Jersey Fresh Tip #8

MIS EN PLACE

Huh? What's that? "Mis en place,' pronounced "meez ahn plahss" in French means "set in place." What does that have to do with cooking? EVERYTHING!
The best way to prepare yourself to cook is to get everything that you need ready to go before you even turn on the stove or oven. That means, chop ALL your veggies, gather ALL your herbs/spices, set out ALL the pot/pans you will need, measure out ALL your ingredients...you get the idea. Often recipes will include a "prep time," which is the amount of time you spend prepping the food. Once you have your "mis en place" you are ready to start cooking. You will find that it's much easier to cook when everything is laid out already, rather than trying to scramble for an ingredient with pots bubbling over, and things burning in the oven.

Which brings me to my next point, which I have said before - READ YOUR RECIPE ALL THE WAY THROUGH! As a matter of fact, read it twice! This will ensure that you know exactly what you need for your "mis en place" and you will know all the steps in the recipe. Believe me, skipping over steps in recipes can be disastrous!

So, to recap:
1.) Read your recipe all the way through (twice, if not more)
2.) Mis en Place, everything you need for the recipe.
3.) Start cooking!

Pasta e Fagioli (Bean Soup)

(Makes a LOT!)
2 large carrots, diced
1 celery stalks, diced
1 shallot, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 bacon strips, diced
16 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 cans red beans, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 lb ditalini pasta, or other small pasta
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried parsley
Salt & pepper

In a large stockpot, cook the bacon bits until crispy. Remove from pot and drain on a paper towel. Leave about 1 tbsp of the bacon fat in the pot. Melt the butter and olive oil together with the bacon fat in the pot. Add the carrots, celery, shallot, herbs and garlic. Season with salt. Cook until vegetables are just turning soft, about 5-7 minutes.
Carefully add the chicken stock, add a little more salt, and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for about 7-10 minutes, or until pasta is soft. Add the beans and bacon and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes, just to heat the beans through.
Top with parmesan cheese and serve hot.

*This is a great soup to have on a really cold day. It's almost like a meal in a bowl (I can hear my cousin Josh screaming, "Soup is not a meal!") Well, this soup comes pretty close. The beans make it nice and hearty, and the bacon, well, we all know that everything is better with bacon! Try this soup, and make sure you are cuddled up with your favorite blanket when you eat it!

Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Ecclesiastes 4:11

Baked Ziti

1 box ziti pasta, cooked
32 oz. jar marinara sauce
1 lb. ground beef, cooked and drained
1 12-oz pkg chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained
15 oz. ricotta cheese
8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
1 egg, beaten
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and pepper

Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix together the cooked beef with the marinara, ricotta, spinachmozzarella, parm, egg, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Carefully mix in the cooked ziti noodles. Pour into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Sprinkle more cheese over the top. Bake covered for 45-60 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden brown on top.

*One word: YUM. This is a great dish to make when you need to do some spring cleaning in your kitchen. You can pretty much put anything you want in the ziti, as long as you have the sauce, pasta and cheeses. If you don't like your ziti with ground beef, leave it out or substitute it with something else: ground turkey, sausage, whatever you like. This is a great dish that is heartwarming, as well as belly-filling!

He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD. Proverbs 18:22

Jalapeno Poppers

6 Jalapeno peppers
2 oz. soft goat cheese
4 oz. softened cream cheese
Salt & pepper
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups dry breadcrumbs
Oil for frying

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the whole jalapenos on a sheet pan and bake 15 minutes. Flip peppers over and bake another 15 minutes. Remove from oven and place in an airtight container to steam.
Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix together the goat cheese and cream cheese, salt and pepper. When peppers have cooled, rinse off the skins, cut off the tops, scoop out the seeds and ribs, and fill with equal parts of the cheese mixture. Dip in the egg, then breadcrumbs, egg again, then breadcrumbs again, shaking off the excess in-between.
Heat the oil in a deep-fryer or large cast iron skillet. Carefully drop in the stuffed peppers and fry until golden brown and crispy. Remove and drain on a paper towel.
Serve hot or at room temperature.

*I have just recently been really getting into spicy food. This fun appetizer is perfect for all you spice-lovers out there! It also makes a great Superbowl Party appetizer!! The cool creamy oat cheese and cream cheese is a perfect contrast to the spicy sweet jalapeno pepper. I have seen other poppers stuffed with just cheese, but I like the cream cheese mixture myself. Roasting the peppers beforehand gives the peppers a nice rich deep flavor. Make lots of these because they will disappear fast!

God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth. John 4:24

Steak au Poivre

4 small thick-cut steaks
Salt
2 tbsp coarsely ground pepper (maybe more)
Butter

For the gravy:
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
1 cup beef broth
2 tbsp red wine

Season the steaks with salt. Pour the pepper onto a small plate and press the steaks into the pepper so it sticks. Shake off the excess.
Melt a pad of butter in a large pan until it starts to bubble. Sear the steaks for 3-4 minutes per side. If you like the steak more well done, transfer the steak to a 450 degree oven for 15-20 minutes, or until desired doneness. Place the finished steaks on a plate and cover tightly with foil. Allow to rest for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the 1 tbsp butter in the same pan that you cooked the steak in. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk for 1 minute to get all the lumps out. Whisk in the beef broth and red wine until it begins to thicken. Remove from heat and set aside.
Pour the gravy over the steaks, and serve.

*I love recipes that sound fancy and complicated, but are sooo easy to make! Steak au poivre, means steak with pepper in French. This is a popular dish in France, usually served with "steak frites," or steak fries. The gravy is my New Jersey twist on the French classic. And yes, store bought beef broth is just fine for this dish. In fact, I used beef bouillon, which worked perfectly! The red wine gives it just the right amount of "umami" which in Japanese means like savory. You will love this dish, and hopefully be transported to beautiful Paris!

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. 1 Corinthians 10:13

Pesto Marinated Stuffed Pork Chops

Pesto Sauce - thinned out with more olive oil
3-4 thick cut boneless pork chops
6 slices of bread, cubed and dried
2 tbsp butter, divided
1 celery stalk, diced
2 small shallots, diced
5 mushrooms, sliced
1 cup chicken broth
Salt and pepper

Place the pork chops in a large zip-top bag and pour in the thinned out pesto sauce. Mush around so the pork chops are coated. Marinate in the fridge for 4 hours, or overnight. Leave the bread cubes on a sheet pan and allow to dry out overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a pan with 1 tbsp butter, saute the celery, shallot and mushrooms until they have become very soft. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the bread cubes in a large bowl and pour the vegetables over the cubes. Pour in the chicken broth and stir to combine and so the bread cubes are moist.
Cut a slit in the side of each pork chop to make a pocket inside. Stuff each pork chop with the stuffing mixture. In another pan, melt the other tbsp of butter and cook the pork chops on both sides until golden brown. Transfer the chops to a glass baking dish and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until pork chops are cooked through.

*This idea is my twist of something I saw on the Food Network on the show "Good Eats." As you may already know, I am a stuffing freak and I love to use it on days besides Thanksgiving. You could really use any kind of stuffing you like, even the kind from the box. But if you can make your own, why wouldn't you? You could even throw some cooked sausage in there to give it some extra "porkiness." You really don't even have to marinate it with the pesto, but the marinade adds a nice depth of flavor to an otherwise bland pork chop.

We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. 2 Corinthians 5:20

Homemade Chicken Stock

1 whole chicken or turkey carcass - meat removed
3 carrots, chopped into large pieces
3 celery stalks, chopped into large pieces
3 garlic cloves, crushed, but not chopped
1 large onion, quartered - skins on
2 tbsp salt
1 tsp whole peppercorns
1 tsp whole coriander seeds
Enough water to cover everything

In a large stock pot, place the chicken carcass along with the vegetables and spices. Pour enough water in the pot to just cover everything. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 4-6 hours until stock is golden.
Allow to cool, then remove carcass and strain out the liquid. Store in air tight containers in the fridge or freezer.

*I love making homemade stock. In fact I will make a whole chicken just for the two of us, just so I can make stock afterwards. This stock is great for soup, gravy and any number of dishes that call for stock or broth. Here's the secret - leaving the skins on the onion is what gives the stock its golden color. And don't worry if your stock becomes a little "Jell-O" like after cooling down - that's just the natural gelatin in the bones of the chicken. It will thin out again after you heat it up. Stock is a great thing to have on hand, so go ahead and try this out for yourself!

In my anguish I cried to the LORD, and he answered by setting me free. The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? Psalm 118:5-6

Cranberry Apple Sauce

4 large apples (recommend Gala or Fuji apples)
1 cup cranberry juice
1/2 cup water
2-4 tbsp sugar, depending how sweet you want it
1 tbsp lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
1 tsp cinnamon

Peel, core, and chop the apples into cubes, roughly the same size. Place in a pot and pour in the cranberry juice, lemon juice and water. Cover and bring to a boil. Boil for about 15-30 minutes until the apples are soft and beginning to break down. Drain off any excess water and add the sugar to taste. Mash the apples with a potato masher, or in a food mill. Mix in the cinnamon. Allow to cool and serve.

*There are few things more delicious than homemade applesauce. This is so easy and so cheap, you will never want to buy the bottled kind again. You can leave the apples kind of chunky depending on how you like your applesauce. This is a great addition to any meal!

Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings. Psalm 17:8

Vegetable Pot Pie

1 9-inch pie crust
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
5 or 6 mushrooms, sliced
4 russet potatoes, diced
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 cup vegetable stock, warm
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper
1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a pot, boil the potatoes until you can just barely pierce them with a fork, but still have some resistance - about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Saute the mushrooms in a pan with butter until they are just soft and tender. Set aside.
In a saucepan, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, until bubbly. Whisk in the warm vegetable stock, and bring to a boil, stirring often. Whisk in the milk and season with salt and pepper. Turn off the heat.
Combine the mushrooms, vegetables, potatoes sauce and cheese. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper as needed.
Pour the mixture into an 8x8 inch glass baking dish. Cover with the pie crust and cut vents in the crust to allow steam to escape. Brush with the beaten egg. Bake for about 30 minutes at 375, or until crust is golden brown, and mixture is bubbly.

*Yes, this happens to be my chicken pot pie recipe, minus the chicken. But it's just so darn good that I had to feature this recipe. I highly recommend using a homemade pie crust for this, but using a store-bought one is ok. I love to serve this with homemade biscuits and applesauce. This dish is best served on a cold winter day because pot pie is such a comfort food and just warms your soul. Enjoy friends!

Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the LORD God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is. Amos 5:14

Mushroom Lasagna

Photo taken by Evan Walter

About 9 lasagna noodles
6 porcini or shitake mushrooms, chopped
1 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/4 cup each mozzarella & parmesan cheese plus more for sprinkling on top
1 egg
Salt & Pepper
About 1 1/2 cups of your favorite Alfredo or Marinara sauce

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain and set aside flat on a paper towel. While the noodles are cooking, mix together the ricotta cheese, mushrooms, mozzarella, parmesan, spinach, egg and salt & pepper until well blended.
Once the noodles are cooked, in an 8x8 inch baking dish, spray liberally with cooking spray. Put a layer of noodles down, then a layer of the ricotta cheese mixture, then more mozzarella. Repeat until you reach the top of the dish, and make sure to end with noodles. Pour the sauce over everything, sprinkle some more parmesan cheese overtop, and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes, remove the foil and bake another 10-15 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown on top. Serve hot with extra sauce on the side.

*I like this recipe a lot. The mushrooms give the lasagna a nice meatiness without having any meat in it. If you don't like mushrooms, you could always leave them out, but believe me - you can't even tell they're in there! I wouldn't recommend using button mushrooms for this only because they don't have much flavor, and don't lend as much meatiness as a porcini or shitake mushroom. However, if you can't find porcini or shitakes, go ahead and use button mushrooms. Serve this with our So Yummy Garlic Bread and you've got yourself a great meal!

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:1-2

Black Bean Burritos

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 tbsp butter
5-6 restaurant style tortillas
1 cup cooked rice
Other grilled veggies (peppers, onions, etc.)
Sour cream & salsa
Cheese

In a large skillet, melt the butter and combine the black beans with the corn and peas. Saute until just barely heated through - about 5 minutes. Add the cooked rice to the skillet and stir to combine. Cook an additional 1-2 minutes until all is heated through.
Heat the tortillas in the microwave or oven as directed on the package. Pile up your burritos however you like and enjoy!

*Black bean burritos have got to be one of my favorite things to eat in the world. Yes, in the world! If I ever go to a restaurant and I see that they have black bean burritos, I will most likely order that. I just think they have such great flavor and heartiness. I love the smell of grilled onions and peppers together. And of course, it has to be slathered in sour cream and cheese! I hope you enjoy these deeeeelicious burritos as much as I do!

Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 1 Peter 1:13

Grilled Veggie Pizza

Makes 1 14-inch pizza
1 package dry active yeast
1/4 cup warm water
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
Veggies of your choice:
Onions, peppers, mushrooms, squash, eggplant, etc.
Cheese
Tomato Sauce

Put the yeast and 1/4 cup of the water into a bowl, and stir to dissolve the yeast. Let stand for 1 minute. In a large warm bowl, sift together the flour and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture, oil and the rest of the water.
With your hands, mix together the liquids with the flour until combined, and the dough holds together. Turn out onto a floured board. Knead the dough until it is smooth and silky, about 10 minutes.
Shape the dough into a ball and place in an oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with a tea towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
While the dough is rising, grill the vegetables on a stovetop or outdoor grill until they have nice grill-marks and just begin to soften. (You could also roast the veggies on a sheet pan in the oven for about 10 minutes at 400 degrees). Set aside.
Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead again until the dough is smooth. Roll out the dough, or toss by hand, gently stretching the dough as you work, and until it is in about a 14-inch circle or square.
Transfer the pizza dough to a well oiled baking sheet, top with your favorite pizza toppings, and bake at 475 degrees for about 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

*Pizza is great no matter what you top it with. You could even make it a white pizza by using ricotta cheese instead of tomato sauce. And even though it takes a bit of time to allow the dough to rise, it is so worth it in the end. Something about making pizza yourself is so rewarding. Get the kids to help you knead the dough, and let them top their own pizzas. You can also break the dough into smaller pieces to make "personal pizzas." Have fun with it!

In famine he will ransom you from death, and in battle from the stroke of the sword. Job 5:20

Portobello Mushroom Burgers with Balsamic Reduction Sauce

1 large portobello mushroom cap per person
Hamburger buns
1 or 2 red peppers
1 ball fresh mozzarella, sliced
Salt and pepper

For the Sauce:
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup red wine
1 tbsp sugar

Remove the stems from the mushrooms and season the underside with salt and pepper.
Combine the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat until sauce has begun to reduce down and thicken - about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
While the sauce is boiling, roast the red peppers over an open flame, or in a 400 degree oven until they are completely black on the outside. Allow to cool on a paper towel and rinse off the burnt skin.
Meanwhile, heat a stovetop grill lubricated with olive oil or vegetable oil. Place the mushrooms top side down on the grill. Grill about 5-7 minutes per side, or until the mushrooms begin to get soft and are heated through. Before removing from the heat, place a slice of the mozzarella on the gills side of the mushroom and allow to melt just slightly.
Assemble the burgers with the mushrooms, roasted red pepper slices and drizzle with the reduction sauce. Enjoy!

*You will be surprised how good (and filling!) this is. You won't miss the meat at all. Portobello mushrooms are so hearty and meaty themselves, they make up for the beef you would have been having instead. The reduction sauce is really what makes this sandwich pop. It's slightly sweet and slightly tangy and adds the perfect touch to this delicious sandwich. Can't find fresh mozzarella? Shredded works just as good!

He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8

It's Veggie Week!

I made it my unofficial New Year's resolution to do "feature weeks" here on NJ Fresh. Some ideas I had in mind were, College Week, Vegetarian Week, Appetizer Week, Desserts Week, etc. etc. So this is the first of many series yet to come!

Vegetarian Week has begun! All this week, I will be featuring delicious dishes that are safe for carnivores and herbivores alike. And as always, I will be keepin' it NJ Fresh!

Lots of love,
Aubrey @ NJ Fresh

Eggplant Saltimbocca

1 large eggplant sliced long ways (from stem to root) about 1/4 inch thick)
1/2 lb thinly sliced prosciutto
1/2 lb sliced mozzarella (the kind you would put on a sandwich)
1 cup frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed very dry
1 egg, beaten
1 cup seasoned dried bread crumbs
Olive oil for frying
Salt and pepper

On one slice of eggplant, layer a piece of prosciutto, mozzarella, and a little bit of the spinach. Season with salt and pepper. Lay another piece of eggplant over the top to essentially make an eggplant sandwich. Continue with the rest of the eggplant. Heat a large skillet with enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan.
Meanwhile, dip each side of the eggplant sandwiches in the egg and then the bread crumbs, shaking off the excess. Fry on both sides until golden brown and crispy, and cheese has melted. Drain on a cooling rack and serve hot with garlic bread.

*The first recipe of the new year! The idea for this dish came to me while I was watching a cooking show on the Food Network. The host made it with zucchini, and I thought that it would work just as well with eggplant - since Evan LOVES eggplant. Turns out I was right! It's best to slice the eggplant as thin as you can so it cooks all the way through. If you have a mandoline slicer, those work great - just be sure to protect your hands!! Looking forward to many more recipes in 2010! Happy New Year!

This is what the LORD says— he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:16, 18-19