"Linguine and Clam Sauce" with "Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Pepperoni"

July 9, 2017 Rich at Definitely Delish

It's been a very busy couple of months here at "Definitely Delish"

Not only has it been fourteen hour work days at my regular job, the travel company business, seeing my beautiful goddaughter as much as possible and birthdays..

I've also been working in the little off time I have on creating a surprise for my sweetheart at home—an outdoor spa oasis with hot tub, hanging lights, lanterns and statues..

This took quite a bit of my little free time I had left, but the finished results looks great and I'm happy with it..

That's not to say I haven't on occasion been cooking but it's mostly just been dishes I've done a whole lot of times before or have already blogged about, so it wouldn't do to repeat..

Now I've decided to get to you a new, long overdue recipe—an that is this delish dish..

A yummy, flavorful helping of "Linguine in White Clam Sauce" but with a kick—a extra dose of taste has been added with the addition of pepperoni and sun-dried tomatoes to the mix..

So sit back, enjoy and try it for yourself—because I think you'll find it is oh so "Definitely Delish"

"Kicked Up Linguine" with "White Clam Sauce"

Ingredients:
1 pound linguine (I used GK-Skinny Pasta)
1/2 cup Olive Oil plus 1 tablespoon
1 tablespoon Butter
6 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
3/4 cup dry White Wine
2-3 tablespoons dry Sherry
18 Littleneck or Chowder Clams
1/4 cup Clam Juice
1/4 cup of Chicken Bone Broth
Sea Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper
1 tablespoon fresh Thyme
1/4 to 1/2 a cup Sun-dried Tomatoes in Oil (depending on personal taste)
1 small Zuchinni, matchstick cut with mandolin (or use big side of cheese grater for larger matchstick pieces)
2 ounces (or less) of sliced Pepperoni, cut into quarter wedges
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian, flat leafed Parsley (plus extra for garnish)

Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta, following the package instructions, until al dente..
2. Meanwhile, warm 1/2 cup of the olive oil, and tablespoon of butter, in a high-sided saucepan (big enough for your clams to rest in a single layer) set over medium-high heat..
3. Add the garlic and cook until softened, about 2 minutes, until golden (Be careful not to burn)
4. Add the wine and sherry allowing it to cook away slightly, about 1 minute..
5. Add the clams, clam juice and chicken bone broth—an then season with sea salt and black pepper..

6. Add fresh thyme leaves and half the parsley—then cover pot and cook until the clams open. About 5 minutes..
7. Add drained sun-dried tomatoes (more or less depending on personal taste), pepperoni and zuchinni. Reduce heat to medium and stir to combine..
8. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining parsley..
9. Drain the pasta (reserving a 1/2 cup of cooking liquid) and toss in a serving bowl with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil—adding reserved cooking liquid if needed..
10. Distribute the pasta evenly among six pasta bowls. Top each with equal portions of the sauce, and serve immediately garnished with parsley..

Notes:
1. You can also toss the sauce with the pasta before distributing it to your pasta bowls..
2. Goes well with a nice light white wine, a Sauvignon Blanc or Chateu St. Michelle Reisling is nice..
3. Serve with Sesame Semolina Italian bread with butter..
4. You can also remove some of the clams from their shells, lightly chopping them and tossing with the sauce before serving..

"Fried Hot-Water Cornbread Bites"

March 26, 2017 Rich at Definitely Delish

It has been a busy few days or more of work on a cake for a baby shower along with all of the work me and my Sweetie are doing on the new Travel Business we started at "Superior Travel Destinations"

Everything has been coming along great but between the two projects, I haven't had the extra time or energy leftover after work for my regular cooking, let alone my blog..

So it's not every day that you have time to make some over intricate or "wow" meal; but sometimes, just sometimes, you get to wanting something simple and delicious..

When I think of that I think of Southern Comfort Style cuisine; ribs, pulled pork, red beans & rice, and cornbread..

Mmm, cornbread...

I don't know what it is about it but something in the taste of that buttery sweet goodness of cornbread makes it something I rarely pass up-no matter what kind of health or diet kick I might be on at the time..

It's really kind of funny if you think about it, but a boy from New York could live on southern comfort food for life-must've been New Orleans, the tastes, the sounds, the smells. I just can't get it out of my soul..

So enjoy these little bites of cornbread heaven and serve them next to your Jambalaya, Pulled Pork, Country Ribs or heat them up for breakfast with some Coffee & Chicory, Eggs and Andouille Sausage..

If you do, I'm sure that you'll find them "Definitely Delish"

"Fried Hot-Water Cornbread Bites"

Ingredients:
2 cups fine fresh Cornmeal
1/2 cup White Sugar
2 tablespoons of Baking Powder
1/3 cup of melted Butter
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons of fine Sea Salt or Himilayan Salt
2 cups, or more of Boiling Hot Water (as much as is needed to reach a batter like consistency)
Vegetable Oil for cooking

Directions:
1. In a large bowl combine the corn meal, baking powder, sugar, salt and stir to combine. Add melted butter and vanilla; then add boiling water, starting with about 1 1/2 cups of boiling water. Carefully stirring to combine..
2. Continue adding additional boiling water until a batter like consistency is reached. It should be pour-able, like pancake batter. (Different corn meals will require different amounts of water. Start with less and add more if you need it.)
3. I used an ebeliskiver pan to make small rounded bites. Heat on medium to medium high, brush with vegetable oil and pour batter into the rounded circles, as it starts to set gently flip the individual bites and cook till done.. 4. Should only take 4 to 6 minutes cooking time total depending on stove-top. If needed start with one to test your timing to completion before making an entire batch. (See Notes for Options)

Notes:
1. If you do not own an ebelskiver pan, add approximately a 1/4 inch of vegetable oil to a pan and heat to around 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Add about a 1/4 cup of batter to heated oil and cook till browning (3-4 minutes) then gently flip and cook and additional 3 minutes working in batches to retain oil temperature..
2. An option for the ebelskiver pan version is to cut out marble size squares of butter and freeze them for 30 minutes inside the freezer. Partially fill the ebelskiver pan with batter and as it cooks add frozen butter to center, gently pressing it into cooking batter--then covering with more batter before flipping, to add a kick of melty butter flavor to the center of each bite. (I did this myself, and it was delicious.)

"Gluten-Free Cauliflower Crust Pizza"

February 25, 2017 Rich at Definitely Delish

I'm always seeing all of these wonderful healthy crust pizzas, that people share, all of the time..

Makes me so hungry for something I generally don't eat anymore, but do so definitely love..

So taking a little inspiration from those who have posted before me, I decided to go all in and create a couple of "healthy" pizzas of my very own..

This first one is made up of a deliciously flavorful crust of Roasted Cauliflower, Coconut flour, Parmesan and Mozzarella cheeses, and some spices..

It was actually much easier to do then expected and using parchment paper to help move it on and off the Pizza stone, during cooking, made all the difference in the world..

So, literally, after 10 minutes of baking it was time to take it out and slide my other crust into the oven and decide what I should top this one with..

I made sure to have more than a few options available for me, and my Baby, and then left it up to her to decide..

After looking over everything, she went with the fresh mozzarella and basil..

So slathering the top with pizza sauce, placing some medallions of mozz' and scattering a couple of pinches of fresh cut basil—it was time to go back on the stone in the oven to finish cooking..

A handful of minutes later it was done and all ready to be devoured, added just a smidgen of shaved Parmesan for good measure and began cutting into this one to give it a try..

Yum, it was so good and the crust was so tasty—it even held together just enough to be picked up just like a regular slice of pizza..

So very good and so very healthy with all of those natural ingredients with the gluten free, low carb crust..

So going to make this again because it was so—"Definitely Delish"

"Gluten-Free Cauliflower Crust Pizza"

Ingredients:
1 small to medium sized head of roasted cauliflower - should yield 2 to 3 cups once processed
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freeze-dried basil (crush it even more between your fingers)
1/2 teaspoon freeze-dried oregano (crush it even more between you fingers)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh Garlic
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/4 cup 2% mozzarella cheese
1 egg
2-3 tablespoons coconut flour
Toppings:
Pizza sauce-homemade or store bought
Cheese fresh or pre shredded mozzarella
Toppings, whatever you enjoy.....

Directions:
1. Place a pizza stone in the oven, or baking sheet if you don't have a pizza stone. Preheat oven to 450 degrees..
2. On a cutting board, place a large piece of parchment paper and spray it with nonstick cooking oil..
3. Wash and throughly dry a small head of cauliflower..
4. Cut off the florets, you don't need much stem. Place in baking dish and drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle a touch of salt..
5. Place in oven and roast for 20-30 minutes. Remove, and when cool enough to touch, place into food processor..
6. Pulse in your food processor for about 30 seconds, until you get powdery snow like cauliflower. You should have about 2 cups of cauliflower..
7. Scoop out cauliflower and place into a dish towel or cheesecloth and squeeze. You want to squeeze out as much water as possible. This will ensure you get a nice chewy pizza like crust instead of a crumbly mess..
8. Dump cauliflower into a bowl. Now add 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon freeze-dried basil (crush up the leaves even more between your fingers before adding), 1/2 teaspoon freeze-dried oregano (crush up the leaves even more between your fingers before adding), 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (not garlic salt), minced fresh garlic and a dash of red pepper if you want..
9. I also added 2-3 tablespoons of coconut flour at this time. Now add your egg and mix away. Hands tend to work best, I'll wear those throw away gloves sometimes so as to be able too have clean hands again when needed..

10. Once mixed together, use your hands to form the dough into a crust on your oiled parchment paper. Pat it down throughly, you want it nice and tightly formed together. Don't make it too thick or thin either. (I used the outer ring of a spring-form pan to ensure a nice circular crust..
11. Using a cutting board slide the parchment paper onto your hot pizza stone or baking sheet in the oven. Bake for 8 - 11 minutes, until it starts to turn golden brown. Remove from oven... (Just eye the crust the last few minutes to ensure you don't under or over cook it)
12. Add however much sauce, cheese, and toppings you want. I'm not gonna give you measurements for this. You should know how you like your pizza - this is your personal taste that matters..
13. Slide parchment with topped pizza back in the hot oven and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes until the cheese is melted and slightly golden....
14. Test your patience and allow it to cool for a minute or two. Probably closer to two. Then using a pizza cutter and a spatula serve up your delicious gluten-free cauliflower crust pizza!

Notes:
1. It makes a big difference oiling the parchment paper before forming the crust on it and using a pizza stone in the oven..
2. You'll want to have the oven pre-heated well ahead to allow the stone to be heated completely..
3. An average size head of cauliflower is fine, you don't want to have much more then 2 cups of processed cauliflower after roasting..
4. Can use un-roasted cauliflower as well— just rinse, remove florets, process into snow and microwave for 4 minutes on a plate before squeezing liquid out with cheese cloth..

"Herb and Cheese Frittata with Vegetables"

January 5, 2017 Rich at Definitely Delish

It's been a little bit of a skillet meal kick that I've been on recently, but who doesn't love the ease and variety of simple one pan dishes such as these—now let's get down to business..

Last night I decided to make me and my Baby some "Brinner"

You know, a little "Breakfast for Dinner"

What I ended up throwing together was a wonderfully yummy "Frittata"

Had to do a bit of scrounging, the cupboards were a little more bare then usual..

"Asparagus Cheese & Herb Frittata" — *"Asparagus Cheese & Herb Frittata"*

First I wanted to have some cheese to add, but lacking any beyond some Parmesan, I ended up having to make my own from scratch..

A little heavy cream, milk and lemon juice later and I had my homemade "Ricotta" draining thru some cloth..

Next I prepped some garlic, shallots, grated Parmesan, fresh herbs and grape tomatoes; along with some leftover steamed broccoli I had..

"Zucchini, Squash & Ricotta Cheese Frittata" — *"Zucchini, Squash & Ricotta Cheese Frittata"*

A little sautéing later; followed by pouring in the eggs and egg whites, then it was time to add a few dollops of fresh cheese and the seeded an halved tomatoes..

Under the broiler it went; and a few minutes later we had this wonderfully tasty and beautifully golden "Herb and Cheese Frittata" with vegetables...

I sprinkled on a pinch of pink salt and black pepper and then it was all ready to serve..

So very good with just the right amount of each ingredient and with nothing overpowering anything else..

"Definitely Delish" and definitely a dish to be had for dinner, for breakfast, or for both...

"Herb and Cheese Frittata with Vegetables"

Ingredients:
8 Eggs (Or a mix of Eggs and Egg Whites-more egg or whites may be needed depending on pan size)
Fresh Herbs—Rosemary, Thyme, etc...
Tablespoon Olive Oil or Coconut Oil
Homemade or Store bought Ricotta Cheese (Goat Cheese, Feta, Fontina, etc)
Himalayan Pink Salt or Sea Salt
Fresh ground Black Pepper
Grape Tomatoes, halved and seeded (Other Vegetables can be used)
Broccoli or Asparagus or other Vegetable

Directions:
1. Mix eggs (plus egg whites if cutting down on whole eggs) with whisk in bowl with pinch of pink salt...
2. Turn broiler on to 500 degrees..
3. Heat Oven Proof Pan on stove on just below medium heat. (I like using an oven proof oval pan)
4. Add Coconut Oil and Sauté Vegetables with a pinch of salt and pepper till tender. (You can add some herbs at this point if desired)

5. Pour Eggs over top the veggies and cook on medium low, till eggs begin to set—will vary depending on size of pan, depth and whether eggs are at room temperature, check with spatula if needed. (You want them to be at least halfway cooked through or more but be careful not to burn the bottom, adjust temp if needed)
6. Add Tomatoes, a few dollops of Cheese and some of the fresh Herbs...
7. Transfer pan under broiler on middle wrack of oven; cook till nice and golden with eggs being completely set. (Careful not to burn by checking often)

Notes:
There are so many options and changes available that it is not even worth listing them. Suffice it to say, pick a mix of cheeses, herbs, seasonings, vegetables and go with it—experimentation and imagination is all you need for a delicious meal the entire family will love, whether its for Brinner or Dinner...

"Mexican Skillet Dinner"

December 27, 2016 Rich at Definitely Delish

I am kind of in love with Skillet dinners lately...

They are so quick and easy to make and
you can change them up in so many different ways...

From "Frittatas" galore, to "Skillet Pizzas" and on to the recent "Oatmeal Bake" I've concocted—I just can't get enough of them..

Now with the stress of holiday cooking, presents and parties temporarily abated till this weekends New Years revelry; what better way to simplify your evening then a "Mexican Skillet Dinner"

Skillet dinners are great because you generally only get one pan dirty, and dinner can be ready in about a half an hour..

On busy weeknights when getting dinner on the table, for me and my baby, can be a struggle you don't want to have a lot of excess clean up to do afterwards—leaves more time for snuggling watching Netflix..

So, one pan dinners can be ideal and keeping a few easily customized ones that everyone likes is nice and can make for an easy night for the cook..

This "Mexican Skillet Dinner" is easy to play around with; from adding or changing the beans, type of meat, additional vegetables or variety of spices..

This one here is a pretty basic recipe for everyone but remember to be imaginative and creative in your own preparation because a meal should always be made to your own tastes..

Suffice it to say, there's an unending supply of alternatives for you to try out for yourself—to start, for the other night, I added an extra pot and cooked up some brown rice and quinoa into a healthy Spanish style rice mix separately as well as used a mix of black, pinto and dark red kidney beans in the skillet..

After a little cooking, then a sprinkling of cheese—it was under the broiler for all of two minutes and then time to dig in..

Me and my Baby loved it, and I especially love that I can change it up so easily to make an entirely different meal out of it each time..

"Definitely Delish" and definitely a dish to make again and again..

"Mexican Skillet Dinner"

Ingredients:
12 ounces Chorizo or Spicy Pork Sausage (I used lean spicy turkey sausage)
1 cup frozen Corn
1 (14 1/2 oz.) can diced Tomatoes, un-drained
1 cup uncooked Rice
1 cup Water
1 tablespoon Lime juice
1/2 small Red Onion, diced
1 1/2 teaspoons Chili Powder
1/2 teaspoon Paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground Cumin
1 (15 oz.) can Pinto beans, rinsed and drained (I used a mix of beans)
3/4 cup shredded Mexican-blend cheeses or Colby and Monterey Jack cheese

Directions:
1. If present, remove casing from sausage. In a large skillet cook sausage over medium to medium-high heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until brown..
2. Drain in a colander; set aside..
3. Add corn, tomatoes, uncooked rice, the water, chili powder, paprika and cumin to skillet..
4. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 15 to 18 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender..
5. Stir in beans, onion, lime juice and cooked sausage; heat through for several minutes..
6. Sprinkle with your cheese choices; cover and let stand for 2 to 3 minutes or slide under the broiler until cheese is nice and melted..

Notes:
1. I changed my skillet to spicy turkey sausage, as well as adding a variety of beans (Red Kidney, Pinto and Black). Also I added onion and a few flavorful ingredients to liven things up..
2. I cooked my rice separately, so drained the tomatoes and didn't add the water to skillet..
3. You can slide the skillet under a broiler for a minute or two to melt the cheese quickly and lightly brown, I've done this myself..
4. Experiment, changing up spices, beans, meats, cheeses, vegetaables to make whole different varieties of skillets—from shredded chicken to short ribs, use your imagination..
There's so much you can do with a little experimentation and imagination...

"Hoisin Pork Loin"

December 18, 2016 Rich at Definitely Delish

Recently while with my Mom, I had the opportunity to look through some of the old recipes and newspaper clippings she had put together over the years..

Some were family favorites I remember from childhood, some from friends of my parents, others were from cookbooks or articles from yesteryear and one was created by my Dad..

I had completely forgotten, and it was probably from fifteen or twenty years ago, but at one point my Pops had a recipe of his own published in a local New York newspaper—I thought that was beyond cool, especially since I have had the chance to be published too. Definitely shows how much we had in common..

So taking a trip down memory lane I try my hand at a recipe my Dad created decades ago; though I made a few tweaks of my own, considering that I would be feeding just two..

The flavor was amazing and I think you'll find it well worth the time and effort; and just in case, I'll be adding both my altered version and his original here for you..

Because no matter what I do believe that you will find them both, oh so "Definitely Delish"

"Hoisin Pork Loin"

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 pounds Pork Tenderloin, room temperature
1/2 cup Hoisin sauce
3 cloves Garlic, finely minced
2 Scallions, cut diagonally into 1 inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon whole Pink Peppercorns, hand crushed
2 Carrots, chopped
4 ounces fresh Shiitake Mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup Scotch Whiskey (amber single malt)
1/4 cup Water
3 Green Onions (Scallions), sliced for garnish
Fresh chopped Parsley, for garnish
Sea Salt and Pepper, plus more to taste

Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and season all sides of your pork with fine sea salt and fresh ground pepper after sitting it out on the counter to come to room temperature..
2. Heat a cast iron skillet for 2 minutes on high heat, drizzle with olive oil and place tenderloin into skillet turning to brown on all sides-approximately 3 to 4 minutes..

3. Mince your garlic and mix into the Hoisin sauce; remove skillet from heat and then coat the pork with your Hoisin sauce mixture on all sides. Sprinkle with sliced scallions and crushed peppercorns, then place inside the top third of your oven to bake uncovered for 20 minutes until cooked through..
4. Quick steam cook your carrots in a microwave safe dish for 3 minutes in the microwave, then in a separate dish microwave the sliced mushrooms and green onion for 45 seconds..
5. When the pork is done; remove from skillet and tent with foil on a cutting board till ready..
6. Using protective oven mitts, return the skillet to the stove-top and add the Scotch Whiskey, 1/4 cup of water, carrots, mushrooms and scallion pieces—bring mixture to a boil and cook until slightly thickened. (Add water by the tablespoonful if too thick, or boil longer if to thin)
7. Remove sauce from heat. Slice the pork into one inch pieces, season with salt and pepper if desired, then pour over with sauce and vegetables—garnish with chopped parsley, sliced green onion and enjoy immediately...

"Pops Hoisin Pork Shoulder"

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 (6 1/2 pound) Pork Shoulder
3/4 cup Hoisin sauce
3 bunches of Green Onions, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 teaspoon whole Peppercorns
3 medium Carrots, chopped
1/4 cup Scotch Whiskey
3/4 cup Water
1 (4 oz) can sliced Mushrooms
sliced Green Onions, for garnish

Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Heat oil in a heavy, ovenproof pot over high heat. Add pork shoulder, fat side down, and brown all sides, turning often, about 12 minutes..
3. Remove pot from heat. Spread Hoisin sauce over pork. Sprinkle with green onion pieces, carrots and peppercorns..
4. Cover and place in oven. Cook until pork is very tender when pierced with a fork, about 2 3/4 hours. Add water to pot by the 1/4 cup fills if mixture is dry while cooking..
5. Remove pot from oven. Transfer pork to a cutting board and tent with foil. Let stand for 20 minutes..

6. Spoon off fat from pan juices. Stir in mushrooms and whiskey, along with 3/4 cup of water and bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Add water by tablespoons if sauce is to thick, or boil longer to reduce sauce if to thin..
7. Cut pork into 1 inch thick slices. Garnish with green onion slices. Pour sauce over pork and serve..

"Skinny Bourbon Chicken"

October 18, 2016 Rich at Definitely Delish

I love food that's bad for you...

I mean who doesn't, right?

But as I've gotten older I've found that I just can't eat like I used, not on a regular basis anyway...

Though I'll still on occasion make something sinfully delicious as you can plainly see from some of my other posts...

This, though, just happens to be one of those happy creations where I discover a way to create that unbelievably delectable experience without the sin...

Taking the wonderful flavors of a "New Orleans Style Bourbon Chicken" and tweaking the ingredients, measurements and cooking to create something that tastes, in essence, so incredibly close to the original but with less than half the calories amazes me...

That is what we have here; a scrumptious melding of Southern Comfort and other ingredients brought together in harmony to compose a sweet and slightly spiced melody that'll have you singing the Blues when it's all gone...

I served mine with a sticky risotto rice this time but next time for an even healthier version I think I'll be using some riced cauliflower instead; either way I think you'll find this dish is perfect—because it is, oh so "Definitely Delish"

"Skinny Bourbon Chicken"

Ingredients:
2 tbsp coconut oil
3 lbs boneless, skinless Chicken, cut into bite size pieces
1 cup Water
1 cup brown sugar, packed (less using Truvia brown sugar blend-6 tblsp's)
3/4 cup low-sodium Chicken broth
1/2 cup soy sauce (Tamari-lite Japanese Soy)
1/4 cup Ketchup (low sugar)
1/4 cup Southern Comfort
2 tbsp Apple Cider vinegar
5 cloves Garlic, minced
1/2 sweet Onion, minced
1 Shallot minced
1/4 tsp crushed Red Pepper flakes (more if you like it spicy)
1 1/2 tbsp freshly grated Ginger
1/2 cup Apple Cider
1 tbsp Corn Starch
Fresh Chives, Scallions and Parsley for garnish
White Rice (I used 1 cup Risotto Rice cooked with 3 cups of water till done and sticky)

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a large heavy bottom pot. Add the chicken pieces and brown until lightly golden on all sides. This will take about ten minutes. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. It will not be fully cooked yet...

2. In the now empty pot, add the water, sugar, chicken broth, soy sauce, ketchup, Southern Comfort, apple cider vinegar, garlic, onion, red pepper flakes, and ginger. Bring to a boil, and use a wooden spoon to scrape all the browned bits off the bottom of the pan...

3. Add the chicken pieces back into the pan with the sauce, along with any accumulated juice on the plate. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer for 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through, and the sauce has started to thicken...

4. In a small bowl, whisk together the apple juice and corn starch. Stir into the pot with a wooden spoon, then turn up the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly, to thicken up the sauce. Add 1 tablespoon of Southern Comfort at the end before serving...

Serve while hot, and remember, this goes great with rice (and a glass of bourbon)

*"Easy like a NOLA morning" by R.Fisher*

Notes:
1. Slow Cooker Directions: Whisk together everything except for the chicken, apple juice, and corn starch. Pour into the bowl of your slow cooker. Add the chicken pieces, toss with a wooden spoon to coat, then cook over low for 6-7 hours, or high for 3 hours. Stir in the apple juice and cornstarch mixture at the very end to thicken up the sauce more if needed...

2. I used sticky white risotto rice this time but to cut the calories even more you could use riced Cauliflower or another alternative. (I'll be trying this next time I make it)

"BLT Sandwich Casserole"

August 28, 2016 Rich at Definitely Delish

I always enjoy finding or creating recipes that can be made to fit any day or occasion...

This is one of those...

Whether it's breakfast or brunch, dinner or lunch—this "BLT Casserole" is just perfect for serving for family or friends...

Mine was made with a mix of homemade and locally sourced ingredients; but, of course, you could save yourself time by just going to your local supermarket for the bread and other ingredients—absolutely nothing wrong with that, I do it myself when I need too...

This time though I decided to go the extra mile by making my own Sourdough from scratch (see the recipe in the Recipe Redux section of the Blog) as well as going to local farms for the fresh eggs, lettuce, tomatoes and bacon—nothing quite like farm fresh if you ask me...

After taking out some of my frozen chicken stock to thaw, I then whipped up some of Julia Child's foolproof mayonnaise—then it was time to work...

Cutting, toasting, slicing, chopping and then oven baking some bacon later—it was time to toss everything together and dump it into my oval roaster to bake for Brunch...

Already the house was smelling divine from all of the various parts involved in creating this dish; but after 45 minutes more of it all in the oven, my mouth was truly salivating at the thought of digging in...

A last couple of minutes under the broiler after brushing it down with some bacon fat (Mmm, bacon) and it was finally time to eat...

So good and so filling; truly a scrumptious, salty, savory dish for anytime of day or night and oh so "Definitely Delish"

*"Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato Sandwich Bake"*

"BLT Casserole"

Ingredients:
12-16 ounces crusty Sourdough bread cut into 1" cubes (about 8 cups)
1 pound thick-cut applewood smoked bacon, cut crosswise into 1" pieces
3 large farm fresh eggs
1 1/4 cups low-sodium organic chicken stock
1/2 cup organic Mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Himalayan salt or Sea salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1 pint grape sized heirloom tomatoes, halved
1 head local farmed butter lettuce, washed, dried very well, cut into 1" slices
1 tablespoon chopped chives, for garnish
1 tablespoon chopped Parsley, for garnish

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread bread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake, tossing once, until dry to the touch and slightly toasted, about 10 minutes. Let cool slightly....
2. Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until fat starts to render and bacon browns, about 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a small bowl, reserving 3 Tbsp. fat.
3. Whisk eggs, stock, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and 2 Tbsp. bacon fat in a large bowl...
4. Add bread and gently toss to combine. Add bacon and tomatoes and stir to combine. Let sit until bread has absorbed most of the liquid, about 15 minutes...
5. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Add lettuce to bread mixture and stir to combine. Transfer the mixture to a 13 x 9 inch baking dish and bake until top is golden brown, about 45 minutes...
6. Brush surface with remaining 1 Tbsp. bacon fat, turn broiler on, and continue baking until tops of bread are glistening and well toasted, 3–5 minutes more...
7. Garnish with parsley & chives, if using, and serve immediately...

Notes:
1. For the Bacon I used the oven cooking method; place bacon inside of a baking dish or on a rack inside of one and cook in a pre-heated 400 degree Fahrenheit oven for 20 minutes-or until nicely browned. (Alternatively you can cook inside of a pan on the stove top)
2. If you want you can use any bakery bread you prefer, from wheat to pumpernickel- it's up to your own personal preference...

"Sweet & Creamy Polenta" with "Roasted Vegetable Sauce"

August 20, 2016 Rich at Definitely Delish

I can't believe it, but it's been only just a little over a year now since I started playing around with the idea of blogging online...

It certainly has felt like so much longer to me...

Now between all of the cooking, photographing and sharing of my recipes I've been blessed to have met some of the kindest, sweetest and most supportive "Foodies" from just about every corner on Earth...

They really have been beyond wonderful and I've cherished the friendships I've made with each of them...

One of the very first good friends within the "Foodie" community that I made was Lizzy, from A Tasty Mess...

An at home Chef, much like myself, from Houston Texas—who beyond just the incredible encouragement she always gave me, and my early endeavors, was also kind enough to invite me to write, and create, a guest post on her blog—a post that amazingly enough even made it onto the The Daily Meal...

For someone like myself who hadn't ever even shared a recipe, let alone write & photograph for a website, this was an opportunity that I've always been grateful for...

So in honor of the recipe that started it all, I've decided to take most of the same wonderful ingredients to create this dish—a mix of farm fresh and organic, brought together to give you a scrumptious "Sweet & Creamy Polenta" with a "Roasted Vegetable Sauce"

Try it out for yourself. I'll think you'll find it, oh so "Definitely Delish"

"Sweet & Creamy Polenta" with "Roasted Vegetable Sauce"
(serves about 4)

Roasted Vegetable Sauce:
Ingredients:
1/3 cup Kalamata Olive oil
1-2 Japanese eggplants, cut into 3/4 to 1 inch pieces
1 medium Zucchini, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
1 yellow squash, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1/4 cup white wine (Sauvignon blanc or Pinot Grigio)
1 cup chopped fire roasted tomatoes (fresh or canned)
6 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon organic sugar
1/2 tablespoon Shallot, minced
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a large deep sided sauté pan on medium heat—add the various sliced vegetables (zucchini, eggplant & squash) and pan roast for 10 minutes, or until nicely browned...
2. Now add the shallots and cook for one minute more before draining off any excess oil if necessary...
3. Follow by adding the tomato paste to the pan and stir, cooking for 2 minutes, before then adding the wine and cooking for 1 more minute...
4. Add the chopped tomatoes, water, sea salt, organic sugar and fresh oregano and cook for a further 5 minutes to get a deep-flavored sauce. Set aside or save; warm it up when ready to serve...

Polenta:
Ingredients:
6 ears of Farm Fresh Corn
2 cups Water
3 tablespoons unsalted Irish Butter, diced
7 ounces Bulgarian Feta, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt
Fresh ground White Pepper

Directions:
1. Remove the leaves and "silk" from each ear of corn, then chop off the pointed top and stalk. Using a sharp knife to shave off the kernels by either standing each ear upright on its base and shaving downward, or lay each ear on its side on a cutting board to slice off the kernels...
2. You want to have about 1 pound of corn kernels...
3. Place the kernels in a medium saucepan and barely cover them with the water. Add one tablespoon of butter and a pinch of salt. Cook for 15 minutes on low heat simmering...
4. Use a slotted spoon to remove the kernels from the water and place them into a food processor; reserve the cooking liquid...
5. Process them for several minutes, to break as much of the kernel case as possible. Add some of the cooking liquid if the mixture becomes too dry to process...
6. Now return the processed corn to the pan with the reserved cooking liquid and cook, while stirring, on low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the mixture thickens to an almost mashed potato consistency. (If you have a lot of liquid left in the pan, it can take longer to cook down the polenta, and it will sputter)
7. Fold in the remaining butter, the feta, sea salt and some pepper and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and add more sea salt & white pepper if needed...

"Spiced French Toast Bake"

August 13, 2016 Rich at Definitely Delish

I find that creating breakfast recipes can be some of the toughest to do...

I mean there's only so many ways to scramble an egg or make an omelette, waffle or French toast...

An though I've still attempted it by tweaking an "Eggs Benedict" using "English" crumpets and "Kobe-Wagyu" sirloin burgers or by layering a "Frittata" with potatoes, pancetta, mushrooms, asparagus and cheese—I still find it tough to find a technique or addition to make a breakfast recipe truly my own...

This is one of those...

Taking a personal love of all things bread related; I took buttered toast for breakfast, along with my French Toast recipe and decided to combine the two together with a twist...

Taking cues from a "New Orleans" style Bread Pudding (which has been much on my mind as me and my Baby plan our return trip); I played around with the ingredients and after a night at rest, me and my Baby were blessed to have this beautiful symphony of sweet and spicy ingredients slowly baking in the oven...

Once done, and dusted with powdered sugar, it was ready to be served up with some pure organic maple syrup...

Such a serendipitously satisfying selection to soothe both your hunger and your sweet tooth at the same time...

So try out my "Spiced French Toast Bake" yourself; I think you'll find that it is,
oh so "Definitely Delish"

"Spiced French Toast Bake"

Ingredients:
1 loaf of fresh made Whole Wheat Bread, cut into 14 slices
3 tablespoons unsalted Irish Butter, softened
6 tablespoons granulated organic Sugar
Zest of 1/2 lemon
2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
6 farm fresh Eggs
2 cups Whole Milk
1 cup Light Cream
1 tablespoon Amber Rum
1/2 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon of ground Cloves, Allspice & Nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon Pink Himalayan Salt or Sea Salt
Powdered sugar, for dusting
Organic Maple syrup to finish (optional)

Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice your bread into 14 slices and then diagonally into triangles. Arrange them on a large baking tray and bake for 5 to 10 minutes, until firm to the touch but not yet browned. You can flip halfway through baking...
2. Lightly butter a 9×13-inch or other 3-quart casserole dish with 1 tablespoon of softened butter. Melt the remaining butter in a dish and using a silicone basting brush, brush each slice of bread after they're done in the oven...
3. Fan your bread slices out into the pan. Now place sugar and lemon zest in the bottom of a small dish and use your fingertips to rub the zest into the sugar, so it breaks up a bit and also releases the most flavor. Sprinkle half of lemon sugar over bread inside your casserole dish...
4. Whisk eggs in a large bowl; then slowly whisk in the cream and milk, followed by the ground spices...
5. Stir in vanilla, rum and salt. Pour custard slowly and evenly over bread and sugar, then sprinkle with the remaining lemon sugar...
6. Let mixture soak covered overnight in the fridge. If pressed for time you can let it sit for 30 minutes on the counter instead before baking, but overnight is better...

7. When ready, heat oven to 365 degrees. Loosely cover the "French Toast Bake" with foil and bake for 15 minutes on the middle (or just below middle) rack of the oven. Remove foil and bake for approximately 30 minutes more, until a knife inserted into the center of the casserole and turned slightly causes no liquid custard to spill into the crack. (This can vary by the density of your bread; it can sometimes take longer to finish. Check regularly till done every couple of minutes)
8. Let cool slightly before serving. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with maple syrup on the side, if desired...

*"Buttered Toast, French Toast And Bread Pudding Together At Last"*

"Oia, Santorini - Somber Shades by R.Fisher" — *"Oia, Santorini - Somber Shades by R.Fisher"*

"Greek Bifteki Meatball Gyro-A Healthy Mediterranean Meal"

May 27, 2016 Rich at Definitely Delish

I have this enduring love of Mediterranean cuisine; truly I do, whether it's "Egyptian Lentil Soup" or "Italian Pasta with Garlic and Oil"

It seems to me no matter how much I love meat and potatoes, owing to my Austrian-Irish heritage, I just can't get enough of that delicious and healthy Mediterranean diet...
Be it Humus or Kebab, Branzino or Paella—there are just so many healthy, flavorful and delicious choices to choose from...

Today I decided on a fusion of favorites and flavors from across the Aegean and Mediterranean; what I ended up creating was a Greek Bifteki, shaped like an Italian meatball and filled with an incredible mix of cheeses, spices and herbs from all across Turkey, Greece, Hungary, Bulgaria and Italy...

Topped with fresh cucumber, tomato, red onion and the "Tzatziki" yogurt sauce inside of a griddle warmed Pita bread—it was truly just a perfectly wonderful blending of tastes and flavors reminding me of my lovely travels across the seas surrounding the beautiful shores of Italy, Greece and Turkey...

This is one healthy dish to serve for lunch or dinner and is sure to become a family favorite in your own home—so why not give it a try; I think you will find that it is, oh so
"Definitely Delish"

"Bifteki Style Meatball Gyro" with "Tzatziki"

Ingredients:
Bifteki:
8 oz. ground Pork
8 oz. ground grass-fed lean Beef
4 oz. ground Lamb
4 tablespoons Red Onion, minced
2 teaspoons Shallot, minced
2 cloves Garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon Thyme, fresh chopped
2 tablespoons Italian Parsley, fresh chopped
1 teaspoon dried Greek Oregano (I used some I bought in Corfu at a roadside stand)
1/2 teaspoon Turkish Cumin
1/2 teaspoon Hungarian Paprika (Szeged brand)
2 teaspoons Mediterranean Sea Salt, fine
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper, fresh ground
1 tablespoon Kalamata Olive Oil (I used a bottle I bought in Olympia Greece)
1 tablespoon Italian Red Wine Vinegar
2/3 cup Panko style plain Breadcrumbs
1 large Egg
3-4 oz. Feta Cheese, grated (I used Bulgarian Feta for the smoother, less salty & tart taste)
2 1/2 small vine ripe Tomatoes, minced after seeds and insides removed (mine were Hothouse variety, just smaller than a golf ball in size)

Tzatziki:
2 (7 oz.) containers fat-free Greek Yogurt
1 Cucumber, seedless
1/4 cup low-fat Sour Cream
2 tablespoons Lemon Juice, freshly squeezed
1 tablespoon White Wine Vinegar
1 tablespoon Dill, fresh minced
1 1/2 teaspoons Garlic, finely minced
2 teaspoons Mediterranean Sea Salt
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper, freshly ground

Topping:
3-4 Kirby Cucumbers, diced
4-6 small vine ripe Tomatoes, seeded & diced
1 Red Onion, sliced or chopped
Sea Salt & Black Pepper
1/2 tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
2 tablespoons Italian Parsley, fresh chopped

Other:
Fresh Made or Quality Store Brand Pita Bread

Directions:
Bifteki:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit; then in a large bowl add all of your minced and chopped ingredients along with your spices, meat, cheese, egg and breadcrumbs...
2. Mix well by hand. (I wear plastic gloves for this and when forming the meatballs)
3. Take out a baking tray with a rim and begin forming small meatballs, around 1 to 2 inches in size, placing them in the baking tray—then repeat with the remaining meat mixture until all of its used...
4. You'll end up with 40-60 meatballs depending on size. Now place the tray and bake them at 350 degrees for 35 minutes...
5. Once they are done cooking they can be stored in a container in the fridge for 3 or 4 days; when ready to use, heat a pan on the stove on medium high heat and brown the outside of the meatballs till warmed through and ready to eat...

Tzatziki:
1. Place the yogurt in a medium bowl…
2. Grate the cucumber on a grater and squeeze the grated cucumber with your hand, or using cheesecloth, to remove some of the liquid….l
3. Add it to the yogurt along with the sour cream, lemon juice, vinegar, dill, garlic, salt and pepper and stir to combine…
4. Refrigerate until ready to use…

Toppings:
1. Dice the cucumbers and place them in a small container or Ziploc bag with a dash of sea salt and pepper with the red wine vinegar—then toss to combine and refrigerate until ready to use...
2. Remove seeds and inside of tomatoes, then dice and store in a small container or Ziploc bag till needed—repeat with the red onion and parsley...

Gyro:
1. Warm a skillet or griddle pan on the stove at medium heat and lightly toast/warm your pita bread on both sides...
2. Put 2 tablespoons of Tzatziki sauce on the "Gyro" with 4-6 "Bifteki" meatballs, some of the cucumbers, tomatoes and parsley—then enjoy....

*"White on White on Blue"-Santorini by R.Fisher*

"Minestrone Soup-An Old Italian Favorite"

April 13, 2016 Rich at Definitely Delish

Minestrone soup has a really rich history. It is known in Italy as "cucina povera" or literally poor mans soup, a peasant soup. It shows up in cook books as far back as 30 AD...

However, at its beginnings, the ingredients were pooled from ingredients for other dishes, often side dishes or "contorni" plus whatever was left over from meals...

Eventually over time, as the Roman Empire spread, more ingredients became available throughout Italy—though it wasn't till the 1600's that tomatoes first began appearing in Minestrone soups all over the the Italian countryside...

Then, at some point in time, it suddenly became a dish made for its own sake and not using the leavings of other dishes or the remainders of vegetables soon to spoil...

Now every region of Italy has there own version of this wonderful winter soup. (Actually a wonderful anytime soup)

I should warn you though; this recipe is not a 30-Minute Meal, a One Pot Wonder, a Five Ingredient Dinner, a Set-it-and-Forget-it Dish or any of the other cute little titles you can think of dished up daily in foodie mags and, um, blogs kind of like this one...

This minestrone, is not cute. It is a tad bit messy and just a little demanding...

It involves planning as well as some mincing, chopping, shredding, rinsing and blending. Oh, And time. A nice bit of time. The kind of time you once had on a Sunday afternoon before you got too busy either running your kids all over creation or just trying to recover from a weeks worth of work...

Trust me though, in the end, you'll be left with one amazingly wonderfully deliciously layered soup just chock full of Italian flavor, Italian history and oh so "Definitely Delish"

"Minestrone Soup"

Ingredients:
2 Carrots, diced
2 Celery ribs, chopped
1 medium Vidalia Onion, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
1 can Crushed Tomatoes (14.5 oz.)
1 can dice Stewed Tomatoes (14.5 oz.)
1 can Roman beans, rinsed & drained (15 oz.)
1 can Garbanzo beans or Chickpeas, rinsed & drained (15 oz.)
1 can Beef Broth (14.5 oz.)
2 cans Low Sodium-Fat Free Chicken Broth (14.5 oz. each can)
1 cup of Vegetable Stock (8 oz.)
3 cups of Savoy Cabbage, chopped/shredded (or more if desired-see Notes for additional options)
4 Baby Yukon Gold Potatoes, diced (see Notes)
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 Bay Leaf
2 tablespoons Fresh Italian Parsley, chopped (plus extra for garnish)
1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
2 tablespoons fresh grated Parmesan cheese (plus extra for serving)
Parmesan Cheese Rind (Optional Ingredient, see Notes)
3-4 oz. diced Pancetta (Optional-see Notes)
Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper, to taste
1-2 cups dry Pasta (see Notes)

Directions:
1. Heat a large stock pot on medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil—then add Pancetta to pot. (if using this option-see Notes) Cook for two minutes...
2. Add Garlic and Red Pepper flakes then cook for one minute, lower temperature to medium low if needed to avoid over cooking...
3. Now add the Onion, Celery and Carrots to the pot and continue cooking for 5 to 7 minutes—until vegetables soften slightly...
4. At this time add the dried herbs and bay leaf (I prefer freeze dried Herbs, but regular dried herbs are good as well)
5. Now add the Potato and cabbage (see Notes for what I prefer and used in this dish); stir and cook for 2-3 minutes, till cabbage just starts to soften...
6. Add the Tomato Paste to the pot, mix well and cook for 1 minute before adding the crushed and diced Tomatoes. Now add all of the Broths (Beef, Chicken & Veggie) and Parmesan Cheese Rind (If Using), cover and simmer after stirring...
7. Meanwhile rinse and drain the Beans you will be using (see Notes for options), now take 1 cup of mixed beans and purée it in a food processor (you can also mash them in a bowl if needed)—now add Beans and puréed beans to the pot and stir, cover and continue simmering for 15-20 minutes...
8. At this time you can either cook the Pasta in the soup or separately (see Notes) if desired; if you decide to cook it in the soup, raise the temperature to medium and add your Pasta—cook till al dente, about 6-8 minutes depending on pasta size and type...
9. Stir in 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, then season with Sea Salt & Pepper to taste...

Notes:
1. Option to start this soup is either 3-4 oz. of finely diced pancetta or crumbled cooked sweet Italian sausage. If you decide not to use meat, skip step 1 and immediately add garlic and red pepper then continue with the recipe...
2. For my greens I used a mix of both Savoy Cabbage and Green Swiss Chard, for the texture, taste and color of each...
3. I chose to mix Roman beans and Garbanzo beans, mixing two versions of this dish (one being Minestrone Di San Giuseppe, and a version from the Roma region of Italy), you could of course use any variation you desire for this and you would not be wrong (some even come with peas, green beans and Lentils)
4. I always use Parmesan cheese that I grate myself, which eventually leaves me with the rind (the end that has the cheese-makers marks on it), I add this to the soup for the wonderful depth of flavor it can add, but this is entirely optional for you...
5. Pasta choices—for this I used a mix of medium size pasta shells and Fusco Fiori pasta (which has a wonderful shape and texture), you of course can add any types you prefer but smaller with a nice shape (to hold onto the soup) is best I feel...
6. Not everyone likes their pasta cooked inside the soup (can get soft on re-heating); if cooking separately, add salt and a handful of semolina flour to a pot of water and cook till al dente (see your pastas package instructions). The flour will give the pasta that nice starchy flavor you get in good restaurants (they use the same pot of pasta water repeatedly without changing it, adding all that extra pasta starch taste/texture to the water over time)
7. One optional seasoning ingredient is the addition of a sprig of fresh Rosemary when you add the broth, I love the flavor it adds but not everyone enjoys it...
8. A nice hot loaf of sesame semolina is perfect with this, just love dunking it in this soup—delish....

"A Rose Tart by any other name would smell as Sweet"

April 6, 2016 Rich at Definitely Delish

Last night, as is my usual modus operandi, I decided to mess around in the kitchen...

Now it's not every day that I make a new dish, and a lot of times I'll make the same thing again and again-because, well, it's good an I liked it enough too...

Sometimes, if I'm trying something different with a dish I've done before, I might post it-like with the Caramelized Apple Almond Galette recently...

But mostly this week I've been doing various dishes that I've done plenty before-like last nights Lemon Chicken de Provence...

Though for a tasty visual treat I did decide to make for me and my Beautiful baby last night a "Vegetable Rose Tart" with a fresh mozzarella and herb'ed cream base.
Slicing up my Zucchini, Squash and Carrots with a vegetable peeler; I began wrapping them into my Roses...

Then inside the tart pan filled with puff pastry I added my mozzarella, sour cream and some fresh herbs-followed by all of my beautiful Roses...

*"Roasted vegetables almost to pretty to eat"*

Drizzled a little olive oil, with chopped fresh herbs and garlic, over top it to finish-then into the oven to bake...

Finally while it was cooking, I played around with setting up for the picture; which I got done just as it finished baking...

A couple of pretty pics later and it was finally time to dig in and eat..

Such a beautiful dish in it's presentation and oh so—"Definitely Delish"

"Vegetable Rose Tart"

Ingredients:
For Pastry Shell:
1 package Dufour all butter Puff Pastry (or your own puff pastry recipe)

For the Filling:
1/2 cup fresh Mozzarella
1/2 Sour Cream
1 tsp Sea salt
1 clove minced garlic
Fresh cracked Pepper to taste
1 tsp mixed Herbes de Provence (2 tsps if using fresh Herbes instead of dry)

For the Vegetable Roses:
1-2 medium Zucchinis
1-2 medium Yellow Squash's
2-4 Carrots (purple and other carrot colors if available)
Quality Olive Oil
1 clove minced garlic
1 tablespoon Fresh thyme and parsley, finely chopped
Sea salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:
For the tart shell:
1. Lightly grease a 8-9 inch loose base tart tin.
2. Roll the pastry out until you have a circle approximately 11 inches and lay it over the tart tin and press into the sides. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Scrunch up a piece of baking paper and open it back up. Place on the tart shell and fill with baking beads.
4. Place in the preheated oven and cook for 10-15 minutes. Remove the beads and cook for a further 5-10 minutes until the base is cooked through.
5. Set aside to cool.

For the filling:
1. Chop the mozzarella into small pieces and place in a bowl.
2. Add the sour cream, garlic and mixed herbs then stir until combined.
3. Spread the filling over the base of the tart shell.

For the vegetable Roses:
1. Slice the vegetables into 1/8 inch or thinner slices. (Strips)
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. On a chopping board, start with a piece of carrot and begin rolling it into a tight curl. Then wrap the Carrot with a piece of Zucchini and then a piece of Yellow Squash. Roll together the 3 vegetables into a rose shape. Place into prepared Tart shell with filling.
4. Continue this process until you have filled the tart with vegetable roses of various sizes.
5. Drizzle the top lightly with olive oil, sprinkle with fresh chopped herbs, finely minced garlic, sea salt and pepper.
6. Transfer the tart into the oven and bake for 40-50 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked and lightly golden. (Alternatively, you could partially pre-roast the vegetable strips before rolling into roses-adjust cooking time accordingly)
7. Serve with a salad for a main course or as a side dish with a main entree of your choice...

"Irish Coffee Fudge And St. Patrick's Day - A Match Made In Heaven"

March 17, 2016 Rich at Definitely Delish

St. Patrick's Day is Thursday and that means corned beef and cabbage will soon be boiling up, in pots, in homes and homesteads from one side of the Atlantic to the other...

So besides this classic staple of culinary corned beef perfection, green beers and soda bread what other Irish inspired indulgences might you partake of...

For me, a connoisseur of all things coffee, I turn to that wonderful staple the "Irish Coffee"

*"Whiskey and Fudge"-what a combination...*

This hot drink has long been a favorite in Irish pubs with a popularity that could be said to rival a great stout (as tough as that may be).

Joe Sheridan, it's creator, had the right idea when he first combined a robust Irish whiskey with rich, black coffee and created the original Irish Coffee Cocktail...

Despite some common shortcuts that have been taken in the past, a great Irish Coffee is not as simple as adding a shot of whiskey to a cup of coffee. No, this is a well-planned, carefully constructed coffee drink that should be mixed with the care of any modern latte or cappuccino...

For this sweet and indulgent recipe I took the incredible essence of my favorite Coffee Cocktail and worked it into a wonderfully decadent, mildly intoxicating, batch of deliciously sweet fudge...

Truly Saint Patrick and my wild Irish ancestors were with me on the day I decided to play around in my kitchen creating this...

So in honor of my Ó Céileachair (anglicized to Kelleher) ancestors, who immigrated here during one of the many famines to strike the heart of that beautiful Emerald Isle, I give you this addition to your next St. Paddy's celebration...

Trust me; just as Ó Céileachair means a "lover of company", your friends will be feelin' the luck of the Irish and loving you too after enjoying a few of these sinfully tasty little devils- because they are, oh so "Definitely Delish"

*"Cutting up something yummy for Family"*

"Irish Coffee Fudge"

Ingredients:
Coffee layer:
2 bags Semi-Sweet Ghirardelli Chocolate Chips (12 oz. each bag)
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk (14 oz.)
8 tablespoons Jameson Irish Whiskey (½ cup)
2 tablespoons Espresso Powder (Nescafé Instant coffee is also a good alternative)
1 tablespoon Cornstarch

Irish Cream Layer:
1 ½ bags of Ghirardelli White Chocolate Chips (11 oz.)
1/4 cup Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/4 cup of Bailey's Irish Cream
2 teaspoons Cornstarch

Other:
Nescafé Instant Coffee, for dusting (2 teaspoons)
11x7 or 8x8 deep sided pan lined with plastic wrap

Directions:
1. Mix Jameson Whiskey, Cornstarch and Espresso powder in a microwave safe measuring cup. Then heat in the microwave for 40 seconds, stirring halfway through...
2. Set aside in fridge to thicken; then in a separate cup repeat with Bailey's Irish Cream and Cornstarch, also setting it in fridge to thicken slightly...
3. Meanwhile in 2 separate (large) Microwave safe bowls add the chocolate chips; both bags of dark chocolate to one, and the white chocolate in the other...
4. Add a full 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk to the dark chocolate chips, and a 1/4 cup of sweetened condensed milk to the white chocolate...
5. At this time pour the Jameson and Espresso mixture into the bowl of Dark Chocolate and heat in the microwave 20 seconds at a time, stirring in between heating’s until the chocolate has just melted—set aside and stir until a thick consistency is reached...
6. Pour and evenly spread the chocolate mixture into the plastic wrap lined baking dish or pan-then dust sparingly with Nescafe instant coffee...
7. Now add Bailey's Cream mixture to the white chocolate and heat in the microwave 20 seconds at a time, stirring, until chocolate just melts...
8. Continue stirring on the counter till smooth and then pour into prepared dish, overtop the dark chocolate—then spread smoothly covering the dark chocolate...
9. Dust sparingly with Nescafe Espresso powder, cover and cool in the refrigerator overnight—cut into 1 inch squares the next day and serve cool…
Note: Keep refrigerated until ready to serve; depending on pan size, makes between 60 and 80 pieces...

*"Perfect for the holiday or that Irish Coffee lover in your life"*

"The Perfect Steak"

March 15, 2016 Rich at Definitely Delish

It was another wonderful night with my Baby and I decided to cook us up some yummy steaks tonight...

So, after a quick trip to the butcher, I came home with some beautifully marbled and extra thick Aged Shell Steaks...

Letting them sit on the counter and come to room temperature (for about a half hour or so) is key, otherwise you will over cook the beef before the center warms at all...

While they were sitting I prepared some asparagus with heirloom tomatoes, lightly smashed garlic and thyme for the oven-a little sprinkle of salt and pepper to taste, and then it was time...

Turning on both the oven, and stove top, I began preheating both; 400 degrees for the veggies to roast and high heat for my cast iron skillet...

*"NY Shell Steaks-thick cut and delicious"*

Now, using paper towels, I dried off the steaks and then seasoned them simply with some fresh Cracked Pepper and "Fleur de Sel" Coarse Sea Salt...

A quick drizzle off "Kalamata" Olive Oil into the super hot pan and in go the Steaks...

With the pan so hot the steaks get a nice sear going quickly and after just a few seconds they're ready to be turned over...

A little attention, turning the steaks every 30 seconds to cook evenly and just the simplest of ingredients-garlic, thyme, salt and butter...

*"The Sunrise rainbow-hearted steals athwart the misty brine"*

Then in almost no time at all you're left with these beautifully crusted and seared Steaks cooked to perfection...

So unbelievably tasty and flavorful; and with the roasted Asparagus, Tomatoes and Garlic on the side-just like fine dining in the best Steakhouse in town...

A wonderful & simple dish that me and my Sweetie enjoyed immensely- and oh so "Definitely Delish"

*"The most beautiful Steak in the World"*

"The Perfect Steak"

Ingredients:
2 Thick Cut Steaks (I used NY Shell Steaks)
2-3 large cloves Garlic
6-8 Sprigs fresh Thyme
1-2 tablespoons Olive Oil (Kalamata)
2 tablespoons Irish Sweet Cream Butter
Coarse Sea Salt (Fleur de Sel)
Cracked Black Pepper

Directions:
1. Remove packaging and pat meat dry with paper towels. Line a plate with paper towels, place meat on top and set aside to dry further and come to cool room temperature (30 to 60 minutes, depending on the weather). Turn occasionally; replace paper towels as needed...
2. Place cast-iron skillet on high heat on stove top and preheat for 5-7 minutes...
3. Grind fresh pepper over steaks and sprinkle liberally with coarse salt; mopping up seasoning from cutting board with steaks...

4. When pan is preheated, add 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil and immediately place steaks in pan. (Should hear the steaks sizzling)
5. After 30 seconds turn steaks over, they should already have a nice brown sear going-continue cooking turning steaks every 30 seconds to insure even cooking...
6. Place the steaks on their edges, tilting the pan so the drippings run towards the meat...
7. Place Steaks flat again and add the lightly crushed cloves of Garlic, sprigs of fresh Thyme, a touch more Oil and a light sprinkling of Sea Salt...

8. Add 2 tablespoons of sliced Irish Sweet Cream Butter, melt and then baste steaks with it and the pan drippings...
9. Check for your desired level of temperature (rare to well done) with an instant-read thermometer or cut and check the color...
10. Rub steaks with the garlic cloves from in the pan and when cooked to your liking remove to a cutting board and cover loosely with tin foil for 3 or so minutes...
11. Slice and serve with roasted vegetables or whatever side you prefer...

Notes:
1. Serve with a nice full bodied Red Wine; my favorite for this is an Italian Amarone or South American Malbec..
2. Side dishes can range anywhere from baked potatoes, creamed spinach to prosciutto wrapped roasted asparagus-use your imagination and go crazy...