Naples Daily News 7/5/16

The fabulous article the Naples Daily News wrote about me in the paper yesterday…and my favorite poem from the 6^th grade.  They go hand in hand, and both appear below for you.

As always:  excited, surprised, and grateful

xoxo, Christine

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http://www.naplesnews.com/lifestyle/neapolitan/swfl-food-blogger-draws-100k-visitors-with-recipes-35dfe1a8-98ed-79df-e053-0100007ffe8d-385573171.html

IT COULDN’T BE DONE

By E.A. Guest

Somebody said that it couldn’t be done

      But he with a chuckle replied

That “maybe it couldn’t,” but he would be one

      Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried.

So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin

      On his face. If he worried he hid it.

He started to sing as he tackled the thing

      That couldn’t be done, and he did it!

Somebody scoffed: “Oh, you’ll never do that;

      At least no one ever has done it;”

But he took off his coat and he took off his hat

      And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.

With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,

      Without any doubting or quiddit,

He started to sing as he tackled the thing

      That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,

      There are thousands to prophesy failure,

There are thousands to point out to you one by one,

      The dangers that wait to assail you.

But just buckle in with a bit of a grin,

      Just take off your coat and go to it;

Just start in to sing as you tackle the thing

     That “cannot be done,” and you’ll do it.

Chili Cheese Fries 2.0: sweet potato fries, black bean chili, and cheddar jack cheese

They’re chili cheese fries…but not.

Crispy, spicy sweet potato fries topped with hot black bean chili, cheddar jack cheese, green onions, chopped cilantro, and cool sour cream.

CHILI CHEESE FRIES 2.0 is what these are, and you’ll be so glad you tried them :)

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(WHAT YOU WILL NEED)

1 15.5 ounce can black beans, drained (but not rinsed)

1 19 ounce bag sweet potato fries

2 cloves garlic, chopped

green onions, chopped

sour cream

1 bunch cilantro

red wine vinegar

1 lime

shredded cheddar & monterey jack cheeses

hot sauce (I use Crystal)

cajun seasoning (I use Tony Chacheri's)

garlic powder/salt/pepper

Start the black beans:

After you drain your beans, pour into pan.  There should still be a little bit of liquid clinging to them.  Add chopped garlic, 2 shakes (of the bottle) red wine vinegar, a few shakes hot sauce, juice of half a lime, a little garlic powder, and salt/pepper to taste.  Set on back burner and simmer on low with the cover on--keep checking though, you don't want them to get too mushy.

In the meantime, cook fries according to package directions.  After approx 6-8 minutes in the oven, sprinkle liberally with cajun seasoning.  Cook until crispy.

While all is cooking, chop as many green onions and as much cilantro as you want.  Shred cheese.

Just before fries are done, squeeze juice of the other half of lime in beans, stir, and turn off heat.

Now get 2 cold Corona's out of the refrigerator for you and your friend, plate fries and eat:

Place fries on a plate, top with black bean chili, sprinkle cheese over, top with green onions and cilantro, add more cheese, and a spoonful of sour cream.  Salt and pepper over all to taste and dig in!

Spicy Chicken and Sausage Stew

When my father died unexpectedly in 2012, my neighbor Ruth called and said " I'm bringing over dinner!"  The day is a blur to me now: a whirlwind of phone calls, texts, condolences, and tears, and this meal was much appreciated. It was also delicious.

My kids loved it and wanted it again, but I never did ask her how to make it.  Luckily, of the few things I do remember from that day, this meal is one of them, and this is my version.  We have it at least once a month.

The goodness of this recipe is that it makes as much as you want.  If you like sausage better than chicken, just use more sausage.  Easy.  It's also a one-pot meal, AND you take it to the table in the same pan you cooked it in.  Even easier.  And it's good with wine.  Bingo.

Plan on at least one chicken breast, two sausage links, and one potato per person..but if you wanna eat more...and you will...go ahead, no one's looking.  Swear :)

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(serves 4)

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 hot Italian sausage links
1  32-ounce can diced tomatoes (do not drain)
4 russet potatoes, peeled and cut in 4's
1 bag frozen whole green beans (though I only use half the bag)
splash of red wine
1 cup chicken broth
salt/pepper
Italian Seasoning
garlic powder
1 loaf crusty bread
olive oil
Dutch oven (such as Le Creuset).  It needs to be stovetop and oven safe.

Prepare meat:
Cut chicken breasts in half across and season one side with salt/pepper/garlic powder.
Cut sausages in half across

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Drizzle a little olive oil in pan and brown chicken in batches.  Turning and seasoning the other side.  Remove to platter and set aside.

Brown sausages very lightly in batches, adding a little water to the bottom of your pan if needed so it doesn't dry up.  While simmering, add tomatoes with juices, a splash of red wine for good luck, and the potatoes.  Season the top of all this with more salt/pepper/garlic powder.  Add the green beans (do they have to be frozen, you ask?  YES, because as they cook they add a little water to the sauce). Add chicken back to pan with juices from the platter.  Pour chicken broth over all, and place in oven.

ready for oven

Cook uncovered for one hour at 400 degrees.

out of the oven...mmmmmm....

Serve with crusty bread to soak up all the spicy, tomatoey goodness of the broth

Serve in large pasta bowls

Marinated Flank Steak with Grilled Tri-Color Peppers

This is a great lunch for a relaxing Saturday by the pool or a light dinner on Sunday night before you start the week.  Though you have to begin marinating the steak ahead of time, the whole meal is grilled, so it comes together quickly and easily.  I like an ice cold white wine with this or even one of the drier roses that are so popular right now, both are perfect for spring and summer entertaining.  Oh...and don't forget to kiss the cook :)

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WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

(SERVES 4)

1 large flank steak or london broil

soy sauce

Bottled Italian salad dressing (I use Wishbone)

8 Bell peppers (use different colors--red, orange, yellow)

Fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated on the large holes of a box grater

salt/pepper

olive oil

large ziploc bag

For the dressing:

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup salad dressing

mix together, for 3/4 cup marinade.

Pour over meat in ziplock bag and refrigerate 4-5 hours or even overnight

Prepare Peppers:

take out seeds and core, and cut in large slices so they don't fall through the grate on the grill.  Toss slices in olive oil, and salt and pepper.

Grill meat to your liking (I like mine medium rare), discard marinade.  Set meat aside (covered) so it can rest and grill your peppers til charred and softened a little.  Remove and sprinkle with freshly grated cheese. 

Slice meat on the diagonal and serve all while hot.

Springtime Brunch: Avocado Toast with Cheesy Eggs & Grilled Ham

Sunday is the first day of Spring:  warmer weather, balmy breezes, longer days, blooming flowers...it's all right around the corner.  Celebrate it by making brunch for someone special.

This menu is so easy because you can prepare your avocados, grill the bread and ham at the same time, and while all that's resting you can quickly scramble the eggs.  Cheesy, buttery, smoky goodness is what you have right there!

So open a bottle of Prosecco and make some grapefruit mimosas, grab your phone and set the Sonos to Pandora's Brunch Café Radio, and settle in for a long leisurely afternoon of good food, intimate conversation, laughter, and love.  Welcome, Spring...I thought you'd never get here :)

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WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
(serves 2)

mimosas:
fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
prosecco

avocado toast:
1 loaf of your favorite multi-grain bread, thickly sliced
2 Haas avocados
red pepper flakes
olive oil
1 lemon
sea salt/fresh cracked pepper
I garlic cloved, peeled, the side cut off to expose the garlic

cheesy eggs:
6 eggs
a little milk to scramble the eggs
sharp white cheddar cheese, grated

1 ham steak (mine is Kentucky smoked ham)


First, make mimosas for yourselves.  We're not savages...no need to cook without a cocktail

Next, prepare avocados:
slice and spoon avocados into a bowl, squeeze the juice of half a lemon over them.  Smash, but leave chunky for texture.  Add salt and pepper.  Mix carefully.  Cover with saran wrap touching the top of the avocados to keep the air out and prevent them from turning brown.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

grill ham and bread at the same time:
Drizzle olive oil over bread (I use 2 pieces of bread per person)  and grill with ham steak, long enough to char the bread and heat ham all the way through.  Remove from grill.  Take garlic clove and rub cut side over slices of grilled bread.  Set aside.

Make scrambled cheese eggs--use your favorite recipe.

When eggs are done, assemble toast:
Remove avocados from refrigerator and spread on garlicky toast.  Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle red pepper flakes over the top, add more salt and pepper to taste, if needed.

If you haven't already, make more mimosas, set the table, and enjoy your day--

Fresh Blackfin Tuna Salad with Crackers

I love tuna salad.  Love it.  But my friend who's an offshore fisherman always laughs at me because I make it from the tuna that comes in a can.  Like...where else would you get it??  He says you can make it with fresh fish and I didn't believe him because the fresh tuna I'm picturing comes covered in sesame seeds, is served with wasabi and a tasty soy ginger dipping sauce, and you eat it with chopsticks.  "No" he says, "that's Sashimi grade tuna".  Well then what the hell are you talking about??

Blackfin Tuna.  Caught fresh (his in the waters off the Florida Keys), grilled and cooled, then flaked with a fork, and made into tuna salad.   All in under an hour.  The freshest, most delicious tuna salad on earth, NOT packed in water and NOT in an aluminum can.  Swear to God.  Try it.  Try it now.  Today.  Right now.  Go ahead.  You know you wanna...  :)

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WHAT TO BUY:

I was given 2 types of fish:  tuna and swordfish, so I grilled them both and used them.  But if you just want to use tuna, only buy that.  How much you buy is up to you, it depends on the amount of tuna salad you're making.

You can also use your own ingredients, whatever your usual recipe is.  This is mine:

lemon
red wine vinegar
grape tomatoes, halved
green onions, chopped
mayonnaise (I use Hellmann's)
salt/cracked pepper
cajun seasoning
olive oil
crackers (I use Triscuit's)

Rub fish lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Grill fish.  They're steaky fishes, so grill until firm and cooked all the way through (this is NOT the time for rare tuna, it should be grayish white inside).

Remove from grill and cool to room temperature. 

Seasoned and grilled tuna and swordfish

Flake with a fork (In the picture above, I used the piece of tuna in the middle and the 2 little pieces of swordfish on the top right).

flaked

Add tomatoes, green onions, cajun seasoning, and cracked pepper.

Add mayonnaise, lemon juice, and a few sprinkles of red wine vinegar.

Mix all together.

Cool in refrigerator and serve with crackers

Loaded Nachos

I made these nachos last week and they were so good, I was telling my friend about them.  How I grated two kinds of cheese, chopped fresh jalapenos, made chili to pour on top...SO GOOD.

He listened patiently and when I was done he said "that sounds good, Christine, but those aren't nachos."  When I asked him what ...exactly... he thought nachos were, he said "round salty chips with orange cheese sauce on the side."  AHAHAHAHAHA... "and lemme guess--you've had these mostly at sporting events, right? and sometimes there's pickled jalapeno peppers on top?"  His face lit up--"YES!!"

These are HOMEMADE nachos, piled with fresh toppings and baked in the oven.  And perfect for Superbowl Sunday.  You can make one pan of double-decker nachos (which is what I did here), or two single-layer pans.  Grab an ice-cold Corona with extra salt and lime and pick a seat in front of the tv...you've got a long night of football, Coldplay, and commercials ahead of you and this is the perfect way to kick it off (that's right, pun intended)   :)

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WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

Note:  you need to make "quick chili" before you assemble the nachos.  Not a delicious pot of chili that cooks all day, but the kind you make when you want chili dogs or nachos and there isn't any chili! lol...now there will be.  It takes approx. 45 minutes from start to finish. 

1 can dark red kidney beans

1 pound ground chuck

1 can diced tomatoes

1 chili seasoning packet (I used McCormack's)

chili powder

ground cumin

water

1 large bag restaurant-style tortilla chips

1 block cheddar cheese, grated

1 block Monterey jack cheese, grated

1 or 2 fresh jalapeno peppers, diced (seeds removed)

1 container sliced black olives, drained

sour cream (optional)

First make chili:

brown beef in large deep skillet, drain.  Add seasoning packet and mix throughout meat.  You will not have enough time to make the seasoning packet take on it's full flavor, so add additional chili powder and cumin if desired.  I do--a few shakes of each.  Add water (approx 1 1/2-2 cups), stir.  Add tomatoes and their juice.  Stir all and simmer approx 35-40 minutes, stirring and tasting as you go.   After almost 45 minutes total, it should be done.  Remember, it's called "quick chili" for a reason!

chili is ready...

Now assemble nachos:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Place nachos on cookie sheet.  Drizzle chili over.  Sprinkle jalapeno peppers and black olives over.  Top with 2 cheeses.  If you're making double-decker nachos, repeat layer.  Otherwise, you will have enough for another pan.

assembled and ready for the oven

Bake in oven until chips are crispy and cheese is melted.  Keep an eye on them.  Take out and spoon some more hot chili over the top.  Serve immediately.

mmmmm...up close and personal with the nachos