Homemade Everything Bagel Seasoning

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Do you ever look into your spice cabinet or drawer and wonder what you will do with all of the spices and seeds you don't use as much as the others? I do, and my homemade blend of Everything Bagel Seasoning is one of my recipes that solves that dilemma.  Using the spices and seeds you have on hand will save money, as you won't have to buy that unique jar of seasoning blend.

As many of you may know, this seasoning is not just for bagels. It can be used in a wide range of foods. Sprinkle it on salads, avocado toast, roasted vegetables (like Roasted Broccoli), Deviled Eggs, hummus, popcorn and Easier French Fries.  Use it as a crust for meats like beef or chicken. Season homemade breads, like Pretzel Buns, No-Knead Country Bread, or the obvious Homemade Bagels. The seasoning possibilities are endless!

I use a combination of toasted and white (raw) sesame seeds. I like the nutty flavor and texture the toasted sesame seeds add. You can use all toasted or all white. Adjust according to your taste. This recipe makes about 3/4 cup of seasoning, enough to fill two 2-ounce jars or simply store it in an airtight container. Double or triple the batch and give the seasoning as a gift to friends and family. Store the seasoning in a cool, dark space out of direct sunlight and away from any heat source to extend the shelf life to 12 months.  Enjoy!

Homemade Garlic Butter Mini Naan

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Soft, puffy and blistered with goodness is my version of butter garlic Naan. What do you serve this delightful Indian flatbread with? There are countless recipes, but stay tuned for a souper super easy recipe that will have you wiping your bowl clean with this Naan!

Sunday Dinner

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 Bruschetta with Artichoke Hearts, Parmesan and Basil

Sautéed Veal Chops with Radicchio

Whipped Potatoes 

Cannoli Cake

Bruschetta.  What started as a piece of bread soaked in the first harvest of olive oil is now a food group on its own.  From veggies, meats, cheeses, fruit, herbs, etc...the toppings and pairings are endless. They are served at any time of day and for any occasion.

I really wanted to change the name of the recipe to Artichoke Hearts, Parmesan, and Basil Spread because that is essentially what it is.  You can serve it as a topping for bruschetta, as an accompaniment to an antipasto platter, a spread for a sandwich or panini and even toss it with pasta.  Its versatility is endless as well.  I might even put some in the mashed potatoes I am serving tonight!  

I will leave the details of preparing the bread for this bruschetta recipe up to you because everyone's preferences are different.  You can serve the bread toasted or not toasted, broiled or grilled.  And then, there is the option to rub one side of the bread with a clove of garlic.  See where I am going with this? That might have to be a blog post all on its own. So once again, "Make it for you. Make it your own". Happy Sunday!

Sunday Dinner

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Salmon Rilletes

Rosemary Crackers

Roasted Boneless Leg of Lamb

Flageolets in Thyme Jus

Bibb Salad Salad with House Vinaigrette

Lemon Custards

Gingersnaps

Remember when I was I was sharing my chicken stock recipe? I referred to it as a 2 for 1 special. Well, here is another 2 for 1 deal.  I also refer to this as a building block or culinary platform because it can be used in multiple ways.

Confit is anything that is suspended in oil or sugar for a lengthy amount of time. Both solids and liquid can be used in many recipes. Tonight, I used the garlic confit and oil as part as the marinade for the lamb and I used the whole garlic confit cloves when finishing the flageolets.  The garlic can also be spread on toast and used in baking bread.  It is really good when added to a shellfish broth as well. The oil is well, garlic oil. I could spend a lot of time talking about the uses of garlic oil.

The original (ok that made me laugh out loud🧛; garlic and original- cue the CW series) recipe called for canola oil, but I prefer Safflower oil.  It is a neutral oil with added health benefits like vitamin E. The recipe also calls for copious amount of garlic cloves. You can either take the time to peel them or you can take a short cut and use peeled garlic cloves from the store if available (I use Christopher Ranch). 

Upon looking at my written recipe you might ask, What is a diffuser?? To put it simply, mine is a black thingy that you put over your stove burner to "diffuse" the heat. I use mine all the time (it actually has a permanent home on the top left burner) even if I am keeping water warm for tea. Your stove is different than mine so it might look a little different, but the garlic confit will be on point.

Happy Sunday!

Roast Chicken

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Do you have a New Year resolution? I don't normally take part in this cultural practice, but this year I have one or two for TGG.  

The first one is something that I have been wanting to change for quite sometime (almost 11 years to be exact).  September 19, 2010 was my first post published (you can read it HERE).  I was new to the blogging world, new to writing and completely new to photography, but I was most certainly not new to my passion for the culinary arts.  For that post, I wanted to share our/my most beloved recipe; a simple roast chicken.  I don't think I have made anything more in my kitchen than a roast chicken.  As you know, it has been featured on my Sunday dinner menus countless times, but I make it more often during the week with a simple salad or to use in another recipe.

What is my resolution, you ask? I am finally getting around to updating the photo.  I was so proud of the original at the time, but now it just makes me cringe! To be honest, it is still hard to take a picture of a roast chicken. I will not take down that original post because it has a lot of meaning to me and I think it is important to have it as a reminder as to how far I have come along behind the lens, even though I will continue to learn about everything I am passionate about.

As far as the recipe, I have not changed a thing.  This is the one.  But, having said that, feel free to change or omit the garlic and herb at the end.  Maybe you want just chicken with salt and pepper.  Maybe you want to try a different dried spice blend.  As I always say- Make it for you, make it your own. Making those changes will only affect the flavor profile of the final product.  It is the method that is the key to the perfect roast chicken. Here's to more good recipes to share in 2022! 

P.S. Once you carve and pick off all of that beautiful meat, DO NOT toss out the carcass! I'll show you what to do with it.

Sunday Dinner take III

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Spuma di Tonno

Spinach and Sausage Lasagne

Radicchio and Parsley Salad with Anchovy Dressing

Baci and Espresso

Remember that lasagne dinner that I was in the mood for a couple of weeks ago?  Well it was on for the menu last Sunday and yesterday as well, but then the doggie oh-nos struck! 

First, Miss Hazel ran into something, ate something, or was bitten by something in the backyard last Sunday. She came to me that morning and her face was blown up like a ballon and she had hives all over her nose.  Five dogs, all of the same lineage, and only this one had an allergic or toxic reaction to something in our back yard. Needless to say, after a  looooong week of cleaning up and a few dollars short in my wallet from vet bills, Miss Stinker-Dinker is back to her old self.

Then, as I was prepping for dinner last night, Ruby started acting weird and wouldn't stand or walk. I literally thought her back legs were giving out and she was dying. Once again, Sunday dinner was put on the back burner.  We still haven't quite figured out what is wrong, but I am willing to bet it is just constipation. Wouldn't be the first time with her!

So, here I am and here is the menu.  I love serving this salad along side a rich pasta dish or a white pizza.  It nicely cuts the richness and acts as almost a palate cleanser.  Don't let the anchovy paste in the dressing scare you. It adds a bit of a salty note and offers a nice balance between the tart lemon and briny capers.  I like to add a little red pepper flakes for a kick, but that is, of course, optional.  Happy MONDAY!

Orecchiette with Shrimp, Pepperoncini and Basil

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Ready for a quick weeknight dinner that is so incredibly delicious you'll want to serve it to company?  This is it!  Think shrimp piccata with a power punch of flavor from pepperoncini peppers and fresh basil.  You could use any pasta , but the orecchiette (which means "little ears") is perfect because it cradles all those wonderful ingredients and flavors.  

Speaking of ingredients and flavors, there is a food pairing in this recipe that, for some people, is either up for debate or strictly forbidden.  Cheese and seafood.  I could write a whole separate post about this topic. This pairing is definitely a no-no in most Italian households.  Why?  Maybe because the major cheese region in Italy is landlocked and no where near fresh seafood.  Maybe because, for some people, one flavor overpowers the other.  But let's think about it... Anyone ever heard of a tuna melt? What about baked clams with cheese or smoked salmon and cream cheese.  How about that classic holiday appetizer made with a brick of cream cheese, crab and cocktail sauce?? And let's not forget about anchovies on pizza.  

So, sometimes I think that rules are meant to be broken.  If it works for your palate, go for it.  If it is against your culinary religion, just omit it.  Once again, make it for you, make it your own.  Happy cooking!

Oh, wait... You might also be wondering about the baking soda.  I find that a quick brine of salt and baking soda help tenderize the shrimp.  

Roasted Garlic and Shallot Dressing

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Although I didn't post this past Sunday, we did enjoy a scrumptious Sunday dinner with a menu similar to this one.  I had an extra roasted garlic head that needed to find a home and since a simple green salad was on the dinner menu this week (it accompanied a roasted vegetable omelet), I thought I would pull out this recipe.

If your teenage children linger at the dinner table picking greens out of the salad bowl with their fingers after they have already had one helping of salad (um hello?-- there is something called a fork right there), you know you have a winner on your hands.  I even got a "wow, this is so good!" several times.

Roasting the garlic and shallots brings out the sweetness and deepens the flavor (but you still might want to have a breath mint or chew a piece of gum after your meal).  I use equal parts lemon juice and champagne vinegar to provide a clean acidity.  When considering which oil to use in dressings, I usually use a neutral oil, such as Canola or Safflower.  I adore the fruity and sometimes peppery flavor of a good extra virgin olive oil, but in emulsified dressings and even in some vinaigrettes I feel that it can overpower the rest of the ingredients.  I prefer to save the good stuff for a simple drizzle on salads or vegetables.

Not only does this dressing pack a punch of flavor, it is quite versatile. It is an obvious choice for a simple mixed green salad (don't forget the croutons) and it stands up well to hearty greens like Romaine or kale.  It is also excellent drizzled over grilled and/or roasted vegetables and potatoes.  Whenever make it, I always add in a little chopped fresh parsley.  However, if I am using it for vegetables or potatoes, I sometimes add fresh thyme or rosemary.  Those flavors mingle nicely.  But as I have said before, "make it for you, make it your own".

Classic American Garlic Bread

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Garlic bread---It's not just for spaghetti anymore!  That sounds like a pitch from an ad man from the 1970s.  But ya know what?  It's true.  It would be accepted by most that garlic bread goes well as a side with almost any pasta.   But when is the last time you had it with soup?  This bread pairs wonderfully with a variety of soups.  We recently enjoyed its crunchy, garlicky notes alongside a bowl of Hearty Minestrone.  Soak up that broth---mmmm!  Use it to make a salad into a meal, use it for a sandwich (oh, yeah, a garlic bread steak sandwich), or eat it all by itself. Once you make it, you can file away a new go-to garlic bread for just about any occasion.

This recipe uses two types of garlic-- toasted and raw.  Ten cloves of toasted garlic may seem like a lot, but the method brings out a sweet, nutty flavor.  For even more of that garlic heat and bite, I add a couple more cloves of finely grated raw garlic.  Butter is the main platform for the "schmear", but to bring even more flavor, I reduce the amount of butter slightly and add some good extra virgin olive oil  (olive oil and garlic is always a good combo). Add a little parmesan and herbs to the mix then slather it on some good Italian bread, like homemade ciabatta.  Bake in a high heat oven until golden with a crisp crust.  Garlic bread has never tasted so good!