Beef and Mushroom Dumplings with Asian Dipping Sauce

Beef and Mushroom Dumplings

Beef and Mushroom Dumplings

Hey all! Happy Friday! And Happy Chinese New Year 2021year of the Ox! To celebrate, I wanted to share my Beef and Mushroom Dumplings with Asian Dipping Sauce recipe that I created for my client (Steakhouse Elite) recently. They are super easy and fun to make, and the perfect way to celebrate the occasion!

Beef and Mushroom Dumplings

They’re filled with a savory mixture of juicy grass-fed ground beef, baby bella mushrooms, water chestnuts, scallions, cilantro, ginger, white and red pepper, and soy sauce. I chopped all the fresh ingredients and seasonings together in a mini-food processor to make it easier and get a fine mince, then mixed it in with the ground beef and an egg to make the filling.

Beef and Mushroom Dumplings

Then I started filling the dumpling wrappers (about a tablespoon in the center of each) and then brushed some water around the edges and pressed and sealed them in a dumpling maker. First I pan-fried them in a little bit of oil for about a minute to brown them, then added about an inch of water into the hot pan and covered it to steam them for a couple of minutes to give a crispy, soft and juicy finish on the dumplings.

Beef and Mushroom Dumplings

They are served with a delicious Asian dipping sauce I made with soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, a little bit of brown sugar, and sriracha garnished with chives and sesame seeds for extra flavor and texture. It’s tangy and salty and sweet and just the right amount of umami to complement the beef and mushroom dumplings. So good!! I could seriously eat a whole plate of these myself, you guys 😉

Beef and Mushroom Dumplings

And be sure to check out my other recipes below that would also be great to celebrate the Chinese New Year with – some of my absolute favorites and a couple of them are award-winning! (The Kung Pao Beef and Black Pepper Caramel Chicken)

Beef and Mushroom Dumplings

Enjoy and Happy New Year 🙂

Beef + Mushroom Dumplings with Asian Dipping Sauce

Yield: 30-40 dumplings

These Beef and Mushroom Dumplings with Asian Dipping Sauce are super easy and fun to make and perfect way to celebrate the Chinese New Year! Filled with grass-fed ground beef, baby bella mushrooms, water chestnuts, scallions, cilantro, ginger, white and red pepper, and soy sauce and first pan-fried then steamed for a crispy and juicy finish on the dumplings. They are served with a delicious Asian Soy Dipping sauce and garnished with chopped chives and sesame seeds for extra flavor and texture.

Ingredients

  • Dumplings:
  • 3/4 pound Steakhouse Elite Grassfed Ground Beef
  • 3/4 cup sliced baby Bella mushrooms
  • 3/4 cup water chestnuts
  • 4 green onions
  • 1/2 bunch cilantro leaves
  • 1/8 cup soy sauce
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon white pepper
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 package pot sticker or gyoza wrappers (30-40)
  • Canola oil, for frying
  • Asian dipping sauce:
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon sriracha or hot garlic chile sauce
  • 1 teaspoon minced chives (fresh or dried)
  • 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Instructions

  1. Place mushrooms, water chestnuts, green onions, and cilantro in a food processor and blitz until finely minced.
  2. Cook the ground beef in a large sauté pan over medium heat until no longer pink; drain and let cool for 5 minutes.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, mushrooms, scallions, cilantro, soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil, white pepper, red pepper flakes and egg. Mix well with a large spoon or hands.
  4. Set up a work area with the dumpling wrappers and a small bowl of water; lay out the dumpling wrappers on a large cutting board or baking sheet. Place a 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of each wrapper.
  5. Moisten wrapper edges with water with your finger or pastry brush, and fold the wrapper over filling to make a half circle. Seal edges, pleating the front side several times to form a pleated pouch. (You can also use a dumpling maker to seal the dumplings to make it easier and faster to assemble.)
  6. Heat a skillet over high heat until very hot. Add 1 tablespoon oil and coat the sides. Place dumplings in a single layer to line the pan, pan fry for about 30 seconds, then carefully and slowly pour in 1/2 cup of water so the dumplings are covered by 1/2-inch. Cover the skillet with a lid and cook dumplings until all the water is absorbed. Remove the cooked dumplings with a spatula and set aside on a plate. (You can also carefully flip the pan over on to a plate with a hot pad, and scrape the dumplings off the pan). Repeat cooking the remaining dumplings.
  7. To make the dipping sauce, whisk all ingredients in a small bowl. Serve the sauce with hot dumplings, garnish with additional sliced scallions.

Notes

You could also substitute ground chicken or pork or even shrimp using the same ingredients and these dumplings will turn out absolutely delicious!

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2021/02/beef-and-mushroom-dumplings-with-asian-dipping-sauce/

More Asian recipes you may enjoy: 

Kung Pao Beef

Kung Pao Beef with Cauliflower Rice

Chicken Peanut Noodles

Thai Chicken Peanut Noodles

Spicy Pork Udon Noodles

Spicy Pork + Kale Udon Noodle Soup

Black Pepper Caramel Chicken Udon

Black Pepper Caramel Chicken Udon Noodles

Sweet and Spicy Shrimp Stir Fry

Sweet + Spicy Meyer Lemon Shrimp Stir Fry

Tampa-Style Cuban Egg Rolls :: Super Bowl 2021!

Tampa-Style Cuban Egg Rolls

Tampa-Style Cuban Egg Rolls for the Super Bowl 2021!

Hey guys! So the #Superbowl 2021 is near and I am so excited that it’s going to be in #Tampa, Florida this year, because this is MY TOWN now, and I can’t wait for the festivities to begin! (GO BUCS!!!) I was recently invited to participate in the Twin Dragon Blogger Challenge, and I decided to make these Tampa-Style Cuban Egg Rolls to celebrate the occasion as well as my city, using their Twin Dragon Egg Roll Wrappers.

Twin Dragon Egg Roll Wrappers

I love these egg roll wrappers, because they are basically an empty canvas for any appetizer and you can get creative and fill them with anything you like! Whether you fry them or bake them, they are super easy to work with and come out perfectly crispy and delicious every time.

Tampa-Style Cuban Egg Rolls

I’m sure you have all heard of the famous Cuban sandwich right? Well these delicious crispy egg rolls are a spin-off on the Tampa-style sandwich and they taste just as amazing!

Cuban Sandwich
photo: Columbia Restaurant

Over a century ago, Spanish-Cuban immigrant Casimiro Hernandez Sr. created a sandwich at his famous Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City in in Tampa, Florida called the ‘Mixto’. He wanted to honor the immigrants who first moved into the neighborhood, and a tribute to the city of Tampa. This famous sandwich has layers and layers of good things all baked into a crispy sandwich on Cuban bread: Ham for the Spaniards, Genoa salami for the Italians, Mojo roast pork for the Cubans, and Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard for the German and Jewish immigrants.  

My Tampa-Style Cuban egg rolls are the absolute perfect appetizer – made with juicy roasted Mojo pork, ham, melted Swiss cheese, Genoa salami, dill pickles and a drizzle of mustard – all wrapped up in a crunchy baked egg roll. They’re served with a tangy dipping sauce I made with three types of mustard (yellow, Dijon and grainy), mayonnaise, a dash of hot sauce and chives…delicious little bites for the #Superbowl or any game day, party or gathering!

Cuban Mojo Pork

#Mojo is a classic #Cuban Garlic-Citrus marinade used in traditional Caribbean and Spanish cooking for added zest to chicken, shrimp, and pork. It’s made with (key) lime juice, orange juice, onion, garlic, salt, oregano, cumin and olive oil; and is an essential ingredient for the classic Cuban sandwich and of course, my Egg Rolls! I used Nellie + Joe’s Key West Style Mojo Criollo which you can find at Publix grocery stores or buy online. You can also choose to make your own Mojo marinade – here is a great recipe online.  

Cuban Mojo Pork

First, cut a few slits in the pork, pour the marinade over the pork in a plastic baggie and seal up to let marinate for a few hours up to overnight in the fridge. Roast the pork in a dutch oven for about 35-45 minutes until the pork is at least 145 degrees F in the center. (Rule of thumb for pork loin is approximately 20 minutes per pound and this was a 2 pound boneless roast). Let the roast cool a few minutes, then slice into thin pieces.

Prep ingredients

Cut the other ingredients (ham, swiss, salami, pickles, yellow mustard) and get ready to make the egg rolls. This is the fun part!

Prep Egg Rolls

Start a little egg roll making station like I did above and get movin’ on these delicious crispy bundles of goodness.

build egg roll with layers

First, lay the egg wrapper on a baking sheet or tray and wet the edges all around with some water. Start layering the ingredients in the center bottom of the wrapper: ham, cheese, salami, pork, pickles and a top with a drizzle of mustard.

Wrap egg rolls

Roll up each egg roll wrapper from the pointy end at the bottom, fold in the sides and roll up to seal.

Prep egg rolls to bake

Place the egg rolls seam side down on a parchment (or foil-lined) baking sheet. Brush the egg rolls lightly and evenly with oil or melted butter. Bake for 10-12 minutes, then flip and cook another 10-12 minutes more, until they are crispy and golden brown. 

Make the Mustard-Mayo sauce

Meanwhile, make the dipping sauce with the Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, hot sauce, yellow mustard and grainy mustard. Throw a few chives in there too, and set aside in the fridge until ready to serve. Bake the egg rolls

Once the egg rolls are done, let them cool for a few minutes before serving.

Place egg rolls on a platter with sauce on the side

Serve them on a platter and garnish with more chives…serve the dipping sauce on the side.

Tampa-Style Cuban Egg Rolls

Absolutely delicioso and totally addicting! And you’ll be able to celebrate the Superbowl in style, Tampa-style that is 🙂

Tampa-Style Cuban Egg Rolls :: Super Bowl #2021!

Yield: Makes 8 egg rolls or 16 egg rolls (cut in half.)

Ingredients

  • Egg Rolls:
  • 1 cup Cuban Mojo marinade (store-bought or homemade)
  • 2 pounds boneless pork loin, thin sliced
  • Garlic salt, to taste
  • Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
  • 8 slices Black Forest ham, thin sliced
  • 8 slices Swiss cheese, thin sliced
  • 16 small slices Genoa Salami with peppercorns
  • 16 dill pickle slices
  • Yellow mustard, for drizzling
  • 8 Twin Dragon Egg roll wrappers
  • Melted butter or oil, for brushing
  • Spicy Mustard Sauce:
  • 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
  • 1 teaspoon grainy old-style mustard
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce
  • 1-2 tablespoons fresh chives, minced

Instructions

  1. Make Mojo Pork:
  2. Cut small slits all over the pork roast with a knife and place the roast in a large resealable baggie. Pour the Mojo marinade over the top; season with garlic salt and pepper. Seal and let marinate in the refrigerator for 3 to 6 hours, up to overnight. (See notes below*)
  3. When ready to cook the roast, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the pork on a small rack or cut vegetables in a roasting pan or casserole dish and roast for about 40-45 minutes, until a thermometer inserted into the middle registers 145 degrees F. (cooking time is approx. 20-25 minutes per pound so adjust accordingly depending on the size of your pork roast.)
  4. Cool roast completely and cut into 8-12 thin slices, and store the leftover roast in the fridge for up to 1 week.
  5. Make the egg rolls:
  6. Turn the the oven heat up to 425 F. Cover a baking sheet with non-stick foil or parchment paper.
  7. Cut the ham, salami, Mojo pork and cheese into medium-size slices, about 2”x3”” wide (small enough to fit diagonally inside the center of the egg roll wrappers with room around to fold..eyeball it.)
  8. Layout the egg rolls flat on a work surface with a small cup of water nearby. Layer 2 slices each of ham, salami, pork, cheese and 2 pickle slices diagonally across the center of each wrapper, add a small drizzle of yellow mustard on top.
  9. Moisten the edges with water and roll the egg roll wrapper from the bottom, folding in the sides and rolling wrapper tightly to secure the edges. Lay the rolls flap side down on the baking sheet.
  10. Continue with the remaining egg roll wrappers.
  11. Lightly brush the egg rolls with melted butter or oil, evenly on both sides.
  12. Bake for 10-12 minutes, then flip and cook another 10-12 minutes more, until crispy and golden brown.
  13. Make the dipping sauce:
  14. Meanwhile, make the dipping sauce by mixing together the Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, yellow mustard, grainy mustard, hot sauce, and chives; cover and set aside in the fridge until ready to serve.
  15. Serve the egg rolls on a platter or tray with mustard-mayo dipping sauce on the side. Garnish with additional chives over the egg rolls, if desired.

Notes

You can double or triple this recipe for a larger crowd.

Mojo is a classic Cuban Garlic-Citrus marinade used in traditional Caribbean cooking for added zest to chicken, shrimp, and pork. It’s made with key lime juice, orange juice, onion, garlic, salt, oregano, cumin and olive oil; and is an essential ingredient for the classic Cuban sandwich. I used Nellie + Joe’s Key West Style Mojo Criollo which you can find at Publix grocery stores or online. If you choose to make your own marinade here is a recipe online.

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2021/02/tampa-style-cuban-egg-rolls-super-bowl-2021/

Tampa-Style Cuban Egg Rolls

Look at all this

Tampa-Style Cuban Egg RollsCRISPY. CHEESY. SAVORY. GOODNESS.

Tampa-Style Cuban Egg Rolls

Serve them with the tangy Mustard-Mayo Dipping Sauce..sooo good!

Cut egg rolls

Cut the egg rolls in half if you want smaller pieces…

DELISH!

Oh, and you may want to double or triple the recipe for a larger crowd – beware…I could eat the entire tray myself these are so good!

Tampa-Style Cuban Egg Rolls

If you want to make these yourself, you can find JSL Twin Dragon wrappers at Albertsons, Amazon, Instacart, Shaw’s, Von’s, Stater Bros, Lucky’s, Food Maxx, Fred Meyer, QFC, Target, Cub Foods, Rainbow Foods, Safeway, Associated Stores, Price Rite, Winco, Price Chopper, and Gelson’s.

For more great recipes and products by Twin Dragon, please visit them online at: 

Website

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#ChefYaki #TwinDragon #JSLFoods #BloggerRecipeChallenge #TheArtfulGourmet #artfulgourmet #kristenhess

Crunchy Baked Taco Wonton Cups

Crunchy Baked Taco Wonton Cups

Crunchy Baked Wonton Taco Cups

Hey all, happy New Year! I was recently invited to participate in JSL Foods Twin Dragon Asian Wrapper Recipe Challenge and I came up with a fun recipe for these Crunchy Baked Taco Wonton Cups using their Twin Dragon Wonton Wrappers. They make a great idea for a holiday appetizer or for game day…or any special event that includes finger foods for a crowd!

Baked Taco Wonton Cups

They’re basically bite-sized mini tacos in a crunchy wonton baked to perfection, filled with taco beef, corn, diced tomatoes with green chilies, cilantro, onions, and garlic; topped with melted Mexican-blend cheese, sour cream, salsa and cilantro…and they are soooo good and so easy to make!

Twin Dragon Wonton Wrappers

These Wonton wrappers are really easy to work with and they come precut in a package which is great. They can be boiled, steamed or fried, or easily baked like I did, by spraying some oil on top and in the bottom of the muffin pan so they get golden brown and crunchy. 

Cook beef and veggies

First brown your ground beef with some onions, garlic, and taco seasoning until the flavors meld together and the meat is cooked through. Then add the corn, cilantro, chopped tomatoes with chiles, and mix together. If you like a little extra heat you could add some extra jalapeños here!

layer wonton cups

Spray your muffin pan with some cooking spray and place one wonton in each cup. Fill with a tablespoon of the meat mixture and top with a tablespoon of the shredded cheese. Repeat with another wonton on top and another layer of taco mixture and cheese.

Baked Wonton Cups

Spray or brush the tops of the wontons with a little more oil and bake for about 10-12 minutes at 375 until they are crispy golden brown and the cheese is melted.

Baked Taco Wonton Cups

Serve on a platter with some salsa and sour cream and garnish with cilantro or green onions.

Baked Taco Wonton Cups

So fun and absolutely delish! Feel free to play with the toppings that you like – jalapeños, green onions, hot sauce, avocado or guacamole would be amazing.

Baked Taco Wonton Cups

Any way you make them you can bet they’ll be the hit of the party!

Baked Taco Wonton Cups

Baked Taco Wonton Cups
Baked Taco Wonton Cups
Baked Taco Wonton Cups

Crunchy Baked Taco Wonton Cups

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 32 minutes

Yield: 12 Wonton Taco Cups

Serving Size: 1

These Crunchy Baked Wonton Taco Cups are basically bite-sized mini tacos in a crunchy wonton baked to perfection, filled with taco beef, corn, diced tomatoes with green chilies, cilantro, onions, and garlic; topped with melted Mexican-blend cheese, sour cream, salsa and cilantro...and they are soooo good and so easy to make!

Ingredients

  • 24 Twin Dragon Wonton Wrappers
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, plus extra for garnish
  • 1 packet taco seasoning
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 1/2 cup cooked corn
  • 1/2 cup diced tomatoes with chilies
  • 1 cup shredded Mexican Blend cheese
  • 1/2 cup sour cream, for garnish
  • 1/2 cup salsa , for garnish
  • Jalapeños, for garnish
  • Green onions, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Spray a muffin pan with cooking spray and set aside.
  3. Heat a large saute pan with oil and cook ground beef and onions until no longer pink.
  4. Add garlic and cilantro and cook for an additional minute.
  5. Add taco seasoning and water and reduce heat to medium; cook for an additional 5 minutes to let flavors meld.
  6. Stir in the corn and diced tomatoes with chilies, cook for 5 minutes more.
  7. Line each cup of prepared muffin pan with one wonton wrapper.
  8. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of taco meat mixture and 1 tablespoon of cheese into each wrapper.
  9. Repeat layering with another wonton (pressing down a little bit) and add more taco meat and cheese into the pan.
  10. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the wontons are golden brown and crispy and the cheese is melted.
  11. Top the Baked Wonton Cups with salsa, sour cream, more cilantro and green onions and jalapeños if desired.

Notes

Feel free to experiment with fillings and toppings and most of all enjoy! Double or triple the recipe for a larger crowd.

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2021/01/crunchy-baked-taco-wonton-cups/

I can think of a million different ways to make these Crunchy Baked Wonton Cups – try chicken or shrimp or pork with some different sauces and toppings!

Baked Taco Wonton Cups

 

Baked Taco Wonton Cups

Have fun experimenting with them and if you make my recipe please leave a comment below on how they turned out!

Follow JSL Foods on Social Media for more fun recipe ideas! You can find the Wonton Wrappers online or in these stores: Walmart, Albertson’s, QFC, and Giant Food Stores, Shaw’s, Von’s, Stater Bros, Fred Meyer, Safeway, Associated Stores, Shop N Shop, Winco, and Price Chopper.

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Twitter

Facebook

YouTube

Instagram

#JSLFoods #BloggerRecipeChallenge #TwinDragon #ChefYaki

Things I Love {April 2020}

Things I Love :: April 2020

Welcome to my April #2020 edition of Things I Love – these are a few of my current objects of #obsession…#food, #wine, #cocktails, #recipes, #cooking gadgets, #restaurants, fav products and ingredients, #props, food styling and #photography inspiration, fun and engaging #videos, movies + TV shows, podcasts, lighting and #camera equipment and tips, #beauty products, #celebs and #influencers to follow, great #books to read, etc…All just simply people, places and things I love that I think are notable and worth a big shout out for their wonderful-ness! And stay tuned for next month on my journey to find new and fun things to share with you all. Enjoy! 

Fav Beauty Products

My fav beauty products 

These are a few of my favorite things for a quick 10-minute beauty routine. Cause who’s got time to spend on all of this, especially when all the salons are closed and you need a quick pick-me-up and beauty fix. 

  1. Beekham 1802 Apricot + Honey Tea hand lotion
  2. Bumble and Bumble Surf Foam Spray
  3. Batiste Brilliant Blonde Dry Shampoo
  4. Laura Geller Bronze + Brighten and Balance and Glow Illuminating Foundation
  5. Doll 10 Hydralux lip liner and Hydrabalm Solid Serum lipstick
  6. Aurora Liquid Eye Liner – Espresso
  7. Laura Geller Gel Brow Pencil 
  8. Mally Lift + Curl Mascara
  9. Tetris Block Party Eyeshadow

Black Pepper Caramel Chicken Udon

Black Pepper Caramel Chicken Udon

I recently was awarded 2nd place in the JSL Foods Blogger Recipe Challenge..and won a $500 cash prize for my Black Pepper Caramel Chicken Udon recipe – yay! This recipe features their Chicken Udon Noodles which are organic, pre-cooked and delicious, and sweet and spicy glazed Vietnamese Chicken I made topped with everything bagel seasoning, jalapeños and fresh cilantro. Check out my award-winning recipe here

Spring Veggie Garden Bread

Spring Veggie Garden Bread

I saw these adorable Spring Veggie Garden breads on Facebook a couple weeks ago – I’m not sure who even made them but they are so bright and colorful and pretty! The bread dough has pressed veggies and herbs shaped into flower shapes and then it’s brushed with olive oil before baking to make these gorgeous designs!I found a  recipe like this online from Taste of Home if you want to give your artistic baking skills a whirl – https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/bread-art/

Easy Queso Dip

Easy Queso Dip

This is a super easy queso dip from Bon Appetit – creamy cheesy goodness made with onions, garlic, jalapeños and lots of American ad Monterey Jack cheese – and ready to go in about 15-20 minutes on the stove! Perfect for tacos, nachos, quesadillas, enchiladas, and of course to dip tortilla chips in with salsa and margaritas for Cinco de Mayo! get the recipe here

My Brilliant Friend

My Brilliant Friend

This is a gorgeous mini-series on HBO that I just started watching and fell in love with instantly. Set in Naples Italy post-World War II, is a story about two best friends (Lila Ferrulo and Elena Greco) along with their struggles and friendship as they go through life together (and apart) trying to survive and get out of a poor neighborhood in the projects of Naples. It has a complex cast of characters that make up all of the Italian families that surround them and are intertwined in their lives. The story is endearing and heartwarming, yet sad and troubling all at the same time. It’s absolutely beautifully written – lovely, haunting and addicting. The books are part of a 4-part series called Neapolitan Novels written by Elena Ferrante which the HBO TV series is based upon.  Must see and read!

Watch the series 
Buy the books

Click here for more hidden gems to watch on Netflix

Whipped Coffee White Russian

Whipped Coffee White Russian

Everyone seems to be making that trendy frothy whipped Dalgona Coffee lately..but have you seen this one by Half Baked Harvest? It’s a fun twist on the original White Russian cocktail topped with whipped coffee, a touch of sugar and hint of vanilla. Delish!

Get the recipe here

Salted Butter and Chocolate Chunk Shortbread Cookies

Salted Butter and Chocolate Chunk Shortbread Cookies

A favorite recipe by Alison Roman of Bon Appetit – these cookies are a cross between shortbread, chocolate chip and brown sugar cookies. Perfect for a sweet tooth attack in the middle of a pandemic! Described in her words:

“Less chocolate chip cookie, more brown sugar shortbread with chocolate chunks—they just might be the cookie you’ve been looking for.”

Get the recipe here

Girl Wash Your Face, Rachel Hollis

Fav Books, E-Books and Cookbooks, Apps

  1. Girl Wash Your Face, Rachel Hollis
  2. Keto For Carb Lovers Cookbook, Delish
  3. Quick and Easy Recipes from The NY Times, Mark Bittman
  4. The Sugar Brain Fix, Mike Dow
  5. Shine App – Calm Anxiety and Stress
  6. Quibi

Chrissy Teigen YouTube

Fav Podcasts + Video/YouTube Shows

  1. Inspiring Life by Lewis Howes 
    RISE Podcast by Rachel Hollis
  2. Unlocking Us by Brene Brown
  3. Jay Shetty Podcast
  4. Think Media TV YouTube
  5. Chrissy Teigen YouTube 
  6. The FeedFeed IGTV
  7. The Bite Shot YouTube
  8. NYTimes Cooking YouTube

Motivational Articles and Links

  1. This Pandemic is Our Teacher, by Michael Pietzrak
  2. 16 Ways to Read More Books, by Jamie Friedlander
  3. How to Fight Boredom with Curiosity, Goop.com

A few More Goodies

These are just a few more things I take and use on a daily basis for good health and wellbeing. It’s all about taking care of yourself especially during a stressful time like this. The CBD Hemp Oil, Organic Greens Superfood Drink, Turmeric with Ginger and Black Pepper I take every day..!  I got all of those on Amazon except for the Neutrogena HydroBoost mask (which I LOVE!!) – you can get at any drug store like Walgreens or CVS. Here’s a link to the Stash Tea website – I love this new flavor with apple cider and maple..soooo good and comforting! These FBOMB Nut Butters are amazing too – for a quick dose of tasty and healthy fat these macadamia nut butters come in different flavors like salted chocolate, coconut, sea salt, hazelnut and more. Also, they have a great Buy 2, Get 1 Free deal going on with free shipping – just use code FREEJAR during checkout.

Thai Chicken Salad w/ Peanut Dressing

Chopped Thai Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing

Recipe by Pinch of Yum

Taco Bar

A few Cinco de Mayo recipes and ideas 

White Bean Stew

And lastly, here are 44 Spring Recipes from Bon Appetit – yay! Spring is finally here. 

 

Black Pepper Caramel Chicken Udon

Black Pepper Caramel Chicken Udon

JSL Foods recently invited me to participate in their 2nd Blogger Recipe Challenge, and guess what? I won the GRAND PRIZE and $1500 for my Black Pepper Caramel Chicken Udon recipe! And I am so thrilled to share it with you!

Fortune Noodle Udon

I decided to use their delicious Fortune Chicken Udon Noodles as the base for this amazing dish. 

Fresh Ingredients

Black Pepper Caramel Chicken is a traditional Vietnamese dish made with chicken thighs, shallots and red chili peppers,  jalapeños, and cilantro..

chicken and caramel sauce

tossed in a luscious caramel sauce made with brown sugar, fish sauce, vinegar,  red chili garlic sauce, fresh garlic, ginger and freshly ground black pepper, 

Cooked Chicken + Black Pepper Caramel Sauce

all mixed together and reduced in a pan into a gorgeous sticky spicy sweet glaze to coat the chicken.

Cooked Udon Noodles

The noodles are cooked separately, then drained and sprinkled with the packaged chicken-flavored seasoning,

Black Pepper Caramel Chicken Udon

then tossed back into the pan with the cooked chicken and sweet savory Black Pepper Caramel sauce.

Black Pepper Caramel Chicken Udon

For serving I topped the dish with a dash of Everything Bagel seasoning (you could also just use white or black sesame seeds if you like), a few sliced jalapeños and fresh cilantro for an extra kick of heat and bright flavor.

Black Pepper Caramel Chicken Udon

You guys, this noodle dish is to die for!  These Udon noodles are precooked so they only need to be reheated for a few minutes before serving. And they’re perfectly durable for holding this gorgeous thick glaze on the chicken, and full of ALA Omega-3’s, are non-GMO, zero trans fats, with only .5g of fat and 5g of protein in each serving!

Fortune Udon Noodles

You can also try this recipe using their Mushroom or Original Shoyu Udon Noodles for another layer of flavor to mix it up. Try pairing it with an oaky Napa Chardonnay or grassy Marlborough NZ Sauvignon Blanc to balance out the spiciness and sweetness of the dish. Superb!

Black Pepper Caramel Chicken Udon

Absolutely delicious…Hope you enjoy! And feel free to comment below and please share this post on social media with the hashtags @artfulgourmet @jslfoods #fortunenudonoodles #cheftyaki #udonsoups

Black Pepper Caramel Chicken Udon Noodles

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 4

This is a traditional Vietnamese Chicken dish made with a sticky spicy and sweet caramelized sauce with shallots, garlic, chilies, fish sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, ginger and coarse ground black pepper. The chicken thighs are cooked right in the sauce then tossed with Fortune Chicken Udon Noodles and garnished with fresh cilantro and sliced jalapeños for extra heat and bright flavor.

Ingredients

  • 1 package JSL Foods Chicken Udon Noodles
  • 1 1/3 cups water
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup Asian fish sauce
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1/2 tablespoon garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated (or 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger)
  • 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon Asian chili garlic sauce
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons peanut or canola oil
  • 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
  • 1 fresh red chili pepper, cut into thin strips
  • 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • Everything bagel seasoning, garnish Cilantro sprigs, for garnish
  • Sliced jalapeños, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. In a large pot, bring water to a boil and add JSL Foods Chicken Udon Noodles. Cook for 5-6 minutes, and sprinkle with the packet of Chicken seasoning, mixing throughout cooked noodles. Keep warm, and set aside.
  2. In a small mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, fish sauce, water, sesame oil, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, black pepper, chili garlic sauce, soy sauce; stir together to make black pepper caramel sauce. Set aside.
  3. Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok pan. Add the shallot and red chili pepper and sauté over medium heat until soft, about 4 minutes. Remove from pan; set aside to add back in with chicken and sauce at the end.
  4. Add the black pepper caramel sauce mixture and the chicken to the pan; simmer over high heat until the chicken is cooked through and sauce is caramelized for about 8-10 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in the shallots and hot chiles and cooked Chicken Udon Noodles coating them with the sauce and mixing in the chicken evenly throughout.
  5. Transfer Black Pepper Caramel Chicken Udon Noodles to serving bowls, garnish with everything bagel seasoning, fresh cilantro and sliced jalapenos (if using).

Notes

Pairs well with an oaky Napa Valley Chardonnay or grassy, fresh New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc wine to balance out the spicy-sweet flavors of the dish.

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2020/02/black-pepper-caramel-chicken-udon/

Black Pepper Caramel Chicken Udon

As an added bonus, Chef Yaki is offering a special discount to my readers by joining their Noodle Club online! Click here get the coupon for special discounts and free offers! 

Chef-Yaki-and-VoidedCoupon

You can purchase Fortune Udon noodle products at Target and Walmart as well as these groceries stores online:   

Learn more about all the other great noodles, sauces, wrappers and other Asian specialties that JSL Foods offers:

Website: http://www.jslfoods.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JSLFoods/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JSL_Foods

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jslfoods/

This post is sponsored by JSL Foods for The 2nd Fortune Udon Noodle Blogger Recipe Challenge. All reviews, opinions, photos, recipes and written content expressed in this post are my own.  

Sweet + Spicy Meyer Lemon Shrimp Stir Fry

Sweet + Spicy Meyer Lemon Shrimp Stir Fry

Hey guys! Oh my gosh, it’s almost the end of the year! Can you believe it? Where does time fly? I’m so ready for a New Year though – #2019 can’t come soon enough! 🙂

I was invited to participate in the #Steviva #Holiday #Keto #Blogger #Recipe Challenge this year and made a Sweet and Spicy Meyer Lemon Shrimp Stir Fry. With all the #holidays going on and the rich, delectable #food I’ve been enjoying this month, I wanted to make a recipe a little bit lighter and healthier, and on the lower carb side…(before it all happens again this weekend for New Years!)

Sweet + Spicy Meyer Lemon Shrimp Stir Fry

I love Steviva products because they are lower in carbs, low glycemic, low calorie and they use all natural ingredients in their products. Their line of good-for-you all natural alternative sweeteners are terrific options for cooking and baking without sugar. Whether you need a granulated sweetener to replace table sugar, a powdered sweetener to replace confectionery sugar or a liquid sweetener to replace corn syrup, they have carefully developed safe, low glycemic, low caloric sweeteners that taste and act just like sugar.

Steviva + Nectevia Marinade

This dish is super easy and quick to make and has great flavors using fresh Meyer Lemon juice, soy sauce, sesame, Nectevia Agave Stevia Blend, Steviva Erythritol Blend, a dash of ginger and #Sriracha for some spiciness to make a delicious sticky marinade to go with the shrimp and fresh veggies. And it’s low carb and low cal! BONUS*** 🙂

Marinate Shrimp

Simply make your marinade for the shrimp with all the ingredients and put it in the fridge in a ziplock baggie for 1/2 an hour. Then stir fry the shrimp for a few minutes until they are no longer pink and remove the shrimp from the pan.

Saute the shrimp and veggies in marinade

Add the veggies and stir fry those for about 5-7 minutes until tender crisp and the sauce starts to thicken. Add the cooked shrimp back in and toss together for another minute or so.

Sweet + Spicy Meyer Lemon Shrimp Stir Fry

Serve immediately over brown or cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles or soba noodles and spoon the rest of the spicy and sweet sauce on top and garnish with a few more sesame seeds and even some green onions if you wish.

Sweet + Spicy Meyer Lemon Shrimp

Sweet + Spicy Meyer Lemon Shrimp Stir Fry

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Yield: 4

A super easy and delicious stir fry made with shrimp and fresh veggies, marinated in a spicy and sweet sauce made with Meyer lemon juice, soy sauce, Sriracha, Steviva Blend and Nectevia. Great for a weeknight dinner or special occasion. Best served over brown rice, cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles or soba noodles.

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons Steviva Blend
  • 4 tablespoons Nectevia agave syrup
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • juice of one Meyer lemon
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • 1 tablespoon Sriracha
  • dash of red pepper flakes (optional)
  • dash of ginger (fresh minced or dried)
  • 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 cups fresh sliced veggies (broccoli florets, red pepper, snap peas)
  • white pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Whisk together Steviva Blend, Nectevia agave nectar, soy sauce, garlic, lemon juice, sesame oil, sesame seeds, Sriracha, red pepper flakes and ginger in a small mixing bowl.
  2. Add half of the sauce to the shrimp and let marinade in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or more.
  3. Heat butter in a medium sized skillet over medium high heat. Add the shrimp, discard marinade from the bag (save the other unused half for making the sauce). Saute for about 3-5 minutes until shrimp is no longer pink.
  4. Remove shrimp from the pan and add the fresh vegetables. Saute for about 5 minutes or so until soft.
  5. Add the reserved marinade and pour over the vegetables. Cook for another few minutes until sauce thickens.
  6. Add the cooked shrimp back into the pan and toss together with the vegetables and the sauce. Season with pepper, to taste.
  7. Serve immediately, garnish with additional sesame seeds and green onions if desired over brown rice, cauliflower rice, soba noodles or zucchini noodles.

Notes

You can also use this marinade for scallops or chicken or beef, just increasing the cook time appropriate for the protein (about 10-12 mins for chicken or beef until cooked through).
Vegetables can be swapped out as well whatever you prefer!

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2018/12/sweet-spicy-meyer-lemon-shrimp-stir-fry/

Sweet + Spicy Meyer Lemon Shrimp

I’d love to hear your comments on this recipe below if you decide to make it! Please make sure to tag @stevivabrands and @artfulgourmet with a link back to this original post on my blog if you do share any recipes or photos on social media!

For more information on #Steviva Brands products and more recipes, please visit their website and social media pages:

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Instagram

—–

Note: I received products from Steviva Brands to experiment with recipes for the Blogger Challenge Recipe Contest. All opinions, recipes, photos and text are my own. 

Kung Pao Beef w/ Cauliflower Rice (Sugar + Gluten Free)

Kung Pao Beef

Kung Pao Beef w/ Cauliflower Rice

I recently was approached by Steviva to compete in the Sweetin It-Up Blogger Recipe Challenge and decided to make a sugar free, gluten free Kung Pao Beef with Cauliflower Rice. I love Asian food, but oftentimes it has many hidden sugars in the sauce, so I thought it would be cool to make this savory dish for the challenge.

Steviva Recipe Ingredients

Steviva has a wide range of stevia-based products and I chose to use Nectevia and Erysweet for my recipe to replace the normal sugar in the sauce. Erysweet is a pure, non-GMO erythritol that is naturally derived and can be substituted cup-for-cup for sugar in recipes. Nectevia is an organic blue agave nectar infused with premium 100% pure stevia extract – and has only 1/4 the calories, carbs and sugars of regular agave, or table sugar with a warm honey flavor.

Kung Pao Beef w/ Cauliflower Rice

Kung Pao is made with chicken or beef marinated in soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice wine, which is then sautéed in a wok on high heat with crunchy bell peppers, water chestnuts, garlic, ginger, green onions and hot chilies.

Kung Pao Beef w/ Cauliflower Rice

I made a sweet and spicy sauce made with more soy sauce, rice wine, Chinese black vinegar, chicken broth, Erysweet and Nectevia in the pan with the cooked meat and veggies and tossed in some spicy peanuts, which was thickened into a luscious sweet/spicy/savory pot of yum. To serve, I topped the dish with fresh cilantro and more crunchy peanuts along with some yellow cauliflower rice sautéed with soy sauce and sesame oil and some fresh cilantro tossed in to keep it gluten free.  Absolutely delicious without all the sugar and carbs!

Kung Pao Beef w/ Cauliflower Rice (Sugar + Gluten Free)

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: 4-6

Serving Size: 1 cup

Ingredients

  • MARINADE:
  • 1 3/4 pounds boneless beef sirloin
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine
  • 1 egg white, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • KUNG PAO:
  • 2 tablespoons peanut oil
  • 4-6 dried red chilies
  • 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
  • 1/2 tablespoon ginger, grated (or ginger paste)
  • 1 teaspoon red chile flakes
  • 3 scallions, sliced on the bias, 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
  • 1 can water chestnuts, sliced in half
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons rice wine
  • 1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar (or balsamic)
  • 2 tablespoons Nectevia Original
  • 2 teaspoons Erysweet
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
  • 3/4 cup roasted spicy peanuts
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
  • Cauliflower rice sautéed with soy sauce, sesame oil and cilantro

Instructions

  1. MARINADE:
  2. Trim the fat from the steak all over and cut into 1-inch cubes. Combine the marinade ingredients in a large bowl and mix in the beef. Stir together to coat well, and place covered in the fridge for at least an hour to overnight.
  3. KUNG PAO:
  4. Heat the peanut oil in a wok or large sauce pan over medium heat, add chilies and cook for a minute until they begin to brown. Add garlic, ginger and cook for another minute. Turn heat up to high and add scallions, peppers, water chestnuts and chile flakes; saute for about 5 minutes until they begin to get soft and lightly browned. Add steak (remove from marinade and discard excess) and cook for about 3 minutes or so until beef begins to brown. Add soy sauce, rice wine, Chinese vinegar, Erysweet, Nectevia and chicken broth. Mix in the cornstarch, stirring well, to thicken the sauce. Toss in the roasted peanuts and serve over cauliflower rice with chopped cilantro, additional peanuts if desired.

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2017/10/kung-pao-beef-w-cauliflower-rice-sugar-gluten-free/

Kung Pao Beef w/ Cauliflower Rice

Hope you enjoy making this recipe – please let me know what you think if you made it in the comments below! And feel free to share this post on social media tagging #theartfulgourmet and #steviva with a link back to the original post on this blog.

For more info on Steviva products, check them out online and social media:

Website: https://www.steviva.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/steviva

Twitter: https://twitter.com/steviva

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevivabrands/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/stevivabrands/

Disclaimer: This was a sponsored post by Steviva Brands and I received products to create recipes and photos for this post. All opinions, images, and text are my own. 

Favorite Game Day Recipes for the Super Bowl!

Super Bowl Snack Stadium

So the big day is right around the corner – the Super Bowl, yay! I’m not really partial to either team and am not even a huge football fan, but i LOVE LOVE LOVE the Super Bowl simply because of the fun parties, the commercials, and the food and drinks, of course.

So in spirit of the football party season, I’ve rounded up some of my favorite game day recipes that are perfect for a crowd. Finger foods, appetizers, dips and spreads and small bites to party in style!

Check out this link for some amazing Football Snack Stadiums like the one above

Here’s to #FOOTBALL #FOOD and may the best team win! 🙂

Cheeseburger Egg Rolls

Cheeseburger Egg Rolls with Special Sauce

Sloppy Joes

Devishly Good Sriracha Jalapeño Honey Sloppy Joes

buffalo chicken dip

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Amazing Macaroni and Cheese

Amazing Macaroni and Cheese

Sriracha Mango Wings

Sriracha Mango Lime Chicken Wings 

Parmesan-Garlic-Artichoke-Dip

Parmesan Garlic Artichoke Dip

Taco Pizza

Seriously Delish Taco Pizza

Fried Chicken Biscuits

Fried Chicken Biscuits with Hot Honey

Spicy Cajun Chili

Spicy Cajun Chili

Beef Enchilada Tortilla Casserole

Beef Enchilada Tortilla Casserole

Meatball Madness!

Meatball Madness!

Chicken Pot Pie Handpies

Chicken Pot Pie Handpies

Cheesy Beef Goulash

Cheesy Skillet Beef Goulash

Homemade Rustic Pizzas

Homemade Rustic Pizza

Chili Rub Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Chili Rub Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Mini Tarts

Sweet and Savory Mini Tarts

Chic Thumbprint Cookies

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

Chocolate Orange Tart

Glazed Chocolate Orange Tart

Click here to find some more great celebrity chef #recipes to celebrate the Super Bowl on NFL.com

And some more game day recipe ideas on Food Network!

Southern Living Ultimate Super Bowl Recipes

Meatball Madness!

Meatball Madness

Fall is one of my favorite times of the year simply because it’s a time when the leaves are changing, the weather is getting cooler, and you have an excuse to stay inside to watch football with friends and family and gather around the table with some delicious party food!

Whenever I host a party, I like to create a smorgasbord of food that’s easy for people to grab. I love bite-sized finger foods and tapas-style spreads that are fun to make and eat. My idea for a great fall football party is Meatball Madness – an experiment with different types of meatballs paired with unique sauces, fillings and bases to eat them on.

Meatballs are super fun and easy to make with the help of my KitchenAid® Copper Core 12″ Nonstick Skillet and my KitchenAid® Professional-Grade Nonstick Sheet Pans when I’m cooking for a large crowd. Both are great for cooking meatballs easily and evenly with their high quality nonstick coating, and they are both large enough so I can cook big batches of meatballs.

Greek Meatballs

For this post, I decided to make some Greek Beef Meatballs with Tzatzkiki Sauce served on toasted flatbreads,

Asian Meatballs

and some Asian Chicken Meatballs with a Spicy Peanut Sauce served on Gem Lettuce Cups as thought starters for this party idea, but I’d love to hear from you what other themes, flavors and creative ideas you would incorporate when you throw your own Meatball Madness Party!

MeatballMadness-Group

You can mix and match different themes with different fillings and flavors for the meatballs, for example – you could make Spanish Meatballs made with pork, chorizo and onions and create a Roasted Red Pepper Aioli to dip them in and serve on toasted pita. Or you could make traditional Italian Meatballs with Cheese and Tomato Sauce on mini slider buns topped with fresh basil and parsley. Or make German Meatballs with Bratwurst and Sauerkraut with a Grainy Mustard Sauce served on mini Rye breads – the possibilities are endless and super fun to come up with!

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE RECIPES AND HOW I MADE THEM WITH MY KITCHENAID EQUIPMENT ON THE KITCHENTHUSIAST BLOG! 

Mix it Up! Non-Traditional Holiday Menu Ideas & Recipes from NYC Top Chefs

InternationalMenu-hero

International Holiday Menus

It’s that time of year again to start planning menus and recipes for the holidays. But instead of just serving traditional turkey or ham,  mashed potatoes and green bean casserole, why not mix it up a little bit and serve your holiday meal with an international flair? I had the opportunity to go behind the scenes and interview several Top Chefs and restaurants in NYC to get some creative ideas for non-traditional holiday menus for the holidays. Whether it have a Spanish, French, Asian, Jewish or Italian twist; here are some great international menu ideas and recipes for a fabulous holiday meal with family and friends that break the norm.

Spanish Holiday Menu – Alex Raij, Executive Chef at Txikito NYC     

Executive Chef Alex Raij from the Spanish restaurant Txikito in NYC always makes a classic, festive dish for the holidays. This Canelones de Bakalao Recipe (Salted Cod Fish Canneloni with Crème Fraiche) feeds a crowd and references Basque, Catalan and Argentine family holiday traditions that Chef Raij grew up with in Spain. Serve with other traditional Spanish hot and cold tapas such as: Pikillos: roasted Navarran sweet peppers with ajoarriero; Kroketas: crispy creamy croquettes; Boquerón: marinated white anchovy with eggplant and piquillo; Cogollos: butter lettuce, Basque anchovy, and Bonito del Norte and Tutera: gratin of artichoke, Roncal, Jamón.

Canelones de Bakalao
Canelones de Bakalao

Photo Credit: Kristen Hess

Canelones de Bakalao Recipe (Salted Cod Fish Canneloni with Crème Fraiche)

Executive Chef Alex Raij, Txikito

Serves 6

1 9×9 inch baking dish, preferably earthenware
12 – 4 inch square pieces fresh pasta sheets boiled and shocked in ice water (The Chef recommends cooking longer sheets and then cutting them after they are cooled in ice bath so they are more uniform)

Filling and topping

2.5 pounds cod
2 tablespoons Kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
2 cups olive oil
1.5 cup tomato pulp pref. pomi brand
2 cups Creme fraiche
2 tablespoons  finely chopped chives
50 grams hackleback or other high quality caviar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Salt the cod with the 2 T. kosher salt and let stand 10 minutes.
Rinse and pat dry.
Place the cod in a small pot and cover with olive oil.
Place on medium low heat and poach the cod in the oil until it flakes when prodded
Remove the fish to a mixing bowl to cool.
Pour 1/2 cup of the poaching oil over the cooling cod to cool with it.
Heat remaining oil add the tomato fry the tomato until cooked and a little sweet, season with salt.
Pour the tomato oil mix I the bottom of the baking dish.
Break up the cooled cod and flake it with clean hands.
Whip it up with the oil with a spatula or wooden spoon.
Place 6 pasta sheets side by side and place 1/12 of the filling at the end of each sheet.
Roll away from you and place on the tomato.
Repeat with the rest of the filling and next 6 sheets.
Season the crème fraiche with salt and pour over the caneloni.
Bake at 375 until bubbly.
Sprinkle with chives and top with caviar just before serving.

Serve 2 pieces per person.

Printed with permission of Alex Raij. All rights reserved.

—–

French Holiday Menu – Olivier Quignon, Executive Chef at Bar Boulud

Even as Chef Olivier Quignon of Bar Boulud prepares to celebrate his seventh Christmas in NYC, he hasn’t lost touch with the French holiday traditions of his hometown, the Northern French town of Beauvais. Christmas in the Quignon household, and in the restaurant he helms on behalf of renowned French Chef Daniel Boulud, Bar Boulud, is traditional to a tee, lasting up to six hours and spanning just as many courses. What does a typical French holiday meal entail?

Oysters “Always oysters. We shuck them at lunch and the eating begins.”

Cured or Smoked Fish

Foie Gras “This can be hot, seared, or served as a terrine.”

Hot Fish or Pasta

Poultry

Beef or Game

Cheese “ALWAYS cheese. French people eat cheese at practically every meal. We may sometimes skip dessert, but we never skip cheese.”

Pastry “At Christmas this is often a Bûche de Noel. But my wife is a pastry chef, so there are usually many desserts.”

Tournedos Rossini with Truffles and Foie Gras
Tournedos Rossini with Truffles and Foie Gras

Photo Credit: Kristen Hess

Traditionally, Tournedos Rossini is a French steak dish, purportedly created for the composer Gioachino Rossini by French master chef Marie-Antoine Carême. The dish comprises a tournedos (beef tenderloin) pan-fried in butter, served on a crouton, and topped with a hot slice of fresh whole foie gras briefly pan-fried at the last minute. A few slices of black truffle and Madeira demi-glace sauce garnish the dish.

At Bar Boulud New York, ‘Rossini’ is a dish that makes an appearance on the menu every holiday season, and on the tables at many French holiday meals. It is rich in ingredients and flavors, hearty, and the perfect celebration dish. There are several way to prepare Rossini, but Bar Boulud sticks to the traditional preparation—seared beef tenderloin atop a brioche toast, topped with seared foie gras and Madeira-beef jus, served with Pommes Macaire dotted with a celery root puree.

Tournedos Rossini with Truffles and Foie Gras and Pommes Macaire

Executive Chef Olivier Quignon, Bar Boulud

Serves 4

Pommes Macaire

Kosher salt, as needed
4 yellow gold potatoes
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
Black truffle butter or oil
2 egg yolks
Canola oil for frying
½ cup flour

Celery Root Puree

1 small (about 3/4 pound) celery root, peeled
Salt
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup milk
Freshly ground white pepper

To Finish

1 ½ lbs angus beef tenderloin, tied with butchers twine
12 ounces fresh grade A foie gras
6 tablespoons beef jus or demi glace
2 ounces Madeira
1 Tablespoon chopped shallot
4 ¼ thin slices of brioche, cut into 3 ½-inch circles, toasted
8 small light green celery leaves
1 small black winter truffle

For the Pomme Macaire

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Make a bed of salt on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet and place potatoes on top. Bake potatoes for 45 minutes, or until tender.

Remove from the oven, and when cool enough to handle, cut potatoes in half and scoop the flesh into a bowl. Mash the potato with a fork, season to taste with salt, pepper, and truffle butter (or oil). Stir in the egg yolk to combine.  Press mixture into a bread loaf pan and chill overnight.

Turn the potatoes onto a cutting board and cut into (at least 8) 3 x ½-inch batons. Lightly coat the batons in the flour and shake off excess.

Fill 1/3 of a saucepan with canola oil and heat to 350°F. When ready to serve, fry the potatoes  in batches until golden brown. Strain onto a paper towel-lined tray, sprinkle with salt.

For the Celery Root Puree

Cut the celery root into medium dice. Place the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat and cook until browned. Add the celery root, milk, and water to cover; bring to a simmer. Cook until tender, about 12 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the celery root to a blender and puree with enough of the cooking liquid to make a smooth puree. Pass through a fine-meshed sieve into a bowl.

When ready to serve, transfer to a small saucepan and stir over medium heat to heat through.

To Finish

Slice the tenderloin into four portions and season on all sides with salt and pepper.

Cut the foie gras into four slices and season on all sides with salt and pepper.

Place a large sauté pan over high heat. Once very hot, sear the foie gras on both sides to brown, about 2 minutes on each side.  Transfer to a platter, cover with foil and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium and return the pan with the foie gras fat to the heat.  Sear the beef on all sides, about 3-4 minutes each, basting the meat constantly with the fat. Brown the beef on all sides while basting the constantly with the fat in the pan, about 10 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 120°F for medium rare.  Transfer the beef to the platter with the foie gras, cover, and rest in a warm place.

Add the shallots to the same pan over medium low heat, and cook, stirring until translucent. Add the Madeira and simmer to reduce by 2/3. Stir in the beef jus and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.

For each serving, place a brioche toast on a plate and top with a portion of beef. Top the beef with a piece of roasted foie gras, and shavings of black truffle. Place two pommes macaire next to the beef and top each with a spoonful of celery puree. Garnish puree with two celery leaves.  Spoon the sauce from the pan around and serve.

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Asian Holiday Menu – Hung Huynh, Executive Chef at Catch Restaurant NYC       

Whole Roasted Branzino is a favorite recipe of Chef Hung Huynh of Catch NYC for the holidays. It’s simple, delicious and easy to make and great for feeding a crowd. Chef Hung also recommends adding some miso, ginger, soy and lemongrass to the seasonings to amp up the Asian flavors in this beautiful seafood holiday dish. His Asian inspired holiday menu includes:

Roasted Whole Branzino

Sautéed Green beans with EVOO and Soy Sauce

White or Brown Steamed Rice

Miso Soup

Fresh fruit

Roasted Whole Branzino
Roasted Whole Branzino

Photo Credit: Kristen Hess

Roasted Whole Branzino

Executive Chef Hung Huynh

Serves 2-4 people

Ingredients:

1.5 to 2 pound Branzino
1 tablespoon of Aged Balsamic

Seasoning Rub:

1 tablespoon of salt
1 teaspoon of ground black pepper
1 teaspoon of picked chopped thyme
3 cloves of minced garlic
3 tablespoons of olive oil
Zest of one lemon
Zest of one lime

Directions:

Before cooking, the Branzino must be scaled, gutted and scored.
Combine all the seasoning rub ingredients.
Rub entire fish with seasoning including the cavity, distributing evenly.
Make sure that the entire fish is covered in the rub.
Take a half sheet pan and roast at 450 degrees for about 15 minutes.
Reserve the remaining olive oil in the sheet pan.
Place the fish on a platter and drizzle with the reserved olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar.

—–

Jewish Holiday Menu – Zach Kutsher, Proprietor, Kutsher’s Tribeca

Zach Kutsher, Chef and Owner of Kutsher’s Tribeca, always serves Latkes for the Hanukkah holiday. These crispy potato latkes are a traditional Jewish dish made of grated potatoes, onion, eggs and matzo meal, shaped into round potato pancakes and fried to a crispy golden brown. The traditional way to serve them is with a spoonful of sour cream, but Zach likes to also add ½ ounce of caviar (salmon roe, paddlefish caviar and wasabi flying fish roe) to the latkes to give them a special holiday touch. Some other fun ideas that Chef Zach does to dress up the latkes are to use some non-traditional savory toppings such as:

Peking Duck with Cucumber, Scallions and Sesame Hoisin

Wild Hen of the Woods Mushrooms and Herbed Ricotta

Gravlax and Dilled Creme Fraiche

Pastrami Reuben (pastrami, sauerkraut, emmentaler and thousand island dressing)

VLT – Veal Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato

To make it a complete Jewish holiday menu, serve the latkes with: Chopped Duck and Chicken Liver, Seasonal Pickles, Golden and Red Beet Salad with Lemon Ricotta, Arugula and Pecans, Turkey or Brisket with Challah Chestnut Stuffing, Cheesy Spaetzle Kugel, Brussels Sprouts and Pumpkin Shlishkas with Amaretto Matzo and Sage Brown Butter and Babka Sticky Buns for dessert.

Crispy Potato Latkes
Crispy Potato Latkes

Photo Credit: Kutsher’s Tribeca

Potato Latkes Recipe

Zach Kutsher, Kutsher’s Tribeca

Ingredients:

1 pound potatoes
1 egg
1 egg yolk
6 ounces onion
3/4 ounces matzo meal
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

Preparation:

Grate onion on the fine side of a cheese grater and then line a strainer with some paper towels and let drain in sink as dry as possible.

Mix egg, yolk, matzo meal, salt, lemon juice, and drained onion together, set aside.

Julienne the potatoes (cut into thin small matchsticks) or grate on the large side of cheese grater, and periodically put the potato in the egg mix to prevent browning. Do not wash potato after it is cut.

Mix all together, fry in schmaltz (rendered/clarified chicken or goose fat – or you can substitute canola oil)

Take one handful of mix, twisted in the palm of your hand like you would spaghetti on a fork, till golden brown and crispy, then flip.

Finish in oven if necessary.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

—–

Italian Holiday Menu – Gabe Thompson, Executive Chef of Epicurean Group (dell’anima, L’Artusi, L’Apicio, and Anfora)

Grilled Pork Chop
Grilled Pork Chop

Photo Credit: Epicurean Group

Chef Thompson, Executive Chef of the Epicurean Group in NYC loves creating special menus for the holidays. It is all about the food, flavors and family. His menu below puts his crave-able Italian twist on some fall favorites to make for a classic holiday menu!

Roasted Acorn Squash Salad– radicchio, agrodolce raisins, pecans, fiore sardo (aged Sheeps milk cheese)

Orecchiette — turkey sausage, sage, sweet potato

Grilled Pork Chop — roasted vegetable and chestnut panzanella, pork sugo

Warm Cranberry-pumpkin Budino – served with apple cider sauce

—–

Roasted Acorn Squash Salad Recipe

Executive Chef Gabe Thompson, Epicurean Group

Serves 4-6

2 acorn squash (1 ½ pounds)
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons butter
8 sage leaves
2 tablespoons maple syrup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut each squash into 8-9 wedges, each wedge about 1 inch thick. Remove and discard seeds. In a large bowl, toss the squash wedges together with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season generously with salt.

Meanwhile, heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and 1 teaspoon of butter. As soon as the butter melts, add half of the squash to the pan, arranging the pieces so that they are cut-side down. Sprinkle half of the sage over the squash. Cook undisturbed until it is golden brown on one side, about 2-3 minutes. Turn each squash piece over and cook for another 2-3 minutes until golden brown on the other side. Remove squash from the pan and place on a half sheet tray or cookie sheet. Repeat this process with remaining olive oil, butter, squash and sage leaves.

Drizzle maple syrup over the squash segments. Place in the oven and bake until each piece of squash is easily pierced with a fork, about 25-30 minutes. Remove and set aside.

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