2012 Summer Reading List!! Yay!!

Irish Corned Beef

OMG. I dont like corned beef.. but this was SERIOUSLY GOOD!!  My hub scoured the internet for the perfect recipe & this is what he got courtesy of "foodtrampdiaries.com". (thank you food tramp.. wish we could meet!!  xoxo) My husband loves to throw parties and his motto is "go big or go home".. this accompanied a giant turkey, stuffing, scalloped potatoes, sauteed green beans ect ect ect.. but my favorite part of the day were the Cheesecake Factory Cakes.. his pick was Oreo (which was really good despite my incessent bragging over my choice) which was.... (are you ready for this?) White chocolate, rasberry truffle cheesecake with oreo crust..holy hell..I think I ate the whole thing.. in the same voice that says "I dont understand why I am gaining all this weight"! HAHAHAH LMAO!!! Anyways, w/o further A due..please meet Bill's (aka food tramp's :) "Best Ever Corned Beef"...

2 lb yellow onion
2 lb carrotts
6 lbs corned beef brisket
1 cup malt vinegar
8 oz Irish Stout beer ( drink the rest.. you will cook better!!)
1 tbsp corriander seed
1 tbsp coriander seed
1 tbsp mustard seed
1/2 tsp dill weed
1/2 tsp whole all spice
1/2 tbsp black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
3 lbs cabbage
2 lbs red potatoes

For Glaze

1 cup course ground mustard
1/2 to 1 cup orange marmalade (depending on how sweet you want it to be)

Peel annd cut carrots in large chunks. Cut onions into wedges. Slice cabbage heads into 8 wedges per head of cabbage. Clean potatoes, they can be left whole or left cut in 1/2. Place beef in bottom of stock pot. Add 1 cup of onion & one cup of carrot. Place remainder in the fridge for later. Add all the spices, beer, & malt vinegar to the pot. Add more beer to cover the beef if needed (or again.. drink it). Bring liquid to a boil, then turn down to simmer for 3 hours. Next, remove beef..place on roasting pan & cover w/ glaze then finish in 350 degree oven for 30 min. Remove beef place veggies in pot, cover & bring to full boil for a full 30 min. P.S.... Always slice beef against the grain :)

Emeril Lagasse"s Chicken Marsala - BAM!!!

I know I have been MIA from here for quite some time,  I have been buried in textbooks and and glued to the little league fields.. but with Spring season wrapping up & some easier classes for summer semester I am hoping to be back in the saddle cooking delicious meals for the fam and hopefully fitting in a good book or two to share with you. Here is a recipe for the most delicious Chicken Marsala you have ever had. I think the secret is the "Essence seasoning" that you mix in with the flour. I dbl this recipe so there are left overs. SOOOO GOOD. Enjoy :)

1/2 cup flour
1 tbsp Essence seasoning (recipe to follow)
2 6-8oz chicken breasts (pounded thin)
1 tbsp EVOO
4tbsp butter
3 cups of mushrooms (I use bella.. but recipe says cremini, oyster or shitake)
3/4 cup marsala
1 cup chicken stock
s & pep

Combine flour & essence seasoning. Dredge chicken in mixture. Heat large skillet on high heat.. add 2 tbsp butter. brown chicken @ 3 min on each side. transfer to plate & set aside. Add remaining butter and sautee mushrooms until tender and liquid given off. Add marsala wine and scrape browned bits from the bottom of the pan. when wine reduces by 1/2  andd the chicken stock and cook @ 3 min or until sauce thickens. Lower heat & add chicken back to pan. Continue to cook until they are cooked through @ 6 min.

Essence Seasoning (makes @ 2/3 cup.. store in airtight jar)
2.5 tbsp paprika
2 tbsp salt
2 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp thyme