Recipe Wednesday: Classic Risotto

Sometimes a little classic cooking is in order. Today's recipe comes from our Italian Night with A Cook's Place own Jody Lehman.

Classic Risotto


Ingredients
2 T. olive oil

2- ½ T. unsalted butter, divided
½ c. minced onion
1 c. uncooked Arborio rice
½ c. dry white wine
3 c. warm chicken broth
¼ c. grated parmesan
Salt and pepper
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
2-4 T. butter
Directions

In a large pan over medium heat, sauté onion in olive oil and 1 1/2 T. butter until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add rice and stir constantly for 2-3 minutes, or until well blended. Add wine and continue stirring until incorporated. Slowly stir in 1 ladle (1/2 c.) chicken broth, stirring frequently until all the broth is absorbed. Repeat this process one ladle at a time until all the broth has been absorbed and the risotto has reached a creamy, yet al dente consistency, usually 22-25 minutes. Remove rice from heat and stir in remaining butter and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Meanwhile, sauté mushrooms in 2T. butter, adding butter as needed. Serve a large spoonful of mushrooms over each serving of risotto.
4 side dish servings

Coming soon: our new website

For the last couple of weeks we have been working diligently to put together a new website that will include the best aspects of all our online work: the blog, our current site, our class schedules and our social media outlets. We are super excited about being able to offer you, our customers and friends, all this great content in one location.

Because of that, our blog posts here have slowed to just our Recipe Wednesday posts. As we move everything over to the new site (which will be at our current location http://www.acooksplace.com/) we will add back our Cooking Tips posts and some other post of interest to our foodie readers.

So keep checking our blog here and watch our Facebook page for the announcement of the launch of our new website. And if you have any cooking or food questions, please comment here or on our Facebook page or send us an email. We might just use it as one of our first Cooking Tips on the new site!

Happy Cooking!

Recipe Wednesday: Pan-Roasted Chicken Breast With Red Wine Vinegar, Mustard and Tarragon

We are still five months away from Valentines Day, but this recipe comes from the My Valentine's class led by Chef Joshua Simpson in February of 2009. And there's no reason you have to save a great recipe like this for Valentine's Day. Serve it this week to make your whole family feel special!

Pan-Roasted Chicken Breast
 With Red Wine Vinegar, Mustard and Tarragon

4 skin on chicken breast
Salt and pepper

Need a new skillet in your kitchen?
Check out our selection online or in our store.

2 tbsp olive oil

1 cup chicken stock 6 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp butter softened
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp chopped tarragon
2 tsp chopped fresh chives
3 cups wild rice

Preheat oven to 325

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat, and when it’s almost smoking, add the chicken breasts, skin side down. Lower the temp. Cook 6-7 minutes and turn them continue to cook until done.

When chicken is fully cooked remove and put on a platter and keep warm in the oven. Remove excess grease from the pan and add the chicken stock, add the vinegar, whisking to scrape the bottom of the pan. Let the liquid bubble briskly in the pan, whisking, until it’s reduced to about ½ cup, then whisk the butter, tarragon and mustard.

Recipe Wednesday: Cheese Soup

The first cool days of fall and we just couldn't resist offering a great soup recipe this week. Thanks to 

Twana Crenshaw for the great recipe.

Cheese Soup



Need a great new saucepan for fall soups?
Check out our selection of Le Creuset.



4 small carrots cut into 1” matchsticks

3 celery stalks, cut into 1” matchsticks

1 ½ c. chicken stock – Swanson’s regular

2 T. unsalted butter

2 T. finely chopped onion

¼ c. flour

3 c. hot chicken stock

1 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 can (8 ¾ oz.)Whole tomatoes, undrained and chopped

10 drops Tabasco

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

Salt to taste

¼ c. dry white wine (optional)

1 ½ c. whipping cream

Add celery and carrots to 1 ½ c. chicken stock in 2 qt. saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer about 15 minutes. Set aside. Melt butter in 4-5 qt. saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until transparent. Add flour, blend well and cook

5-7 minutes, stirring continuously. Slowly stir 3 c. hot stock into flour mixture. Cook over low heat, whisking until sauce thickens. Blend in cheese and stir until cheese melts.

Add celery and carrot mixture and undrained tomatoes. Season with Tabasco, nutmeg, salt, and wine. Just before serving, stir in hot cream.

Recipe Wednesday: Pesto Alla Genovese

Today's recipe comes from our Summer Italian class with Denise Backstrom.

PESTO ALLA GENOVESE

2/3 c pine nuts

¼ c olive oil

2 garlic cloves, peeled & minced
2/3 c extra virgin olive oil
3 c fresh basil leaves, firmly packed
¼ c grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt, or to taste
1 lb. Pasta or gnocci

Toast nuts in 350 degree oven, about 5 min. Place nuts, garlic, ¼ c olive oil, & basil leaves in food processor or blender; process until evenly pureed, about 15 sec. Transfer mixture to a bowl. Slowly stir in cheese, salt, & 2/3 c extra virgin olive oil. Mix with hot pasta or gnocci. If pesto is to be heated, heat very gently. Makes 1 ½ c pesto, enough for lb. Pasta, cooked & drained.

Recipe Wednesday: Bananas Foster Cheesecake



Buy online.

Today's Recipe Wednesday comes from our Tupelo Country Club Invitational Ladies Cooking Class with Chef James Allen, Executive Chef of the Tupelo Country Club. We held the class last August.

Bananas Foster Cheesecake

The idea behind this dessert is to make a topping that will complement the cheesecake and save you time and effort in the process. The cheesecake is store bought but that is nothing to turn your nose up at. There are plenty of companies that make millions of dollars each year by selling pre-made cheesecake and if they weren’t good, they wouldn’t be selling any. If you have a cheesecake recipe that you love go ahead and make it then top it with Bananas Foster sauté.

For the Bananas Foster:
2-4 Bananas, depending on your love, sliced
2 TB Butter
½ cup Brown Sugar
Zest from one orange, one lemon, and one lime
Juice from the zested orange, lemon and lime
¼ cup Banana Liqueur
¼ cup Spiced Rum

In a skillet melt the butter and then add the bananas. Cook until the bananas begin to fall apart and add the brown sugar, the zests and the juice. Once the juices begin to evaporate, add the flammables and back up. If you are cooking on a gas burner a flame will rise. If you are hesitant about fire remove the pan from the heat before adding the alcohol and pour it in off the heat. Let the pan rest off the heat a little while so the alcohol can evaporate then return the pan the heat and continue cooking a for a couple minutes. If you are not hesitant and do not like your eyebrows, or your guests eyebrows, then flame on. I would recommend having a towel in your hand just in case there is a flare-up or spillage. Pour the mixture on top of the cheesecake slice and enjoy!

Recipe Wednesday: Seared Tuna Block (Sushi)

Spice up your week with this Seared Tuna Block from Chef Joshua Simpson's Simply Sushi class.

Seared Tuna Block

Need a sushi block mold? Order online!

7 oz fresh tuna block
2 cups sushi rice
8 fresh chives
Pickled ginger
Wasabi paste

Tuna Seasoning:
1 T black sesame seeds
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp smoked sea salt
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp dry parsley
1 tsp oregano
Mix all of the above together.

Cut the tuna to the desired shape, roll in the seasoning. In a smoking hot skillet sear each side of the tuna. (Rare is the best temp to truly enjoy the flavors)

In a small stock pot blanch 8 pieces of chive (about 20 seconds)

In a block mold (or a round mold) press a small amount of rice in the bottom, place a piece of ginger and smear Wasabi paste. Pace the tuna in top and slice the mold off. Garnish with a chive.

Recipe Wednesday: Mixed Vegetable Quiche with Cheddar and Parmesan

Today's recipe comes from our Learning at Lunch Quiche with Jody Lehman from April of 2009.

Mixed Vegetable Quiche with Cheddar and Parmesan

• (9-inch) refrigerated pie crust
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 1 cup cooked stir-fried vegetables
• 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 3/4 cup grated Cheddar
• 1/4 cup low fat milk
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Press pie crust into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch, removable-bottom tart pan (or 9-inch pie pan). Blind bake for 5 to 7 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine spinach, stir-fried vegetables and place on top of crust. In another bowl combine ricotta, cheddar, milk, eggs, Dijon, thyme, salt, and black pepper. Mix well. Spoon cheese mixture on top of vegetable mixture in prepared pie crust and top with Parmesan.
Bake 20 minutes, until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean and crust is golden brown.

Cookie Sheet vs Jelly Roll Pan

This week's recipe Wednesday calls for a "jelly roll pan". So what exactly is a "jelly roll pan" and how is it different from a "cookie sheet"? Many people mistakenly refer to a "jelly roll pan" as a "cookie sheet". But there are a couple of differences.

Most "jelly roll pans" have 1" sides all the way around to hold in juices when you are cooking. A "cookie sheet" has only one or two raised sides, mostly to help with handling of the pan. The design of this "cookie sheet" allows air to move around your cookies better. While you can use a "jelly roll pan" for baking cookies, it's not always a good idea to substitute a "cookie sheet" for recipes calling for a "jelly roll pan" because it may allow the juices to run off into your oven.

Recipe Wednesday: Straw & Hay Alfredo with Roasted Asparagus

Today's recipe comes from a Cooking Light class Jody Lehman led in March 2009.

Straw & Hay Alfredo with Roasted Asparagus

Ingredients

Need a Jelly-Roll Pan?
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2 cups 1% low-fat milk
1/3 cup 1/3 less fat cream cheese
2 T. All-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2” pieces
Cooking Spray
8 oz uncooked whole wheat spaghetti
8 oz uncooked spaghetti
2 T. Truffle oil
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Combine the first four ingredients in a blender; process until smooth. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add milk mixture to pan; cook 3 minutes or until mixture simmers, stirring constantly. Cook 2 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in cheese. Cover.

Place asparagus on jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes or until browned, stirring once. Cook both pastas according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain well.

Place pastas and asparagus in a large bowl. Add cheese mixture, tossing well. Add truffle oil and pepper; toss gently. Serve immediately.

Recipe Wednesday: White Sangria

White Sangria
Serves 4-6 guests

1 bottle Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio
1/4 cup peach schnapps
1 ea orange, thinly sliced
1 ea lemon, thinly sliced
1 ea lime, thinly sliced
1 ea. Granny Smith apple, corded and sliced
1 cup seedless white grapes, halved
1 cup ginger ale
To chill ice cubes

In a pitcher, combine the wine, peach schnapps and cut fruit and mix well. Place the pitcher in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. The sangria will sweeten with time, so the longer it sits, the better. Just before serving, stir in the ginger ale and ice cubes. Enjoy!

Recipe Wednesday: Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

CHOCOLATE CRANBERRY COOKIES

Taken from our Healthy Eating with David class in January 2010.
Makes 1 dozen cookies

1/2 cup white whole-wheat flour (King Arthur)
1/2 cup whole rolled oats
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup sunflower butter or favorite nut butter
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp orange zest (optional)
1/4 cup dark chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup cranberries or favorite dried fruit, chopped

In a mixing bowl combine the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl combine the sunflower butter, honey, oil, and vanilla. Pour the flour mixture into the sunflower butter mixture and stir until combined. Mix in the cranberries and chocolate and allow the dough to rest for five minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Spoon a heaping tablespoonful of dough onto a non-stick or lightly greased cookie sheet and gently flatten the cookies with a fork or fingers. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown, but be careful not to over bake as honey browns fast. Allow the cookies to cool five minutes and transfer to a cooling rack.

Tip – Great thing about using sunflower butter is that a kid who is allergic to peanuts can enjoy this cookie.

Recipe Wednesday: Caprese Whole-Wheat Pizza

Caprese Whole-Wheat Pizza

Whole wheat crust
Makes 6 - 12" crusts
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp dry active yeast
1 3/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp dried herbs, chopped (optional)
4 cups white whole-wheat flour (King Arthur)

In a large bowl, dissolve the honey in warm water. Sprinkle in the yeast and let stand for about 10 minutes until foamy.

Stir the olive oil, herbs and salt into the yeast mixture and mix in the flour until dough comes together.

Transfer the dough to a floured countertop and knead until it becomes smooth, about 4-5 minutes. If any of the dough sticks to your hands, just rub them with a little extra flour. The finished dough will be springy, elastic and sticky, not just tacky. Place dough back in an oiled bowl, cover loosely with a towel, and put in a warm place until doubled in size.

Transfer the dough to a floured countertop and cut the dough into 6 equal pieces and mold each into a ball. Cover loosely with a towel and allow the balls of dough to rest for 10-15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Gently press the dough ball into a dish and pull the dough out to a 12-inches or so. Place the dough on a peel or the back of a sheet pan dusted with cornmeal. Add your toppings (less is more!) and slide the topped pizza onto the baking stone or baking pan. Bake until the crust is crisp and nicely colored. (12-15 minutes)

Tip--Partially bake the crust by cutting the cooking time in half. Allow the crust to cool, place a piece of wax paper between each and place in a freezer bag. As you need a crust, pull one from the freezer, allow them to thaw overnight in teh refrigerator. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F and apply your favorite toppings. Place in the oven and bake until the crust is crisp and cheese is melted. Frozen crust will keep for up to 3 months.

Recipe Wednesday: Tuscan Roasted Vegetables

Tuscan Roasted Vegetables
(Taken from our Culinary Journey: Florence class.)
 The vegetables can be prepared in advance and reheated.

Need a new pepper mill?
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Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

4 large garlic cloves, crushed and minced

1 medium eggplant, sliced lengthwise into 8 wedges, each wedge cut into 3 pieces

1 large red bell pepper, cut into bite size pieces

1 large fennel bulb, cut into 8 wedges, layers separated

2 small to medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise into quarters, and then each quarter cut into 3 pieces

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

Sea salt

Freshly ground pepper

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Put all the vegetables in a large mixing bowl. Add thyme leaves in and drizzle olive oil over the mixture. Mix completely.

3. Arrange the mixture on two baking sheets, spreading them in an even layer. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the vegetables and place in the oven.

4. Roast vegetables for 15-20 minutes, or until the eggplant is tender when pricked with a knife.
Remove from the oven and serve immediately, or let them cool for later use.

To serve these vegetables as a salad: Cool vegetable to room temperature. Arrange some lettuce leaves on a serving dish, top with the vegetables and make a dressing by whisking together the following:

1 1/2 Tablespoon red wine vinegar

3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 Tablespoon fresh chopped parsley, scallion or chives.

Use spoon to drizzle the dressing over the vegetables and serve at once.

Recipe Wednesday: Jody's Fruit Smoothie

Jody’s Fruit Smoothie


1 cup frozen strawberries
1/3 cup frozen blueberries
2 bananas, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup Orange Juice
1-1/2 cups vanilla yogurt

Combine fruit, juice & yogurt. Blend until smooth, pour into a glass
And serve.

Recipe Wednesday: Smoked Salmon and Asparagus with Cream Cheese

Thought we'd try a little sushi recipe today taken from our Simply Sushi class led by Joshua Simpson.

Smoked Salmon and Asparagus with Cream Cheese

1 nori sheet
1 cup sushi rice
1 tsp Wasabi paste
2 tbsp cream cheese
4 slices smoked salmon
4 asparagus spears blanched and chilled
Fresh dill minced

Spread sushi rice over nori sheet, flip the roll over so the nori faces up, and with your index finger smear Wasabi and cream cheese over the rice. Arrange 2 salmon slices with two asparagus spears back about 1-1/2” from the end nearest you, allowing asparagus to poke out at each end. Roll until you reach the end, press tight to make sour the roll is tight as possible.

Recipe Wednesday: In The Bag Barbeque

With Father's Day on Sunday, I thought we'd give you a recipe perfect for dad! It comes from our From Smokin’ with Steve Cooking Class in 2007. (And don't forget, you can find Steve's sauce at A Cook's Place.)

IN THE BAG BARBEQUE

3-4 lb pork loin
¼ cup Steve’s Magnificent Grilling Sauce
½ can beer (but don’t let the other half go to waste)
2 T. Steve’s Magnificent Grilling Spice
1 tsp. Liquid smoke (heaping)
1 cup your favorite Steve’s barbeque sauce

Pre-cooking prep:
Rub 1 tablespoon of the grilling spice into pork loin and put in zip lock bag. Pour in grilling sauce and put into refrigerator to marinate overnight or at least 1 hour.

When cooking time arrives:
Take pork loin out of zip lock and rub in other tablespoon of grilling spice. Transfer to cooking bag and pour in juices from zip lock and add beer and liquid smoke. Put into preheated oven at 300 degrees. You will cook this till internal temp reaches 150 degrees – about 1½ hours. When temp is at 150 take roast out of oven and split open bag, leaving it in cooking pan - pour you barbeque sauce over top and return to oven. Cook for another 15-20 minutes until sauce has formed a nice glaze. Remove from oven and let stand 20-30 minutes before carving.

Your meat can now be served by slicing or pulling. A nice way to serve is to take a loaf of French bread and slice down middle and then into 3” sections. Serve open face with grilled vegetables and plenty of extra sauce.

Bonus Father's Day Recipe: Balsamic Fruit with Sweet & Sour Cream Sauce

We just couldn't resist! Everyone wants to treat dad like a king on Father's Day, so we are giving you a bonus recipe this week! Just like our Recipe Wednesday this week, our bonus recipe comes from the Smokin’ with Steve Cooking Class in 2007. By the way, if dad loves to cook, think about giving him one of our cooking classes as a gift this year. Just click on our Classes tab and find the perfect class where he can learn and taste some new foods.

Balsamic Fruit with Sweet & Sour Cream Sauce

4-5 Peaches, Pears, Apples or other favorite fruit (halved and seeded)
2-3 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
¼ cup Cinnamon Sugar (1/4 sugar combined with 1 teaspoon cinnamon)
1 cup Whipped topping or fresh whipped cream
4 oz. Creamed Cheese (softened)
¼ cup Honey
2 tablespoons Soy Sauce

Leave peel on fruit. Sprinkle fruit with balsamic vinegar and cinnamon sugar. Place on hot grill flat side down. Cook until fruit yields to slight pressure and remove from heat.

Topping:
Combine honey and soy sauce and set aside. Place cream cheese in bowl and whip until you can combine the whipped topping and keep a good consistency. Stir in the honey, soy mixture. Place a nice dollop on top of fruit and serve.

Recipe Wednesday: Caprese Salad with Balsamic Reduction

Caprese Salad with Balsamic Reduction


The Caprese salad is one of Italy’s most classic summer salads. Traditionally tomatoes are paired with fresh basil and mozzarella cheese. A drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, reduced down to a syrup, finishes off the refreshing starter. Some chef’s will pair the tomatoes with a variety of cheeses such as goat or feta. The choice is yours but to make it a true Caprese salad, be sure to use fresh mozzarella from the gourmet cheese stand in your local grocery store.

Serves 4

3 Ripe Tomatoes

1 Container of Fresh Mozzarella rounds or logs
12 Fresh Basil Leaves
Bottle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 cup Balsamic Vinegar

Salt and Pepper to taste

Slice the tomatoes into ¼-½ thick rounds. Slice your mozzarella the same way. De-stem your basil leaves.

Pour the balsamic vinegar into a small saucepan and place on a medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to medium-medium low. The idea is to create a syrup by evaporating the amount of water in the vinegar. This should take just a few minutes. There are sugars in the balsamic vinegar so be careful not to overcook the reduction or it will burn.

Begin plating up your salads by placing a slice of tomato on the plate and then layer with mozzarella, basil. Continue layering until there are three of everything on the plate. Finish the plate with a drizzle of Olive Oil, Balsamic Reduction, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Enjoy!

2010 Tupelo Country Club Invitational

Cooking Demonstration

Chef James Allen

Recipe Wednesday: Spicy Cashew Salad & Citrus Vinaigrette

Here's a little lighter recipe than the last couple of weeks taken from a Valentine Dinner class led by Chef Joshua Simpson, Executive Chef at the Hilton Garden Inn.

Spicy Cashew Salad & Citrus Vinaigrette

 Spicy Cashew Salad




Need a strainer to keep seeds
out of your vinaigrette?
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¼ cup cashews

Cayenne pepper

Black pepper

Salt

Granulated sugar

Butter



Place cashews in medium skillet on medium high. Toss until they are golden brown. Remove them from the skillet. (If you don’t they will burn very quickly)

Put butter and sugar in the pan and melt. Let this heat on medium heat until it turns a light amber color. Add the salt, pepper, and the cayenne pepper and combine.

Toss the sugar mixture with the cashews and spread out even on a sill pad.



Citrus Vinaigrette

Red grape fruit

Olive oil

Sugar

Salt & Pepper



Red wine vinegar

In a mixing bowl combine the olive oil and the vinegar with the salt and pepper.

Segment the grape fruit and squeeze the juice from the remaining membranes.

Whisk vigorously until the vinaigrette becomes thick.