If you have ever tried to clean them afterwards you know that it’s super hard to get them smelling fresh again.

Here is a great way to get them clean.

Run them under some cold water and rub your hands with something made out of stainless steel.

Viola, fresh as a daisy.

They even make soap shaped stainless steel these days!

Hmmm, maybe a good Valentine’s gift for the cook in your life?

Just saying…

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By Melissa d’Arabian with some Fitz tweaks by me

Serves: 6   Prep Time: 45 minutes  Cook time:  1 hour 10 minutes

6 strips bacon

1 medium onion, chopped  

3 sprigs fresh thyme

1 cup heavy cream

2 Pie Crusts, recipe follows

3 medium baking potatoes, peeled

S&P

1 cup grated Gruyere cheese

1 egg yolk, whisked with a splash of water

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until just crispy. Drain on paper towel lined plate and set aside. Crumble the bacon when cool to the touch.  Saute chopped onion in reserved bacon drippings over medium low heat until soft, 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the thyme and cream over low heat to a bare simmer. Turn off the heat and let steep for about 5 minutes. Remove the thyme sprigs.

Remove the pie pan from the refrigerator. Slice the potatoes in half lengthwise and then finely slice the potatoes. Arrange the potato slices in the pie crust, stopping to season each layer with salt, pepper, and some  of your cheese and crumbled bacon. Continue layering until the pie pan is nearly full. Top with a layer of the cheese and gently pour cream around and over the entire pie, allowing it to seep down between the potato slices.

Roll out the remaining disk of refrigerated dough. Cover the pie with the dough and crimp the edges closed. Brush the top and edges of the crust with egg wash. Make a few slits in the center of the top crust, for the steam to escape, and put the pie pan on a baking sheet. Bake the torte until the crust is browned and crispy and the potatoes are cooked through, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. If the crust edges get too brown, cover them with some strips of aluminum foil. Remove the pie from the oven and let rest at least 15 minutes.  Serve with a side salad.

Pie Crust:

1 cup butter (2 sticks), cubed and chilled

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

8 to 10 tablespoons ice water

Put the butter, flour, and salt in the food processor, and pulse lightly just until the mixture resembles wet sand. Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing briefly after each spoonful of water. Keep adding water until the dough just begins to gather into larger clumps. Transfer equal amounts of the dough into 2 resealable plastic bags and pat each into a disk. Let rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Remove 1 of the disks from the bag to a flour coated surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to a 10-inch round. Gently fit the rolled dough into a 9-inch pie pan, and refrigerate while you prepare the torte ingredients.

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1 T olive oil

2 large zucchini sliced thin

1/2 onion sliced thin

2 garlic cloves, chopped fine

1 t crushed red pepper flakes

5 large basil leaves chopped

10 mint leaves chopped fine

S&P

In a large skillet heat olive oil over medium high heat.  When warm add zucchini.   Toss to coat and sprinkle with S&P.  Toss in onions and mix again.  Season with red pepper and garlic.  Cook until veggies begin to soften, about 5-7 minutes.  Toss in your fresh herbs and allow to cook for an additional minute or so.  Serve and enjoy!!!

Two side notes today.  I may be slower than usual returning comments today.  I’m off to see a first cut of our pilot episode of Ma, What’s For Dinner.  Keep your fingers crossed it’s fantastic.

Secondly I’d like to say a huge welcome to all our new followers.  I’m so glad you’re all here!

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• Sauteed Spaghetti Squash with herbs
• Summertime Pasta
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Welcome to our kitchen! If you’re here from Follow Me Back Tuesday please come in, take a look around, leave us a comment so we know you were here! Ok, now back to our show…

I don’t know why I equate italian sausages with summer but, well, I do.  It makes me think of firing up the grill, or going to a ball game, or hitting the food stands at the town fair.  I love me some sausage, so does the fam, but sometimes I need to find a different way of making it then the good ol’ grilled standby.

Enter the Summertime Pasta.  It’s a one dish meal and it’s so so good.  I just threw a whole bunch of stuff in the fridge into the pan and viola, a delicious dinner is on the table.  Enjoy.

1 lb penne pasta

1 T olive oil

1 lb bulk italian turkey sausage (hot or mild)

2 cloves garlic chopped

1 onion sliced thin

8 0z mushrooms, sliced

1/2 T red pepper flakes

1 t dried oregano

2-3 T dry vermouth (or you could use white wine)

1 cup chicken stock

S&P

parmesan cheese

1 bunch baby arugula

Set a large pot of water on to boil for your pasta.  When it’s hot season the water with salt, add pasta and cook until al dente.

In a large pot heat your olive oil over medium high heat.  Crumble in your sausage and cook until well browned.  Once browned (about 8 minutes or so) add in your onions, mushrooms, and zucchini.  Allow veggies to soften a bit, about 5 minutes then add in your garlic and cook for an additional minutes.  Season with red pepper flakes, oregano, and S&P.  Deglaze with vermouth and allow to cook out for a minute or so.  Add in your chicken stock and bring down the heat and allow to simmer while your pasta finishes cooking.

Drain your pasta and add to the sausage sauce.  Mix well and then serve on a small plate.  Top with arugula and shaved parmesan cheese then sprinkle with a bit of extra virgin olive oil.  Mmmm good!

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There are opposite sides taken in the battle of the burger wars.  It’s sort of like Color War Week at camp.  There are those who believe you should only gussy up what goes on top of the burger, and those who believe you should work on the actual burger itself.  I’m sort of split.  So for this one, I did both.  I dress up the burger’s interior and toss some good stuff on top.  I like it when the burger is flavored through and through, but then I felt like it looked a little naked there on the bun so I felt bad for him and slapped on some grilled onions and mushrooms….the choice is yours, but what makes this a cowboy burger is what is on the inside.  Take a looksie…

2 lbs ground beef, 85/15

4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 jalapeno, seeded and diced

1/4 large red onion diced

2 T worcestshire sauce

1 clove garlic finely chopped

1 big T montreal steak seasoning

1/4 cup beer

3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Combine all your ingredients into a large bowl.  Toss to combine with your hands just enough to incorporate all the burgers.  Form patties, I usually get about 6 big burgers.  Sprinkle with some olive oil and grill to desired doneness.  We like ‘em medium-rare to medium.  The nice thing about these burgers is that the all the ingredients help to keep them nice and moist so even if you leave them on the grill a little longer they are still nice and juicy!  We just had friends over to BBQ, uh in the rain mind you, and they said these were the best grilled burgers they’d ever had.  Yes they are!  Giddy up, Cowboys!

Welcome to all the Tuesday Tag Alongs. I can’t wait to come back and visit your sites. I love making new bloggie pals.

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Serves: 6-8                        Prep time: 10 minutes                        Cook time: 30 minutes

1 lb  ground beef

3/4 bulk italian sausage

1 c  mushrooms, sliced

1 small onion, chopped

1 t  dried oregano

2 cloves  garlic, chopped

S&P

1 28 oz can  chopped tomatoes

1 8 0z can  tomato sauce

1 ½ c  shredded mozzarella cheese

1 tube  refrigerated pizza dough

1 8 oz container fresh mozzarella cheese

In a large skillet brown ground beef and sausage over medium high heat.  Once browned add in mushrooms, onions, and garlic.  Season with oregano and S&P and stir to combine.  Cook for 5 minutes or until veggie start to soften.  Stir in tomato sauce.   Bring to a boil, then turn down to a low simmer.  Cover and let cook for 10 minutes on low heat.

Pour meat mixture into a 13×9 baking dish.  Top with shredded cheese.  Open up pizza dough tube, unroll and top cheese with it.  Bake for 15-17 minutes.  Top with dollops of fresh mozzarella and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.  Serve with a side salad and your kids will stand on their heads for this one time and time again.

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Serves: 6 Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 45 minutes

1 lb. elbow macaroni
3 T butter, divided
2 T all purpose flour
½ t dry mustard
3 cups whole milk
1 t fresh grated nutmeg
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese cut in large cubes

1/2 lb. kielbasa cubed

1/2 lb. bacon chopped

1/2 large white onion chopped

½ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ cup panko bread crumbs
S&P

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Set a large pot of water over high heat to boil. In a large saucepan melt 2 T butter over medium high heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk, and bring to a gentle boil, stirring constantly. Once the milk has thickened add in mustard and nutmeg, and season with S&P. Reduce to medium low heat and melt in shredded cheese. Allow to cook on low for a few minutes.

When water is boiling season water with salt and add pasta. Note package cooking time and reduce by 2 minutes, the macaroni will continue cooking in the oven later. Once pasta is cooked, drain and return to pot.

In a separate sauce pan heat bacon over medium high heat.  Once bacon is crispy removed with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate and allow to cool.  In the bacon drippings saute chopped onions.  Once the onions are soft, combine with parmesan cheese and bread crumbs, turn off heat and set aside.

Pour cheese sauce over pasta in pot. Mix well. Add in chopped kielbasa and cubed cheese.  Transfer to a greased 13×9 baking dish and top with bacon, onion, and bread crumb mixture. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes.

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Pat & Gina Neely’s Get Your Man Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 chicken thighs, skinless
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoons pepper
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes in thick puree
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 tablespoon dried rosemary
• 1 tablespoon lemon-pepper
• Hot buttered rice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions

Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.

Pat chicken dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken, meat-side down first, and turning once, about 4 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate to reserve.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of oil from the pan.

Add onion to the pan and saute until tender, roughly 3 minutes. Add the stock and wine and stir, scrapping any brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Turn heat to high and reduce by half, about 3 minutes. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and add the dried herbs and lemon pepper. Add the chicken thighs back into the pan.Cover and cook on medium-low heat for 40 minutes.

Remove chicken from liquid and serve on hot buttered rice. Ladle the sauce on top and garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

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Serves: 6  Prep Time:  1 hour  Cook Time: 20 minutes

8 bacon strips, diced

1 cup onion, chopped

1 16 ounce can sauerkraut, rinsed and drained well

1/2 pound kielbasa, roughly chopped

2 T brown sugar

1/2 t salt

1/2 t pepper

1/4 t caraway seeds

1 16 ounce package hot roll mix

2 eggs, divided

1 cup hot water

2 T butter, softened

poppy seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large skillet heat your bacon over medium high heat until crisp.  Remove with slotted spoon to a paper towel.  Set aside.  Add onion to the bacon drippings and cook until soft, about 6-7 minutes.  Stir in sauerkraut, kielbasa, brown sugar, garlic salt, caraway seeds, and S&P.  Cook and stir for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.

While that is cooling, get started on your rolls.  In a bowl, combine contents of hot roll mix.  Stir in one egg, water, and butter to form a soft dough.  Turn out onto a floured surface.  Knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.  Cover dough with a large bowl and let it rest for 5 more minutes.

Divide dough into 16 equal pieces.  On a floured surface, roll out each piece into a 4 inch circle.  Top each circle with 1/4 cup filling.  Fold dough, forming a ball; pinch edges to seal.  place seam side down on a greased baking sheet.  Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place for 15 minutes.  

Beat remaining egg.  Brush over bundles and sprinkle with poppy seeds, salt, and garlic powder.  Bake at 350 degrees for 17-20 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve with soup or salad.  YUMMMMMMMY!!!!

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Fitzpatrick’s St. Patrick’s Day Feast

Serves: 6 Prep Time: 10 minutes  Cook Time: 8 hours

1 3-4 pound corned beef brisket (with seasoning packet)

1 lb potato cut into bite sized pieces

1 bag baby carrots

2 onions quartere

2 garlic cloves

1 can beef broth

3 T apple cider vinegar

2 T brown sugar

2 T soy sauce

2 garlic cloves minced

S&P

1 head cabbage cut into 6 wedges

Toss potatoes, carrots, onions, and 2 whole garlic cloves into the bottom of a slow cooker.  In a large measuring cup combine beef broth, spice packet from the corned beef brisket, cider vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, minced garlic, S&P and stir to combine.

Place the brisket, fat side up) on top of vegetables in slow cooker.  Lay wedges of cabbage around brisket.  Pour beef broth mixture over corned beef and cabbage.  Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

Remove corned beef from slow cooker and slice thin on an angle.  Serve with yummy veggies or alongside the Potatoes Fitzpatrick…

Potatoes Fitzpatrick

3/4 pound boiled potatoes, sliced

1 head cabbage sliced

1 medium onion sliced

2 cloves garlic mined

1 T olive oil

2 T butter, divided

S&P

1 T apple cider vinegar

In a large skillet heat olive oil and butter over medium high heat.  Add in onions, season with S&P and allow to cook until soft, about 5-6 minutes.  Toss in your cabbage and garlic and cook until cabbage wilts down, another 6-7 minutes.  Remove from pan.

Toss in another tablespoon of butter and lay in your potatoes in an even layer along the bottom of pan, don’t touch them, let them crisp up a bit.  Once they’ve browned add the cabbage and onion back in and stir to combine.  Let the mixture brown a bit more then deglaze with cider vinegar and season with S&P to taste.  Delish!!!  This ain’t your nana’s cabbage!

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