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07/18/10--20:48: We're Back! (chan 2808852)

To say the past six months have been busy would be the understatement of the year! We are finally settling into our new home and our new family roles as husband and wife.

From February - April 23 we were busy setting up our new home and getting projects accomplished in order to host our families and friends for our wedding on April 24th.

Although we are a family of foodies and had the NRA’s hottest chef as one of our guests, we decided not to cook a thing for our wedding. Instead we hired a transplanted Cuban to roast a delicious whole pig complete with congri, yuca con mojo y ajillo and arroz con pollo. The pig arrived on a large board and the talented staff at Jorge Aquino’s Exceptional Service’s did an excellent job of breaking down the pig and serving our guests.



BTW, the wedding cake a giant three-layered rice crispy treat topped with kissing monkeys that was made by Julie! We also had a white chocolate fondue fountain and a some of my favorite desserts which included strufoli and a fudgey the whale from Carvel!




07/21/10--14:03: Holy Mackerel! (chan 2808852)

Actually it was a red snapper, but holy snapper didn’t sound right and “whole-ly snapper”, although cute, wasn’t as catchy. Here’s a picture of the 5lb red snapper fresh from Capt. Frank’s, our local fish store.



We spent the afternoon golfing with our good friends Jeremy and Tiff and were planning on finishing the day with some great food. Freshly caught and simply seasoned and grilled, this fish was perfectly suited for a south florida summer dinner! 

BTW, check out his sharp teeth in the last picture!
Fresh thyme, rosemary, lemons and s&p brought out the delicate flavors of this locally-caught snapper.




07/26/10--14:01: Battle Burger: Round Two - Stuffed Slider Surprises (chan 2808852)

Some of you may remember last year’s burger battle, this year we turned up the heat with these stuffed slider surprises.

I was up first with my slider version of a Burger “King” Happy Meal. Obviously, the foodies and burger aficionados among you may realize that there is no Happy Meal at Burger King. But that’s only because their burgers don’t include king crab, scallops, celery greens or for that matter a ginger aioli special sauce. I served my burger with homemade chips seasoned with fresh locatelli and a truffled white balsamic vinegar.




[Pictured above: Pan seared scallops were pureed into a paste, mixed with king crab, shaped into a log, and chilled to form patties, which were pan crisped and oven roasted. Tomatoes were slowed roasted confit-style]




Cass was up next with her Middle Eastern Veggie Burger. Grilled portabello mushrooms, topped with a scoop of home-made tabouli, cucumber leban and a toasted pita.



[Above: A family-recipe tabouli featuring a special blend of spices known as Syrian pepper]

 

Julie presented her Christmas in July Burger (aka a Thanksgiving Burger). This flavor-packed turkey burger was actually STUFFED with a traditional bread stuffing, and served on a homemade buttermilk biscuit with a fresh cranberry relish. Julie served her burger with sweet potato frites drizzled with honey.



[Above: Sage-spiced ground turkey stuffed and grilled]

Last up was Mom’s Italian Stallion. This was one magnificant beast of a burger and was so large, it could not considered a slider. The Italian Stallion featured a full pound of ground beef, stuffed with gravy meats (for those of you who did not grow up italian, that means sausage and braised pork braciole-style) and served on a rosemary fociacca topped with pickled fresh summer veggies. 






08/02/10--13:56: Leftover Makeover #4 - Calzone (chan 2808852)



I have an early childhood memory of having calzones for dinner at my aunt and uncle’s house. The whole family was there, and my great grandmother kept asking what was the name of the dish was, and then chuckling.

You see, she was from Spain and filled-dough turnovers in spanish are called are empanadas or empanaditas. Well, these were not the meat-filled turnovers of her youth, but rather, cheesy gooey turnovers that every italian knows by the name - calzone. 

And that is where the chuckling comes from, because in spanish, the word ‘calzone’ translates to shorts. So she was chuckling at the fact that we were eating underwear!

Although, I still smile and give a little chuckle every time I  hear the word calzone,  it doesn’t stop me from eating them!

So this Leftover Makeover is an homage to that memory, a perfect blend of my spanish and italian heritage.

Calzones can be made with any leftovers in your fridge - steak, chicken fingers, meatloaf, wings, etc. We were lucky and had some leftover sauteed broccoli and chicken sausage, light summer fare that was delicious, but as usual we had plenty leftover. Typically, we would make our calzones from pizza dough, but i didn’t have any in the freezer, so I repurposed some tubed biscuits to make the dough, which was stuffed with chopped up the broccoli and sausage and mixed with ricotta, mozzarella, locatelli and an egg.

Simple and fast (under 10 mins to make, 30-45 to bake).




10/04/10--19:58: Dim Sum, Yum! (chan 2808852)

I am a huge fan of dim sum, and during a recent trip to NYC Julie and I enjoyed a dim sum brunch at Dim Sum Go Go. It’s been a number of months since our trip and I was craving some dim sum and tried my best to recreate that brunch last night for dinner.

We started with steamed pork buns (which were purchased, but if want to make some, I recommend the following recipe), grilled baby bok choy, chicken & vegetable dumplings, steamed rice noodle rolls with dried shrimp and scallion, and shrimp & chive (chinese chive/garlic flower) dumplings.

Grilled Baby Bok Choy



Chicken & Vegetable Dumplings





Shrimp & Chive Dumplings









Recipes were inspired by the following blogs: The Kitchn, Rasa Malaysia, and Use Real Butter




10/25/10--09:26: Sunday Brunch – Cassie's Confirmation Celebration (chan 2808852)



This past Sunday we celebrated Cass’ Confirmation with the whole OurFamilyFoodfight family. After much deliberation, actually it took less than a second, Cass decided she wanted to have everyone over for breakfast, but cooking for 18 people at 8 a.m. does not fit well with our sleeping in on Sundays! We compromised and had everyone over for brunch.

Cass helped develop the menu and suggested we start with Spanish Tortilla (bites), Bagels & Cream Cheese, Home Fries, Bacon and a Pancake Bar with a Trio of Pancakes (plain, chocolate chip and pumpkin) and toppings.

Spanish Tortilla Bites






Traditional family recipe which includes thinly sliced potatoes that have been cooked with olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and touch of paprika and then topped with chorizo and an olive.

Pumpkin Pancakes with Caramelized Bananas and
Candied Chestnuts, served with Root Beer Syrup



The recipe was inspired by the FoodNetwork, but with the addition of candied chestnuts and some seasoning differences, I made it my own. The pancakes were a huge success, and everyone [surprisingly] loved the root beer syrup.

Next up: Meatloaf Monday.




10/25/10--12:53: Meatloaf Monday (chan 2808852)



Not sure what to do with the last of summer’s veggies and herbs? We took our last two zucchini and a handful of our fresh herbs (basil and rosemary) and chopped them with bell pepper, carrots and onion and mixed it with ground turkey for a ‘healthy’ meatloaf.

Shredded zucchini, carrots, bell pepper, onion and garlic are mixed with garden fresh herbs, toasted bread and ground turkey for this delicious ‘healthy’ meatloaf. 







We formed the ingredients into mini-meatloafs perfectly sized for individual meals/lunches that were moist and delicious and as well as a few bacon-wrapped ones that were decadent!





We served our meatloaf with some roasted broccoli, baby bella mushrooms and red potatoes.



We hope to make this a monthly feature and hope you share your fav meatloaf recipe with us.




11/18/10--15:47: bacon brownie bites (chan 2808852)



We celebrated Thanksgiving a week early with a department pot-luck. Amidst the crock pots, pies, spiral ham and a wickedly-delicious sweet potato praline mash was my contribution – bacon brownie bites.

Surprisingly, a whole year has passed since we successfully baked our first batch of salt-n-pepper brownies. Trying to come up with something new and unique to be ‘thankful’ for at this year’s luncheon, I mixed two of my favorite flavors – bacon and chocolate.

These sinful brownie bites started with Ghiradelli Ultra Fudge Brownie mix. Bacon was fried crisp, crumbled, and 2 tablespoons of the rendered fat were substituted for vegetable oil in the brownie mix. 

Aside from the rendered bacon fat, the mix was prepared and baked according to instructions on the box. Once removed from the oven and cooled, the bites were removed from the pan, inverted and topped with fudge that was carefully applied via impromptu piping bag (small corner cut off) and crisped bacon crumbles.



Notes: Although tasty, I would like to increase the bacon flavor by experimenting with the ratio of bacon fat-to-vegetable oil. Additionally, I would also add:

• rendered bacon fat or bourbon or both to the fudge icing
• a touch of smoked-finishing salt or course-ground black pepper to the topping
• bacon into the mix itself.

What would you try?







12/12/10--06:37: Getting ‘crocked’ with Winter Abbey Ale from Blue... (chan 2808852)





Getting ‘crocked’ with Winter Abbey Ale from Blue Moon.




01/31/11--19:00: Rock out with your crock out! (chan 2808852)

Although not officially a foodfight, this crock pot recipe rocks! My good friend and fellow blogger Chalie of Mug of Saint Arnold is posting a Sunday Snack Series, combining two of my favorite activities - drinking and eating! I decided to join in with Our Family Foodfight Team’s Sunday dinner – pot roast.



This recipe began with some winter veggies, fennel, green onions, parsnips, carrots, fresh herbs and a braising liquid made of Blue Moon’s Winter Abbey Ale.



After browning the meat, I added it to the veggies, herbs and braising liquid to slow cook in the crock pot.

While the roast was “getting crocked” we whipped up some homemade horseradish smashed potatoes and pralined green beans.





This was a huge success! We all loved the hearty meal especially since this has been a chilly Florida winter.




02/01/11--05:00: Family Recipes Worth Fightin' For #3: Lasagne Roll-Ups (chan 2808852)

This is the latest in our family recipe collection. When pressed for time, but craving lasagne, this has been a sure-fire crowd pleaser.

Step One. Under cook lasagne noodles, drain. Don’t worry about the pasta being too al dente, since it continues to cook while baking, under cooking it to begin with will help keep the pasta from turning to mush.



Step Two. Spread the cheese mixture (ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, and spinach) evenly on the pasta, then roll.





Step Three. Once all the pasta has been filled and roll, bake and serve with fresh tomato sauce.




02/07/11--04:16: The Our Family Foodfight team was invited to participate in the... (chan 2808852)





The Our Family Foodfight team was invited to participate in the annual Lombardo Invitational Chili Cook Off.

The event was held during halftime of the super bowl with the results of the judging posted at the end of the game.

Results will be posted this evening!




02/07/11--22:19: The results are in! (chan 2808852)

The competition was strong (five competitors) which included good friends, Montana and Jeremy, who brought their favorite chili recipes. Jer (left) made a short rib chili with double-smoked bacon and white beans with pickled onions and a horseradish creme while Montana (right) carved team logos in cheese and made a smokey old-style chili, with a slew of condiments.



Judges were selected and the results were based on taste tests of five independent judges, on five different categories. Apparently we were off the charts in creativity (not a scored category) but lacked aroma. You can see all the judges comments by clicking on the final tally below. I was contestant #5.



How can chili lack aroma, but have a perfect score in aftertaste? It’s easy when your chili is ice cream! That’s right, we made a dark chocolate, chili-flavored ice cream, with toasted cumin seeds, smokey spanish paprika, chipotle peppers and a candied jalapeno bacon brittle.

 

And to further push the envelope, we served the ice cream on Fritos Corn chip scoops. 

Scores were tallied and our chili recipe was ranked first runner-up with a score of 145.

Although we did not win the coveted Lombardo Chili Cup, we did receive a great silver trophy to commemorate our win.



 You can see all the judges comments by clicking on the play button below. I was contestant #5.




02/21/11--19:20: Back to Basics - Steak and Potatoes (chan 2808852)

To say it’s been a busy year would be a huge understatement. In the past year, we were asked to shoot a demo for a possible TV adaption of our blog; were hired by a nationally-distributed magazine to develop food articles for their revamped food section; Julie and I closed on our new home and three months later were married in a backyard ceremony. As busy as the year has been, we still spend as much time together cooking as possible but finding time for ‘official’ our family foodfights has been challenging.

This doesn’t mean we aren’t cooking, plating, photographing and eating great food and this is the first of one of those simple but great dinners we want to share with you.

Back to Basics - Steak and Potatoes




We started with quality boneless ribeye steaks and the largest potato I’ve ever seen from Joseph’s Classic Market. The potato was sliced into one inch thick pieces, wrapped with bacon, then roasted in the oven until the bacon was crisp and the taters were tender and brown.





We seasoned the ribeyes liberally with salt and pepper, and studded the fat line with slivers of garlic and fresh rosemary.



While the potatoes were roasting, the steaks were seared on the grill and Vidalia onions were sauteed with garlic and fresh herbs.



Simply delicious!




02/22/11--12:45: A Tale of Two Valentine's Day Dinner Dates (chan 2808852)

Valentine’s day dinner at Red Lobster is a longstanding tradition for me and Cass. Our order is the same every year: a caesar salad, 1 lb of snow crab legs with a half-pound side of king crab legs and french fries. Part of our yearly tradition are the following photos, a great reminder of another wonderful year.



Jules and I started a new tradition of Valentine’s Day Brunch. We celebrated with a couple of bottles of prosecco, mixed up some tropical mimosas and enjoyed a traditional southern breakfast with biscuits and gravy, ham and eggs.

For dinner on Valentine’s Day, I made one of Julie’s favorite dishes - shrimp scampi. This version included scallops (my fav) as well as fresh parsley, wine and fresh spinach pasta.






02/23/11--12:00: Buttered Pecan, Bacon-Brittle Ice Cream (chan 2808852)



This Christmas, I received an ice cream maker attachment for my KitchenAid from my mom (Joan of Foodalogue). The first batch of ice cream pictured above, was a huge success. 

I started by making buttered pecans, then combined the pecans and crispy bacon with sugar to a make a brittle which was crushed to make a praline brittle.



Fresh vanilla bean, added to heavy cream and half & half served as a deliciously rich base for this buttered pecan ice cream.



Jules sneaks a taste while the ice cream ‘sets’ in the freezer








04/04/11--20:15: Battle: Atkins (chan 2808852)

The Our Family Foodfight team is still cooking and eating good great food, albeit with less carbs these days. Our typically quick dinners of pasta 3x a week are being replaced with grilled veggies and meats. 



Our veggie garden is thriving and aside from harvesting an abundance of herbs (especially cilantro, scallions, basil, oregano and thyme) we picked our first bell pepper this week as well.

 

The challenge this week was to make great food that fits our new healthier lifestyle. Julie lead off this week’s challenge with a Low-Carb Pepperoni ‘Pizza Bite’ Duo inspired by a recipe she found on Health-Bent. Packed with flavor, and served on a slice of pepperoni, I challenge you to notice the lack of crust.



Julie’s ‘Supreme Pizza Bite’ uses parmesan crisps as a base for diced pepperoni, bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, tomato sauce and shredded cheeses.





Next up, my mom, Joan of Foodalogue, prepared this Butternut Squash Cheesecake with broccoli rabe and chorizo.



I followed with a turkey kofta kebabs seasoned with scallions, mint, garlic, syrian pepper, lemon and S&P. I served this with some sour cream-based leban (cucumbers, mint, lemon zest and garlic).



And for dessert,

Cass made chocolate chip cookies! What’s healthy about cookies? Everything, these were made with half the sugar of regular cookies and she added peanut butter for flavor and whole oats for texture and health benefits of whole grains. 



Hot and warm from the oven, i couldn’t help myself — so I had one (alright two) but that was my limit!




04/06/11--05:00: Family recipes worth fightin' for #4: Not your grandpa's 'franks & beans' (chan 2808852)



Sure there are beans, but the franks in this recipe have been substituted for chicken sausages and the real star of this dish is the escarole.

Simple to make, fresh escarole is sauteed with garlic, pancetta/bacon and olive oil. Stir in a can of canellini beans and enough chicken broth to make a soup. Top with grilled sausages to complete this simple dish. Sprinkle with grated locatelli and serve.






04/06/11--13:00: Family recipes worth fightin' for #5: Struffoli (chan 2808852)



Every Christmas, Nanny would make platters of Struffoli or as we knew them … ‘honey balls’. These crispy balls of fried dough are tossed in honey and sprinkled with multi-colored sprinkles.

Truly a favorite of mine, it was actually one of the desserts at our wedding, along with a Julie’s favorite, a tiered, rice crispy wedding cake!

Julie and I decided to continue the Christmas tradition of making honey balls and made a large batch to share amongst our new neighbors as a simple holiday gift.

I hope they enjoyed them as much as we do.

Nanny’s Honey Balls - Struffoli

 

• 2 cup all-purpose flour (plus more for kneading the dough)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• zest of one lemon and one orange
• juice of one lemon
• 4 large eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon or orange zest
• 2 cup honey 
• Multi-colored sprinkle
• Oil for frying



1. Combine flour and the salt in a large bowl. Add  eggs and lemon/orange zest and stir to form a firm dough.

2. Lightly flour work surface and knead dough until smooth. If the dough seems sticky, add a little more flour. Shape the dough into a ball. Cover, place in the fridge and let it rest for 30 minutes.

3. Remove from the refrigerator and cut golf ball-sized pieces of dough from the main batch. Roll each ball into a 1/4-inch thick rope and cut each dowel into 1/4-inch pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and continue until finished with all dough.




4. Line a tray with paper towels. Pour about 2 inches of oil into a wide heavy saucepan. Heat the oil until a small bit of the dough dropped into the oil sizzles and turns brown in 1 minute.

5. Being careful not to splash the oil, slip just enough struffoli into the pan to fit without crowding. Cook, stirring once or twice with a slotted spoon, until the struffoli are crisp and evenly golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the struffoli with a slotted spoon or skimmer and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining dough.

6. When all of the struffoli are fried, gently heat the honey, lemon juice, and zest together. Remove from the heat. Add the drained struffoli and toss well.  Remove from heat and allow to cool 5 minutes in the pan, stirring regularly. Pile the struffoli onto a serving plate. Decorate with the multicolored sprinkles and serve.






08/10/11--19:14: Manhattan Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream (chan 2808852)



This is not your mom’s cherry vanilla ice cream, but it might be your new favorite. The Manhattan in the name does not come from my old home town, but rather from the eponymously named cocktail.

Fresh cherries were pitted, vanilla bean and a spring of fresh rosemary were added to the soon to be air tight container.



After a week in the fridge, the manhattan macerated cherries soaked up all the flavors of the bourbon, vermouth, vanilla and rosemary. 



Fresh cherries were steeped in heavy cream with sugar a vanilla bean to created the base for our manhattan cherry vanilla ice cream. Once the sugar dissolved and the mixture cooled, I removed the cherries and the vanilla bean; poured the mixture along with 3 tablespoons of the manhattan macerated cherry juice into our ice cream maker for twenty minutes and then added the chopped cherries.