The Literate Chef

Archive for the ‘For Moms on the Go’ Category

When Kidlandia meets Foodlandia – Part 1: Chicken bits and potatoes

In For Moms on the Go on September 17, 2013 at 11:22 PM

For Mom’s on the Go. Re-Blogged from Flora’s Table.

Flora's Table

Chicken bits with potatoes2 Servings

How do we get our kids to eat right? This is a billion dollar question. Well, let me tell you what I think: the secret lies in the parents’ cooking skills.

When it comes to food, Italian kids belong to a very fortunate category of human beings. I’m not talking about the quality/freshness of the products because it is indisputable that when God created my country, he was in a great mood. 😉 I’m talking about the care and, sometimes, the financial sacrifice with which most Italian families feed their kids.

Food and culinary tradition run in our veins and many Italians pride themselves in educating their kids’ palates pretty much since they can start eating solids so they can have a balanced and healthy diet. After all, we teach them to walk, read, write, function as decent human beings, don’t we? Well, eating is not any different…

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Pork Medallions with Prunes and Calvados

In For Moms on the Go, Meat, Pork, Recipes on April 30, 2012 at 11:04 AM

(Preparation time 15 minutes; serves 4.)

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
Pork Tenderloin, (plain, i.e. unseasoned) about 2 lbs., sliced into 1 inch medallions – You should have about 16-18 pieces
24-30 Ready-to-Serve Prunes, drained and pitted (between 1 and 2 for each medallion). As an alternative, soak dried, pitted prunes in 1 quart of boiled water. In either case reserve about 1/4 cup of liquid to enhance the sauce. Or an even better suggestion soak them in Calvados as suggested by Jeannie.
1/2 cup Calvados
Salt and Freshly Ground pepper to taste

Procedure:

1.    In a 12 inch non-stick skillet, on high heat, melt the butter.
2.    Add the Pork Medallions, sprinkle with salt & pepper to taste and sauté for 10 minutes, turning several times to brown evenly.
3.    When browned, add the prunes and then the Calvados. Shut the heat and ignite the Calvados.

CAUTION: When igniting, stand back from the stove, and if you have a vent fan directly over the stove be sure to shut it before igniting the Calvados.

4.    Once ignited return heat to low, and with long tongs, carefully turn the medallions several times times to coat them well with the sauce, continuing cooking 2 to 3 minutes longer.
5.    Place 4 to 5 medallions on each plate, cover with an equivalent number of prunes and 2 or 3 extra, and pour the sauce over all. Serve immediately with vegetable of choice, or a small salad.

Please refer to Pork & Prunes – Yum or Yuck?

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Grammy’s Meatballs

In Beef, For Moms on the Go, Meat, Pasta, Recipes, Sauces on March 10, 2012 at 3:53 PM

Grammy’s Meatballs

By Grammy Betty

Our granddaughter, May, defines the term fussy eater. So imagine how thrilled The Literate Chef and I were when she devoured my meatballs during a recent visit. With the love of our granddaughter in mind, I share my recipe for Grammy’s Meatballs.

Ingredients:

1 ½  lbs. prime (90% lean beef) chopped meat
2 eggs
½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Locatelli-Romano
½ cup whole milk
½ cup Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/8 tsp. salt
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
3 tbsps. Extra Virgin Olive Oil for browning the meatballs

Preparation:

1.    Place all of the above ingredients, except the olive oil, in a large bowl, and kneed them together until well mixed and spongy.
2.    Form into 16 medium size (about 2 inches in diameter) meatballs.
3.    Heat the olive oil in a skillet over a medium-high flame.

Browning the Meatballs

4.    Add the meatballs and brown on all sides for approximately 5 minutes.
5.    Reduce flame to medium and continue cooking, turning frequently, for an additional 15-20 minutes. Serve immediately.

(Note: If adding the meatballs to Dorothea’s Homemade Italian Sauce, skip the last step and add the browned meatballs directly to the sauce, where they will continue to cook.)

Please see: The Secret’s Out!

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Fillet of Sole Francese

In Fish, For Moms on the Go, Recipes, Seafood on November 23, 2011 at 4:18 PM

Fillet of Sole Francese

Preparation time, 5 minutes; cooking time, 5 minutes

Ingredients:

3 fillets of grey sole or lemon sole
3 eggs
6 tbsps. grated Romano cheese
Freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup of flour
2 tbsps. extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsps. unsalted butter
½ cup dry white wine
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp. chopped fresh flat (Italian) parsley

Preparation:

1.    In a medium sized bowl, whisk the eggs together with cheese and add freshly ground black pepper to taste. Transfer the mixture to a rectangular Pyrex® baking dish, or something similar.
2.    Add the flour to a second rectangular Pyrex baking dish, or something similar.
3.    In a large non-stick skillet, heat the olive oil on medium high heat and then add the butter.
4.    In the meantime, dredge the fillets in the flour, coating them on both sides and then dip them to the egg-cheese mixture.
5.    When the butter is melted, swirl in with the oil and add the fillets.
6.    Cook the fillets until browned, 1 and ½ minutes.
7.    Turn carefully with a long spatula and cook on the other side foe an additional 1 and ½ minutes.
8.    Remove the fish to a warmed serving platter.
9.    Add the wine and lemon juice to the pan, and stir until slightly thickened. Add extra flour if needed.
10.    Pour the sauce over the fish, sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.

Please see: A Pre-Thanksgiving Meal

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UNCLE FRED’S LENTIL SOUP

In For Moms on the Go, Recipes, Soups on November 19, 2011 at 11:47 AM

Uncle Fred’s Lentil Soup

Active time, 30 minutes. Soak lentils overnight. Cooking time, 1 hour.  Makes 6 quarts.

Ingredients:

2 1 lb. packages of lentils
1 medium onion, chopped fine, about 2 cups
5 cloves garlic chopped fine, about 2 tbsps.
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 small can (6 oz.) of tomato paste
1 package of Lipton Dried Onion Soup Mix
2 smoked ham hocks
2 9 oz. packages of frozen chopped spinach

Preparation:

1.    Add the lentils to an 8 qt. pot, cover with water to about 4 inches above the lentils and soak overnight.
2.    The next day, drain and rinse the lentils and rinse the pot.
3.    In the rinsed pot, heat the olive oil on medium, add the onions and garlic and lightly sauté until translucent, do not let brown.
4.    Reduce heat to medium-low and add the tomato paste, mix well.
5.    Add the contents of one Lipton soup envelope and stir.
6.    Add the lentils and mix well.
7.    Cover with water to about 2 inches above the lentils, about 3 quarts, and then add the ham hocks.
8.    When the water comes to a boil, add the spinach, reduce the heat to medium/low and simmer uncovered for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
9.    When the soup reaches your desired thickness, remove the ham hocks and discard them, (see note). Add more water if too thick to your liking.
10.   Serve the soup with olive oil drizzled into it and warm crusty Italian bread on the side.
11.    Freeze the remainder in 1 or 2 quart containers to enjoy for those nights when you don’t feel like cooking.

Note: As an alternative, if the hocks are particularly meaty, you can remove the meat from the bones, chop it coarsely and add it back to the soup, discarding the skin and bones. You may also wish to use fresh ham hocks, rather than the smoked variety, in which case the meat will be much more tender and definitely worth adding to the soup when thoroughly cooked, however the soup flavor will differ. Try it both ways, each method has its merits.

Please refer to: SOUP’S ON

Also See: Uncle Fred, The Godfather

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Papa’s Hearty Beef Stew a la Burgundy

In Beef, For Moms on the Go, Meat, Recipes, Stews on October 27, 2011 at 11:11 AM

Ready to Eat

Makes about 5 quarts-preparation time including stove-top browning is 1½hour. Total oven cooking time is 2½ hours. Please refer to A Hearty Stew for Those Chilly Autumn and Winter Nights for some preparation tips.

Ingredients:

1 cup of flour
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
5-6 lb. roast (bottom round is an excellent choice) cut into cubes of about 1¼ – 1½ inches
½ cup of canola oil
1 head of garlic, cloves peeled and coarsely chopped
5 cups of Pinot Noir or red Burgundy wine
1 quart of beef stock
2 lbs. of Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed to 1½ inches
24 pearl onions (about 1 lb.) outer skin peeled (see step 1 below)
1 16 oz, package of baby carrots
¼ cup of each of coarsely chopped fresh sage and fresh thyme
1 tbsp. whole black peppercorns, crushed
1¼ lbs. cremini mushrooms, stems removed, large caps halved or quartered
1 small (6 oz.) can tomato paste

Preparation:

1.    Prepare the onions – bring small pot of water to boil, blanch onions for 30 seconds, rinse and cool, cut off root end and peel outer skin layer.
2.    In the meantime, peel and cube the potatoes, prepare the mushrooms and chop the herbs and garlic.
3.    Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4.    Add flour, salt and pepper to a gallon size Ziploc® bag.
5.    Add beef, about 10 pieces at a time, to bag and shake well to coat with flour.
6.    Heat canola oil in a large casserole, preferably enamel coated cast iron French or Dutch Oven.
7.    Add the floured beef cubes to the casserole and brown them in one layer without crowding, for 8 or so minutes on high heat, turning the cubes several times.

Browning the Beef

Fully Browned Beef

8.    Remove browned beef and set aside, add more beef cubes and continuing browning until all the beef is done. If beef sticks to the casserole, or the flour base begins to burn, add a bit more oil.
9.    Add the garlic and lightly brown in the remaining oil and fat.
10.    Add one cup of wine and with a spatula, deglaze the pot. Add a second cup of wine and continue deglazing.
11.    When the second cup of wine has boiled down for about 1 minute, return all of the meat to the casserole to coat it well. Reduce heat to medium.
12.    Add beef broth and stir well, cover and bring to a boil. Add the potatoes, stir well, cover and place in the pre-heated oven for ½ hour.
13.    Add the remaining three cups of wine and the onions, stir well and return to oven covered for another ½ hour.
14.    Add the carrots, herbs and black pepper, stir well and return covered to the oven, for a third ½ hour.
15.    Add the mushrooms and return covered to the oven an additional ½ hour.
16.    Add the tomato paste and return to oven uncovered for a final half hour ½ hour.

The Finished Product

When ready to serve the stew, serve it with a crust baguette and a good red wine, such as a Brunello de Montalcino.

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Broiled Pork Chops with Apricot-Mango Chutney

In For Moms on the Go, Meat, Pork, Recipes on August 9, 2011 at 6:41 PM

Broiled Pork Chops woth Apricot-Mango Chutney

Preparation time 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 mango, peeled and diced into ¼ inch cubes
½ cup of water
1 cup apricot preserves
¼ cup cognac
½ teasp. minced fresh ginger, peeled
4 boneless, center-cut, pork chops, about ¾ of an inch thick

Preparation:

The apricot-mango chutney can be prepared a day in advance and refrigerated. Just bring it to room temperature about an hour before using. If you are making the chutney the same day as you plan to use it, then it can be prepared while you are pre-heating the oven and broiling the pork chops.

1.    Add the mango and water to a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Once it boils, lower the heat to medium and cook for 8 to10 minutes, until that the water is substantially absorbed and the mango becomes mushy.
2.    Remove the sauce pan from the heat and stir in the apricot preserve, a little at a time, until well blended with the mango.
3.    Add the cognac and ginger to the apricot-mango mixture and bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, let simmer an additional 8 minutes.
4.    Place the pork chops in a broiling pan on the top shelf of the oven and broil for 7 to 8 minutes on each side. Spoon the chutney onto one side of the chops and broil an additional 1 minute, taking care not to let the chutney burn.
5.    Serve with additional chutney spooned over the chops.

Please see: ‘The Other White Meat’

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Nancy’s Quick Carbonara (Pasta with peas, ham and cream)

In For Moms on the Go, Pasta, Recipes on August 8, 2011 at 11:07 AM

Recipes from “Moms on the Go” are starting to come in. Here’s one from our daughter. A “Mom on the Go” with one child and another due to arrive any day now.

Ingredients:

1 pound bowtie pasta
3 tablespoons sweet butter
1 small white onion, diced, about 1/2 cup
1/2 cup frozen or shelled fresh peas
2 tablespoon water
4 ounces cooked ham, cut into thin strips, 1 inch in length
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, warm 1 tablespoon of the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. When the butter starts to bubble, add onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until translucent, stirring often.
3. Add the peas and water to the pan and cook 3 minutes, stirring. Stir in the ham and cook 2 minutes. Add the cream; bring to a low simmer and cook 5 minutes.
4. Drain pasta; place in large serving bowl. Stir remaining 2 tablespoons butter into the cream mixture over low heat until melted. Stir in the cheese. Pour sauce over pasta and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

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Chicken Parmigiana alla Caprese

In Chicken, For Moms on the Go, Meat, Recipes on August 7, 2011 at 1:03 PM

Caprese Salad is a delicious combination of fresh tomatoes, mozzarella and basil. It is frequently served as a stand-alone appetizer, or as a topping on a pounded, breaded and fried veal chop or cutlet. Bruschetta is a fresh tomato and basil combination mixed with a good extra virgin olive oil and served on toasted Italian bread, as an appetizer, hors d’ oeuvre or amuse-bouche. We have taken both ideas, adapted them slightly and added them to Chicken Parmigiana, but have substituted the bruschetta for tomato sauce. The combination of cold tomatoes and hot chicken with melted mozzarella is delicious and easy to make. As a matter of fact the bruschetta can be made a day in advance and refrigerated, or can be prepared while the chicken is being fried or baked, thereby cutting down on the time required for preparing dinner.

Total Time 40-45 minutes, active time 25-30 minutes

Chicken Parmigiana alla Caprese

Ingredients:

For the Bruschetta:

2 fresh, ripe tomatoes sliced and diced.
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ tsp. kosher salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
15 basil leaves, chopped
2 slices of red onion, chopped fine
1 tbsp. dried oregano

Hint: If any of Grandpa Tom’s Tomato Salad should be left, which is highly unlikely, you can chop it up and add the red onion and oregano.

For the Chicken:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 egg
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup Italian Style breadcrumbs
1 medium-sized (about the size of a baseball) fresh, unsalted, mozzarella, cut into 4 slices

Preparation:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Crack the egg into a shallow bowl, whisk well and add salt & pepper.
3. Add breadcrumbs to a second shallow bowl.
4. Pre-heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the butter.
5. While the butter is melting, dip each chicken breast in the egg mixture, coating it well and then in the breadcrumbs, again coating it well and add to the melted butter once it is bubbling.
6. Fry the breaded chicken breasts on medium heat for 15 minutes, turning several times to ensure a good browning on both sides.
7. When the chicken breasts are browned, transfer them to a non-stick baking pan, or cookie sheet sprayed with Pam and bake in the oven, on the center rack, for 15 minutes or until the chicken breasts register 170 degrees on a meat thermometer.
8. While the chicken breasts are baking, prepare the bruschetta by chopping, slicing, dicing and mixing, or if made in advance, pour yourself a glass of wine and relax.
9. When the chicken breasts are baked, place two slices of mozzarella atop each breast and bake for 5 more minutes, until the cheese melts.
10. Remove the chicken breast to plates and cover generously with the bruschetta, using a slotted spoon to reduce the amount of liquid.

Serve with Broccoli Florets Sautéed in olive oil and garlic.

A Chianti Riserva filled with depth and complexity makes a great accompaniment to this dish.

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For Moms on the Go

In For Moms on the Go, General Articles on August 7, 2011 at 1:00 PM

Our niece, who loves Chef Scar’s blog, is the busy mother of a 7 and a 9 year-old, each of whom are involved in multiple after-school activities. As a harried stay-at-home mom with serial joiners for children, she made a recent request, ‘how about some quick and easy recipes for moms on the go?’

To help her and other busy moms (and dads) with some tasty and interesting, but easy and quick to prepare one dish meals, we are adding a new category…For Moms on the Go.

From time to time we will be adding new recipes to this section, so if there are any mom and dad subscribers out there who think they have an idea for a quick, tasty and nutritious dish, or meal, that they would like to share with others, please send it to us and we will be happy to add it to For Moms on the Go and give them credit.

 

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Crispy, Fried, Leftover Linguine with Cauliflower Sauce

In For Moms on the Go, Pasta, Recipes on April 10, 2011 at 10:50 AM

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Ingredients:

Leftover Linguine with Cauliflower Sauce
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground Locatelli Romano cheese

Steps:

1.    Heat the olive oil in a heavy sauté pan
2.    Add the leftover linguine and cauliflower, frying the pasta and cauliflower.
3.    Sprinkle the cheese on the pasta and cauliflower and stir and turn until fully blended.
4.    Keep frying and stirring until the pasta noodles become crispy.
5.    When done to your taste remove from the heat and enjoy.

See the Related Article at: Another of Big Mike’s Favorites

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Spaghetti with Del Monte Sauce

In For Moms on the Go, Pasta, Recipes on April 9, 2011 at 3:06 PM

Ingredients:

¼ cup + 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
6 cloves of garlic, sliced
1 tablespoon of dried oregano
2 12 oz. cans of Del Monte tomato sauce
1 pound of spaghetti
Kosher salt or sea salt
Freshly ground Locatelli Romano cheese
Dorothea’s Homemade Hot Pepper Sauce

Steps:

1.    Fill a six quart pot with water and bring to a boil.
2.    In the meantime, pre-heat a mid-sized sauté pan on medium then add the ¼ cup of olive oil.
3.    When the oil is shimmering add the garlic, sauté until it becomes light gold in color.
4.    Add the oregano and stir quickly.
5.    Reduce the heat to low, add the tomato sauce, return heat to high and bring to a boil.
6.    When the water is at a full boil, add a dash of kosher salt or sea salt plus the tablespoon of olive oil.
7.    Add the spaghetti and cook according to the instructions on the box.
8.    After tasting the spaghetti to determine if it is al dente, drain it in a colander.
9.    Transfer the sauce to the large pot, return the spaghetti and mix thoroughly.
10.    Serve in bowls for people to add their own grated Locatelli Romano cheese and Dorothea’s Homemade Hot Pepper Sauce.

Note: This quick, easy to prepare dish is best accompanied by a simple salad with Homemade Italian Dressing, a loaf of fresh, crusty, Italian bread and a bottle of Chianti Classico.

Please see Pasta Memories