Columbian Guacamole

(Columbian Guacamole on right)

Inspiration:
Bon Appétit

Ingredients:

• 1 large ripe avocado (12 to 13 ounces), peeled, pitted, coarsely chopped
• 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped green onion or sweet onion (such as Maui or Vidalia)
• 2 tablespoons chopped serrano chiles with seeds
• 1/4 cup (or more) water
• 2 1/2 tablespoons (or more) fresh lime juice
• Coarse kosher salt

Instructions:

1. Combine avocado, cilantro, green onion, and serrano chiles in processor. Puree until smooth. Add 1/4 cup water and 2 1/2 tablespoons lime juice and process to blend. Add more water by tablespoonfuls as needed and blend until thick but pourable sauce forms.
2. Transfer to small bowl; season to taste with coarse salt and pepper and more lime juice, if desired. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover and chill.
   
   

Notes: I omitted the water and thought the sauce was the right consistency. I will be making this again soon-- as a sauce for fajitas! Don't skimp on the salt.


Tim's Rating: 9/10
Liz's Rating: 9.5/10

Aji Sauce

Inspiration:
Bon Appétit


Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped seeded jalapeño chiles (about 4 large)
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped green onions (about 2 large)
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped sweet onion (such as Maui or Vidalia)
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons (or more) red wine vinegar or fresh lime juice
• 3/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Combine jalapeño chiles, green onions, sweet onion, and cilantro in processor; puree until paste forms, scraping down sides of bowl with rubber spatula several times. Add 2 tablespoons vinegar and blend until mixture is pourable but some texture still remains.
   
2. Transfer to small bowl. Stir in 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and more vinegar to taste, if desired.
3. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

Notes:
This sauce tasted really spicy alone, but it was a delicious accompaniment to grilled meat. Will definitely make again.


Tim's Rating: 9/10
Liz's Rating: 9/10

Lemon-Shallot Vinaigrette

Inspiration:
Food & Wine

Ingredients:

• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons minced shallots
• 1 1/4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 1/4 teaspoons white wine vinegar
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions:

1. In a blender, combine the lemon zest and juice, shallots, mustard, vinegar and garlic and puree until smooth. With the machine on, slowly add the olive oil until emulsified. Pour the vinaigrette into a bowl and season with salt and pepper.
   

Recipe Notes: This vinaigrette is also great drizzled over grilled fish, chicken or vegetables.

Notes: I will be making this again and again. I can't wait to try it with cooked veggies, chicken or fish.

Tim's Rating: 9.5/10
Liz's Rating: 10/10
Brother-in-law Chris: "This tastes like it came from a restaurant!"

Easy Eggs Benedict

Inspiration:
This post on Weezer Monkey's blog had me craving Eggs Benedict. But it was freezing outside! I didn't want to leave the house. What's a cook to do? I dug through my refrigerator and pantry, headed to allrecipes.com, and I found that I was able to whip them up at home.

Blender Hollandaise Sauce

Enjoy!

Tim's Rating: 9/10
Liz's Rating: 9.5/10

Spicy Garlic Wings with Blue Cheese Dip

Inspiration:
My love for Buffalo Wild Wings' Spicy Garlic Wings
This sauce recipe
These wing and blue cheese recipes


Spicy Garlic Wing Sauce:
Makes 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Frank's cayenne pepper
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons water
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients except egg yolk, water, and cornstarch for sauce of your choice in a small saucepan. Heat sauce over medium heat until boiling, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and allow it to cool, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
2. While sauce cools, vigorously whisk egg yolk with 2 teaspoons water in a medium bowl for about 2 minutes or color is pale yellow. Whisk in cornstarch until dissolved.
   
3. Drizzle sauce mixture into egg yolk mixture in a steady stream while rapidly whisking. This will create a thick, creamy emulsion that will prevent oil from separating.
   
4. Cover sauce and chill until needed.

_______________
Baked Buffalo Wings:

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs chicken wings (about 12 wings)

Instructions:

1. Cut off wing tips (discard or reserve for other use such as making stock). Cut wings at the joint. Put chicken wing pieces in a plastic bag. Set aside.
2. Pour all but 2 tablespoons of the sauce over the chicken pieces in the plastic bag. (Reserve sauce for coating after the pieces come out of the oven.) Seal bag and let marinate at room temperature for half an hour. When marinating is finished, drain marinade and discard bag.
3. Place wing pieces on the rack of a broiler pan. Broil 4 to 5 inches from the heat for about 10 minutes on each side, until chicken is tender and no longer pink. Remove from oven and baste with reserved marinade.
   

___________

Blue Cheese Dip:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sour cream
  
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
  
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  
• 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar or white vinegar
  
• 1 clove garlic, minced

Instructions:

1. Combine dip ingredients - sour cream, mayonnaise, blue cheese, vinegar, and garlic - in a blender or food processor. Blend or pulse until smooth. Cover and chill up to a week.
2. Serve with wings and celery sticks.
   

Notes: I was not impressed with the baked buffalo wings. The skin was not crispy. Since I don't want to buy a deep fryer, I probably won't make wings again at home. The wing sauce was delicious, and I will definitely try it with another recipe in the future. The blue cheese dip was so good-- would be a delicious salad dressing too.

Tim's Ratings: Wing Sauce: 9/10; Wings: 7/10; Blue Cheese Dip: 9/10
Liz's Ratings: Wing Sauce: 9.5/10; Wings: 6/10; Blue Cheese Dip: 10/10
Mom's Rating: Blue Cheese Dip: 10/10

Prosciutto and Arugula Pizza

Inspiration:
A recipe in the Top Chef Cookbook (from Frank, season 2), modified to include arugula.

Ingredients:

Pizza Sauce:

• 1 T extra-virgin olive oil
  
• 1/2 yellow or white onion, minced
  
• 1 garlic clove, minced
  
• 1 15-oz. can tomato puree
  
• 1 T tomato paste
  
• 1/4 cup red wine
  
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh oregano
  
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh basil
  
• 1 teaspoon sugar, or to taste
  
• salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Crust and Toppings:

• 4 whole wheat pita bread rounds
  
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  
• salt and freshly-ground black pepper
  
• 12 oz. fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
  
• 8 slices prosciutto, torn into pieces
  
• 1 bunch arugula, washed, stemmed, and torn into pieces
  
• Balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, kosher salt, and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
  

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F.


2. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until soft, about 1 minute. Add the tomato puree, tomato paste, wine, oregano, basil, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, cover, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes for the flavors to blend, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool slightly.


3. Drizzle the pitas with the oil and season with salt and pepper.


4. Spread the sauce over the pitas, then top with the cheese.


5. Place the pizzas on a baking sheet, transfer to the oven, and bake until the cheese is melted and the crust is crisp, about 20 minutes.
   


6. Meanwhile, toss prosciutto and arugula with a little olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.


7. Remove from the oven and scatter the prosciutto and arugula mixture on top. Cut each pizza into 4 slices and serve immediately.

Notes: The sauce is delicious. The pitas were crispy. I will be using and continuing to modify this recipe in the future!

Suggested beverage: red wine

Liz's Rating: 10/10 for the sauce and toppings, 8/10 for the pita crust.
Tim's Rating (he had a pepperoni version): 8.5/10 (When he was done eating: "I'm sad it's over.")

Salisbury Steak with Carmelized Onion Sauce

Inspiration:
Ally's Blog

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
• 1 large onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 Tbs. fresh chopped parsley
• 1 1/2 Tbs. fresh thyme or 1 tsp. dried (divided)
• 1 tsp. coriander
• 1 1/2 tsp. dried marjoram (divided)
• 2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 c. bread crumbs
• 2 eggs
• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 2 Tbs. flour
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 2 c. beef stock or broth
• Salt and Pepper (to your taste)

Instructions:

1. Put ground beef in a bowl and add garlic powder, parsley, coriander, marjoram, thyme, slat and pepper and bread crumbs.
   
2. Break eggs in another small bowl and whisk, add to beef mixture.
   
3. Cut onion in half and process one half in a food processor until very fine.
   
4. Add to onion to beef mixture and mix everything together until smooth. Shape into oval patties about 1-1 1/2 thick.
5. Heat a large heavy skillet over med. high heat and add olive oil. Sear patties on each side about 2-3 minutes per side, or until a brown crust forms.
   
6. While the patties are cooking slice the remaining onion and mince the garlic.
   
7. Remove patties from pan, add 2 Tbs. of butter, 1/2 tsp. thyme, 1/2 tsp. marjoram, salt, pepper and onions. Cook onions for about 5-8 minutes, or until caramelized. Add garlic and cook a minute more. Add flour to the onions and stir until smooth. De glaze the pan with the wine and cook until liquid is absorbed. Add beef broth and bring contents of the skillet to a simmer.
   
8. Put the beef patties back in pan and simmer for 15 minutes. (if gravy isn't thick enough add some corn starch to water and make a slurry, pour in skillet and stir)
   
9. Serve over mashed potatoes, barley, rice, egg noodles etc.

Liz's Rating: 9/10
Tim's Rating: 8/10

Hot-Sweet-Tangy Dipping Sauce

Inspiration:
Hung, the winner of Top Chef, featured in Food and Wine Magazine.

Ingredients:

• Juice of 2 limes
• 2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
• 2 Thai chiles, minced
• 2 tablespoons sugar
  

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, stir the lime juice with the fish sauce, chiles and sugar until the sugar is dissolved.

Liz's Rating: 10/10
Tim's Rating: 10/10

Scallion Dipping Sauce

Inspiration:
A Cooks Illustrated recipe, featured on Bridget's blog

Makes ¾ cup.
The sauce can be refrigerated overnight.

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons mirin
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon chili oil (optional)
• ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 medium scallion , white and green parts, minced

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in bowl and serve.

Tim's Rating: 9/10
Liz's Rating: 9/10