Tag: cooking

Tip for Cooking Fish – Soak in Milk

Cook a lot of fish or seafood? Intimidated by cooking seafood? Then this tip for cooking fish is for you! So easy and unbelievably helpful. Check it out. This tip for getting rid of the smell of fish is courtesy of my favorite lady. It has been life-changing when it comes to cooking fish. My late mother Patsy (she always said she hated that name, but I think she secretly loved it) taught me this trick, which has helped so much over the years. Patsy was a wealth of good advice and helpful tips and I am thrilled to pass on just a bit of her wisdom to all of you.

We have all experienced getting home from the fishmonger and the fish or shellfish smells a little fishy. I always smell the fish before I buy it, but occasionally when I get home it still has a bit of an odor. I am not talking It’s time to throw it out fishy, but just a little.

Learn how to cook, try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless and above all have fun.

Julia Child

Cooking Trick - Soaking Fish in Milk to get rid of smell.

Here is the tip for cooking fish. If you put the seafood in a bowl and add cold milk, cover it and let it sit in the fridge for about a half hour the smell goes away. Then just rinse it off, pat it dry and cook as you normally would. I have used this trick on haddock, cod, swordfish and shrimp. Having never tried it with salmon or anything else I can’t attest to that. This cooking tip for fish is something that I never leave out and I find it especially helpful when it comes to frozen fish. It is a game changer!

I don’t know why it works, but it does!

If you are interested in more then check out the Tips and Tricks and Recipes page on my blog Sunday Chefs. My Pinterest page also has a lot of recipes and tips that I have accumulated from other people. Tell me yours, I would love to try!

This Pasta Carbonara Recipe is the perfect pantry meal for a romantic night at home or a family friend get together.

Carbonara

This Pasta Carbonara Recipe is the perfect pantry meal for a romantic night at home or a family friendly get together. It has been a staple in our house for years. Carbonara is a great comfort food recipe and is very easy to make. Basically, it’s a simple bacon and egg pasta that never fails to impress. Paired with a nice glass of wine it is the ultimate pasta dish for a romantic night of watching TV, dinner with friends, or a midweek meal with the family.

When a recipe card is as old and worn as this one, you know it’s a favorite. Although I’m not sure where I originally got the recipe, it has certainly earned its place in our home. At my bridal shower, many years ago, guests contributed recipes, and this might be one of those cherished contributions. My recipe box is filled with these well-loved treasures. This Pasta Carbonara stands out as the ultimate pantry meal.

I split this recipe in two and make half with regular pasta and half with gluten free to accommodate my whole family. It is great both ways!

This Pasta Carbonara Recipe is the perfect pantry meal for a romantic night at home or a family friendly get together

Life is a combination of Magic and Pasta

– Federico Fellini

Tempering the eggs with a little pasta water so they do not scramble is essential. When the eggs scramble it ruins the whole dish and you do not want that. I have also used other pasta styles. I have found Rotini is a hit and even ziti, but I prefer the traditional spaghetti. This Pasta Carbonara Recipe is the perfect pantry meal and a great go to in a pinch. I love the fact that is is so allergy friendly and easy to do. My current favorite gluten free pasta is Rummo. Give it a try, you will not be disappointed.

If you are interested, please check out the Recipes page of my blog Sunday Chefs for more tried and true family recipes and restaurant reviews.

This Pasta Carbonara Recipe is the perfect pantry meal for a romantic night at home or a family friend get together.

Pasta Carbonara

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Course: dinner, lunch
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
  • 1 lb. Spaghetti cooked regular or gluten free
  • 1/3 lb. Bacon cut into small pieces (Pancetta or Guanciale is used also)
  • 4 cloves Garlic diced small
  • 1/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes I tend to use more.
  • 1/2 cup White wine or Chicken Stock
  • 2 large Egg Yolks
  • 1/4 cup Reserved pasta water
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 Handful of chopped fresh parsley 1 tsp. of dried parsley would substitute
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Method
 

  1. Cook Pasta Al Dente. Reserve a cup of the pasta water in case needed for sauce
  2. In large skillet over medium high heat. Saute bacon until it browns. Remove bacon and put aside. Drain the bacon oil and then add two tbsp. olive oil, garlic and red pepper. Saute two minutes. Add wine and reduce by half.
  3. Beat eggs vigorously and stir in a ladle of pasta water. Drain the pasta and to bacon pan and remove from heat. Add egg mixture, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper and toss until well combined and cheese has melted. Serve with extra cheese.

Notes

Allergy Information: Contains Dairy, Egg, Wheat (can make gluten free). Nut free, peanut free, shellfish free.
Banana Bread is a staple in most homes and this recipe is one of the best

Banana Bread

Banana Bread is a staple in most homes and is a wonderful comfort food recipe. Our family makes this Banana Bread Recipe at least once a month in either bread or muffin form. Never throw away old bananas, just freeze them and save them for this wonderful bread recipe. I make a great one these days but my first attempt is something that I am teased about still to this day.

There are days when cooking is just not my thing and the first time I made banana bread was one of them. Even now…… twenty five years later, I still feel the sting of humiliation.  I was newly married and wanted to make it for my husband.  My sister had given me one of those homemade cookbooks, that you buy at church fairs and school fundraisers, and it had a recipe I thought I would try.  As I was reading it, even I thought maybe 5 tbsp. of baking powder was a little much, but hey, what did I know?  I am alone in my apartment experimenting and at the exact moment I add the baking powder, it begins to rise like Mt. Vesuvius into some strange, freaking, elementary school science project! As it overflows the bowl, onto the counter and then the floor, the front door opens and who walks in… my husband and is brother!  I must have looked like a deer in the headlights, because they saw their prey and pounced. These are the two most hilarious, sarcastic men I know and they had a field day.  This is one of the many cooking disaster stories that they tell and even I have to say, if it was anyone else but me, it would be hysterical.

After all these years, and lots of practice, I make a great banana bread and they both will agree.

Don’t be afraid to take whisks – Unknown

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    The bananas need to be ripe….not pretty, just over ripe.  I actually freeze the bananas, so I always have some available.  The skin will turn black, but they are perfect inside. Sift all dry ingredients. (Hint: if you don’t have a sifter, use a whisk and very carefully whisk the dry ingredients together). Add in all the other ingredients. Pour into greased loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for at least an hour.  Check with toothpick and if it comes out clean, it is done.

    Pour into greased loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for at least an hour.  Check with toothpick and if it comes out clean, it is done.

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    This can also be made gluten free, I have used the King Arthur Gluten Free Flour in the past and it worked wonderful. You can add chocolate chips or nuts too, it would be a great addition. If you would like to see more, check out the Recipes page on my blog Sunday Chefs.

    Allergens: Eggs, Gluten 

    Print

    Banana Bread

    Sometimes the simple recipes are the best. This Banana Bread Recipe is easy enough for everyone and is sure to impress.
    Prep Time1 hour 30 minutes
    Active Time15 minutes
    Course: Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Yield: 2
    Cost: $5

    Materials

    • 2 cups all purpose flour Can substitute whole wheat flour
    • 1 tsp. baking soda
    • 1 cup sugar
    • 1/4 tsp. salt
    • 2 eggs beaten
    • 1/2 cup canola oil
    • 3 bananas very ripe (brown skins)

    Instructions

    • The bananas need to be ripe… not pretty, just over ripe. They can even be previously frozen.
    • Sift all dry ingredients. (Hint: if you do not have a sifter, use a whisk and very carefully whisk the dry ingredients together)
    • Add in all the other ingredients. (Mix until just combined and no dry lumps)
    • Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for at least an hour.
    • Check with toothpick and if it comes out clean, it is done.

    Sunday Chefs – Holiday Edition

    My dad was a Sunday Chef. He discovered a love of cooking in his 40’s after his doctor told him to find a hobby to deal with his stress. He tried model ship making but that didn’t last long. His path to a great Sunday Chef was not without its pitfalls. Our family will never stop laughing about the 18 Sundays in a row we had Fettuccine Alfredo until he got it right and then never made it again or the French apple chicken he only made for me on my birthday because he knew it was my favorite but the smell of the apples and onions cooking together always made him feel ill. And none of us will ever forget the family attempt at making Limoncello!  It was obvious we were Irish/Scottish and not Italian, but a fabulous memory all the same.

    Every Sunday was an event… all day experiments of food from all over the world. Some Sundays just one course, other Sunday’s five or six. My husband jokingly tells me this is why he married me so he could keep coming to Sunday Dinner. My father passed on his love of cooking to his son-in-laws. My brother-in-law was fully entrenched at a young age and he continues to amaze us. Christmas Day is his show! This year was an amazing display of five courses and not one them disappointed.

    When my husband and I got engaged my dad gifted my future husband with a cookbook and a welcome to the Sunday Chefs Club. Christmas Eve is his show! He makes a massive pot of marinara sauce. This years included 14 shelled lobsters, mussels, shrimp and little necks!  It was amazing.

    I love to cook, but I love the tradition that these wonderful men have chosen to embrace and follow in the footsteps of my amazing father. My children are growing up with this wonderful tradition and the people that my daughters choose to marry will be getting cookbooks. I am sure he is smiling and toasting us with a glass of Limoncello!

    Marry someone who knows how cook. Looks go away but hunger doesn’t …. Unknown

    Chicken Cacciatore

    I was feeling nostalgic today and missing my late father. This dish always reminds me of him. Everyone should know how to make a good Cacciatore!

    Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food – Hippocrates

    • 4 Chicken Breasts (Bone In – chicken thighs or even boneless breast could be used to)
    • 1/4 cup olive oil
    • One red bell Pepper, chopped
    • One small onion, chopped
    • One shallot, chopped
    • 8 oz. white mushrooms, sliced
    • 1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes (No salt added)
    • 3 cloves garlic, diced
    • 1/2 cup good white wine
    • 1/2 cup chicken broth
    • Parmesan rind – about a tablespoon equivalent (whole)
    • 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
    • 2 tsp. dried basil
    • Salt and pepper to taste
    • 1 lb. pasta (pasta of your choice depending on allergies – gluten free works great here)

    Heat a deep, heavy pot over medium heat until very hot. Add olive oil and chicken breasts. Brown for about 4 minutes or until the chicken releases from the bottom of the pan. If it is still stuck, give it a few more minutes. Just leave it, do not mess with it. Flip the chicken and repeat on the other side.

    Remove the chicken from the pot and put aside. Now add the onions, shallots, and peppers to the pot. Saute’ until onions are translucent. Now add the mushrooms and garlic and cook a few minutes more.

    Add the wine, broth, tomatoes, salt, pepper, Parmesan rind and red pepper flakes.

    Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Add the chicken back to the pot, cover and simmer for at least an hour. Some will say quicker, but I think the extra time makes all the difference. Add more wine or chicken broth if needed.

    Serve over pasta (regular or gluten free) with some crusty bread.

    Allergens: Dairy

    The Best Beef Stew

    My kids Aunt Pam is a great cook and you will see a lot of her recipes here. I wish I had her talent. She is very brave and will try anything.  I am not so brave, but I will gladly copy her tried and true recipes and allow her to have all the glory.

    The people who give your their food give you their heart – Cesar Chavez

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    • 5 lbs. sirloin tips (sometimes I use leftover roast beef cut into chunks and it is great)
    • 1 10z. package white mushrooms, sliced
    • 1 tablespoon flour (or corn starch to make it gluten free)
    • 1 cup water
    • 1 large can tomato sauce (i.e. Hunt’s)
    • 1 large turnip (I prefer 1 small)
    • 5 potatoes, peeled and cubed
    • 6 carrots, peeled and chopped
    • 2 cloves garlic, diced

    In large, heavy pot, brown sirloin tips, add mushrooms and cook until soft. Add garlic and cook a few minutes more. Add flour (or corn startch) and mix well. Pour water over the beef mixture.  Add the can of tomatoes, potatoes, carrots and turnips.  If you are gluten free, leave out the flour and add a little cornstarch instead. Add more water and salt and pepper to taste.  I like to simmer for a few hours.

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    YOU DEFINITELY NEED SOME BREAD TO GO WITH THIS STEW!

     

    Allergens: Carrots, Gluten (unless switch flour for corn starch)

    Perfect Roast Chicken

    I spoke before of the fact that you need to learn how to cook three things in order to survive….one good breakfast, one good lunch and one good dinner.  Well this is the dinner. Roast Chicken is something I can make and be confident of.  Everyone is always so impressed and it is really quite easy.  Plus you can also make a great chicken soup after, which I will show you later. Here is a simple version for you to try….

    You don’t have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces. Just good food from fresh ingredients – Julia Child

    Ingredients:

    • Roaster Chicken 7-8 lbs.
    • Kosher Salt
    • Fresh cracked pepper
    • Softened butter
    • Lemon

    Preheat the over to 375 degrees F. Remover the giblets (I have to admit, I did leave these in one time and the whole meal was ruined. I believe more people have done it than they care to admit). Rinse the chicken inside and out. Pat dry with a paper towel. Put the chicken in a heavy duty roaster pan on a rack.

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    Salt and pepper the chicken well, inside and out. Loosen the skin on the breasts and insert some lemon slices under it.

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    Add the remaining lemon (cut up) into the cavity.  Rub the softened butter all over the chicken (Messy, but worth it!). Add some water to the bottom of the pan, (this helps with broth for soup later on).


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    Cook for approximately 2 hours until juices run clear when the leg is cut or pulled on. (Internal temperature should be app. 165 degrees at breast and 175 degrees at thigh).

    I usually shoot for 170 degrees at the breast, but that is my preference.   Let the chicken sit for a bit before cutting into it. Everyone in my family loves this and that is very hard to do with five picky eaters. Serve with rice or potatoes and some seasonal vegetables. Great for leftovers also
    roast chicken

    Corned Beef and Cabbage

    Corned Beef and Cabbage is that once a year meal I think I don’t like and then I make it and it’s great! I think the problem is, it’s not the prettiest meal to make. But it wouldn’t be St. Patrick’s Day in this Irish House without it.

     

    May you be in heaven a full half hour before the devil knows your dead – Irish Blessing

     

    Ingredients: 

    • Corned Beef- 3-4 lbs in Brine with spices included
    • 4 potatoes, quartered
    • 5 carrots, peeled and chopped
    • One large onion
    • 1 medium size green cabbage
    • Mustard (optional)

    Put the corned beef in a large heavy pot. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Drain off the water and cover it again with cold water. My friend Kristen gave me this tip and I don’t know what I did before. It takes a lot of the salt out. Add the seasoning packet. Bring to a boil again and then lower temperature and simmer for about 2 hours.

    Add potatoes, carrots and onions. Bring to a boil again, then lower to simmer for about 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

    Add the cabbage and cook for about another 20 minutes.

    Remove from heat and serve warm. Enjoy!

    Just remember….everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day!

    Additions: Mustard for Corned Beef

    Allergens: Gluten Free, Nut free, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Peanut Free, Soy free

    Spinach, Lemon and Bacon Risotto

    My first attempt at Risotto! Do you believe it? I have always been a big fan, but very intimidated to make it. It was so worth it.

    No one is born a great cook, one learns by doing – Julia Child

    Ingredients:

    • 5 slices of bacon, chopped
    • 1 large onion, chopped
    • 1 1/2 cups Arborio Rice
    • 4 cups of low-salt chicken broth (plus 1/4 to 1/2 cup for the end)
    • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
    • Zest of the lemon
    • 1 cup of cooked chicken (chopped)
    • 1 tsp. kosher salt
    • 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
    • 3-4 cups of fresh spinach
    • 1 roasted shallot (chopped)
    • 1/2 -3/4 cups of freshly grated Parmesan
    • 1 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

     

    Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In large, heavy, oven-safe pot, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon and drain on paper towels.

    Add the onions and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook for about 3 more minutes, stirring frequently. Add the lemon juice and 4 cups of the chicken broth. Stirring frequently, bring to a boil. Cover the pot and put in the oven for 20 minutes.

    After 20 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and return to stove top over medium-low heat. Now add the spinach, chicken and roasted shallots and remaining chicken broth. Stir for about 2 minutes (until spinach is wilted). Add more broth if needed. Add the bacon, lemon zest and Parmesan cheese and stir until creamy.

    Garnish with parsley and Parmesan cheese.

     

    Allergens: Dairy

     

    Sharing the Sunday Fun

     

    I just love that my family is embracing all this. My sister and her husband have always made Sunday Dinners a priority and I have been so jealous. With the loss of our father, who was such a fabulous cook, I feel that my children have been missing out on this wonderful tradition. My brother-in-law made this very impressive Ginger Swordfish on Sunday and he got the recipe from the fabulous website Yummly. I will need to make this soon. Pair it with a great wine and you are good to go!

    My hope is for family and friends to share their stories of fun Sunday Dinners …the good, the bad and the ugly! Thank you Kathy and Ron, Hopefully this is the first of many….

    Swordfish courtesy of Snug Harbor Fish Company. Wine courtesy of Snug Harbor Wine Company. 

    A recipe is a story that ends with a good meal – Pat Conroy