Someday Gourmet Featured on Ravenswood Facebook page

My Zinfandel & Bloody Mary Mix recipe was a big hit last week in our household and it recently made its way into a status update by the Ravenswood Vineyard on their "No Wimpy Wines" campaign Facebook site.  Thanks for all the love on the boards Ravenswood fans!

This was the first winery we hit on our trip out to California in 2006 and turned out to be our favorite.  As a side note, we also got engaged during this trip to Sonoma :)

Zinfandel & Bloody Mary Braised Short Ribs w Bacon, Button Mushrooms, Shallots, Shredded Carrots, and Rosemary

(Copyright © 2010 Someday Gourmet)

Prep Time: 30 minutes (before goes into oven)
Cook Time: 3 hours total (2.5 hrs in oven, 30 minutes stove-top)
Difficulty: Level 2
Yield: 5-6 Ribs, 2-3 Cups Sauce

Ingredients

• 5-6 larger high quality beef ribs
• 2 ½ cups favorite bold red wine (we used Ravenswood Lodi Zinfandel)
• ½ cup Mr. & Mrs. T’s Bold & Spicy Bloody Mary Mix
• 1 cup Swanson low sodium chicken stock
• ½ package of bacon sliced into ½” pieces
• 1 med. package of white button mushrooms
• 1 cup loosely packed shredded carrots
• 8-12 pearl onions or 4-6 shallots
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 2 twigs of Rosemary or 2 tablespoons dried
• 3 tbsp coarse salt
• 3 tbsp coarse pepper
• 3 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1-2 tbsp red pepper flakes (to taste)
• 4 tbsp slurry (2 tbsp corn starch + 2 tbsp hot water) – prepare @ hr 2.5 of baking
• Dutch Oven

Directions

Remove meat from refrigerator and place on counter still wrapped to allow to warm to room temperature.

Preheat Dutch Oven to medium heat (6) and add bacon. Cook until brown and crispy. Remove and dry on paper towel lined plate. Drain bacon grease except for 3 tbsp and return to heat.

While bacon is cooking, clean and rough chop mushrooms then peel onions and cut in half (slice shallots if using). Combine Salt, Pepper, Smoked Paprika and Red Pepper Flakes in a small dish. Remove the ribs from the package and place on a cutting board bone side down. Remove any easily accessible pieces of fat and then rub in a heavy coat of the spice mix on all 5 non-bone sides of each rib. Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty on this step, you really want to rub it in there.

Once the bacon is cooked and removed, add the ribs to the pan in 2 batches (3 at a time is usually right) bone-side up. Proceed to cook each of the 5 meaty sides for 4 minutes each until golden brown. Once placed, DO NOT MOVE THE RIB until time to turn; this will ensure a golden crust. After all the ribs have been completely browned, set aside. Do not drain!

Next add all veggies and garlic to the Dutch Oven and cook over medium heat until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Stir frequently.

Preheat oven to 300.

Add 2 cups of the wine, all the stock, Bloody Mary mix, and Rosemary and turn heat up to high and bring to boil stirring gently but frequently. Reduce sauce by 1/3 – 1/2. Add ribs and ensure fully covered by the liquid. Place a piece of aluminum foil over the Dutch Oven and then cover with the lid to securely seal the steam in.

Bake for 2.5 hours. Remove from oven and transfer the ribs and any bones that have fallen off to a serving dish. Cover with foil and set aside. Bring the remaining sauce over high to a boil and add the slurry and the rest of the wine. Reduce by 1/3 or so until just slightly thicker, pour over ribs, and serve immediate.

Chef’s Notes

• This sauce would taste good over anything! Consider using over oven-roasted chicken breasts (40 minutes @ 350) or even basted over a London Broil
• Embrace the Bloody Mary Mix. Nearly every recipe out there calls for tomatoes in some form or another for braising. In this case, we get our tomato base but even more layers of additional flavor that just melt nicely into the background of the wine.
• Good meat in, great meat out. Bad meat in, mediocre meat out. You get what you pay for on this meal and picking up high quality, low fat ribs from your butcher will go a long way. 

New House & Kitchen Renovations

A looong overdue update from the Someday Gourmet!  Please excuse the radio silence for the past month or so, it's been a whirlwind of activity on my end and blogging just didn't make it into the schedule.

Here's a glimpse at what's been going on....

My wife and I officially closed on our first home on April 23rd and we've been running around like mad since getting ready for move-in on June 12th.  We've focused most of our resources and energy on renovating our kitchen.  I am glad we chose this project right out of the gate as I think it will be the most labor intensive by far.

We've been making great progress over the past few weeks removing appliances, sanding all the surfaces, converting oven space from drop-in to slide-in, and painting.  We've got all new appliances (matching our new GE mounted microwave) coming from Best Buy the day after we move so there is much to get done between now and then.

Here are a few pictures of the work so far:

Before...

Lower counter-top and cabinets prepared for new slide-oven...

First coat!

Doors and drawers...

 

As we continue to make progress on the kitchen, I will definitely keep you all posted.  In the meantime, be on the lookout for a Ravenswood Zinfandel Braised Short Rib recipe!
Thanks for continuing to follow SDG and more frequent updates are on the horizon :)

Spicy Shrimp and Bowties tossed with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Basil, Roasted Pine Nuts & EVOO

(Copyright © 2010 Someday Gourmet)

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Difficulty: Level 1
Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 lb box of Bowtie Pasta
• 1-1 1/2 lb Medium Raw Shrimp – Cleaned, shelled and beheaded
• 1 small jar of Sun-Dried Tomatoes in oil (or soak dried ones in oil for 15 minutes)
• 4oz (or so) of Pine Nuts
• 4 Tbsp Finely Chopped Basil
• 1 Tbsp red pepper flakes
• 4 Tbsp EVOO (can use the oil from the tomatoes jar if there is enough)

Directions
Preheat oven to Broil (Hi) and bring a medium/large pot of water to a boil to cook the box of pasta.

Combine the EVOO and red pepper flakes and basil in a mixing bowl.  Add the sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, and shrimp and gently coat thoroughly with the oil mixture.  Spread the mixture out on foil lined baking sheet and make sure that the shrimp are flat and have some room around them.

Once the water begins to boil, add the pasta and put the baking sheet in the oven.

Broil 4" from the top coils for 4 minutes on one side and then flip the shrimp and broil for another 3-4 minutes on the other side.

Drain the pasta and add all of the contents of the foil into the pasta dish and gently toss.  Add another tbsp of EVOO if necessary.  Serve with shredded-style grated parmesan.

Chef’s Notes

• Easily sub in diced chicken or pork – same procedure.
• Shrimp can be fickle, keep a close eye on them as they cook
• Recommended Wine Pairing - Barefoot's Pinot Grigio or Lodi Zindfandel

Breaded Pork Chop Pinwheels Stuffed w/ Fresh Mozzarella, Cured Italian Ham & Marinara

(Copyright © 2010 Someday Gourmet)

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 22-25 minutes
Difficulty: Level II
Yield: 5-6 Pieces

Ingredients

• 5-6 Thinly cut Pork Chops
• 8 Oz Fresh Mozzarella
• 6 Slices of Cured Italian Ham or any Italian meat
• 1 Small Jar Marinara (We enjoy Prego Traditional)
• 1 Small Pkg of Cherry Tomatoes
• 1 Cup Plain Progresso Breadcrumbs
• 1 Large Egg
• 3 Tbsp Finely Chopped Oregano
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Garlic Powder
• 2 Tbsp EVOO

Directions


Preheat oven to 375 F.  Grease a 13x9 casserole dish and set aside.  Mix breadcrumbs, 2 tbsp oregano, and 1 tbsp garlic powder in one deep cereal bowl and whisk an egg thoroughly in another.  Remove 6-8 slices of the ham from the package and set aside.  In a small bowl mix the cherry tomatoes, olive oil, and rest of oregano and garlic powder until coated and set aside. Prepare a large sheet of wax paper or plastic wrap to cover meat while flatting.

On a large cutting board, trim and clean each piece of pork removing any fat from the edges.  Pat dry with a paper towel and lay each piece out on the cutting board with enough space between them to expand vertically.  Cover the entire board with the wax paper or plastic wrap and use a meat mallet grooved side to tenderize first, then flat side to flatten each pork chop (shoot for more rectangle piece than round).  Once the meat is 1.5-2X larger in length, discard the plastic wrap.

Add a slice or so of the ham to cover the pork.  Loosely cover the ham with small chunks of mozzarella and spread a light layer of red sauce over the filling with a spoon.  Begin at one end of the pork chop and roll the pinwheel so that the filling is trapped inside.  Dredge the pork in the egg then the breadcrumbs coating thoroughly and place seam-side down in the baking dish.  Repeat for each pork chop.
Bake at 375 F for 10 minutes then add the cherry tomatoes and continue baking for 12-15 additional minutes depending on your oven.  Serve immediately and enjoy!


Chef’s Notes

• This recipe works great with chicken breasts too.  Just start with thinly sliced or butterfly the breast yourself.
• Serve with pasta and red sauce for a true Italian feast or consider a fresh salad for a lighter option.
• I encourage you to experiment with the breading mixture but I would suggest avoiding salty seasonings if using a salty deli meat.
• Recommended Wine Pairing - Barefoot's Pinot Grigio or Pinot Noir

Someday Gourmet Featured on BarefootWines.com

Featured Recipe: Jodi's Pecan Encrusted Dijon Tilapia
Mar 22, 2010

"Our mouths are watering for this scrumptious recipe from our member SomedayGourmet! Pair this with a bottle of our Sauvignon Blanc and you've got yourself one tasty, impressive meal! Give this recipe a try then come back and tell us how it tasted in the comments section!"

Check out the full article on Barefoot Wines

Someday Gourmet now on KnowYourBeef.info

Welcome to KnowYourBeef.info, the online community for beef lovers.

Check out my new SDG profile at: http://www.knowyourbeef.info/profile/SomedayGourmet

Someday Gourmet featured on Barefoot Wines website

Featured Recipe: Roasted Pear & Moscato VinaigretteMarch 8, 2010

"Thanks to SomedayGourmet for submitting this wonderful recipe! This recipe for Roasted Pear and Moscato Vinaigrette will sure to be a wonderful addition to your next salad! Pair this with our Moscato for a truly tasty meal."

Check out the recipe here!

Jodi's Pecan Encrusted Dijon Tilapia

(Copyright © 2010 Someday Gourmet)

Inspiration: My Mother-in-Law Jodi

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes
Difficulty: Level I
Yield: 4 Filets

Ingredients

• 4 Fresh Tilapia Filets
• ½ Cup Light Mayonnaise
• ¼ Cup Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard
• 3/4 Cup Finely Chopped Pecans (or 2 Cup Whole + food processor)
• 2 Tsp Fresh Cracked Sea Salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 F. Combine the mayonnaise and Dijon mustard in a small bowl and set aside. Crack your salt into a small bowl that can be used to pinch while seasoning later.

Spray a baking sheet PAM. Wash each filet and pat dry. Place the fish on a cutting board next to each other and sprinkle the entire side with the salt. Using a spatula lightly spread on a generous coating of the mayo/mustard mix then sprinkle half of pecan mixture over the fish evenly. Gently flip each piece of fish and place pecan side down on the baking sheet. Repeat salt, mustard, pecan coating process.

Bake the fish in the center of the oven for 9 - 10 minutes or until fully cooked. Serve immediately or tightly cover with foil to keep warm.

Chef’s Notes

• Serve with Green Beans, Rice Pilaf and Low-Fat Pillsbury Crescent Rolls for a delicious and healthy meal.
• Add a healthy sprinkle of dill to each side of the fish for a fresh twist on the flavor.
• Most types of fish are considered done when they're just opaque throughout. The fish should flake easily so be careful when transferring from the baking tray to your serving dish.
• Recommended Wine Pairing - Barefoot's Sauvignon Blanc

Garden Herb Pork Loin Slices over Baby Spinach & Arugula w/ Cinnamon Roasted Pears, Candied Walnuts, and a Roasted Pear & White Wine Vinaigrette

Let's be honest, you will not have leftovers from this one...

(Copyright © 2009 Someday Gourmet)

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes
Difficulty: Level I
Yield: 3-4 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 lb Smithfield Garden Herb Pork Tenderloin
• 4 Ripe Pears (includes 2 for the dressing)
• 3-4 Cups of Baby Spinach & Arugula
• 1 Cup Walnuts
• 2 Cups of Someday Gourmet's Roasted Pear & White Wine Vinaigrette
• 1 tsp freshly ground Course Sea Salt
• 4 tsp Cinnamon
• 4 tbsp Butter or Margarine
• 1 tbsp Brown Sugar

Instructions

At least 1.5 hours before you plan to eat, begin to make the Someday Gourmet's Roasted Pear & White Wine Vinaigrette.  To save time, clean and cut all of the pears at the same time however do not cook 2 when making the sauce.

40 minutes before you plan to eat, preheat the oven to 375F.  Cover half of a baking rack with foil and spray the entire rack with Pam and place it inside of a foil lined baking sheet.  Add butter to a small mixing bowl and microwave for 10 seconds or until melted then mix in the cinnamon.  Place the pears on the foil covered half of the rack and drizzle half of the butter mixture over them to thoroughly coat.  Stir the brown sugar into to the remaining butter mixture and set aside. Next remove the pork from the packaging, trim the fat, and place on the exposed half of the rack and place into the middle of the oven.  Add the walnuts to a small frying pan and cook over medium-high heat stirring occasionally for 3-5 minutes.  Remove and add to the butter mixture and coat thoroughly.

Bake for 30 minutes or until the pork is cooked to your desired doneness.

Remove the pork from oven and let it rest on a cutting board tightly covered with foil for 5 minutes.  Turn the oven off and let the pears warm in the oven.  Meanwhile, prepare the spinach and arugula mix on the serving dish/platter and sprinkle with sea salt.  Cut the pork into slices along a 45 degree diagonal and place on the salad mix. Gently add the pear slices and top with the walnuts.

Serve immediately with the vinaigrette on the side with a toasty piece of bread.

Chef's Notes

• To make life easier, I strongly suggest making the sauce in advance to refrigerate overnight.  It also allows the flavors to mellow and mix together better.
• Feel free to use any kind of pork loin, the garden herbs are quite delicious with the pear flavor.
• Break these candied walnuts out for any occasion.  They are quick and easy yet jazz up any salad and will really impress your friends!

Roasted Pear & White Wine Vinaigrette

I'm sorry Snapple but this is the best stuff on earth!

Inspiration: Roasted Pear Champagne Vinaigrette
Prep Time: 10 minutes before
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: Level I
Yield: 2-3 Cups

Ingredients

• 2 Ripe Pears
• 1/2 cup White Wine (I used Horton Vidal Blanc)
• 1/2 small diced onion or 1 shallot
• 1/2 tbsp minced Garlic
• 1 tbsp Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard (recommend name brand here)
• 2 tbsp Honey
• 2 tsp Cinnamon
• 1-2 tsp freshly ground Coarse Sea Salt
• 1-2 tsp freshly ground Course Black Pepper
• 1 cup Canola Oil
• Blender

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with Pam.  Wash the pears, remove the steams, and slice into 4ths.  Holding each piece of pear vertically, gently slice out the core and seeds.  Flip the piece over and slice into 2 or 3 wedges and place on the baking sheet.  Repeat.

Sprinkle the cinnamon over the pears and place the pan in middle of the oven.  Bake for 25-30 minutes and then let cool for a few minutes on the pan.

In the meantime, add the rest of the ingredients except the oil into the blender.  Measure the oil in a small measuring glass with a spout and set aside.  Once the pears have cooled slightly, add to the blender and pulse until thoroughly puréed.  Remove the center of the lid, turn the blender on high, and slowly and steadily pour the oil into the center of the blender while its running. 

Refridgerate for at least 30 minutes before using and will hold for 5-7 days.

Chef's Notes

• Picking a pear can be challenging and I try to find ones that are just slightly soft to the touch with a little color in the skin.  I typically plan to use a pear 2-3 days after I bring it home from the store to allow it to ripen on the countertop.  For this dressing I went with a standard pear but there are a wide variety of pears to experiment with!
• If you are preparing the dressing to use with a salad, consider roasting another pear that has been cut into larger slices with cinnimon to use as a tasty and gourmet looking topping.
• This recipe does not actually contain any vinegar so I guess its technically not a vinaigrette.  Feel free to hold that against me ;)

This Week's Menu

After a fairly light couple of weeks, I'm back in the saddle. I'm on a new course to try and cook a little healthier so you'll see more veggie's and what-not popping up. Let's see how long it can last ;-)

The Menu

• Turkey Meatloaf with homemade turkey gravy
• Teriyaki Chicken and Peppers stirfry over sticky rice
• Italian Dressing marinated Roasted Chicken Thighs with angel hair pasta
• Maple-smoked BLTs on thick sliced Tuscan white bread

Recipes to follow soon...

Cajun Dry-Rubbed Buttermilk Fried Chicken

(Copyright © 2009 Someday Gourmet)

Prep Time: 50 minutes + 8 hrs marinade

Cook Time: 90 minutes
Difficulty: Level II
Yield: 7-10 pieces

Ingredients

• 2-3 lbs of any variety of bone in chicken (I prefer split chicken breasts and drumsticks
• 3 cups Buttermilk (low fat variety ok)
• 1 1/2 cups All-Purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups Panko Breadcrumbs
• 3-4 cups of oil
• 2 tbsp Coarse Salt
• 2 tbsp Black Pepper
• 3-4 tbsp Hot/Buffalo Sauce (optional)
• Cast Iron Pan (recommended)

Someday Gourmet's Sweet & Spicy Dry Rub

Equal parts of the following:

Recommend 1 tbsp of each per lb of chicken

• Cayenne Pepper Powder
• Garlic Powder
• Smoked Paprika
• Seasoned Salt
• Black Pepper
• White Sugar

Instructions

24 hours before you plan to make the chicken, clean each piece and loosen the skin being careful not to pull it off completely.  Pat dry and rub in salt and pepper under the skin.  Place chicken in a dish or bowl to marinate and cover completely with buttermilk.  Refridgerate chicken in the marinade at least 8 hours.

Add enough oil to your frying pan to fill 3/4 inch.  Preheat oil over medium (6) heat for at least 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

In the meantime, mix the flour, breadcrumbs, and dry rub together thoroughly in a deep bowl.  Once the oil is ready, begin an assembly line:  drain the buttermilk from a piece of chicken, coat it in the breadcrumbs, add it to the oil.  Repeat.  Cook chicken in batches for 5 minutes on each side - it is not unusual for the chicken to become darker brown than expected.  Blackened, not so much.  That said...hang in there for the full 5 mins, it's worth it to have a nice crispy skin. 

As the chicken finishes cooking on both sides, transfer it to a large baking pan with a greased metal rack or alternatively onto a greased broiling pan (my favorite tool in my kitchen).  Once each piece is fried and transfered onto the baking sheet, place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Remove from oven and serve immediately with a knife, fork, and bottle of hot sauce.

Chef's Notes

• Do not cook more than 2 split breasts or 4 drumsticks at a time. Overcrowding may cause the temperature of the oil to drop too low causing the chicken to cook unevenly
• Don't forget to roll the chicken on its side for a while to crisp all sides of the piece.