Parmesan Polenta Souffle

1 Tbsp butter
1 1/3 cups parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 Tbsp cornmeal
4 egg yolks
salt/pepper to taste
5 egg whites

Heat oven to 425.

1. Butter a 6 qt soufflé dish and dust w/ 2 Tbsp cheese
2. Bring 1 2/3 cups water to boil w/ olive oil and sprinkle in corn meal in a slow steady stream stirring constantly. Cook polenta on medium high for 10 minutes until mixture is thickened. Remove from heat.
3. Beat in egg yolks, and all but 1 Tbsp cheese. Season w/ salt/pepper and set aside.
4. Beat egg whites with pinch of salt on high until they hold peaks, are stiff but still creamy. Gradually blend the egg whites w/ polenta mixture, folding gently.
5. Spoon mixture into prepared pan, smooth top and sprinkle w/ remaining cheese.
6. Bake 25-30 min until soufflé is puffed, brown and firm. Serve immediately.

Chicken Pot pie

 3 chicken breast with a skin on

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt (kosher salt prefer)

      ground black pepper

5 cups chicken stock  

2 chicken  bouillon cubes

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter

2 cups onions, chopped (2 onions)

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup  heavy cream

2 cups medium-diced carrots, blanched for 2 minutes

1  package frozen peas (2 cups)

1 1/2 cups frozen small whole onions

1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves

I cup of frozen green beans

Mushroom / optional

For the pastry

         3 cups all-purpose flour

·         1 1/2 teaspoon    salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 sticks cold unsalted butter, diced

1/2 to 2/3 cup ice water

1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

I found if you use leftover of a roasted chicken test way better and fit your pocket better .  But if not follow the recipe.  If you  a vegetarian use vegetable stock and no chicken and double the amount of the veggies, and  add mushrooms

Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet and  rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roasted  for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cooked through. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then remove the meat from the bones and discard the   skin . Cut the chicken into large dice. You will have 4 to 6 cups of cubed chicken.

In a small saucepan  heat the chicken stock and dissolve the bouillon cubes in the stock. In a large pot (I use Dutch oven), melt the butter and saute the onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until translucent. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock to the sauce.  Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thick. Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and heavy cream. Add the cubed chicken, carrots, peas, onions and  parsely . Mix well.

For the pastry, mix the flour, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor  fitted with a metal blade. Add the shortening and butter and mix quickly with your fingers until each piece is coated with flour  pules 10 times, or until the fat is the size of peas. With the motor running, add the ice water; process only enough to moisten  the dough and have it just come together. Dump the dough out onto a floured board and quickly into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic and allow it to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Divide the filling equally among 4 ovenproof bowls. Divide the dough into quarters and roll each piece into an 8-inch circle. Brush the outside edges of each bowl with the  egg wash  then place the dough on top. Trim the circle to 1/2-inch larger than the top of the bowl. Crimp the dough to fold over the side, pressing it to make it stick. Brush the  dough  with egg wash and make 3 slits in the top. Sprinkle with sea salt and cracked pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling hot.

Go Organic

Organically grown foods higher in cancer-fighting chemicals thanconventionally grown foodsFruits and veggies grown organically show significantly higher levels ofcancer-fighting antioxidants than conventionally grown foods, according to anew study of corn, strawberries and marionberries. The research suggeststhat pesticides and herbicides actually thwart the production of phenolics <chemicals that act as a plant's natural defense and also happen to be goodfor our health. Fertilizers, however, seem to boost the levels ofanti-cancer compounds.The findings appear in the Feb. 26 print edition of the Journal ofAgricultural and Food Chemistry, a peer-reviewed journal of the AmericanChemical Society, the world's largest scientific society. The article wasinitially published Jan. 25 on the journal's Web site.Flavonoids are phenolic compounds that have potent antioxidant activity.Many are produced in plants in response to environmental stressors, such asinsects or competing plants."If an aphid is nibbling on a leaf, the plant produces phenolics to defenditself," says Alyson Mitchell, Ph.D., a food scientist at the University ofCalifornia, Davis, and lead author of the paper. "Bitter or harsh phenolicsguard the plant against these pests."The need for these natural safeguards decreases with the use of herbicidesand pesticides in conventional agriculture. This decrease is reflected inthe total amount of antioxidants the plants produce. "This helps explain whythe level of antioxidants is so much higher in organically grown food,"Mitchell says. "By synthetically protecting the produce from these pests, wedecrease their need to produce antioxidants. It suggests that maybe we aredoing something to our food inadvertently."Mitchell measured antioxidants found in corn, strawberries and a type ofblackberry called a marionberry. "We started with these three due to plantavailability," Mitchell explains, "but we intend to widen our search toinclude tomatoes, peppers, broccoli and a variety of other vegetables. Weexpect these results to be transferable to most produce."The investigation compared the total antioxidants found in foods grownorganically (using no herbicides, pesticides or fertilizers) to foods grownsustainably (in this study fertilizers but no herbicides or pesticides wereused) and conventionally (using synthetic chemicals to protect the plantsand increase yield).The results showed a significant increase in antioxidants in organic andsustainably grown foods versus conventionally grown foods. The levels ofantioxidants in sustainably grown corn were 58.5 percent higher thanconventionally grown corn. Organically and sustainably grown marionberrieshad approximately 50 percent more antioxidants than conventionally grownberries. Sustainably and organically grown strawberries showed about 19percent more antioxidants than conventionally grown strawberries.Antioxidant levels were highest overall in sustainably grown produce, whichindicates that a combination of organic and conventional practices yieldsthe highest levels of antioxidants. "This may reflect the balance betweenadequate nutrition in the form of fertilizers and external pest pressuresbecause of the lack of pesticides and herbicides," Mitchell explains."Originally, the question was just really intriguing to me," says Mitchell,whose research grew naturally from a personal interest in organic foods. "Ifound that the higher level of antioxidants is enough to have a significantimpact on health and nutrition, and it's definitely changed the way I thinkabout my food."

Organic Chicken Marsala Quick Dinner

The Chicken Marsala Quick Dinner is a healthy dish using herb chicken, Marsala wine, and mushroom sauce. It is also very delicious and mouth watering at the same time. For the main ingredient you must pound chicken breast halves to quarter inches in thickness. The bones and skin should have also been removed beforehand. Also ready half a cup of Marsala wine and one cup of sliced Crimini mushrooms. For the rest of the ingredients prepare half a teaspoon each of sea salt and dried oregano. A quarter cup each of all purpose flour and ground black pepper along with four tablespoons each of butter and extra virgin olive oil will also be required. You will also need two tablespoons of fresh oregano and a quarter cup of cooking sherry.

Combine the flour with the sea salt, ground black pepper, and dried oregano. Mix thoroughly to form a mixture. Not get the chicken halves and coat them in the mixture. Then prepare a large skillet by heating it over medium setting and melting butter in oil. Next place the coated chicken and the skillet and cook until brown. Remember to turn them over to evenly cook all sides. Put in the Crimini mushrooms as well as the Marsala wine and the cooking sherry. Cover the skillet and simmer for five minutes. Then remove cover, turn the chicken, and simmer for another five minutes. The dish is best served together with egg noodles or rice on sizzling plates. Place one chicken half on each plate and pour in the mushroom sauce and sprinkle with fresh oregano for the finishing touch. Serve immediately as the flavor is in its peak while the dish is hot.

And of course all organic ....Yum 

How good Grass fed for us

Compared to grain-fed cattle, grass-fed beef is:

• Two to four times richer in heart healthy omega 3 fatty acids.
• Higher in "good" unsaturated fats and lower in "bad" saturated fats.
• Three to five times higher in CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid) content.
• Loaded with over 400% more of vitamin A (as beta carotene) and E.
• Virtually devoid of risk of Mad Cow Disease.

Grass-fed beef is naturally lower in calories. A 6-ounce steak from a grass-fed steer can have 100 fewer calories than the same steak from a grain-fed steer. Simply by switching to lean grass-fed beef, in one year you could save 17,733 calories and lose 6 pounds without changing anything else in your diet.

Here's another thing about grass-fed beef… CLA is a naturally occurring fat found in animal and dairy fats such as beef and poultry that are not fed grains. As soon as you start to feed cattle grain, they start to lose their ability to produce CLA. Animals that graze on pasture have from 300 to 400% more CLA than animals fattened on grain in a feedlot.

As we all know, diet and exercise are required to lose weight. However, University of Wisconsin research shows that CLA intake assists individuals who lose weight in preventing putting pounds back on.

Obviously, CLA enriched beef will not enable you to lose significant weight without other dietary measures and exercise, so please review my optimal food choice program for additional suggestions.

The human intestine produces CLA naturally from linoleic acid. Recent studies have been conducted on attaining a higher CLA content in daily food intake because of possible health benefits such as weight loss.

4th of July RIBS ......your hubby will love it

My husband love ribs so here we go;

Make sure you get organic ribs it dose make a different.

Make your BBQ sauce in advance or try to use high quality bbq sauce 

Begin by preparing the meat. The first step is to remove the membrane that coats the underside of the ribs. If possible, ask your butcher to do this for you. Otherwise, loosen it with a butter knife and peel it off. If you're lucky, it will come off in one piece. Sometimes it's a little stubborn; if it shreds, you'll have to pull it off in bits and pieces. This ensures the ribs will be nice and tender. 

Next, trim away any excess fat or flaps of meat. I suggests trimming any scrappy meat off the ends of the racks and scraping away any large areas of fat. The smaller areas of fat will render during the cooking process and also add flavor and moisture. Finally, cut the racks in half so they're easier to handle.

Place the ribs on a baking sheet lined with heavy duty aluminum foil.   (The foil is important, otherwise you'll be soaking the pan for days afterward.)cover the ribs with soy sauce and let sit for 30 min in the refrigerator.  Reserve some of the sauce and use the rest to coat the ribs. Cover the pan tightly with foil and let marinate for at least four hours or overnight .Cook the ribs in a low 275  oven for 3 to 4 hour and, or until just tender. .Baste generously with the reserved sauce, then turn up the heat to 350 and finish cooking for about 30 minutes more.

Enjoy and Happy 4th of July 

Happy 4th of July

Well its been so long, I have something to share BBQ Sauce good for ribs chicken or anything

Ingredients:

• 2 cups ketchup
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons water
• 3 cloves garlic crushed
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• fresh ground pepper to taste

Preparation:

Blend onion and water into a puree. Heat a medium sauce pan over a medium heat. Add olive oil. When oil is warm, pour in onion puree. Simmer until slightly browned. Add remaining ingredients. Mix thoroughly and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Inside Riki`s Kitchen: dinner tobight Leek spinach Pasta and spinach mang...

Inside Riki`s Kitchen: dinner tobight Leek spinach Pasta and spinach mang...: "Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.8"

Creamy Leek Shallot Tagliaetell Pasta

2 tablespoons butter

3 large leeks, white and light-green parts thinly sliced

1 small clove of garlic,  minced

2 large shallot

      1/3cup heavy cream (125ml)

1/3cup white wine

1/3 cup chicken or vegetable stock

Black pepper (few shakes or pinches to taste)

Freshly grated nutmeg (1/4 teaspoon, or to taste)

Small handful of fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped

1 oz. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for sauce, and more to serve on top

Start a pot of water for the tagliatell Pasta 

Slice leeks, mince garlic chop parsley.

Over medium heat, melt butter in saute pan. Add sliced leeks and a little salt (bearing in mind whether your butter is salted as well). Add garlic. Turn down heat if butter begins to brown. As leeks start to soften, add wine and cream and simmer.

When water is boiling, allow pasta to cook while you continue prepare cream sauce.

Add parsley, pepper and nutmeg. Taste to make sure you’re on the right track as far as wine and cream and salt. Make adjustments as necessary. Add cheese.

When pasta is done, drain water and toss the penne with the sauce. Serve immediately.

Start a pot of water for the pasta.

Slice leeks,  shallot mince garlic and chop parsley.

Over medium heat, melt butter in saute pan. Add sliced leeks shallot and a little salt and pepper sauté for 5-8min  . Add garlic. Turn down heat if butter begins to brown. As leeks start to soften, add wine  and stock cooke for 15 min and cream and simmer.

When water is boiling, allow pasta to cook while you continue prepare cream sauce.

Add parsley, pepper and nutmeg. Taste to make sure you’re on the right track as far as wine and cream and salt. Make adjustments as necessary. Add cheese.

When pasta is done, drain water and toss the penne with the sauce. Serve immediately.

dinner tobight Leek spinach Pasta and spinach mango red onion salad. ... recipe will follow later: )

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lightly sauteed chicken with roasted pepper Quinoa And roasted asparagus ...

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Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

my bad i forget to submit the title to lasagna

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

Ingredients

  Olive oil cooking spray, for pans and baking dish

6   garlic cloves, unpeeled

3 pounds  plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise

4-1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

2 cans (15 oz. each) fire roasted organic  crushed tomatoes

1 package (10 oz.)  White mushrooms, sliced

1 package (8 oz.)  baby Bella mushrooms, quartered

1 cup shredded mozzarella

1  eggplant, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices

3/4 cup  part-skim ricotta

1 cup shredded mozzarella

½  cup of parmesan cheese

12 (7 oz.)  oven-ready (no-boil) lasagna sheets

6 ounce medium zucchini, trimmed and cut lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick slices

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degree F and arrange racks in upper and lower thirds. Lightly coat a large shallow baking pan with cooking spray.

2. Wrap garlic in foil, sealing tightly, and place in one corner of prepared pan. Arrange tomato halves, cut sides up, in same pan; season with  salt and pepper. Roast in upper third of oven, without turning, until garlic is softened and tomatoes are golden brown, about 30 minutes.

3. Carefully unwrap garlic, peel and transfer to a food processor fitted with a blade. Add roasted tomatoes and 2-1/2 teaspoons rosemary; pulse until tomatoes are chopped. Transfer to a large saucepan and stir in crushed tomatoes with puree. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and reduced to 6-3/4 cups, about 15 minutes, for sauce. Remove from heat and keep warm, covered.

4. Meanwhile, lightly coat another large shallow baking 

. Meanwhile, lightly coat another large shallow baking pan with cooking spray. Arrange mushrooms, in a single layer, in prepared pan and roast in lower third of oven, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer mushrooms in pan to rack to cool.

5. Meanwhile, preheat broiler and arrange rack 5 to 6 inches from heat. Lightly coat a large shallow baking pan with cooking spray. Arrange half of eggplant slices, in a single layer, in prepared pan and season with pepper. Broil, turning once, until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining eggplant slices.

6. Stir together ricotta, mozzarella , parmesan and remaining 2 teaspoons rosemary in a bowl; season with pepper. Set aside.

7. Preheat oven to 375 degree F and arrange rack in center. Lightly coat a 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Evenly spread 1-1/2 cups sauce in bottom of dish and cover with 4 lasagna sheets, overlapping slightly if necessary. Evenly spread ricotta over lasagna and cover with half of mushrooms. Cover with half of eggplant slices, then spread evenly with 1-1/2 cups sauce. Continue layering with 4 lasagna sheets, 1 cup sauce, remaining mushrooms, and eggplant. Cover with remaining 4 lasagna sheets and top with remaining 2-3/4 cups sauce, spreading evenly. Arrange zucchini slices, in a single layer, over top.

8. Cover with nonstick foil and bake until lasagna sheets are tender and sauce is bubbling, about 40 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano; season with pepper. Bake, uncovered, until zucchini is golden and tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand 20 minutes before cutting and serving. Makes 10 servings.

Quinoa Recipe

1 cup quinoa, rinsed well 1 cup chopped onions 3 tablespoons tomato paste, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley/ cellentro   1/2 cup diced organic celery 1/2 cup diced red pepper 1/2 cup pine nuts 1 clove of  garlic Instructions: Cook the quinoa and onion,garlic in two cups water and let simmer in a covered ot on a low flame for 15 minutes. In a bowl, place the tomato paste, parsley, celery, peppers, nuts, and seasonings and mix well. Next, mix well with the quinoa/onion mixture and place in a glass loaf pan in the oven at 200 degrees for 30 minutes. Enjoy :)

Love the way you eat

Dinner shouldn’t be a job, it needs to be part of you, to know that you can feed yourself and your family good healthy food and under budget. You thing I`m crazy, well we all are but when it’s come to food I’m all IN!!!

We love different flavor hot spicy sweet or any, all you need to do use dose flavor in your cooking,    When you go to a restaurant and order food  you look at the food  description  

And then suddenly you starving, well the same method you use when you cook, talk to yourself what I feel today to eat? And have this conversion with yourself and try to apply those entire flavors in to your food.

In my house basic ingredients are; Olive Oil, Lemon, and Balsamic (I shouldn’t say salt and paper right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

I will post some recipe in this blog daily and if you have any question   please email me