Not-Your-Mom's Shepherd's Pie

Before we get started, two disclaimers:

1. This is not your mom's or your grandmother's shepherd's pie.
2. It's better.

Oh, wait - three things:

3. Shepherd's pie does not translate well to photos. They just do. not. do. it. justice. 

All of that aside, this dish is outstanding. Adding squash and a sweet potato to the traditional white potato makes the potato topping lighter and at the same time more filling than you're used to. Add a little butter and maple syrup - and it's like dessert with dinner.

I love an "old fashioned" shepherd's pie with ground lamb. I do. But I do have a soft spot for Italian sausage. Throw in some peas and corn and it's a nod to tradition...but then, when you sprinkle in some curry, it adds warmth and depth that can't be replicated.

Now, marry the sweetness of the potato mixture with the slight spiciness of the sausage with the warmth of the curry. Addictive.

I hope you enjoy this updated version of an old-time favorite as I do!

I told you it wasn't pretty...

...but boy, is it delicious!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs. tan-skinned sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 2-inch pieces 
• 1 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 2-inch pieces 
• 1 medium russet potato, peeled, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 T (1/4 stick) butter
• 2 T pure maple syrup
• 1 1/2 lbs. sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 1 T minced garlic
• 3/4 C frozen peas
• 3/4 C frozen corn kernels
• 1/3 C whipping cream
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 tsp. curry powder
• 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
• 6 drops hot pepper sauce

Method:

1. Cook sweet potatoes, squash and russet potato in large saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain. Put potatoes and squash through a ricer, into the same saucepan. Stir over medium heat until excess moisture evaporates, about 5 minutes, being careful not to scorch. Add butter and syrup. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 8 x 8 x 2-inch glass baking dish or large oval Pyrex baking dish with cooking spray, liberally. Cook sausage in large skillet over medium-high heat until sausage is brown and cooked through, breaking up with back of spoon, about 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer sausage to large bowl; reserve 1 tablespoon of drippings in skillet. Add onions and garlic to skillet and sauté over medium-high heat until onions are tender and golden, about 7 minutes. [Note: deglaze pan with a tablespoon or two of stock or wine, if necessary.] Add onion mixture to sausage. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cool. Beat egg with cream, curry powder, coriander and hot sauce in a small bowl. Mix egg mixture with peas and corn into sausage mixture.
3. Transfer sausage mixture to prepared baking dish. Spoon mashed potato mixture over; smooth top. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Bake until heated through and potatoes begin to brown around edges, about 45 minutes (or about 1 hour for casserole that has been refrigerated). Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Source: Epicurious

Turkey Meatballs

This is the second time I've made these meatballs--they were such a hit the first time, I tripled the batch (twice) for a get-together we're having in a few weeks. The recipe as written below is the original measurements, with my additions/changes.

The major change I made was to roast my meatballs as opposed to pan frying them. So much cleaner and faster - I was able to get all the meatballs on four baking sheets, then bake two at a time.

For a get together, I'll add the frozen meatballs to a crockpot with some jarred sauce for a few hours - they're delicious as-is or on a small roll with some Provolone cheese.

(I also made a batch of these Swedish meatballs for the same party. Yes, your math is correct: there are currently nine pounds of meatballs in my freezer. Hope everyone comes hungry!)

There may have been some sampling - aka quality control - going on as the meatballs cooled.

We pulled out a few from one batch to have meatball sandwiches for lunch - so good. I think I'll make another few pounds so we always have some on hand.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 C plain dried bread crumbs
• 1 small onion, finely dices
• 3/4 C grated Romano
• 2 T parsley, finely chopped 
• 2 T whole milk
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 lb. ground turkey, preferably dark meat
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Line four baking sheets with foil and spray with baking spray.
3. In a large bowl, toss crumbs, onion, cheese and parsley. Add the turkey and mix lightly.
4. In a small bowl, beat the egg and half and half together. Add to turkey mixture and gently combine, being careful not to overwork the meat. Season with salt and pepper. 
5. Shape into golf-size balls.
6. Place on prepared sheets, leaving an inch between each meatball.
7. Roast for 15 minutes or until cooked through.
8. Cool on racks, then serve or place in freezer bags and freeze for later use.

Source: Food Network

Lasagna Bolognese

If you've been reading my posts for a while, you know that I love this Bolognese sauce and think this one is good, too. And I really, really love lasagna...but I've only posted short cut recipes like this or that (and no recipe is as good as my brother Eric's).

So you can imagine my delight to come upon a recipe for Lasagna Bolognese: the perfect marriage.

It's a little different than what I think of as a traditional lasagna. It calls for only Parmesan cheese and includes a bechamel sauce, which I'd never made before. And it wasn't as saucy as I generally prefer, but that's an easy fix...make more sauce!

And, let's be clear: this is no short cut recipe. Like any lasagna, it was a little labor-intensive, but was a perfect Sunday-Funday recipe and dinner. (Oh, and I had to convert the original grams to ounces and pounds...so the measurements aren't exact, but they're close enough.)

Ingredients:
FOR THE BOLOGNESE SAUCE

• 2 slices of bacon, diced
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 sticks of celery, chopped
• Olive oil
• 2 heaped teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 lb. ground beef beef
• 1 28 oz. can of chopped tomatoes
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• A small bunch of fresh basil, leaves picked and stalks chopped

FOR THE LASAGNE

• 8 oz. dried lasagna sheets (I used the no-cook noodles and they were great)
• 1 large ripe tomato, sliced

FOR THE BECHAMEL SAUCE

• ½ a small onion, thinly sliced
• 2 C milk
• a sprig of fresh parsley
• a pinch of nutmeg
• 6 black peppercorns
• optional: 1 bay leaf
• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 1 Tbsp. plain flour
• 2 oz. Parmesan cheese (I don't have a scale so I finely grated a bunch of cheese and used about 1/2 C in the sauce)
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:
Start the Bolognese...

1. Place a large saucepan on a medium to high heat. Add 2 lugs of olive oil, your sliced bacon and the oregano and cook and stir until the bacon is lightly golden. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the vegetables to the pan.
2. Stir occasionally for around 15 minutes, or until softened and lightly colored then stir in the beef and the tomatoes. Add water to tomato can until about half full then add to the pan. Stir in a good pinch of salt and pepper. Add the chopped basil stalks to the pan. (Save the leaves for later).
3. Bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and simmer with a lid on and slightly askew for 1 hour, stirring every now and again. Take the lid off and cook for another 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Keep an eye on the sauce as it cooks, and if you think it’s starting to dry out, add a splash of water. 

While the sauce is cooking, start the bechamel...

1. Add the onion, milk, parsley, nutmeg and black peppercorns and bay leaf (if using) to a pan on a medium heat and gently bring to the boil – keep a close eye on it as milk can boil suddenly. Strain the milk through a sieve, discarding anything left behind. Melt the butter in another pan on a medium-low heat. Mix in the flour.
2. Start adding the strained milk, a ladleful at a time, stirring each addition in before adding more. When you have a smooth white sauce, bring to the boil then simmer for a couple of minutes. Take off the heat and finely grate in most of the Parmesan cheese. Mix well then season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Put the lasagna together...

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Remove the Bolognese sauce from the heat, then tear and stir in any larger basil leaves, keeping the smaller ones aside for later. Have a taste of the sauce, and season with a little more salt and pepper if you think it needs it.
2. Spoon a third of your Bolognese sauce into the bottom of an earthenware ovenproof dish (approximately 9" x 13"). Follow with a layer of lasagna sheets and another third of your Bolognese sauce, then spoon over a third of your white sauce. Top with another layer of lasagna sheets. Spoon over the rest of the Bolognese sauce and another third of the white sauce.
3. Finish with a final layer of lasagna sheets and top with the rest of the white sauce and finely grate over the remaining Parmesan. Top with some slices of tomato, scatter over the small basil leaves and drizzle with olive oil. Cover with foil, place in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes. After that, remove the foil and cook for a further 20 minutes until the lasagna is bubbling and golden. Allow to cool slightly before slicing and serving.

Source: Kung Food

Plum Island Vacation 2014

Brian and I didn't take a traditional week's vacation this summer, but were fortunate to spend several long weekends on Plum Island.

Hope you enjoy a look into our favorite place in the world!

I swear the boys know where we are as soon as we cross the little bridge onto PI.

Sunset...

...sunrise.

My favorite of the summer.

Pat took this on the way home...sleepy kids are happy kids!

I took this photo totally by accident: the camera was sitting on the table, I meant to turn it off and hit the shutter instead. The glass says "The Beach is Calling" and I love how you can see the flags. Nice end to Labor Day weekend...

One of my favorite things about PI is the amazing sun sets. We spent Columbus Day on island and had a front row seat.

After a rainy Saturday, Sunday was gorgeous.

Starting to set.

Going...

...going...

...gone.

Buffalo Chicken Pinwheels

I've made veggie and ranch dressing pinwheels (like these) for years. It's an incredibly versatile recipe and you can use any combo of veggies you have on hand.

I've also enjoyed buffalo chicken dip at parties, as great bar food, and out of my own kitchen.

But I never thought to put the two together. So glads someone else did!

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup hot wing sauce or cayenne pepper sauce
• 1/4 cup blue cheese, crumbled
• 1 cup colby-jack cheese, shredded (4 ounces)
• 1/4 cup green onions, finely chopped
• 1 pound chicken breast, cooked and shredded
• 5 large flour tortillas (approximately 10 1/2" diameter)
• Optional: celery sticks, carrot sticks, blue cheese dressing

Method:

1. In a bowl, beat cream cheese on low and add in sauce, blue cheese, colby-jack cheese, and green onions. Beat until blended.
2. Stir shredded chicken into mixture by hand.
3. Spread approximately 3/4 cup of mixture on top of one of the tortillas. Roll up tortilla tightly, but without shifting the mixture too much. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Place rolled tortillas on a place and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2-4 hours. (I used about half of these the first night I made them and after having been in the fridge for a few hours they were perfect; I tried to serve the rest of them a couple of nights later and the tortillas had become gummy and I had to throw them away. Moral of the story: I believe the filling would keep well for several days in the fridge, so only make as many pinwheels as you'll use right away.)
4. Remove from refrigerator and unwrap. Slice each rolled tortillas in half and then each half into 3 slices, discarding ends. Place pinwheel slices on serving plate or tray and serve with celery and/or carrot sticks and extra blue cheese dressing for dipping, if desired.

Source: Home Cooking Memories

Asparagus in Phyllo Dough

I had never worked with phyllo before, and the original recipe explained that you need to keep the rest of the thawed dough covered with "damp paper towels" to keep it from drying out. The first time I made these, my paper towels weren't damp enough and the dough did get a little dry; the next time, the towels were too damp and made the top piece of dough very gummy. Neither really changed the way the appetizers turned out - crispy, a little tangy from the cheese and mustard, and completely addictive - but I clearly need more practice working with phyllo.

What a pity.

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of asparagus (I had 42 thin spears in my bunch), washed and dried
• 1 roll thawed phyllo sheets (best way to thaw is to put a roll in your fridge the night before)
• 4 tablespoons of butter, melted
• ¼ cup good mustard (I used Dijon)
• salt (the salt is optional - omit if you are using a salty cheese)
• freshly ground pepper 
• 4 tablespoons Asiago Cheese, grated (or whatever kind of cheese you like)

Method:

1. Trim the tough ends off the asparagus spears. 
2. Unroll the thawed phyllo sheet roll on your counter and place a couple of damp paper towels over the top so they don't dry out.  
3. On a large cutting board, place two of the phyllo sheets. Brush some melted butter over the entire top sheet. Brush some of the mustard on the sheet.  Sprinkle with a little salt (if you are using) and the pepper.  Sprinkle a heaping tablespoon of the cheese all over the sheet.  
4. With a very sharp paring knife, cut the sheet in half.  Cut each half in half.  Place two asparagus spears on each piece of phyllo and roll up.  Place on a parchment (or foil) lined baking sheet.  Brush the tops with some melted butter and sprinkle additional seasoning on top. 
5. Repeat until all your asparagus is used.  You can refreeze any unused phyllo sheets if you want, as long as you haven't let them dry out.  Just roll up with plastic wrap and seal tightly. 
6. At this point, you can cover with plastic wrap and place the baking sheets in the fridge until you are ready to bake them. You can even assemble these the day before.  When you are ready to cook them, bake them in the oven at 375° F for about 15 - 20 minutes until golden brown. 
7. Serve warm or at room temperature.  Serve extra mustard on the side for dipping if you want. 

Source: The Italian Dish

Grilled Corn Salad with Tomatoes, Basil and Hard Cider Vinaigrette

With grilled corn and a hard cider dressing, this easy, flavorful salad makes for a timely transition from summer to fall. It's sweet, crunchy, and a little tangy and made a great, fresh salsa for grilled swordfish.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

For the Vinaigrette:

6 ounces hard cider (I used Angry Orchard)
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and black pepper
1/3 cup olive oil

For the Salad:

3 ears of corn, steamed (I used a few ears left over from the night before)
1 large tomato, finely chopped
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup basil, cut into ribbons

Method:

1. Add the hard cider and honey to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until the mixture has reduced by about a quarter. Remove from heat. Whisk in the vinegar and mustard. Season with salt and pepper. Slowly add in the olive oil in a steady stream, whisking until the vinaigrette is emulsified. Reserve.
2. Warm a non-stick skillet over medium heat.
3. Cut corn from cob and dry saute in heated skillet until toasted and starting to take on some color. Allow to cool slightly.
4. Combine corn, tomato, onion and basil in a medium bowl. Toss with vinaigrette, to taste. Season with freshly cracked pepper. Taste and season with salt, if needed. Toss again, and serve immediately.

Note: The original recipe had you starting with fresh corn that you grilled in the husk. I'd love to try that, but the leftover method worked great, too.

Source: Serious Eats