Weekend Test Kitchen: Crabby 'Shrooms

Testing recipes on a whim can be extremely freeing. I had mentioned in my prior post that I would add a test-dish to my Sandra Lee dinner. Beginning with the theme of seafood and knowing that everyone loved mushrooms, I arrived at the idea of a cheesy, crabby starter course.

These recipes always have to be tried and true before I go and share them. This one received rave reviews from my family guests (and new-found fans). Here are the details of this yummy appetizer I call Crabby 'Shrooms.

• Large stuffing mushrooms-container of 8
• Whipped cream cheese-2 heaping tablespoons
• Celery- 2 stalks
• Chunks of crab meat package (from crab legs)
• Garlic powder- 1/4 teaspoon
• Onion powder- 1/4 teaspoon
• Salt to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Remove stems gently from mushrooms with a butter knife. Dice celery. Cut chunks of crab meat to a 1/4 of the size.
2. Combine cream cheese, celery, crab meat, garlic, onion and salt together in a medium bowl until well blended. Then fill mushrooms until they are over-stuffed.
3. Spray a baking dish lightly with olive oil. Place mushrooms side-by-side and spray again lightly with olive oil. Bake on top rack for 10-12 minutes. Mushrooms will turn brown and top of filling with begin to crisp slightly.

The 'Shrooms are a variation of my famous mushrooms and were created for my husband. He was truly interested in trying mushrooms with crab. It worked very well. Also, Raphael's Grand Cru Sauvignon Blanc 2009 was perfectly matched with this as well as the delicious halibut. It's a wonderful feeling when it all comes together as well as it did in my head!

Goodnight from North Fork, New York. Adventure Girl- out.

Sunday with Sandra Lee

Sandra Lee just happens to be my all-time favorite Food Network celebrity chef. I admire her cooking style as well as her flare for setting a mood with tablescapes. Sandra's recipes are creative and flavorful but always semi-homemade so they make sense for the working homemaker/cook. I refer to her cookbooks often such as Cooking Made Light and Cocktail Time, featuring healthy meals of all varieties as well as appetizers and desserts for entertaining. This evening I will prepare a Sandra Lee entree and side dish (with a special Weekend Test Kitchen idea for a starter course).

My husband's parents will be joining us for dinner. I began my menu preparation by asking what category of food they were in the mood for- and seafood it is!

• Crabby 'Shrooms (my test kitchen creation to be featured in my upcoming blog)
• Sandra's Halibut-and-Spinach Packets
• Sandra's Sesame Brown Rice
• Wine pairing of Raphael pre-release of Grand Cru Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (Coming soon to the tasting room!)

Entree Ingredients:

Fresh Halibut fillets- 2 pounds

Garlic pepper- 1 teaspoon

Frozen cut spinach-1 box, thawed

Newman's Own chunky salsa-1 cup

Lemon- 4 slices

Jalapeno chile pepper- 8 slices

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Rinse fish under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Cut into 4 serving-size portions. Sprinkle with garlic pepper; set aside. Cut four 12x10 inch pieces of parchment paper or aluminum foil; set aside. Squeeze excess water from spinach.
2. Place one-fourth of the spinach on a sheet of parchment. Top with a piece of fish. Add 1 tablespoon of the salsa, a lemon slice and two slices of chile pepper. Fold parchment over fish; seal packet with a double-fold on each edge. Repeat to make 4 packets. Place packets on baking sheet.
3. Bake fish in preheated oven for 16-20 minutes or until fish flakes easily.

Rice Side Ingredients:

Vegetable broth- 1 3/4 cups

Quick-cook brown rice-1 cup

Chinese chicken salad dressing mix-2 tablespoons

Red pepper flakes-1/2 teaspoon

Scallion-1

Sesame seeds-1 tablespoon

Toasted sesame oil-2 tablespoons

Preparation:

1. In a medium saucepan, combine vegetable broth, rice, salad dressing mix and pepper flakes. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until all of the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat. Fluff rice with a fork. Stir in bias-sliced scallion, sesame seeds and sesame oil.

If you've never tried one of Sandra Lee's recipes, I recommend it. They are very straight forward and include "super foods" that make things a bit healthier.

Signing off for now from my kitchen. Have a fun and creative day!

For a Great Burger on the North Fork...

I am positive that there has been many an argument over where you can find the "best burger in town." A burger is more than just beef on a bun. It has many levels and can really pack a flavorful punch when cooked just right. My vote for the best burger on the North Fork is at The Red Rooster Bistro in Cutchogue.

Tonight my grandmother (a.k.a. Mema) joined me for dinner at The Red Rooster. We had wanted to go together for a long time and finally had the chance. I had visited just after they opened about a year ago and truly enjoyed it. The decor is a lovely country cottage style. The walls are mauve and rose colored with vibrant dishes mounted on them around the dining room. There is also an eclectic collection of rooster china on each table. The welcoming warmth definitely adds to the relaxing ambiance.

Mema ordered the meatloaf, which was a delicious homestyle meal. It was seasoned just right, had a hard boiled egg in the center and was topped with a rich brown sauce. Served with mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables, it proved to be a very hearty, down-home dinner with generous portions.

I ordered the Red Rooster Burger, which is one of their specialties and what an amazing burger it is! This juicy 12-ounce consists of both beef and bison meat. It is stuffed with just enough bleu cheese and bacon to add their flavor to each bite while still tasting the burger itself. The Rooster Burger is seasoned lightly and cooked to perfection then topped with a slice of pepper jack cheese. In addition, they grill onion slices and give you a tomato on the side along with thinly cut crispy french fries. This is a "must try" for everyone!

This evening was actually my second time dining here and the second time eating this particular burger. Both were exactly the same almost a year apart and evoked the same excited response from me. That kind of consistency deserves the mention.

I paired this heavenly dinner with Wolffer Vineyard's Cabernet Franc 2006, which complemented it fantastically. The wine was medium-bodied, fruity on the nose and peppery on the finish. It improved with each bite of the rich and cheesy meat.

For the time being, the Red Rooster Burger sits atop my "best burger in town" list. Hungry for a burger yet? I hope so.

Idea File: Chicken x 3

Are you a budget-conscious cook? Do you choose the best of the meats that are on sale and try to get the most out of your grocery purchases? Then you will appreciate this particular blog post.

Sunday started with a slow pace as all Sunday mornings should (but don't). I enjoyed a mug of the new Green Mountain seasonal blend called Spring Revival. After the busy day at my parents' horse farm on Saturday, I decided that everything I did for the day would be relaxing. These kind of weekend days should be savored with a slow-cooked meal. When I was a little girl, I remember having big family dinners each and every Sunday afternoon. I try to pay respect to the tradition whenever I have the chance.

Dinner was going to be a roaster chicken. The chicken was just over eight pounds and was on sale at Stop & Shop for .99 cents per pound. For under ten dollars for the main course meat, I made not one meal but three. Below are the details of the menu items prepared.

Sunday Evening Chicken Dinner

• Roaster chicken: rubbed with seasoned salt, paprika, ground pepper and fresh chives; stuffed with celery and chopped onion; basted with broth and Chardonnay
• Asparagus roasted with garlic cloves and balsamic vinegar
• Sliced potatoes baked with olive oil, sea salt and chives
• Ciabatta bread with Greek olive oil for dipping
• Wine pairing was a Croteau Vineyard 181 Rose

Monday Bag Lunch: Honey Chicken Salad

• Chopped chicken breast mixed with mayonnaise, celery, red grapes, sea salt, cracked pepper and honey on Country White bread
• Cape Cod brand Jalepeno and Aged Cheddar potato chips

Monday Night Dinner: Chicken Chili Gorditas

• Cut and shredded chicken pieces from leftover breasts, legs and thighs simmered in a homemade sauce of canned tomato sauce, black beans, cumin, cayenne pepper, Red Hot, salt, diced tomato, chopped onion, chives and lime juice
• Chicken chili mixture was placed inside warmed flatbread and toppings included diced tomato, shredded cheddar, sour cream and peach salsa
• Tortilla chips on the side

We are definitely lucky to have an $8.00 chicken last for three different creations because there are only two of us, but I do hope this was helpful in giving you an idea or two. Even if it gets your imagination rolling for your leftovers, I did my job.

Happy cooking, creating and dreaming up new things!

Friday at the Sushi Bar: Haiku

Fresh and abundant

Feeling a part of the rush

Jasmine on my mind

Friday evening began with a relaxing happy hour and an overall excitement for the weekend. It was only natural that we dined out to continue the mood of celebration.

Our appetite for seafood brought us to one of our more frequented local places, Haiku in Riverhead. This ambitious new sushi bar and restaurant has taken Main Street by storm. It has been filled with locals as well as "not-so-local" guests since its grand opening at the end of November 2009.

The dining room boasts a modern look with an Asian flare. Its vaulted ceilings give the appearance of being more spacious, while still offering a cozy atmosphere. There are lanterns on the walls and candles on each table. (As I've said before, "You can never go wrong with candlelight.")

Tonight we sat at the sushi bar, which was a fun spot because we were able to build our appetites staring at all of the fresh chunks of fish. Plus, we had a front row seat to all of the action. Three chefs working non-stop during the dinner rush chopping and rolling is definitely entertaining. All while we ate our first course of Edamame.

So, how is the food? Excellent! The menu features a huge variety of sushi rolls, sashimi, combinations and more exotic a la carte items. Everything is always super fresh, the presentation is unique and portions are abundant for the price. Rolls and combinations cost significantly less than other similar restaurants on the East End.

The service is always efficient and friendly. Our mugs of Jasmine green tea are always full. Haiku does not serve alcohol but you are able to "bring your own bottle" if you choose. There are always a couple of tables scattered with wine bottles on them. I'll have to remember mine the next time.

As a seasoned sushi fan, Haiku gets my recommendation for delectable dishes at great prices.

Learning By Mistake: Pecorino & Shitake Ravioli

Inspiration can strike at any moment. Mine was at approximately 8:48 this morning as I chatted with my friend and colleague, Chef Peggy Derry. I was explaining a recipe that I found on Food & Wine Magazine's website and I suddenly felt ambitious about making it. The recipe was for Pecorino ravioli made from wonton wrappers with walnuts and marjoram. I wanted to change it and make the ravioli with Pecorino and mushrooms. Peggy was interested in hearing about it and was a huge contributor to my test kitchen. She graciously shared a package of wonton wrappers and her diced, seasoned Shitake mushrooms for the creation.

At the end of the work day, I excitedly purchased the other ingredients I needed and hurried home. As you will see below, the preparation was pretty straight forward. I worked on the steps with ease, shaping each cheese-filled square, while humming to my Italian CD. It was all going so smoothly...but then quickly went south.

This was my first time cooking fresh ravioli. The recipe said to place them in the simmering pot for about 2 minutes and remove when tender. It didn't look as if the water was simmering at all. I ended up overcooking the delicate squares and they became little mushy blobs. We ate the delicious, soup-like noodles anyway and laughed. Luckily my husband has a sense of humor. "Dinner was perfect," He said, "You were just missing the presentation part of it."

I figured out that I should have placed a few ravioli squares at a time into the simmering water for a minute or so and then removed even if the water didn't seem to be bubbling. It was then that I realized that learning by mistake wasn't such a bad thing (even though it was totally frustrating).

Here's the recipe from F&W after I edited it:

INGREDIENTS

1. 3/4 cup diced, seasoned Shitake mushrooms (pre-cooked)
2. 1/2 pound Pecorino cheese, rind removed, cheese grated (1 1/2 cups)
3. 1/2 cup heavy cream
4. Salt and freshly ground pepper
5. 48 wonton wrappers
6. 6 tablespoons unsalted butter

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle simmer. In a medium bowl, stir together the cheese and heavy cream and season lightly with salt and pepper. On a work surface, lay out 4 wonton wrappers and moisten the edges with water. Place 2 teaspoons of the cheese filling in the center of each wrapper. Top with 4 more wrappers, press to remove any air pockets and then press well around the edges to seal. Transfer to a lightly floured baking sheet and cover lightly with plastic wrap. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.
2. In a medium skillet, cook the butter over moderate heat until it just starts to brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
3. Add the ravioli to the simmering water a few at a time and cook until just tender, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat. With a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the ravioli to a large platter and blot dry with paper towels and repeat. Reheat the butter, letting it boil over moderately high heat until richly browned. Pour the browned butter over the ravioli.

Making It Over The Hump

It's Wednesday. This morning brought the need for some extra caffeine. As I downed a hot mug of coffee, I thought to myself how interesting Keurig coffee varieties really are. They fit the mood of the day. I can choose a smooth, rich blend when in need of something soothing or I can brew an extra bold when I'm feeling adventurous. Some days call for crazy flavors. It's a wonderful concept to be able to match our coffee to feed our senses and set the day off right.

Today was busy for both me and my husband. Due to the amazing weather and extra daylight recently, our chores last a lot longer. I finally finished the tasks of shopping and putting on laundry at about 7:00 p.m. and began making dinner. This evening's preparation and dining experience was proof that even amongst crazy schedules, with very little cook-time, a delicious and romantic dinner can take place.

What was on the menu? Well, I'm glad you asked. The simple yet flavorful meal consisted of:

• Center cut pork chops marinated in a bold Tuscan Italian dressing, grilled on a cast iron skillet and topped with sliced Ugly tomatoes
• Meat was placed over steamed sweet corn
• Cheesy scalloped potatoes on the side

The wine pairing was Geyser Peak Chardonnay 2007, Alexander Valley. At first, the nose was very oaky but was a nice contrast to the garlicky marinade. The finish was buttery and complex enough to hold up to the tangy flavors of the pork with tomato and corn. I served the Chardonnay in my newly purchased stemless wine glasses, which added a relaxing touch.

I recommend this quick and inexpensive recipe. Taking the time to enjoy a well-rounded dinner over candlelight on a Wednesday is extremely freeing!