Veal Chops with Fresh Rosemary

Veal chops with fresh rosemary are a special treat to serve your family and friends.  Veal chops are welcomed at special occasions because they are uniquely tender and absorb most flavors that accompany them.  These chops I infused with fresh rosemary, garlic and salt and pepper. Since these chops are so tender don't over cook them on the grill or in the pan.

Veal Chops With Fresh Rosemary:
Pre-Heat Grill:  400 degrees and up
Makes:  4 Veal chops

4 veal chops (Costco)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 Tablespoons fresh rosemary, cleaned, trimmed and chopped
Kosher salt
Fresh black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

1.  Pre-Heat the grill so it is hot (400-500 degrees).

2.  In a small bowl place the chopped garlic, chopped rosemary and olive oil and mix together to form a paste.

3.  Salt and pepper both sides of the veal chop.  Add the chopped garlic paste all over the veal chops.

4.  Grill the veal chops for a total of 10 minutes, turning them after 5 minutes.    Veal is cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of:  120 degrees is rare, 130 degrees medium and 140 degrees well done.

Parker House Rolls

Parker house rolls are a delicious yeast roll.  My daughter Meg Anne and I made the rolls together for Sunday supper.  Try making these rolls for your next Sunday supper with your kids and see how much fun it is to punch down the dough and then roll the dough into small round balls.  Serve these parker house rolls with warm butter for your next dinner and watch the kids come running to the dinner table.  This recipe comes from Martha Stewart's book, Martha Stewart Living 2002 Annual Recipes.  The only changes I made was using King Arthur bread flour instead of all purpose flour.  Using bread flour instead of all purpose flour allows your rolls to become lighter and fluffier.

Parker House Rolls:
Pre-Heat Oven:  350 degrees
Makes:  2 dozen rolls

1 package (2 1/2 teaspoons) active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (100-110 degrees)
3 tablespoons plus a pinch of sugar
13 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature, divided
1 cup milk, room temperature
1 tablespoon kosher salt
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 1/2 to 5 cups King Arthur bread flour

1.  In a small bowl, place the yeast, pinch of sugar, and warm water (100-110 degrees).  Mix together and allow to rest for 5 minutes.  The yeast mixture should grow and become foamy (if your yeast mixture does not grow throw it out and start over).

2.  In a mixer with a dough hook attachment, add 7 tablespoons melted butter, salt, sugar, milk, eggs, yeast mixture and 4 cups of flour and mix together.  Slowly add that last 1/2 -1 cup of flour to the mixture  and allow the dough to mix for 6 minutes (if the dough is too wet and sticks to the sides of the mixer add more flour one tablespoon at a time.  If the dough is to dry add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until the dough comes together and forms a nice ball). Place the dough into a greased buttered bowl and cover it with plastic wrap . Allow the dough to rise in a warm draft free place for 2 1/2 hours or until it has doubled in size.

3. Punch the dough down, then divide the dough into 24 small round balls on a floured surface.  Place the rolls into a buttered greased pan and allow to rise again for 30 minutes or until doubled in size. Cover the pans with buttered plastic wrap.

4.  Remove the plastic wrap from the rolls and bake the rolls at 350 degrees for 20- 30 minutes or until golden brown on top. Remove the rolls from the oven and allow to rest on a wire rack for 5 minutes.  Serve rolls hot with butter.

Sweet Potatoes With Fresh Rosemary

Sweet potatoes with fresh rosemary is a colorful and nutritious side dish packed with vitamin A. The fresh rosemary and kosher salt bring out a wonderful aroma that will get your kids taste buds going.  Once you get started eating these sweet treasures you will not be able to put down your fork.

Sweet Potatoes With Fresh Rosemary:
Serves:  6

3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, trimmed and chopped
Kosher salt
1/8 cup Canola oil

1.  Peel and cube the sweet potatoes.  Place the sweet potatoes in a pot of salted water and bring to a boil.  Turn the heat down and allow the potatoes to simmer in the hot water for 6 minutes or until fork tender but still are firm in the middle. (Hint:  don't over cook the potatoes or they will fall apart when you pan saute them).  Drain all the water off the potatoes.

Preparing Fresh Rosemary

Cooking The Sweet Potatoes In The Iron Skillet

2.  In a hot iron skilled add 1/8 cup canola oil.  Allow the oil to heat up then add the drained potatoes to the hot oil.  Brown the sweet potatoes on all sides turning after 3 minutes then turning them again after another 3 minutes.
3.  Drain the potatoes on a paper towel then sprinkle with the fresh rosemary and kosher salt.  Serve hot or warm.

Sweet Potatoes With Fresh Rosemary

Pickling Cucumbers With Cherry Tomatoes And Fresh Herbs

Cucumber salad with fresh tomatoes and herbs is the perfect side dish or salad during the summer months.  This recipe can be made up ahead of time or made at the last minute.  Using the pickling cucumbers makes this salad crisper then a normal cucumber salad because you can leave on that nice green skin.  If you can't find these types of cucumbers at your local store you can substitute regular cucumbers.  Regular cucumbers have a wax on them so make sure you peel the regular cucumbers.

Pickling Cucumbers With Cherry Tomatoes And Fresh Herbs:
Serves:  6

4 pickling cucumbers or 2 regular size cucumbers (peeled), cut length ways and sliced
15 cherry tomatoes, cut in halve
2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped fine
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
fresh ground pepper

In a bowl, mix the sliced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, chives, dill, salt, pepper and olive oil together. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator.

Pickling Cucumbers With Cherry Tomatoes And Fresh Herbs

Buffalo Meatballs

Buffalo meatballs are tasty and delicious.  I was looking in a cooking magazine this month and found a recipe for traditional meatballs.  I had some ground buffalo meat in the refrigerator and decided to take a chance and made up this new recipe.  I made the meatballs for dinner with spaghetti but my twins immediately took the small meatballs and ran to the counter and placed them in a hot dog bun.  They said they were mini-hamburgers and my husband said "no you just made a meatball sub."  Try these buffalo meatballs tonight and see how you like them?

Buffalo Meatballs:
Makes:  20 meatballs

2 pieces of wheat sandwich bread, crust removed and cut into small pieces
1/8 cup milk
1 egg
2 teaspoons dried basil or 1 teaspoon fresh chopped basil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and pressed
1# ground sausage
1/2# ground buffalo meat
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh pepper
1 1/2 cups Italian bread crumbs

1.  In a large bowl, place the milk and cut up pieces of bread. Allow the bread to soak up the milk.  Add the egg, basil, garlic, sausage meat, buffalo meat, salt and pepper to the bread mixture and mix together.  Place the bread crumbs in a small bowl.  Use your hands to make small quarter size meatballs, roll the meatball in the bread crumbs.  Repeat until all the meatballs have been made.

Rolling The Meatballs In The Bread Crumbs

2.  Working in batches, add the meatballs to a hot greased skilled.  Don't over crowd the pan or the meatballs will not brown evenly.  Brown the meatballs for 4 minutes on one side then turn to brown on the other side.  Serve buffalo meatballs with hot tomato sauce over spaghetti or a meatball sub.

Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

Southern buttermilk biscuits are heavenly to eat for dinner or breakfast.  The southern trick to making really great biscuits is good soft wheat, cold lard and a very hot oven.  I have made this recipe several times this month and I have been pleasantly pleased with these mouth watering biscuits.  Spread some homemade strawberry jam on these biscuits or make a bacon, egg and cheese biscuit.  My twin 8 year old boys love these southern biscuits for dinner with lots of honey dripping from them.  This recipe comes from The Gift Of Southern Cooking by Scott Peacock.  The only change I made was regular baking soda instead of using Scott's homemade baking soda.  I also found making this recipe that you needed to increase the amount of buttermilk then the book called for.  Poor the buttermilk slowly into the recipe that way you can adjust the amount you need.

Southern Buttermilk Biscuits:
Pre-heat oven:  500 degrees
Makes:  15-20 2 1/2 inch biscuits

5 cups sifted White Lily flour or bread flour
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 cup  (1/2 pound) packed lard, chilled
2 1/2 cups buttermilk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1.  In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and salt together.  Add the cold lard in small pieces into the flour mixture. (Hint: cut the lard into small pieces and place on a plate.  Cool in the freezer for 5 minutes or until cold.)   Using a pastry knife or your fingers blend the lard with the flour until it resembles small pieces.  Pour in the buttermilk slowly until the dough just comes together, don't over mix.  Adjust the amount of buttermilk you will need (if the dough is dry and will not come together add more buttermilk 1 tablespoon at a time.  If the dough is to wet and will not come together add a little more flour 1 tablespoon at a time).

Cutting The Lard Into the Flour Mixture With A Pastry Knife

2.  Flour a work surface, then place the dough on the floured surface and knead the dough 8 times.  Flatten the dough with your hands or rolling pin until it reaches 1/2" thickness.  Using a biscuit cutter cut the biscuits out but don't twist the cutter.  Place the biscuits on a parchment lined cookie sheet.  Bake in a 500 degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove the biscuits from the oven and brush with melted butter.

Bringing The Biscuit Dough Together To Form A Ball

Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

Summer Peach Crostata

This summer time peach crostata is a fast and easy dessert to throw together when those unexpected guests show up for a last minute dinner.    Crostatas are rustic free form tarts filled with summer fruit.  The dough is buttery and delicious.  Remember to use fresh seasonal fruit and chill the dough thoroughly.  This recipe comes from Frank Stitt's book, Southern Table. The only thing I changed was exchanging the all purpose flour for the King Arthur's Whole Wheat White Flour.  This not only make this dessert healthier for you I think it gives the crust a nuttier flavor.

Summer Peach Crostata:
Pre-Heat Oven:  450 degrees
Serves:  6

Crust:
2 cup King Arthur's Whole Wheat White Flour
1/4 cup sugar or organic cane sugar
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 1/4 sticks cold butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 cup ice water

In a bowl, combine the flour, salt, and sugar and mix together.  Cut the cold butter into small pieces. Using a pastry knife cut the butter into the flour mixture until it looks like small pea size pieces.  Add the cold water and mix the dough until it comes together(I ended up needing about an additional 1/4 cup cold water to make this dough come together).  Place the dough ball in plastic wrap and allow to cool in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Cutting The Flour And Butter With The Pastry Knife

Filling:
1/4 cup King Arthur's Whole Wheat White Flour
1/4 cup sugar or organic cane sugar
4 tablespoons cold butter
2 pounds ripe peaches, pitted, peeled and sliced into 3/4" thick wedges
1 large egg yolk, beaten with 1 teaspoon cream for egg wash
1 tablespoon coarse sugar for topping

1.  In a large bowl, mix the flour and sugar together.  Then add the cold butter pieces to the flour mixture.  Using a pastry knife cut the butter into the flour until you have small pea like pieces.  Add the peach wedges and mix together.

Summer Peaches

Mixing The Summer Peaches With Flour And Butter Mixture

2.  Cut the cold dough in half (save the other half for another crostata).  Roll out 1 dough ball with a rolling pin between two pieces of parchment paper until it reaches 13" across.  Peel off one piece of the parchment paper throw it away.  Place the remaining parchment paper down on a cookie sheet with the dough facing up.
3.  Place the peaches in the middle of the dough.  Making 4 pleats in the dough bring the dough up and over and sealing the dough so no peaches or juice can run out.

Pleating The Crust And Brushing The Dough With Egg Wash

4. Brush the dough with the egg wash and then sprinkle with sugar
5.  Bake at 450 degrees for 25 minutes or until browned all over. Allow the crostata to cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Summer Peach Crostata