Zach made these Teriyaki BBQ Wings with a Dill Gorgonzola Dipping Sauce for the super bowl and they were amazing, awesome, and incredibly edible!

Teriyaki BBQ Wings Recipe —>

Ingredients

1 (20 ounce) bottle Kikkoman Takumi Teriyaki, Triple Ginger (we bought this at Whole Foods)

1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup honey

3 dashes liquid smoke flavoring

1 1/2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

6 cloves crushed garlic

5-8 habanero peppers, seeded and minced (we used 5 and it wasn’t too spicy for me)

3 tablespoons finely grated raw horseradish

18 chicken wings, separated at joints, tips discarded

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan mix together teriyaki sauce, Worcestershire, honey, liquid smoke, ginger, garlic, habanero peppers, and horseradish. Simmer 1 hour over low heat, stirring occasionally.

2. Place chicken wings in a large bowl, and coat with 3/4 of the sauce. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.

3. Preheat grill for low heat.

4. Lightly oil grate. Discard marinade, and place the chicken onto the hot grill. Cook over low heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour, turning occasionally, until juices run clear and chicken is cooked through. Then right before the chicken is done, brush on more sauce/marinade.

Gorgonzola Dill Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:

2 1/2 ounces crumbled Gorgonzola or blue cheese

3 tablespoons buttermilk

3 tablespoons sour cream

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 teaspoons white wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2-3/4 tsp dried dill

Directions

1. In a small bowl, mash blue cheese and buttermilk together with a fork. Stir in sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, and garlic powder until well mixed.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

We are on a winter soup kick and we’ve made this soup twice during the week which means we like it and it’s easy.  The pickles give it a salty flavor and a nice crunch.  I made the ingredient sizes large enough to have leftovers for work the next day.

Cheeseburger Soup Recipe >

• 1.5 lb. ground beef
• 1 1/2 cups diced onion
• 1 1/4 cups chopped celery
• 3/4 cup chopped carrots
• 1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 1/2 tsp dried basil (or Italian Seasoning)
• 1/3 cup flour
• 2 1/4 cups milk
• 4 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 3 cups diced russet potatoes
• 3 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• Salt & Pepper
• Ketchup, Yellow Mustard, Chopped Dill Pickles

Saute ground beef in stock pot over medium heat until browned.  Stir in onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and basil and cook 5 minutes.

Add the flour, stirring to coat the meat and cook for 1 minute.  Next stir in the milk and mix until smooth. Bring to boil and cook for 2 minutes.  Add the broth and potatoes.  Cover and cook until potatoes are soft/cooked.

Just before serving stir in the shredded cheese until it melts.  Season with salt and pepper.  Garnish each soup serving with ketchup, mustard, and chopped dill or hamburger dill pickles.

I am lazy enough to not cancel a magazine subscription that I didn’t even order.   This month I was glad that I didn’t cancel it because I found this recipe in a Glamour Magazine of all places.  The recipe is from New York City’s Butter Lane Bakery.

On Serious Eats they describe the difference between two different icing types that they use @ Butter Lane Bakery. They make an American icing version and a French version.  This recipe is the Americano! What do you think?

Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting Recipe!

Cupcakes:

1 ½ cups sugar

1 stick butter, softened

2 large eggs

1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose flour

¼ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

1 cup buttermilk

1 ¼ cups banana, mashed

Preheat the oven to 350F.  In a mixer combine the sugar and softened butter.  Add the eggs, vanilla, and mix well.  Now combine all of the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, and salt into a bowel.  Then add the dry ingredients to the sugar and butter mixture and then add the buttermilk and mix 2 minutes more.  Put cupcake liners into the muffin tins.  Fold in the mashed banana to the batter and then fill the tins to 2/3’s full.  Bake for 25 minutes.

Peanut Butter Frosting:

2 cups powdered sugar

1 stick softened butter, unsalted

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup peanut butter (the light colored creamy version is best)

3 tbsp milk

Blend these ingredients together in a mixer.  I used the “natural” peanut butter but it looked really dark in color and I think a jiffy version smooth peanut butter would have a much nicer cupcake color.

I have craved this meal ever since living with Israelis.  I searched the internet for the potato dumpling recipe but couldn’t seem to find it because I couldn’t remember the exact name of the dish.  Then I finally found a Polish Potato Dumplings recipe and a Czech version, pretty soon this one popped up and it was right on!

To Recipes >

Chicken Schnitzel

• 4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, pounded
• 1/2 cup all-purpose white flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup bread crumbs (we used German Breadcrumbs from Esther’s German Bakery in Los Altos, CA & Mt. View, CA)
• Paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper and parsley to taste
• lemon
• oil for frying

Place the chicken breasts between wax paper and pound the chicken to ¼” thick on a cutting board with a meat tenderizer.  Coat the chicken breasts in the flour. Then dip them in the egg mixture and coat with breadcrumbs.  Heat oil over medium high heat until hot.  Then add the breaded chicken breasts and coat one side with garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper and parsley.  Fry each side of the chicken breast until golden brown about 2-3 minutes per side.  Cut it open to make sure it is cooked through.  Squeeze some lemon on top and serve!

Potato Dumplings

• 2 cups potatoes, cooked, cooled, mashed or riced
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup flour
• butter
• bread crumbs

Combine cooked, mashed, cooled potatoes with eggs.  Add the flour and continue to mix. Keep adding additional flour to get dough stiff and thick enough to roll into 1” balls (you must flour your hands for this part).  Boil water.  Add the balls to the boiling water and boil until the dumplings float about 8-12 minutes.  Taste the dumplings to make sure they are cooked all of the way through and then heat butter in a skillet. Add the dumplings and sprinkle bread crumbs on top.  Once fried to a golden brown transfer the balls to a paper towel lined plate and let cool a bit.

Serve the potato dumplings with ketchup and the chicken schnitzel.  Israeli salad is also a nice addition to the meal!

This is another family recipe and it wasn’t Sunday morning if our mom didn’t make these.

In my mind, there are two kinds of great waffles:

-Crispy, Golden Brown: Thinner Waffles, w/ a crunch & smaller grid

OR

-Bigger Belgian Waffles: Taste-Packed, more Cakey w/ bigger grid (This recipe!)

Buttermilk Waffles Recipe

1 cup Flour

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

2 cups buttermilk

1 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

Mix together flour, oats, cornmeal, and baking powder in large bowl.  Ad remaining ingredients and blend well. Let batter stand 15 minutes before baking.  (Spray waffle iron w/ spray oil)  Preheat waffle iron.  Pour batter to cover 2/3 of grid and bake until steam has stopped escaping the iron and waffles are golden brown, 3-4 minutes.

Enjoy with breakfast sausage!

Cheese & Sausage Grits w/ Green Chiles

This is a family recipe that we love. If you have had plain and bland grits this recipe will make you love grits. This is a rockin’ recipe folks and serve it with hot sauce on the side!

Recipe>

Ingredients:

1 lb. sausage, browned

Tabasco or hot sauce, to taste

1/3 clove garlic, minced well

1/8 tsp pepper

1 Cup grits, regular OR 1 Cup Instant + 2 Cups Water

4 Cups water

1 Cup grated extra sharp cheddar (4 oz.)

1/4 Cup butter, melted

2 large eggs, well beaten

1- 8 oz. can mild green chiles, seeded & chopped

Brown sausage and drain. Add Tabasco sauce, garlic and pepper to sausage. Set aside. Cook grits as on container. Mix all ingredients together, stirring well. Pour into greased 9×13 baking dish. Bake uncovered at 350F for 1 hour.

10 servings

Risotto & Strip Steak

with Olives, Parsley, Pine Nuts, Lemon Peel, & Parmesan

Serves 4

My mom found this recipe in “The New Steak Cookbook” by Cree Lefavour and made it for us over break.  It was quite elegant and bold in both appearance and flavor.

Recipe …>

Steak & Topping

4 Strip Steaks

1 tsp salt

1 clove garlic, peeled and halved

Olive Oil for rubbing

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted and salted

1/2 tsp whole fennel seeds, toasted & ground

1-2 tbsp peanut oil for frying

2 tbsp chopped parsley

1 tbsp chopped oregano

1 lemon, zested

1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted & coarsely chopped

1/2 cup Paremigiano-Reggiano

Fresh black pepper & salt

1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions:

Grill or pan-fry (peanut oil) the steaks to medium. Place cooked steaks and risotto on plates. Top with rest of ingredients.

Lemon Risotto

1 cup Arborio Rice

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1/3 tsp salt

2-3 cups chicken stock at room temperature

1/2 lemon zest

1 tbsp freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

2 tbsp olive oil

Ground black pepper

In heavy pot cook the rice and butter. Stir constantly for 2-3 minutes until it gets toasty. Add the 1 cup of the chicken broth scraping the bottom of the pot as you stir.  Reduce the heat to low and allow the stock to thicken. Add 1/2 cup stock when the liquid starts to get absorbed. Keep adding up to 2 cups until it is absorbed.

Avoid overcooking the rice and taste to make sure it still has its structure but is soft enough. Now add the lemon zest. Then add the cheese and finish with olive oil. Put black pepper on top just before serving.

Home Cookin’ for Xmas – New England Style +  Some Family Traditions

• Lobster is one of my favorite foods. I have to eat lobster every time we go to Maine. Eating it at home is as good as eating it at restaurant if not better!

It is currently very affordable because of the overabundance of lobster due to the overfishing of its predators.

Pull out your Joy of Cooking and boil those “lobsta’s.”  Serve with melted butter.

Click for “How to prepare lobster”.

• Gjetost Cheese Spread

Gjetost is a cheese that is a combination of goat and cow’s milk. Our family heats the Gjetost very slowly in a pot until the water has evaporated and the milk sugar forms a kind of brown caramelized paste. Then milk or cream is added to change the fat content of the finished product which looks like peanut butter that you can spread on crackers. This is a family tradition to make Gjetost around xmas time passed on by Swedish relatives from Minnesota.

• Peanut Butter Fudge from Kellie’s Belly

Tasty recipes we either prepared or had prepared for us for xmas:

• Lobster Fra Diavolo + Shrimp & Scallops

(Seafood Fra Diavolo) from Kellie’s Belly! Kellie made this for us for dinner in Maine. It was delicious.  It had a marinara and marsala taste to it because of the Chianti. Even if you don’t think you like seafood, this dish was not seafoody in a bad way at all.

(Serves 6)

• 3-4 tbs olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp basil
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (or more if you like spice)
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• 24 oz jar of good quality marinara sauce
• 2 lobsters, cooked and picked
• 1 lb shrimp, cleaned
• 1 lb sea scallops
• 2 packages fresh pasta
• fresh grated parmesan
• 1/2 c. dry red wine (chianti works well)

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large pan, and saute garlic 2-3 minutes over medium-high heat.  Add all herbs and spices and saute another minute before adding the scallops and shrimp.  Cook the scallops and shrimp just until they turn opaque, then add the lobster, cooking 1 more minute.  Add the marinara sauce and bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low.  Meanwhile, be sure the pasta water is ready.  Add the red wine to the seafood mixture in the pan and prepare the pasta.  Serve with parmesan cheese.

• Simple Spiced Chai Tea Pudding Recipe

This was a great dessert by Kellie’s Belly. My mom always says that when you are entertaining, you can’t make a lot of complicated dishes because it just won’t all get done in time.   So this is a perfect entertaining dessert to make ahead.

• Poached Pears with Raspberry Sauce Recipe

This is an elegant and fairly simple dessert by our mother. You can use a variety of fillings such as cinnamon syrup or cinnamon ice cream.

Xmas Eve Dinner

• Best Leg of Lamb Recipe: + Roasted Vegetables

This recipe was an experiment as we had never made leg of lamb before.  It turned out to be pretty simple and tasted great.  Make sure you don’t overcook it – rare @ 135-140F is good. Serve it with Mango Chutney, Mint Jelly, and Roasted Veggies.

Another great recipe from Kellie’s Belly!  This fudge melts in your mouth.  Fudge is not one of my favorite things but this fudge is wonderful.

Peanut Butter Fudge

2 c. sugar

1/2 c. whole milk

1/4 stick butter

pinch of salt

3/4 c. peanut butter

3/4 c. marshmallow fluff

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1.  Stir together the sugar, milk, butter and salt.  Heat over med-high and bring to a boil.  Boil 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2.  Remove from heat and immediately stir in vanilla, fluff, and peanut butter.  A wooden spoon is recommended…

3.  Pour into buttered glass 8×8 pan and allow to cool at least 1 hour before cutting into squares.

*Optional:  While the fudge is still hot, sprinkle shredded dark chocolate or chocolate chips on the surface.

Our friend Kellie from Maine of www.kelliesbelly.com told us about this great recipe. She says “the cookies are soft, fluffy, and delicate. The icing really helps the eggnog flavor stand out, so don t omit the icing if you try this recipe!”

Easy Egg Nog Cookie

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter or margarine (softened)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup Garelick Farms Egg Nog
• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Icing:

• 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
• 3 tablespoons egg nog
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheets. Cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Stir in the egg and egg nog. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto the cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until golden. Allow cookies to cool completely.

To prepare icing, put the confectioners sugar and nutmeg into a small bowl. Stir in the remaining egg nog one tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached. Spread onto cooled cookies. Decorate with sprinkles or colored sugar, if desired.

Yields 72 cookies.