Rosemary Soft Pretzels (Compliments of Food Porn Daily by Amanda Simpson)

Ingredients:
Dry Active Yeast – 1 packet
Granulated Sugar – 1 Tsp.
Warm water (105 degrees) – 1 1/4 Cup
Flour – 3 1/4 Cups
Kosher Salt – 1 Tbs.
Powdered Sugar – 1/2 Cup
Water – 5 Cups
Baking Soda – 1 Cup
Fresh Rosemary (minced) – 1-2 Tbs
Coarse Sea Salt – 1-2 Tbs
Melted Butter, for brushing

Step one:
* Add yeast and sugar to warm water, stir and set aside for 5 mins.

Step two:
* Add flour, salt and powdered sugar to large mixing bowl.
* Add yeast water to dry ingredients and stir.
* Using mixer with dough hook, knead 5-7 mins.

Step three:
* Oil another large mixing bowl.
* Transfer dough to oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm, draft free spot.
* Let dough rise for 1 hour until double in size.

Step four:
* While dough is rising, pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.
* Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
* In a 9×13 baking dish, whisk together 5 cups water and 1 cup baking soda for dipping.

Step five:
* Once dough rises, divide into 8 even pieces.
* Roll out 1 piece into a 3-foot rope (twist rope by swinging it into a jump-rope fashion). Make into pretzel shape, pinching together where the ends intersect the dough.
* Gently submerge the pretzel into the baking soda mixture.
* Place dipped pretzel onto cookie sheet making sure the holes are as wide as possible.
* Repeat the process 3 more times to complete the cookie sheet.
* Sprinkle pretzels with minced rosemary and sea salt

Step six:
* Bake at 425 until golden brown – approx 8-10 mins. rotating the pan halfway through for even baking.
* Remove from oven, brush with melted butter and let cool.
* Repeat the process for the remaining sheet.

Joining us to talk sauce is Rob Woods from Picky Vicki, ‘if you’re serious about sauce’ at pickyvicki.com.

Brush the winter dust off the patio grill and tune in to get the season started!

Swordfish Kebabs

Ingredients:
Swordfish cut into 1 1/2 cubes – 1-2 lbs.
Red bell pepper – 1
Yellow bell pepper – 1
Red onion – 1
zucchini – 2
Mushrooms – 1 pack
10-12″ wood skewers
S&P to taste
Olive oil

Step one:
* Preheat grill to high
* Soak skewers in water (5-10 mins)
* Remove seeds from peppers, cut veggies into 1″ pieces

Step two:
* Assemble kebabs alternating fish and vegetables on the skewers
* Brush assembled kebabs with olive oil and season with salt and pepper

Step three:
* Grill the kebabs until the fish is cooked through and the vegetables are lightly browned (approx 8-10 mins).

Enjoy!

Thai Chicken Endives

Ingredients:
Belgian Endive – 2 stalks
Shallot – 1
Cilantro – 4 sprigs
Limes – 2
Goat cheese – 2-3 oz.
Ground Chicken – 1/2 lb.
Peanuts w Sea Salt – 1/4 cup
Chicken Broth – 1/2 cup

Step one:
* Mince shallot
* Chop peanuts
* Remove cilantro leaves from stems and coarsely chop.

Step two:
* Preheat olive oil in a medium pan.
* Add shallot and chicken and cook over medium heat for approx 10 minutes.
* Add equal parts of lime juice and chicken broth (approx. 3 TBS)
* Saute for a bit longer until chicken has turned white (approx. 3 mins).
* Remove from heat, leave ingredients in the pan to cool.

Step three:
* Spread endive leaves in a circular pattern around the plate.
* Add approximately 2 tablespoons of chicken to each leaf.
* Add crumbled goat cheese on top of each leaf.
* Sprinkle with chopped peanuts.
* Top with chopped cilantro and serve.

Irish Nachos (but of course)

Ingredients:
Sm Red Potatoes – 2 lbs.
Bacon – 1/2 lb
Cheddar Cheese – 1 1/2 cup shredded
Sliced jalapenos – As many as you can handle Tomatoes – 2 Sour Cream – 1/2 cup Tomatillo Salsa – 1/2 cup (Green for the occasion) Olive oil – 1-2 TBS S&P – To taste

Step one:
* Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
* Slice potatoes 1/4 thick.
* In a med skillet, cook bacon and drain on paper towels.
* In a large mixing bowl, toss sliced potatoes with oil and salt until evenly coated.
* Spread potatoes on cookie sheets (single layer)

Step two:
* Place cookie sheets of potatoes in oven and cook for approx. 20 mins until the edges are crispy.
* While potatoes are roasting, chop tomatoes.

Step three:
* Place potato slices on plates.
* Crumble bacon and spread over potatoes.
* Spread cheese on top of bacon.

Step four:
* Place plates in broiler for a couple of mins to melt the cheese.
* Top with tomatoes, jalapenos and dollop of sour cream.
* Serve with tomatillo salsa.

Crawfish Etouffee

Ingredients:
Butter – 1/2 cup
Flour – 1/4 cup
Onion – 2 chopped
Bell Pepper – 1 chopped
Celery – 3-4 stalks chopped
Garlic – 2 tsp. minced
Basil – 1 tsp
S & P – to taste
Cayenne – 1/4 tsp
Tabasco sauce – 1 tsp
Chicken stock – 1 1/2 cups
Crawfish – 1 lb tails peeled
Green onion – 1/2 cup

Step one:
- In a large heavy bottomed pot over medium heat, melt butter, add the flour and whisk to make a roux (whisk until tan).
- Add onion, celery, bell pepper. Cook until soft (approx, 3-4 mins).
- Add garlic, basil, S&P, cayenne, and cook for 1-2 mins.

Step two:
- Add Tabasco sauce and stock, stir well and bring to a gentle boil.
- Add crawfish, green onions. Simmer for an additional 5 mins.

Serve over steamed rice

We are joined by Martin James from Slide Ridge, http://www.slideridge.com/discussing Honey Wine Vinegar and the added pop it can provide as a nice ‘flavoring agent’ to go with your sauces and stews.

Light up the fire, download a classic movie and curl up on the couch with a couple of these recipes.

Red Bean Curry Soup

Ingredients:
Red Beans – 4 Cups (Cooked/drained)
Onion – 1 medium
Carrots – 2
Garlic – 2-3 cloves
Vegetable Broth – 4 cups
Curry – 1 Tsp
Olive oil – 1-2 Tbs
S&P – to taste
Cilantro – 1/4 cup chopped for garnish

Step one:
- Chop onion, carrots, garlic
- Heat olive oil in sauce pan
- Saute vegetables until soft

Step two:
- Add beans, broth and simmer for 20 mins
- Add curry, S&P to taste

Step three:
- Using an immersion blender, puree soup
- Serve adding fresh cilantro as garnish

Valentine’s is a night that you need to get it right. We stepped it up with some elegant ideas that she is bound to enjoy. So tune in and enjoy the fun.

The Chocolate Soufle

Ingredients:
Butter (unsalted) – 4 TBS (Or substitute Olive Oil) Eggs – 2 Sugar – 4 TBS Bittersweet Chocolate – 4 oz.
Flour – 2 1/2 TBS
Vanilla Ice Cream – 2 Scoops

Step one:
- Preheat oven to 400
- Put chocolate and butter in a double boiler over low heat and stir until chocolate is melted

Step two:
- In a small bowl mix sugar and flour
- In a separate medium bowl whisk eggs, then whisk in flour and sugar

Step three:
- Whisk in chocolate into egg mixture

Step four:
- Scrape mixture into two 1 cup ramekins and bake for approximately 15 mins until edges are firm and center is still soft

Step five:
- Add scoop of vanilla ice cream to center and serve.

To kick this off into the right direction, Gary DuQuette from Lucille’s Bloody Mary Mix, lucillesbloodymarymix.com, joins us to discuss the classic cocktail and see the many other uses this flavor adds to your cooking.

Together, we strip down Seared Scallops, Tenderloin Canapes, Oyster Shooters, Raviolis and more. It’s Valentine’s. We are stripping down the food in hopes that some other stripping will follow. Tune in!

Tenderloin Canapes

Ingredients:
* Filet Mignon – 1 lb
* Chives – 12 strands
* Sourdough Baguette – 1
* Sour Cream – 1/2 cup
* Horseradish – 1/4 cup

Step one:
* Preheat oven to 350
* Slice filet and baguette in 1/4″ slices
* Lightly salt filet slices
* In a small bowl mix horse and sour cream

Step two:
* Toast baguette slices in oven (approx 10 mins)
* Heat tsp of oil in pan
* Brown filets on each side (approx 30 seconds per side)

Step three:
* Spread horseradish sauce on the bread
* Add slice of filet, top with chives and serve

Homemade Mayonnaise:

Ingredients -
- 1 Tbs chopped shallot or onion
- 1 garlic clove chopped
- 1 Tbs lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 pinch of cayenne
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 egg
- 3 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup olive oil

Step one -
- In a food processor, blend all of the ingredients except the olive oil.

Step two -
- With the blender running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until mixed thoroughly. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

French Dip Lamb

Ingredients -
- Whole lamb leg
- Fresh rolls
- Swiss cheese
- Hot mustard
- Beef stock (1 qt)

Step one -
- Preheat oven to 275 degrees
- Place lamb leg in broiling pan and cover with aluminum foil
- Roast until done, approximately 2 1/2 to 3 hours

Step two -
- Remove drippings from roasting pan, skimming off the grease, and put in a med sauce pan
- Add beef stock and bring to a boil
- Transfer to flat bowl for dipping

Step three -
- Slice lamb crosswise from leg
- Add desired portion to roll
- Add slice of cheese and mustard to taste
- Dip top half of roll in sauce and enjoy

4th and Goal Short Ribs

Ingredients:
? Short Ribs – 10 lbs.
? Chicken broth – 3 cups
? Onion – 1 ½
? Flour – ½ cup
? Olive Oil – 3 Tbs
? Salt n Pepper To taste

Step one:
? Flour, salt and pepper ribs on all sides

Step two:
? Chop onion in approximately ½? squares
? Preheat 1 tablespoon of oil in large pan
? Add onions and cook over medium heat for approximately 5 minutes and
remove from heat

Step three:
? Preheat 1 tablespoon of oil in a separate pan
? Brown ribs on all sides

Step four:
? Once ribs are all brown, place in deep pot
? Add sautéed onions and chicken broth
? Cover and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for approximately
2 ½ hours or until ribs are tender
? Stir and move the ribs around periodically in order for them to cook evenly

Step five:
? Serve ribs on a platter
? Blend the remaining mixture and use as a sauc

A couple of recipes from the show -

Kale Chips

Ingredients:
Kale – 1 bunch
Olive oil – 1 tsp
Salt – 1 tsp

Step one:
- Preheat oven to 425.
- Tear kale leaves from stem into chip size pieces and pat dry.

Step two:
- Place kale pieces in mixing bowl. Sprinkle oil and salt and thoroughly mix so all the leaves are evenly coated.
- Place leaves evenly on cookie sheets.

Step three:
- Bake kale in oven until crisp (approximately 8-10 mins).
- Gently shake cookie sheet midway through bake so the leaves are not sticking to the sheet.

Serve in a bowl

Pigskin Spedinis

Ingredients:
Top Sirloin Steak – 2 lbs
Fresh grated Parmesan Cheese – 4 oz.
Horseradish – 4 oz.
Wooden skewers – 24-30

Step one:
- Slice top sirloin lengthwise in very thin strips (approx 1/8″ thick)

Step two:
- Rub horseradish on both sides of strips.
- Sprinkle parmesan cheese on both sides.
- Slide skewer through strips so that the meat will hold while grilling.

Step three:
- Grill over medium heat (1-2 mins each side)

Serve