Chippy Chop Salad

This salad is perfectly combined with a variety of meals. The other reason for posting this recipe is because it uses an ingredient that many people can recognize, but may not be able to name and it's a fun vegetable to grow in an "Italian Porch Garden" (which I am going to grow on my upper deck this summer). Radicchio is a leaf chicory, sometimes referred to as "Italian Chicory". It has a bitter and spicy taste, but can be mellowed by grilling or roasting. It's that "purple stuff" in your dinner salads! Now you know ... radicchio.

This dressing is also great for pasta salads.

Chippy Chop Salad serves 6 - 8

Dressing:

1/3. c. extra virgin olive oil

3 T. red wine vinegar

1 shallot, finely chopped (I admit, I omit this because I never have shallots around)

1 T. fresh parsley (Italian flat-leaf is a nice choice if you can get it)

1 T. fresh oregano

1 t. fresh basil

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 t. sugar (I use a bit more than this because we like a sweet Italian dressing)

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. black pepper

Salad:

4 c. romaine lettuce, chopped

2 c. peeled and seeded cucumber, chopped

1 medium radicchio, chopped (see intro. above)

1 c. chopped iceberg lettuce

1 medium red onion, chopped (if you don't care for chopped chunks of onion, cut rings)

4 oz. provolone cheese, cubed

1. To make dressing: into a shaker, covered glass jar or a bowl; combine olive oil, shallot, parsley, oregano, basil, garlic, sugar, 1/4 t. salt and 1/4 t. pepper. Cover, shake well and set aside.

2. In a large serving bowl, place all salad ingredients; toss.

3. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat.

Frosted Orange Date Bars

I think dates get overlooked. I love dates. Today at Cub Foods, they had dates for sale; whole delicious dark dates! I think it's sad that dates have fallen out of favor with our desserts and pastries. My suggestion is; find a recipe that uses raisins and change it out for dates or at least 1/2 raisins and 1/2 dates. These little bars are so delicious and full of yummy ingredients, you'll make them again and again.

Bars:
3/4 c. sugar 1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. water 1 (8 oz) package chopped dates
1 1/4 c. flour 1 c. chopped pecans
3/4 c. milk 1/4 c. orange juice
2 eggs 3/4 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt 1 T. grated orange peel

Frosting:
3 c. powdered sugar 1/3 c. butter, softened
1 (3 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 T. grated orange peel 2 - 3 T. orange juice

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a saucepan, combine sugar, 1/2 c. butter, water and dates. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until dates are softened (5-8 minutes). Remove from heat.

2. By hand, stir in all remaining bar ingredients until well mixed. Spread into greased 15x10x1" jelly-roll pan. Bake 15 - 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely.

3. In a small mixing bowl combine all frosting ingredients except orange juice. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often and adding enough orange juice for desired spreading consistency. Frost bars; cut.

Tres Leches Cake

I am in a Mexican Cuisine mood this week. This is the best recipe I have found.

Cake:
5 large eggs, seperated 1 c. sugar
1/2 t. vanilla extract 1/3 c. milk (whole is best)
1 1/2 t. baking powder 1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 t. cream of tartar

Milk Syrup:
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk 1 c. sweetened condensed milk
1 c. heavy cream 1 t. vanilla extract
1 T. rum (I use Grand Marnier for a nice orange finish)

Garnish:
small container of whipping cream; whipped with a 1 t. vanilla extract and 2 T. sugar
crushed pineapple
chopped maraschino cherries (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Spray a 9 x 13" baking dish with cooking spray, set aside.
3. Beat 3/4 c. sugar with egg yolks until light in color and thick in consistency.
4. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Add cream of tartar and 1/4 c. sugar; beat until stiff peaks form with a glossy finish. Fold egg whites in to egg yolk batter.
6. Pour batter into pan and bake for 25 - 30 minutes.
7. Allow cake to cool inside pan and on cooling rack for about 1/2 an hour.
8. Combine all milk syrup ingredients together.
9.Pierce cake with a fork; pour syrup over cake. I usually pour a bit and wait for it to settle into the cake and then continue to pour until all milk is used up.
10. Place cake into refrigerator for about 1 hour before serving. Place a slice of cake onto the plate, garnish with whipped cream and a sprinkling of pineapple and cherries.

** Store leftover cake in the refrigerator **

Pork Carnitas

I love pulled pork. Whether it's plain with just salt and pepper; BBQ'd with North Carolina sauce (my preference for bbq), Spanish style ... it doesn't really matter. But now that I have been introduced to the fresh flour tortilla's at Don Pablo's (and I am working on making my own from scratch), I am loving this Pork Carnitas recipe. The Dutch oven is becoming a staple in my cooking.

Carnitas, which translates into "little meats" can be made with pork or beef roast.

Pork Carnitas

pork butt or pork shoulder (I usually buy about a 4 lb. size)
3 T. tomato paste
4 - 5 garlic cloves
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 T. cumin
1 T. oregano
1 T. black pepper
2 1/2 t. salt
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 qt. chicken stock
water to cover roast

1. Into a Dutch oven, combine the tomato paste, garlic cloves, bay leaf and cumin; oregano, chopped onion and stock. Place roast over mixture, add enough water to cover the roast.
2. Simmer roast for about 3 hours. Check after 3 hours; making sure that the roast pulls apart easily. Sometimes, depending on the size of your roast, this might take up to 4 hours.
3. Remove the roast from the stock; pull meat apart. Season meat with salt and pepper. I set the stock aside, this is not traditonal, but we like it this way.
4. Place all the pulled pork onto a baking pan (I use parchment, but if you have a Silpat, you could use that, if neither of those, foil is fine). Bake in a 450 degree oven for 20 - 25 minutes.
5. Place the meat back into the Dutch oven, stir to coat meat. We like this flavor and sometimes I will add some "heat"; peppers, additional onions that I have softened by cooking on the side.
6. Serve the pork carnitas on flour tortillas along with your favorite toppings: sour cream, cheese, lettuce, onions, peppers, etc.
7. Traditionally Pork Carnitas are served on tortillas accompanied with chopped cilantro and diced onions, fresh salsa, fresh guacamole or refried beans.

Butterflied Chicken Roast

I was all excited that spring was here and then came the news report; "Snow possible on Monday". Well isn't that dandy! If it's going to be chilly, might as well put a chicken on to roast, right? Here is a delicious roast chicken recipe. If you are squeemish about cutting chicken, it's pretty easy to butterfly one, if you don't like doing it, ask the butcher to do it for you or you could just use bone-in chicken breasts. One more thing; if you haven't gotten the Dutch oven yet, you might want to think about it again. Another recipe which is made easier with a cast iron Dutch Oven.

Butterflied Roast Chicken Serves 4

1 (3 1/2 - 4 lb.) whole chicken butterflied
2 T. canola or corn oil
2 T. butter
3/4 c. minced shallots or green onions (I prefer shallots)
Grated peel and juice of 1 lemon
Grated peel and juice of 1 orange
1 T. honey

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper to taste. Make an incision in both of the chicken's thighs, tucking the legs in.
2. Heat oil in large ovenproof skillet or iron Dutch Oven over medium heat. Place chicken skin side down, browning 3 - 5 minutes. Remove from heat, flipping chicken over to skin side up.
3. Place in oven. Bake 35 -40 minutes, basting once after 20 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink and instant-read thermometer registers 185 degrees. Remove chicken to serving platter, covering loosely with foil.
4. Discard fat from skillet or oven; place over medium heat. Add butter and shallots, stirring until golden, but not burned. Add lemon and orange peel and juices and honey; bring to a rolling boil. Remove from heat; immediately spoon sauce over chicken.