes.

Build appetizer
On a tortilla chip layer piece of cheese, spread and garnish with chives, then serve.

Creamy Tomato Basil Cucumber Bites

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Little treats to enjoy while socializing or as a prelude to a feast have been around for centuries, but in the United States the actual word “appetizer” began to appear during the 1860s, most likely as an English alternative to the French word “hors d’oeuvre” for a description of a first course or snack plate.

After the repeal of prohibition in 1933 cocktail parties became popular and countless appetizer recipes for snacks to enjoy with drinks began to appear. Around the same time, the modern model for the three course meal of appetizer, main course and desert emerged in restaurants.

For this recipe, tomato, basil and cucumber star in a garden fresh appetizer. The basil and tomato are the signature flavors and are bound together with cream cheese and sour cream. The mixture is placed on a slice of fresh cucumber and can be served before a hardy meal or as part of a slew of snacks to be enjoyed while sipping on cool beverages at gathering with friends and family.

BEHIND THIS BITE

Creamy tomato basil cucumber bites

This is the first of several appetizer bites I made recently for a gathering of friends. Here I use a cucumber as the mode of delivery and tomato and basil as the star flavors of this garden-fresh treat. When I decided to make these appetizers this was the first one I thought of.

As I was shopping for the ingredients I realized it would be easy to create a number of snacks by swapping out ingredients and changing the delivery method for each bite. The cream cheese and sour cream are the constants that all the snacks have in common. I was able to provide three different, but similar hor’s douvres in this manor. It’s an easy way to create a variety of tasty treats for getting a party started. Look for the Jalapeño-bacon version of this for my next post.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE

Creamy tomato basil cucumber bites

Makes 32 snacks, 20 minutes (30 minutes inactive)
1 pkg Cream cheese (8 oz)
1 C Sour cream
2 Tbs Fresh basil, minced
1 C Tomato, seeded, diced
32 slices Cucumber
Extra Basil for garnish

Make spread
In a large bowl mix together cream cheese, sour cream, basil and tomato until well incorporated. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Cover and let flavors meld for at least 30 minutes.

Build appetizer
On a slice of cucumber place a dollop of the spread and garnish with extra minced basil.

Skirt Steak with Smoked Cumin

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I was shopping recently and came across a spice rack in the produce section. All the spices were sold in small sealed bags rather than bottles. There was a large variety and a few wild cards, one of which really caught my attention: Smoked Cumin.

First of all, I love cumin, it’s probably my favorite seasoning beyond salt and pepper. I had never heard of smoked cumin so I had to buy some and try it. From the spice rack in produce I made a b-line to the meat counter. I love to grill steak with salt and pepper and a little cumin. It's very simple, the beef is the star and the cumin is a background note, I picked up a skirt steak and decided this was the canvas to try my new culinary paint.

The steak was delicious, which is what I expected, the smoked cumin was good, but the smoked flavor took away from the natural flavor of the cumin, which is kind of smoky anyway. I’ll need to try it again before I eliminate it, but if I had this to do again I would have used regular cumin, it seems to have a much better natural flavor than the smoked version. It was worth the try and I’ll experiment with it again. It won’t be a substitute for cumin in my pantry though. I’ll have to find something new that it works in.

BEHIND THIS BITE

Skirt Steak with Smoked Cumin

This was the steak component of a steak and potato dinner. You can find the potatoes here.  I have done it in two posts, because each can stand alone on their own. These recipes are simple, which is how I cook most of the time when I'm not photographing every element for a visual recipe.

I always try to add a little more to a dish I’m documenting. It takes time to create these and I feel obligated to go the extra mile most of the time. These two recipes are just the basic-I’m hungry-lets eat-kind of meal.

I’m glad I documented them.

I’m pleased with their look, especially the shot of the final dish that anchors the potato recipe. I should do this a little more.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE

Skirt Steak with Smoked Cumin

Serves 4; 45 minutes
1 1/2 lbs Skirt steak
2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Pepper
2 tsp Smoked cumin

Season, grill and rest steak
Preheat and prepare a grill to medium high. Season steak with salt, pepper and smoked cumin on both sides and let steak rest for 20 to 25 minutes. Place steak on grill and cook for 8 to 10 minutes for medium doneness, turning once during cooking. Remove steak from grill and let rest for 10 minutes to redistribute juices. Slice across the grain, then serve.

Rosemary Roasted Red Potatoes

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Sometimes simple is just better. A potato is delicious when it is cooked perfectly with salt and pepper. The addition of a fresh herb is an easy way to crank up the flavor. This potato dish is as simple as it gets and it turned out incredibly tasty, the difficult part about it was being patient enough to allow the potatoes to roast until they were fluffy and delicious.

These potatoes were a side dish to a grilled skirt steak, so they didn’t need to be fancy - just cooked right. The addition of rosemary elevated the flavor and gave it a nice fragrance which allowed it to stand out on the plate but not over power the star attraction.

It is essential to have them seasoned properly and coated with oil, turning or tossing them half way through will help the process also. A perfectly cooked potato is pretty much heaven on a plate.

BEHIND THIS BITE

Rosemary Roasted Red Potatoes

I went out and bought the cast iron dish in the photos specifically for this recipe. I had noticed it at a Kroger store and when I started thinking about roasting potatoes I knew it was the perfect dish to cook AND photograph them in.

I’m really pleased with the main art for this recipe, there really isn’t much to the graphic, the dynamic photo really helps make it pop. The towel underneath the cast iron vessel adds to the detail of the shot as well. I’m going to use some of these element in the future, the angle of the dish and towel for extra color work and are things I think I can build on when the dish calls for it.

I’m done rambling. Go make these tasty spuds!

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE

Rosemary Roasted Red Potatoes

Serves 4; 1 hour, 15 minutes
1 1/2 lbs Red potatoes, quartered
1 Tbs Olive oil
1 Tbs Fresh rosemary, minced
2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Pepper

Season and roast potatoes
Pre-heat oven to 400°. In a bowl toss together potatoes, olive oil, rosemary, salt and pepper until evenly coated. Place potatoes in an oven safe dish and bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until cooked through and slightly crispy on the outside. Stir potatoes halfway through cooking. Let potatoes rest between 5 and 10 minutes after removing from oven then serve.

Spicy Refried Beans

Printable version

This recipe is an update of a basic refried bean dish I made back in May. This time I added some choice spices and a little cheese to the final product. I also tried to extract some heat and flavor from three habanero peppers while I cooked the beans.

I was going for a much spicier bean dip than what I ended up with. I have used this habanero extraction technique before in barbecue sauce and it worked like a charm, but for some reason it didn’t translate with the beans, I’m not sure but I think the amount of beans to the ratio of liquid might have been what neutralized the heat. It was a little spicy but not habanero spicy.

I could have gotten much more kick by skipping the habanero and just adding cayenne pepper in the final stage. The habanero was tame but the jalapeno pepper and the pepper jack cheese were able to bring a little kick of their own to the party.

BEHIND THIS BITE

Spicy refried beans

I put together a nacho bar for a church gathering recently and decided it was a good opportunity to improve on my refried bean recipe from a few months back. I have found that nacho, taco or even hot dog bars are some of the best ways to feed a group of people. All you need is a variety of toppings to go along with the main proteins.

Not everyone at the party is going to put all the items on their hot dog or nachos, they will pick and choose. This can backfire if everyone goes over board, but in general, enough of each topping to cover half to three-quarters of the guests is usually more than enough. If something runs out then people have other options.

If your not sure what to take to the next family get together try a couple bags of tortilla chips, canned chili and nacho cheese, throw in some fresh onions and tomato and I’ll bet it’ll be a hit.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE

Spicy refried beans

Makes 4 Cups; 4 hours
1 lb Dried pinto beans
3 Habanero peppers
8 C water
1 Tbs Salt
1/2 C Onion,diced
1/4 C Jalapeno, seeded, diced
1 Tbs Garlic, minced
2 Tbs Chili powder
1 Tbs Cumin
1 C Pepper Jack cheese, shredded

Prepare beans
Place beans in a large sauce pan or soup pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, cover and remove from heat. Let sit at least one hour then drain. Return beans to pot with fresh water and salt. Cut slices in habanero peppers and throw in pot. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered until soft, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Drain and reserve 1 cup of the liquid. Discard habanero peppers.

Make refried beans
In a cast iron skillet over medium heat saute onion and jalapeno in a little olive oil until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Season to taste. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add the beans and mash, add some of reserved water to make a paste-like mixture (amount may vary). Stir in chili powder, cumin and a quarter cup of cheese. Once melted add another quarter cup of cheese, repeat until gone. Adjust seasoning and simmer to a desired thickness, then serve.

Chipotle Aioli

Printable version

The first time I ever tried chipotle aioli was at my favorite beer joint in Astoria, Queens called Sunswick. I would always ask for a side of it when I ordered their chicken tenders. I liked dipping the crispy tender into the smoky goodness before each bite. For years I made a homemade version by mixing minced chipotle pepper with mayonnaise. It was always tasty but it was never as good as what I had eaten at the Sunswick.

Recently I had a couple of chipotle peppers left over from another recipe – which is typical. I always seem to have a third of the can or more leftover every time I use them and they usually end up getting thrown away after a month in the fridge. Instead of letting the chipotle peppers go to waste I made it a point to use them. I decided it was time to make a chipotle aioli from scratch, not the easy chipotle mayo version I’d been making for years.

I made regular garlic aioli sometime ago that was inspired by a version from Cook’s Illustrated, it was ok, but after making it, I thought the olive oil the recipe called for wasn’t the right choice. I decided I would throw out any health conscious whims and use vegetable oil for the this aioli along with a few other modifications including the addition of two tablespoons of miced chipotle peppers.

When it was all said and done, I really loved the flavor of this aioli, it took me back to the tasty chipotle aioli I enjoyed at the Sunswick.

I realized the Sunswick was making it from scratch, which is why my previous attempts of chipotle mayo were never quit as tasty as the aioli. If you have a few chipotles left in the bottom of a can I highly recommend trying this for a spread, or do what I did with this batch - use it as a dipping sauce for fries.

BEHIND THIS BITE

Chipotle Aioli

It’s hard to believe that it has been over three years since I moved from New York City and enjoyed the chipotle aioli at the Sunswick. There are times when I really miss New York but I have to admit leaving was the best choice I have ever made. I've grown creatively, spiritually and best of all – reconnected with my family.

There may be a point in my life where I decide to reside in the Big Apple once again because I will always have a soft spot for it. I didn’t leave because of New York itself, I left to explore the place I grew up and to try and reinvent myself professionally. I feel like I have (with a long way to go yet) and I’m more inspired than ever to keep creating, it’s gotten me this far and I can’t wait to see where it will take me in the future.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE

Chipotle aioli

Makes 1 cup; 5 minutes
2 Egg yolks
1 Tbs Lemon juice
1 tsp Garlic, finely minced
1/4 tsp sugar
2 Tbs Chipotle in adobo, minced
3/4 C Vegetable oil

Make aioli in processor
Place yolks, lemon juice, sugar, garlic, chipotle, salt and pepper to taste in a food processor. Pulse to combine ingredients. Turn processor on and slowly drizzle in oil. Once all the oil has been incorporated and aioli forms, stop processor and scrap down sides. Turn on for another few seconds more, remove and place in a bowl for service.

Sweet Pickle Ranch Chicken Salad

Printable version

It’s official. Ranch seasoning mix is now a “staple” item in my pantry. Normally I don’t like seasoning packets because of the sodium and preservatives that they contain. The ranch seasoning has all that stuff but it’s a great way to take recipes to the next level.

Over the last couple months, I’ve made ranch coleslaw, 2 different sauces and now this chicken salad that utilizes the seasoning and it really makes the flavor pop! Maybe I should try and make a homemade version because I’m hooked and looking forward to trying it in more dishes.

For this recipe, I use the pickle-ranch combo that I used in a delicious sauce a couple weeks ago. The chicken salad also contains fresh tarragon which adds a hint of liquorice, which reminds me of fennel.

Overall, this chicken salad contained a ton of flavor, led by the zesty ranch and complimented by the sweet but tart pickle flavor. The tarragon comes to play at the end of the bite, but really makes it’s presence know. I think I could have swapped the pickle for bacon and taken this the smoky and salty route which would have been equally unique and delicious, but I think that is for another post.

BEHIND THIS BITE

Sweet Pickle Ranch Chicken Salad

I found mini bagels at Meijer while shopping for the ingredients in the chicken salad recipe and as soon as I saw them I knew I had to use them for the bread. I'm glad I picked them up because the photo seems to jump right out of the graphic.

I have worked really hard over the last two years to become a better food photographer and sandwiches and tacos are my favorite things to style and shoot. They stand alone on a white background really well – actually I like food that can be eaten by hand, that way there is no plate in the picture, it’s just what is going to be eaten. In the end, I love shooting all types of food, it just seems that the sandwiches and tacos are my favorite photographs to take. Ironically, they're also my favorite foods to eat!

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE

Sweet Pickle Ranch Chicken Salad

Serves 6; 10 minutes active, 30 minutes resting
3 C Grilled chicken, diced
1 C Mayonnaise
1/2 C Celery, diced
1/2 C Bread and butter pickles, diced
1 pkg Ranch seasoning mix (1 oz)
1 Tbs Tarragon, minced
Juice of 1 Lemon
8 to 10 Mini bagels
Lettuce for garnish

Make chicken salad
In a large bowl mix together, chicken, mayonnaise, celery, pickles, ranch seasoning, tarragon and lemon juice. Store in refrigerator for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

Assemble sandwiches
Place a spoonful of chicken salad on a mini bagel, garnish with lettuce, then serve.

Grilled Tomato Poblano Salsa

Printable version

The garden vegetable frenzy has begun. Last week my Dad canned a dozen and a half quarts of green beans – the first bounty taken from the garden in 2013. Cucumbers, peppers, corn, tomatoes and a number of homegrown treats will soon follow. It won’t be long before enough has been canned for the winter and there is plenty of fresh vegetables for every meal.

Huge bowls of tomatoes will sit on the counters attracting little black flying bugs. Spoiled vegetables will start to litter the garden floor and then the inevitable: Teenagers will find the rotten leftovers and start chucking them at passing vehicles and unsuspecting bystanders. It’s my annual duty to produce recipes to help rid the garden of these potential hazards.

For this recipe, I grill up a mess of fresh veggies from the garden. I then blitz them in a food processor, creating a fire roasted salsa. It’s perfect for an August snack and an easy way to keep the garden floor clear of any would-be projectiles.

BEHIND THIS BITE

Yummy grilled salsa!

This is the first garden-centric recipe this summer. For the next couple of months I’ll do a bunch of these from ingredients that is grown in either my Dad’s garden or some other relative or neighbor who has more bounty than they can handle.

It starts with tomatoes, beans and cucumbers and will end with the winter squash. It’s hard to believe it’s August already and the gardens are producing. Before you know it, the leaves will be changing and football will be in full swing - and so will the tailgating!

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE

Salsa nestled in tortilla chips

Makes 2 cups; 45 minutes
5 Roma tomatoes whole
2 Poblano peppers whole
1 Onion quartered
4 cloves Garlic
1/2 C Cilantro
2 Tbs White vinegar
1 Tbs Sugar
1 bag Tortilla chips
for dipping

Grill vegetables, clean
On a grill over medium heat cook tomato, poblano, onion and garlic for 10 to 12 minutes, turning to sear on all sides. Remove vegetables and let cool for handling. Remove skins from tomato, stems and seeds from poblano peppers.

Process
In a food processor place tomatoes, poblano, onion, garlic, vinegar, sugar and cilantro. Pulse to combine and chop to desired consistency. Serve with tortilla chips.

Bacon Chipotle Chicken Salad

Printable version

I used to eat chicken salad from a number delis when I lived in New York City. It was a reasonably inexpensive lunch item in a city were everything was expensive. The chicken was always fresh, never canned, which made for a much tastier salad and there was always a gourmet twist depending on which place you got it.

Chicken salad is really basic and it only takes an element or two to turn it into a unique delicious bite.

For this recipe, I used grilled chicken with chipotle and bacon to make a southwestern chicken salad pita. The basic elements of mayonnaise, celery, lemon juice and chicken make for a refreshing sandwich on their own. I enhance the flavors with the edition of bacon, chipotle and fresh tarragon. Any number of ingredients could have taken their place. The key is finding complimentary flavors that work together and adding them to the basic recipe. It’s a great way to enhance a classic, and for me, chicken salad always reminds me of lunches in Central Park.

BEHIND THIS BITE
Years ago, my Mom was visiting me in New York and made a batch of chicken salad from leftover chicken that I had grilled the night before. It tasted so good that I have preferred to make it with grilled chicken ever since. I won’t wait for left over chicken anymore though, I grill up a batch specifically for chicken salads.

I made this as part of a spread for a gathering of 15. It was served with mini bagels for sandwiches. As snack time was winding down I noticed a couple of guys eating it on tortilla chips, I decided to give it a try and I was amazed. I thought it would be good in a soft taco, but after trying the tortilla chips I think this would be great in a crunchy taco with a little lettuce and cheese.

Which ever way it’s eaten it doesn’t matter though, this is a tasty chicken salad that will make for a delicious lunch with or without bread, tortillas or bagels.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE
Serves 6; 10 minutes active,
30 minutes resting
3 C Grilled chicken, diced
1 C Mayonnaise
1/2 C Celery diced
8 strips Bacon, cooked, crumbled
1/4 C Chipotle chiles in adobo, seeded, minced
1 Tbs Tarragon, minced
Juice of 1 Lemon
6 to 8 Pitas
Lettuce for garnish

Make chicken salad
In a large bowl mix together, chicken, mayonnaise, celery, bacon, chipotle, tarragon and lemon juice. Place in refrigerator for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

Assemble sandwiches
Place a spoonful of chicken salad in a pita, garnish with lettuce, then serve.