Sounds Good: Salmon Steaks w/Bercy Sauce, sauteed gnocchi and green beans

Today was our 6th wedding anniversary. Time flies when you're having fun! To make it special, and save money, we decided to have a 5 star meal, on a 1 star budget. 

I made the potato gnocchi again but I sauteed it this team to give it texture, color, and flavor. I also sauteed some blanched green beans with them. I used a fish stock from the grocery story to make a Veloute Sauce. Then, I took some Sauvignon Blanc wine with white onions, and more fish stock, and reduced the liquid to almost nothing, and then added it back to the Veloute Sauce. Combining them makes something called a Bercy sauce. Super tasty, on the strong side, but paired with a lightly seasoned Salmon Steak, it was awesome. 

Below are the pictures:

If you have questions or comments, PLEASE POST THEM!

Sounds Good: Potato Gnocchi

I came across this recipe in a book we've had for a long time, I can't even remember where I got it from, called "Potatoes" practical cooking. The recipe for this potato Gnocchi is on page 112 and also includes a cheese sauce which we tried as well and it wasn't to bad. I didn't like it enough to include it in this post on my blog.

If you would like more info on the Gnocchi, see here

Ingredients:

1# of Chef's or Russet Potatoes small diced
2 Cups all purpose flour
1 Egg, beaten
1 tbsp milk
Salt n Pepper to taste
Parsley to garnish

Cook diced potatoes in boiling water for about 10 minutes. Drain well and mash potatoes until smooth and lump free. Beat in flour, egg, and milk, season with salt and pepper and kneed together until it becomes a stiff dough.

On a floured counter top, roll out snakes about a half inch thick and cut with a sharp knife about every inch of the snake. Cook in a boiling pot of salty water for a few minutes, they rise to surface when fully cooked. Be sure to have an instrument like a strainer ready to scoop them out as they get nasty if you over cook them.

Now after they're all cooked you can serve them a variety of different ways, with cream sauces, tomato based sauces. I enjoy them sauteed slightly in butter until just golden brown and tossed with Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy, please post your comments below!

Sounds Good: Parm Crusted Tilapia

Parm Crust: Equal parts Panko Bread Crust and parmesan cheese. For 2 filets of Tilapia use:

1/8 Cup of Panko Bread
1/8 Cup of Parmesan

Mix thoroughly

Simple Béchamel Sauce: You need just barely enough to cover both filets.

1-1/2 teaspoons butter
3/4 teaspoon grated onion
3/4 teaspoon all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons chicken broth
2 tablespoons half-and-half
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/8 pinch dried thyme
1/8 pinch ground cayenne pepper

This recipe should just yield a few ounces of sauce, about 3 ounces.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Place filets in a non stick oven pan. Cover filets in béchamel. Cover béchamel in Parm crust completely. Cook in oven until fish is an internal temp of at least 145 and parm crust begins to brown.

Recommended sides: Rice and some sauteed vegetables (julienned carrots with broccoli)

Photos coming soon: I will show you how to make this delicious dish from a well known restaurant chain.

Sounds Good: Meat is tasty tasty murder :)

Meat, it's delicious, it provides your body with energy and it makes you strong. Just don't consume obscene amounts of it.

Sounds Good #14 Steak Linguine Alfredo

Unfortunately at the moment I don't have time to post the recipe, I will later tonight. For now here are the photos:

This photos what you'll need to make the recipe. I tried to make it organic as possible.

Alfredo working in the back right. Linguine bottom left. Beef bottom right.

Saute'ing the steak. Butter, Pepper, Salt.

2 Different plate presentations, 1 with everything mixed and the other with steak on top.

Close up of the bowl I thought looked more appealing!

I will add the recipe here later.

Sounds Good #13 Mushroom Risotto

Photo and recipe from www.allrecipes.com

I found this recipes at www.allrecipes.com and just love it so I'm passing it along. 

6 Cups of Chicken broth, divided

3T Olive oil, divided

1# Portabello Mushrooms - thinly sliced

1# white mushrooms - thinly sliced

2 shallots, small diced

1.5 Cups Arborio rice

.5 Cup Chardonnay wine

Sea Salt to taste

Fresh Ground pepper to taste

3T finely chopped chives

4T butter

.33 Cup grated Parm

Cook thinly sliced mushrooms in about 2T of oil in a pan. About 3 minutes. Set aside. Use a cap full of olive oil and saute the chopped shallots and cook for about 1 minute. Add rice, stir to coat the rice kernels with the oil for about 2 minutes. This is called Nacre. When the rice has become a golden color add Chardonnay and stir until wine is fully absorbed. Add broth or stock .5 Cup at a time. Continue adding until rice is au dente (not hard but not mushy). Remove from the heat and mix in mushrooms, butter, chives and cheese. Season with salt n pepper. Enjoy!

Sounds Good #12 Italian Tuscan Soup (slightly spicy)

I unfortunately do not have photos of this recipe yet.......I will add and edit this post when I have time to buy the ingredients and post photos for you. This recipe makes about 1 gallon of soup which is a lot but it's a hearty meal and if you like soup, you'll like this. 

This is a modified recipe from a restaurant chain:

1# of Ground Sausage (Try to avoid sausages that have dextrose or sugar)

2 teaspoons of Crushed Red Peppers

2 oz of Ham preferably cubed or small chunks

1/2# Onions (White or Yellow). 

2 oz of Green Onions thinly sliced

1T of Minced Garlic

4T of Chicken base

2.5 Qt Hot Water

2.5# of Russet or Chef's potatoes sliced thinly or into small cubes

1 Pint Cups of Heavy Cream

1 teaspoon of Pepper

Start a large pot on the stove on a medium-high heat and cook sausage. Use the fat from the ground up (or broken up if you wish) sausage to saute the minced garlic, pepper, crushed red peppers, green and yellow onions, and ham. 

Cook until onions become translucent without scorching other ingredients. Lower heat if necessary. Mix hot water and chicken base and stir until dissolved. De-glaze the pan by pouring the "chicken stock" into the pot to loosen anything and unlock all the flavors. Add potatoes and bring to a simmer. 

Once temperature hits at least 185 F test consistency of potatoes, to make sure fork tender (fork can enter and exit softly and with out force). Mix in heavy cream gently whisk until thickens. Once soup hits at least 185 again, turn off heat, and serve. If you wish to serve later chill rapidly till at least 32 F. When reserving make sure temperature reach again at 185. 

What I love about this recipe is that it can be modified very easily. You can make it spicy, you can make it bland, you can use bacon or no meat at all. You can add greens like spinach or collard greens for a green leafy flavor, or you and other ingredients to make it your own. 

Enjoy :) 

5 Worst Foods for your body/10 Best

http://revistaepoca.globo.com/Revista/Epoca/0,,EMI8290-15254,00-A+BATATA+FRITA+E+UM+PESADELO+NUTRICIONAL.html

My wife found this article on the Brazilian News Network: Globo.com. It is a book written by an American by the name of Jonny Bowden. The article lists the 5 worst foods you can eat and lists the 10 best for your body. This caught my attention because unfortunately I eat 4 out of the 5 regularly!!! To make things worse I rarely eat any of the 10 Best foods for your body, according to this author. So, here are the Worst:

1. Chips/Snacks: Full of Sugar, Trans Fat, and very little nutritional value they don't really benefit the body in any real form other than pleasure.
   
2. Soda: Full of Sugar/High Fructose Corn Syrup and other chemicals. Even diet sodas are full of "sweeteners" and other chemicals that aren't found naturally.
   
3. French Fries: Deep fried in oil, that is repeatedly used, it raises the fat and trans fat levels in fries. Bad for the heart. Too bad they're so tasty.....
   
4. Cotton Candy: According to the author Jonny Bowden, Cotton Candy shouldn't exist. Made of pure sugar and other chemicals Cotton Candy is the only item on the list I don't eat.
   
5. White Bread: Pure Carbs, white bread has no real nutritional value.
   

1. Sardines: Rich in proteins, full of magnesium and other essential minerals. This kind of fish also helps out the digestive system. Bowden calls Sardines "Health Food" in a can.
   
2. Cabbage: Very high in anti-oxidants.

3. Beet leaves: Are almost always thrown away, however apparently are rich in vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants. Bowden also says that beets themselves are a vegetable very full of healthy vitamins and minerals. The leaves can be eaten raw just like spinach in a salad.
   

4. Acai: A Brazilian fruit is one of the fruits in the world with the highest concentrate of anti-oxidants. It is also rich in Mono/Poly saturated fats that reduce cholesterol.
   

5. Guava: Another fruit found in Brazil very rich in fiber, minerals and vitamins.
   

6. Fresh Cherries: Very high in vitamins and contains a natural anti-inflammatory. Eaten alone or with yogurt it benefits the body.
   

7. Bitter-Sweet Chocolate: Helps lower blood pressure and good for the circulatory system of the body. Contains high concentrates of magnesium.
   

8. Nuts: Cashews, Peanuts, Almonds, all can raise your calorie count but they all contain lots of minerals, proteins, and are high in Omega 3 & 9.

9. Cinnamon: Helps control sugar and cholesterol in the blood.

10. Pumpkin seeds: Full of Magnesium. They are so full of magnesium Bowden says that French studies conclude that men with high levels of magnesium have a 40% chance of suffering from premature death as compared to those with lower levels. Toast them and eat them whole. The shell is very rich in fiber.

Well, unfortunately, in my personal diet, I include very few of these items. I love chocolate, but unfortunately, not bitter-sweet. I've eaten pumpkin seeds, but I'm not a huge fan of them. I love Guava Juice but at the moment it is very expensive, about $3 a liter. I love cinnamon but usually on baked goods. I love cherry flavoring, and even the cocktail cherries but don't regularly eat them.

As far as the 5 worst things to eat, I consume 4 of them regularly and will have to do what I can to limit or eliminate them from my diet.

Sounds Good #11 Home Made Flat Bread Pizza

MMMM Flatbread pizza with Mozz & Goat Cheese, and Portabello Mushrooms

MMM Creamy n Cheesy 

A few slices of the flat bread and

 some sliced green olives for Lisiane

1 Envelope of active dry yeast

1 cup lukewarm water

2 cups bread flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons white sugar

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/3 cup butter or margarine

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

mix water and yeast and let stand for 1o minutes. Mix remaining ingredients 

Bake at 350 F until just golden. Remove bread and butter. Spread cheese, and desired ingredients on top and bake until melted. Remove, Cut, ENJOY!

If you drink wine, this best goes with a red wine particularly Cab. Sauvignon especially if you add portabello mushrooms and goat cheese. 

Organic Food is important a short 2 minute clip

I found this clip on youtube about Organic Farming and foods. It's worth watching.

Substainable Farming, A cool story about a local farm

Sounds Good #10 Orange Chicken

Serves 4

Sauce

1.5 Cups of Water

2T Orange Juice

.25 Cup of Lemon Juice

.33 Cup of Rice Wine Vin

2.5T Soy Sauce

1t Grated Orange Zest

1 Cup Brown Sugar

.5t Fresh Grated Ginger 

.5t Minced Garlic

2T Scallions (Green Onions)

.25t Red Pepper Flakes

Slurry

1T Water

2t Corn Starch

Chicken

2 Boneless Chicken Breasts cut in .5 inch cubes

1 Cup AP flour

.25t Salt

.25t Pepper

3T Olive Oil

Pour 1.5 Cups of water, orange juice, lemon juice, rice wine vin, and soy sauce into a saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Stir in the orange zest, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, chopped onion, and red pepper flakes. Bring mixture to a boil and remove from heat. Cool 10 to 15 minutes. 

Place chicken pieces into a re-sealable plastic bag. When contents of saucepan have cooled pour 1 cup of sauce into bag. Reserve the remaining sauce. Seal the bag, and refrigerate at least 2 hours. In another re-sealable plastic bag, mix the flour, salt and pepper. Add the marinated chicken pieces from the other bag (after 2 hours of refrigeration), seal the bag and shake to coat. 

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place chicken into the skillet, and brown on both sides. Drain on a plated lined with paper towels and cover with aluminum foil. Keep warm in oven about 200 degrees F.  Mix together 1T of water and 2t of cornstarch and stir into remaining heated sauce. Pour over cooked chicken and serve. 

Sauteed carrots, peanuts, broccoli, scallions, snow peas, or mushrooms can be added to make meal even better. Server over basmati or jasmine rice.

Sounds Good #9 French Crepes

This recipe is from Susan Spicer and her Cookbook: Crescent City Cooking page 61 to 63

3/4 Cup of milk

2 Tablespoons of butter, plus extra for frying

3 eggs

1 Cup Flour

1/8 teaspoon Salt

2 Tablespoons of herbs, such as any combo of Tarragon, thyme, chives, and parsley

Scald the milk and add the 2 tablespoons butter, then cool to lukewarm. 

Place the eggs, flour, salt, and cooled milk in a blender and blend until smooth. Add the herbs and pulse a time or two to mix. Let the batter sit for 15 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator to relax and release air bubbles. If used the next day from fridge, thin slightly with a tablespoon or 2 of water. Melt a small amount of butter in a small nonstick skillet or crepe pan and when hot, pour in about 2 tablespoons of batter swirling to coat  the bottom of pan. Cook for about 30 seconds, then flip and cook for about 5 seconds. Remove from the pan and repeat. Should make about 12-16 crepes. Wrap extra crepes in plastic and refrigerate or freeze for another time. 

Sounds Good: Not forgotten......

To anybody who frequents this blog I have not forgotten the major point of having this blog and that is: Recipes. Having spent to much time battling the "evil ones" on an website that shall remain nameless, I have just been to lazy to post anything new. I have tried some different things and even bought a new book that has some awesome recipes in it. If I get around to it on my day off tomorrow, I'll post one. 

NECI Graduation Weekend fotos

Hello everyone,

 I have finally finished posting dozens of photos on my blog. I had to post them in backwards order so when you seem them on  the page they are in order of when they happened. Please be sure to see them all. You will have to go to the next page to see them all (older posts). 

I appreciate all comments and critiques. 

Matthew

NECI Graduation Saturday June 21 (Beginning of the day)

The big tent where it will all take place.

A grande tenda onde tudo vai acontecer.
The last of the group. Nearly 30 us started in March 2006. Only 7 of us actually made it to graduation. However, several opted to move on to the Bachelor's program. 

Os ultimos do grupo. Quase 30 de nos comeceu em Marco 2006. So 7 atualmente se formou. Porem, algums decidiram fazer o grau maior de 4 anos. 
After signing in and getting my jacket, I walked upstairs to get in line to walk to the tent. 

Depois cadastrando, recebendo minha jaqueta, eu subi para entrar na linha para andar para a tenda. 
Walking in alphabetical order to the tent (from the hotel), to begin the ceremony. 

Andando em ordem alphabetica para a tenda (do hotel), para comecar a formatura. 
Walking in the tent to get things started. It's bit low, I had to duck. 

Entrando na tenda para comecar o ceremonia. A tenda e' baiao, tive que baixar minha cabeca. 

NECI Graduation Saturday June 21 (Middle of the day)

Waiting to walk to the front to receive my diploma.

Esperando para andar para frente para receber meu diploma.
Me on the stage in the background receiving my diploma.

Eu no balco recebendo meu diploma.
My group of students throwing our chef's hat. I'm in the back on the right next to someone wearing sunglasses. You can only barely see my head. 

Meu grupo de alunos jogando nossos chapeus de Chef. Estou atraz, ao lado de alguem com oculos escuro. So pode ver minha cabeca. 
Me with my diploma. 

Eu com meu diploma. 
Gma Betsy, Eli, Sophie and Me after the ceremony finally ended. Time to eat!

Vovo Betsy, Eli, Sophie e Eu depois da ceramonia finalmente terminou. Esta na hora de comer!

NECI Graduation Saturday June 21 (end of the day)

End of the graduation ceremony. The Speckarts, The Glenns, and Gma Betsy.

O fim da formatura. Os Speckarts, os Glenns, e Vovo Betsy. 
Sophie playing with a balloon after the ceremony. 

Sophie brincando com um balao depois da formatura. 
Lisiane and I pose for the camera after I officially graduate. 

Lisiane e Eu fizemos uma pose para a camera depois que eu me formei. 

Lisiane and Sophie pose in front of the beautiful background of the Green Mountains.

Lisiane e Sophie fazem uma pose em frente da linda paisagem das Montanhas Verde.
Poor Sophie she had a very long hard day that started at 6:30 am and ended at about 2:30 pm.

Sophie tadinha, teve um dia bem comprido e dificil que comecou as 6:30 e terminou mais ou menos 14:30.  

We visit Shelbourne Farms Sunday June 22 (The beginning of the trip)

The tractor takes out to the farm.

O trator leva a gente pela fazenda
Shelbourne Farm from the tractor.

A Fazenda Shelbourne do trator.
Eli trying to catch a chicken.

Eli tentando pegar uma galinha.
MMM Creme Friache. A baby goat just a day old. I named him "Goat cheese" in french.

MMM Creme Friache. Um bebe de Cabra que nasceu um dia antes. Eu chamei ele "Quejo de cabra" em frances.
MMMM Cornish Hens. Baby chickens.

Pintinhos.

We visit Shelbourne Farms Sunday June 22 (Middle of the Trip)

Lisiane putting sun block on Sophie. It's bright outside. 

Lisiane coloquando protetor solar, estava brilhando fora.
Lisiane and Sophie playing on the tractor, Sophie's hair was blowing in the wind.

Lisiane and Sophie brincando no trator, e o cabelo de Sophie ficou voando com vento.
MMMM baby bacon!

Eli playing on the rocking horse.

Eli brincando no carvalo de pau. 
MMMM VEAL! The Glenn family and a young volunteer holding a baby calf. 

MMMM carne de bezerro! A Familia Glenn e uma joven voluntaria segurando o bezerrinho. 

We visit Shelbourne Farms Sunday June 22 (end of the trip)

Eli learns how to milk a goat.

Eli aprendendo como tirar leite da cabra

Me learning how to milk a goat. It isn't as easy as it looks. 

If you grab her wrong it can hurt her. 

Eu aprendendo como tirar leite da cabra. Nao e' tao facil como parece. 

Se pega no lugar errado pode machucar.

The cousins chillin out. Sophie is saying hi to Clara, while Eli relaxes. 

Os primos relaxando. Sophie dizendo OI para Clara enquanto Eli relaxa. 

Feeding the sheep. They flocked to me every time I tried to drop pellets in their bowls. 

Dando comida aos carneiros. Ficarem loco cada ves que tentei encher as tijelas de comida

Sophie wanted to walk around in the trunk. 

Sophie queria andar no porta mala.