Cranberry-Lime Pie

YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!

Crust:
4 oz. gingersnap cookies (about 16)
1 cup pecans
4 T. unsalted Kerrygold* butter, melted
3 T. light brown sugar

Filling and Assembly:
1 12 oz. package fresh (or frozen and thawed) cranberries, plus 4 houses (about 1&1/2 cups) for serving
2&1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided (I use Sugar in the Raw - turbinado*), divided
3 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 t. finely grated lemon zest
2 t. finely grated lime zest, divided
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
Pinch of kosher salt
3/4 cup (1&1/2 sticks unsalted Kerrygold* butter, room temp., cut into pieces
Whipped cream, for serving

Crust: Preheat oven to 350. Pulse cookies in a food processor until very finely ground (you should have about 1 cup). Add pecans; pulse until finely ground. Add butter and brown sugar; pulse to combine. Transfer to a deep 9" pie dish. Using a measuring cup, pres firmly onto bottom and up sides of dish. Bake until firm and slightly darkened in color, 10-15 min. If crust slides down, gently press back up. Let cool.

Filing and Assembly: Bring 12 oz. cranberries, 1 cup of sugar, and 1/4 cup water to a boil in a large saucepan over med.-high. Reduce heat; simmer until cranberries burst and most of the liquid evaporates, 12-15 min. Let cool. Puree in a blender until very smooth. Cook puree, eggs, egg yolks, lemon zest, lime juice, salt, and 1 t. lime zest in a heatproof  bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (bowl should not touch water), stirring with a rubber spatula and scraping down sides of bowl often, until curd thickens and coats spatula, 8-10 min. Let cool until just warm. Using an electric mixer on med.-high, beat curd, adding butter a piece at a time and incorporating after each addition, until curd looks lighter in color and texture, about 5 min. Scrape into crust and chill until firm, about 2 hours. Bring 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup water to a simmer in a small saucepan over med. heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add remaining 4 oz. cranberries and cook until barely starting to soften, about 1 min. Using a slotted spoon, transfer cranberries to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Chill until no longer sticky, 20-30 min. Toss remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1 t. lime zest in a small bowl. Toss cranberries in lime sugar. Top pie with cranberries; serve with whipped cream.

Do ahead: Pie (without topping) can be made 2 days ahead. Cover once filling if firm and keep chilled. Let sit at room temp 2 hours before serving.

"The Spirit has a song for those who listen."

May God Bless Your Day, as You bless someone else's who NEEDS you - and don't forget to have some FUN!!!!!!

Love,

MM

Pulled Pork with Grilled Beer Cheese Sammies

Hoooooooooooo Boy Howdy!! I want one of these right now!!!!!!
(makes 4 sandwiches)

3 T. Kerrygold* butter, divided
2 T. all-purpose flour
2/3 cup beer
1/3 cup whole* milk
6 oz. grated white cheddar cheese
8 slices whole-grain bread
1 lb. pulled pork

Melt 2 T. of the butter in a small pan over med. heat. Add flour and whisk for 1-2 min. until golden. Add beer and milk, whisking well to combine. Reduce heat to low and add cheese, stirring until melted and smooth. Keep over low heat and stir occasionally while assembling sammies. Melt the remaining 1 T. butter in another skillet and place 4 of the slices of bread on it (you may have to do this in batches). Portion out the pork equally over the slices and spoon cheese sauce over each one. Top with the remaining slices of bread. When the bottom slice is golden brown, flip and cook until the new bottom is golden and crispy.

"Water a dream with hope, and it will blossom."

I wish you all Love and Laughter today, But most of all JOY!!

Machete Milletti aka Chef Deb

Tomato and Basil Halibut

Tis the SEASON for Halibut. YAY!!! Be aware, Dear Readers, that there is a time factor for the tomatoes - to take into account for this recipe. Bon Appetit!!
(serves 2)

4 firm* plum (roma) tomatoes, quartered
1/4 cup plus 2 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 sprigs thyme, leaves picked (I prefer lemon or lime thyme from my farm*)
3 cups fresh basil, loosely packed
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 t. honey
2 t. veg. oil
2 T. unsalted Kerrygold* butter
2 6 oz. halibut fillets
Lemon crowns* for garnish

To prepare the tomatoes: preheat the oven to 215. Place the tomatoes, skin side down, on a rimmed* baking sheet and drizzle with 2 T. olive oil. Sprinkle with 1/2 t. salt., 1/2 t. pepper, and thyme, and bake for 2-3 hours until the tomato juices have mostly evaporated. Set aside.
To make the sauce: combine basil leaves, 1/4 cup olive oil, and 1 t. salt in a food processor and blend until smooth. Mix in yogurt and honey. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Heat veg. oil and butter in a nonstick pan over med.-high heat. Season halibut on both sides with S&P. When the oil is hot, cook fillets for 4-5 min. on each side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from heat and let rest for 2 min. Serve the halibut with the reserved tomatoes, a drizzle of olive oil, and a dollop of the yogurt/basil sauce. Garnish the plates with the lemon crowns.

"Give yourself an energy boost: Think Positively!"

Love,

MM

Fluffy Cauliflower Rice

Ya know, people do not have ambivalent feelings about cauliflower, hate or love. I LOVE it!!

1 small cauliflower head, cut into 1" florets
2 Tb. coconut oil
1 small sweet* onion, finely diced
1 t. Kosher salt
1 t. freshly ground black pepper
Juice of a lemon
1 T. fresh flat-leaf* parsley

Place cauliflower florets in a food processor with a chopping blade. Pulse until cauliflower resembles rice grains. Heat oil in a large skillet over med.-high heat. When oil is hot add onions and stir to coat. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are golden brown. Add cauliflower, S&P. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until cauliflower is softened for about 5 min. Add lemon juice. Spoon into a large bowl, and garnish with parsley.

"You can be HAPPY for no reason at all!"

Happy Friday, Friends!!

Love,

Machete Milletti aka Chef Deb

Lime, Avocado, and Chicken Soup

This is one where those title words caught my foodie eye!! The jalapenos spice it up, just the way I like it. Hope you will, too!! If jalapenos scare you, (and do wear gloves when slicing), just make sure to remove all the seeds and membranes, or use a milder pepper.
(serves 4)

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (I would use chicken thighs*)
1 T. extra* virgin* olive oil
1 large sweet onion, chopped, divided
3 limes, juiced
1 cup chopped cilantro, divided
2 jalapeno peppers, halved and thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups water
2 T. reduced-sodium chicken bouillon powder
3 large firm-ripe avocados, cut into chunks
1/4 cup crumbled queso fresco, or to taste
Warm tortilla chips (I would use lime multi-grain*)
Sour cream, creme fraiche, or plain Greek yogurt*, if desired

Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add chicken; boil until an instant read thermometer inserted into the center reads at least 165, about 7 mins. Drain. Run cool water over chicken to speed cooling process. Shred or finely slice chicken. Heat olive oil in a large pot over med. heat. Add 1/2 of the onion, lime juice, 1/2 cup cilantro, jalapenos peppers, and garlic, and cook until onion is slightly greenish in color, about 5 min. Combine 4 cups water and bouillon powder in a small bowl. Pour into the pot. Let cook until just heated through, about 5 min. Stir chicken into the pot. Ladle soup into 4 bowls. Top with the remaining onion, cilantro, avocado, and queso fresco. Top with a dollop of the dairy choices, if desired, and serve with the tortilla chips. YUMOLA!!!

"Your life is what you pay attention to."

Love,

MM

Greek Bulgar Salad

Whole Grains - what's in a name? Any grain can be turned sweet or savory!! This salad recipe using super-quick bulgar is a bowl of goodness, and make sure not to skimp on the fresh herbs - they really make the salad pop. It's lovely with grilled chicken, fish or tofu.
(makes about 8 cups)

1 cup bulgar wheat
2 cups water
1 med. zucchini (about 12 oz.), cut into small-to-med. dice
6 scallions, white and light green parts sliced (I encourage you to grow your own!*)
1 15 oz. can white beans, rinsed well* and drained
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup EACH fresh mint and flat-leaf parsley (again, start an herb farm - it is so much fun to harvest*)
     chopped or hand torn*
1/4 cup fresh oregano, chopped
Zest of one small or 1/2 large, lemon (always wash your fruit*)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 T. EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
1/2 t. coarse* kosher* salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a med. bowl, combine the bulgur with 2 cups water that have been brought to a boil.. Stir briefly, then cover (with a lid or a clean kitchen towel), and soak for about 25 min., until tender but still a bit chewy. Drain any excess water, and fluff with a fork. While bulgur is soaking, prep the rest of the ingredients. Once the bulgar has cooled slightly (to closer to room temp.), add the next 5 ingredients (zucchini through feta), and gently toss to combine.Sprinkle the herbs and lemon zest over the salad, and gently toss again. Whisk the lemon juice, olive oil,, S&P in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, and pour over salad. Toss to combine. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt, pepper, or lemon juice if desired.

"Not all rewards are immediate or visible."

Love,

Machete Milletti aka Chef Deb

Boudreaux's Zydeco Stop Gumbo

Happy "Fat Tuesday"!!!! I saw this one on-line, and wanted to share. Here is the quote from Lupe: " Dis is da toe curlin Texicajun hybrid of a classic (Mardi Gras) dish. This will put a smile on everyone's face that's eatin it. Throw on some Zydeco music, and serve on a bed of rice with corn bread, and a cold beer. Whew doggie....be thankful to be alive and toast all us Texicajuns!!" To any new readers to my blog, WELCOME! When you see that I have used an asterisk* - it denotes changes I would make to the original recipe, or suggestions....................

1 T. EVOO* (extra virgin olive oil), plus 1 cup - divided
1 cup skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (I would use thighs*), chopped
1/2 lb. pork sausage links, thinly sliced (to turn up the heat, use "spicy"*)
1 cup all-purpose flour (to make this Gluten-free - use potato* or rice flour*)
2 T. minced garlic
3 qts. low sodium* chicken broth, or chicken bone broth*
1 (12 oz.) can or bottle beer
6 stalks celery, diced
4 roma (plum) tomatoes- firm*, diced
1 sweet onion, sliced
1 (10 oz.) can diced tomatoes with green chiles, with liquid
2 T. chopped fresh red chile peppers (wear gloves*)
1 bunch fresh flat-leaf* parsley, chopped
1/4 cup Cajun seasoning
1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined

Heat 1 T. oil in a med. skillet over med. high heat, and cook chicken until no longer pink and juices run clear. Stir in sausage, and cook until evenly browned. Drain chicken and sausage, and set aside. In a large heavy saucepan over med. heat, blend the cup of olive oil and flour to create a roux. Stir constantly until browned and bubbly. Mix in garlic, and cook about 1 min. Gradually stir in chicken broth and beer into roux. Bring to a boil, and mix in celery, tomatoes, sweet onion, tomatoes and chiles, red chiles, parsley, and Cajun seasoning. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer about 40 min. stirring often. Mix chicken, sausage, and shrimp into the broth mixture. Cook, stirring frequently, about 20 min.

"Laissez les bon temps rouler" ~ Let the good times roll!!

Love,

Machete Milletti (aka Chef Deb)