Uncle Ken Cooking Challenge 2015: Spicy Sriracha Ramen Noodle Soup 4/52

(Photo Credit: Ashley at Baker By Nature)

Hi Friends!

Little known secret:  John is currently engaging in a full-blown love affair with Sriracha sauce.  It's a real thing, people. The man loves his Sriracha sauce.  He adds it to pretty much everything.  He loves it so much that Maddie bought him a Sriracha cookbook for Christmas.  For real.  This recipe, however, is not from the cookbook, it's from Ashley over at Baker By Nature.  Once you get all the chopping and mincing done, this recipe is a snap to put together.  Be ready for some flavor, friends. This recipe is not for the feint of heart;  it is packed with flavor goodness, and it smells fantastic when it's cooking. 

Because of some weird scheduling issues, I needed to make the broth ahead of time and then add the noodles separately.  Ashley's trick worked perfectly.  I made sure to add a big bunch of cilantro (my favorite) to my bowl before I ate it.  I loved this soup and so did my Sriracha-loving husband.  Win-win!

Ready to make some for yourself?  Hop right over here for the recipe.

XO,

Vicki

Uncle Ken Cooking Challenge 2015--Chicken Carbonara 3/52

(Edited:  I'm not sure what happened here, but somehow I deleted the original post for this recipe.  Sorry that it's showing up in your inbox again!  On the plus side--this is a really good recipe, so having it show up again might be a sign that you need to try it!!)

Hi Friends!

This week I tried my hand at an Italian classic:  Chicken Carbonara.  I found this recipe on the Food Channel—it’s from Giada De Laurentiis, so I knew it would be good.  It’s actually a pretty simple recipe and everybody (especially Jack!) enjoyed it.  I would encourage you to go ahead and do the garnish—the lemon peel and walnuts really added to the deliciousness of this recipe.  Ready for the recipe?  Here you go:

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons olive oil
4 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
8 large egg yolks
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
Salt
1 pound spaghetti
4 cups coarsely shredded chicken (from 1 roasted chicken)
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel

Directions:

Heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and garlic and saute until it is brown and crisp, about 8 minutes. Cool slightly.

In a large bowl, whisk together the cream, cheese, yolks, basil, and parsley to blend.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the spaghetti and cook until it is just tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Drain.

Add the chicken to the pan with the pancetta and stir to combine. Next, add the spaghetti and the cream mixture and toss over medium-low heat until the chicken is heated through and the sauce coats the spaghetti thickly, about 4 minutes (do not boil or you might end up scrambling the eggs). Season the pasta, to taste, with pepper and salt if needed (the pancetta will likely add all the salt you need). Transfer the pasta to a large wide serving bowl. Sprinkle the walnuts and lemon zest over, and serve.

As always—please let me know what you think if you try it!  I am loving this challenge so far! Hooray for trying new things!

XO,

Vicki

Recipe from The Food Channel.

Uncle Ken Cooking Challenge 2015: Rustic Italian Tortellini Soup 2/52

• Hi Friends!
  
  I love, love, love week two's recipe--Rustic Italian Tortellini Soup.  I love it so much, in fact, that I've already made it twice in 2015.  There's something about the tortellini and all that garlic and the sausage and basil that makes this soup so darn good.  I also love the little kick from the crushed red pepper.  This soup will definitely warm you up on a cold winter's night!  Here's the recipe:
• Rustic Italian Tortellini Soup
• Ingredients:
• 3 Italian turkey sausage links (4 ounces each), casings removed
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1-3/4 cups water
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 package (9 ounces) refrigerated cheese tortellini
• 1 package (6 ounces) fresh baby spinach, coarsely chopped
• 2-1/4 teaspoons minced fresh basil or 3/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• Dash crushed red pepper flakes
• Shredded Parmesan cheese, optional

Directions

Crumble sausage into a Dutch oven; add onion. 

• Cook and stir over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. 
• Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the broth, water and tomatoes. Bring to a boil.
• Add tortellini; return to a boil. Cook for 7-9 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.
• Reduce heat; add the spinach, basil, pepper and pepper flakes. 
• Cook 2-3 minutes longer or until spinach is wilted. 
• Serve with cheese if desired. 

Enjoy!!  As always, let me know what you think if you try this recipe!

XO,

Vicki

• 
  

Recipe from Taste of Home.

Uncle Ken Cooking Challenge 2015: White Balsamic Chops with Roasted Potatoes and Peas (1/52)

Hi Friends!

My #1 blog fan, Uncle Ken, drew my name for this year's stocking gift exchange, and I received the best gift, ever:  a loaf of his to-die-for pecan bread.  The bread was every bit as amazing as he said it was--chewy and nutty and sweet.  Every bite was perfection.  Unfortunately, he told me he can't share the recipe until he dies (for real).  Secret family recipes are only fun when you're the one who has them.  To make up for it, he also gave me a whole magazine filled with yummy recipes:

He said he knew I liked to try new recipes and write about them on the blog.  He's definitely awesome like that.  Of course, I got all excited and decided I needed to name a blog segment in honor of him, and the Uncle Ken Cooking Challenge 2015 was born!  Originally I thought I'd stick to just creating all the recipes in that one magazine, but I've decided I am not going to limit myself that way.  I'm just going to try and post a new recipe once a week, each week, on Tuesdays.  Play along with me, and we will end up trying 52 new recipes in 2015.  If we're lucky, maybe one of them will become our own secret family recipe.  Of course, since I'm posting mine on the blog, they won't be a "secret", but I don't want to be as mean as Uncle Ken, so mine will all be shared (just kidding Uncle Ken!). 

I wasted no time at all selecting my first recipe:  White Balsamic Chops with Roasted Potatoes and Peas:

Oh, my!  This meal was amazing!  The kids and I loved it so much, we made it again just last night so that John could try it (he was in Israel when I made it the first time).  He liked it, too!  There are so many yummy flavors in this dish.  It could definitely be a company meal!  I did everything just as the recipe instructed, except add the cipolline onions.  I went ahead and used the fresh rosemary and thyme--it is definitely worth it to use fresh herbs instead of dried when you can.  Ready for the recipe?  Here you go:

White Balsamic Chops with Roasted Potatoes and Peas

For the pork:

1/4 cup plus 1 TBL canola oil

1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar 

3 medium cloves garlic, minced and mashed into a paste

1 1/2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

4 1/2-inch-thick boneless pork chops

3 TPB cold unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces

For the Peas and Potatoes

4 slices thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips

1 lb. baby potatoes (any color; golf-ball size), quartered

6 medium thawed frozen pearl onions

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup thawed frozen peas

1/2 tsp. minced fresh thyme

Marinate the Pork

In a shallow glass or ceramic dish wide enough to fit the pork chops in one layer, whisk the 1/4 cup oil with the vinegar, garlic, rosemary, and red pepper flakes.  Add the pork, turn to coat, and leave at room temperature, covered with plastic wrap, for about 20 minutes, turning once.

Cook the Peas and Potatoes

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375.  Put the bacon in a heavy-duty 10-to-12-inch ovenproof skillet with 1 Tbl water and set the skillet over medium-high heat.  Once the water evaporated, stir constantly until the bacon is crisp, about 6-8 minutes, total.  With a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain;  reserve the fat in the skillet.

Heat the reserved bacon fat in the skillet over medium heat.  Add the potatoes in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, for 1 minute.  Stir the potatoes once, and then add the onions and bacon.  Cook, undisturbed, for 1 minute.  Stir to coat the onions with the fat, and then season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.  Transfer the skilled to the oven and roast until the potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes.  Stir in the peas and thyme to heat through, season to taste with salt and pepper, and keep warm.

Cook the Pork

Remove the pork chops from the marinade and reserve the marinade.  Wipe the marinade off the chops and pat dry with paper towels.   Lightly season the pork with salt and pepper on both sides. 

Heat the remaining 1 Tbl of oil in a heavy-duty 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering hot.  Add the pork the chops in a single layer and cook, flipping once, until browned on both sides and slightly firm to the touch, about 6 minutes total.  Transfer the pork to a platter, cover, and keep warm.  Discard any oil remaining in the skillet.

Add the reserved marinade to the skillet and bring to a boil over medium-high heat;  boil for 1 minute.  Lower the heat to low and whisk in the butter.  As soon as the butter is melted, remove the skillet from the heat, season to taste with salt and pepper, and pour the sauce over the pork.  Serve with the potatoes and peas.

Enjoy!  Please let me know if you end up trying this recipe!

XO,

Vicki