Ingredients

1 cup pecan pieces

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup 50/50 butter blend spread

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 Tbsp powdered (confectioners) sugar

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line baking sheet with foil and place pecans on baking sheet.
3. Toast pecans in oven until fragrant (about 10 minutes).
4. Whisk both kinds of flour, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl and set aside.
5. Use a mini food processor (I used Phil’s Magic Bullet) chop the pecans with some of the flour mixture.
6. Whisk pecan mixture back into the rest of the flour mixture.
7. In a separate bowl, beat granulated sugar, butter, spread, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined.
8. Add flour mixture in thirds, beating on medium speed until combined.
9. Cover a baking sheet in foil and spray with nonstick spray (or get out your pizza stone like we do).
10. Transfer dough to baking sheet and use a rolling pin to even it out as needed. At this point the dough may be kind of crumbly, but don’t worry.
11. Cut dough crosswise into 8 strips, then cut dough on diagonal into 10 strips (the outsides won’t make complete diamonds).
12. Bake 25 minutes or until edges are golden brown (since I used a pizza stone, mine only cooked for 18 minutes).
13. Once cookies are done, cut them along the original score lines and cool (if using a stone, be sure to remove them from the stone within a few minutes of taking them out of the oven so they don’t dry out).
14. Sift confectioner’s sugar over cookies and enjoy!

Tips

• Baking and cooking are very different. When cooking, you don’t have to use exact measurements or cooking times. Baking is the exact opposite.
• When baking, remember to follow the directions and measurements exactly. If the directions say 1/2 a cup, you better use exactly 1/2 a cup.
• I level the top of my measuring cups with the back of a butter knife to ensure that I get the exact right amount of each ingredient.
• When chopping the pecans, add enough of the flour mixture to keep the pecans from solidifying into a giant lump.
• Set the butter out before you start anything else so it has a chance to soften up. This makes it much easier when you have to combine it with the sugar.
• Stoneware is awesome for baking cookies because it helps prevent them from burning and they don’t stick.
• A pizza cutter works great for cutting the dough into strips before baking and for cutting the cookies apart after they are done.
• I recommend setting your timer for less than 25 minutes to make sure you don’t burn the cookies. You can always bake them longer if they aren’t done. But if you burn them, then you’re pretty much screwed.
• We don’t have a sifter for the last step, so I improvised by using a mesh strainer. You could also use a tea strainer, but it might be a little bit harder to do.

Ingredients

4 lb pork roast

3 onions

5 or 6 whole cloves

Water

16 oz bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce

Salt and pepper (optional)

Directions

1. Slice two onions (keeping them separated) and chop the third.
2. Place one sliced onion at the bottom of crock pot.
3. Stud pork roast with cloves and season with salt and pepper if desired.
4. Place roast in slow cooker on top of the sliced onion.
5. Cover with the second sliced onion and add enough water to fill crock pot two thirds of the way.
6. Cover and cook on low 8 to 12 hours.
7. Remove roast from pot and discard cloves, bone and fat as well as any water, onions and grease remaining in pot.
8. When pork roast is cool enough to handle, use a fork or your fingers to pull it apart until the entire roast is shredded.
9. Return the pulled pork to the crockpot.
10. Mix in the chopped onion, BBQ sauce, and a little bit of water.
11. Cover and heat on high for 1-2 hours or until the onions are soft.

Tips

• If your roast is more than 4 pounds, you may need to adjust the cooking time and amount of barbecue sauce used.
• After adding the barbecue sauce, make sure that you stir the pork from time to time to keep it from burning on the bottom. At this stage, you can add more water as needed to keep the pork moist.

Ingredients

1 cup quartered cherry or grape tomatoes (about 12)

5 large fresh basil leaves, chopped, plus extra for garnish

Salt and pepper

1 1/2 pounds medium-large shrimp

Extra-virgin olive oil

1 large clove garlic, minced

Directions

1. Quarter the tomatoes.
2. Chop the basil leaves.
3. Mince the garlic.
4. De-vein the shrimp.
5. Toss the tomatoes and basil in a bowl, season with salt and pepper and set aside.
6. Pat the shrimp completely dry with a paper towel.
7. Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
8. Add enough oil to lightly film the bottom of the pan and turn the heat up to high.
9. Season one side of the shrimp with salt and pepper and add 1/2 of them to the skillet so that they are not on top of each other (salt and pepper side down).
10. Saute the shrimp, undisturbed, until they turn golden brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes.
11. Add a bit more oil and 1/2 the garlic to the pan.
12. Turn the heat off and turn the shrimp over with tongs.
13. Cook the shrimp for 1 minute in the residual heat of the pan.
14. Repeat for the other half of the shrimp.
15. Shell the shrimp.
16. Transfer the shrimp to the bowl with the tomato mixture and toss to combine.

Tips

• I refrigerate the tomato mixture until the shrimp are ready so that the tomatoes stay fresh.
• We cook the shrimp with the shells on so that they cook evenly and don’t burn

Ingredients

Olive oil

1/4 cup onion

1 Tbsp garlic

1/2 pound mushrooms

2 Tbsp flour

1/2 cup Marsala wine

1 1/2 cups beef stock

Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Heat saucepan over medium-high heat
2. Dice the onion, chop the garlic, and slice the mushrooms
3. Add 3 Tbsp olive oil, onions, garlic, and mushrooms to the pan.
4. Saute until vegetables are tender
5. Add flour and cook for about 1 minute
6. Stir in Marsala wine and mix
7. Add beef stock and cook until thick and flavors are blended together.
8. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Tips

• This can be made without mushrooms if you don’t have any on hand, and it still tastes delicious.
• The longer you cook the sauce, the thicker it will be and the stronger the flavor will be.
• If you thicken too much, you can add a little beef stock or water to thin it out again.

Ingredients

5 lb. bag of red potatoes

1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

3-4 Tbsp butter or margarine

4 – 5 strips of cooked thick bacon

2 -3 Tbsp sour cream

1/4 cup of milk (This may not be needed)

3 Tbsp fresh chives (You can use dried if you don’t have fresh just allow them to hydrate in the potatoes)

Salt

Pepper

Garlic Powder (Optional)

Directions

1. Bring a pot of water up to a boil
2. Wash the potatoes
3. Cut them up into chucks. In most cases you can just just quarter the potatoes. (The most important thing here is that you keep them the same size that way they cook evenly)
4. Add salt to the water after it comes to a boil. (It is alway important to add salt after the water comes to boil because it will take longer to boil if you add it in before)
5. You can add about 3-4 Tbsp of garlic powder to the water (This can add a hint of garlic flavor to the potatoes later)
6. Add the potatoes to the boiling water.
7. While the potatoes are boiling, chop up the chives and bacon.
8. Strain the potatoes (The potatoes are done once you can poke them with a fork and they slide off easily. If the potatoes turn translucent you cooked them too much.)
9. Add butter to taste.
10. Partially mash the potatoes (We /Phil uses a hand masher. You can use a mixer if you don’t have a potato masher, or if you like your potatoes to be really smooth and fluffy.)
11. Start out with 2 Tbsp of sour cream
12. Continue to mash
13. Add bacon and chives
14. Finish mashing them to the consistency you prefer. Add more milk if you prefer them to be thinner (We normally make them smooth but not too fluffy.)
15. Add salt and pepper to taste
16. Add extra butter and/or sour cream to taste
17. Add about 1/4 – 1/2 cup of cheese depending on your taste
18. Mix it all together and serve

Tips

• You can’t really have an exact recipe for mashed potatoes because there are many variables to account for; therefore, you might need to experiment with it. (Our secret is that we don’t have an exact recipe, we just have some guidelines.)
• You might be surprised how much salt you will have to add. Don’t worry. Just add some, taste it, and add some more if you think it needs more.

Ingredients

4 (6 to 8-ounce) frozen lobster tails
2 plum tomatoes (about 3/4 cup chopped)
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice
3/4 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
1 1/2 tsp. fresh tarragon leaves
1 tsp. fresh chives
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground white pepper

Directions

1. Defrost the lobster tails, being careful not to cook the meat while defrosting it.
2. Peel the tomatoes, remove the seeds, and finely chop them.
3. Mince the tarragon and chives.
4. Using a sharp knife, cut each lobster tail lengthwise through the shell into 2 pieces.
5. Combine the tomatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, tarragon, chives, salt and pepper in a bowl and stir to combine.
6. Preheat the grill to medium-high.
7. Lightly brush the lobster tails on the cut side with the remaining olive oil.
8. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
9. Place the tails, cut side down, on the grill and cook for 3 minutes.
10. Rotate the tails 45 degrees and cook the tails for 3 minutes longer.
11. Rotate the tails 45 degrees again so that the tails are now cut side-up and cook until lobster is just cooked through, 1 to 3 minutes longer.
12. During the last few minutes, spoon some of the vinaigrette over the cut tail meat so that it drizzles down into the lobster shells.
13. Serve the lobster tails with more vinaigrette drizzled over the meat.

Tips

• The lobster is done when the meat turns solid white instead of translucent.
• Keep a close eye on the lobster while its cooking because it doesn’t need to cook for very long.
• Cut up the vegetables and herbs first because that normally takes the longest.
• Pair with simple sides like steamed veggies and whole wheat dinner rolls for a complete meal.

Ingredients

5 1/2 pound duckling

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

Pinch of thyme or sage

1 small onion

1 medium onion

1 medium carrot

1 1/2 – 2 cups beef stock

3-4 Tbsp. port

1-2 Tbsp. softened butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Slice both onions and the carrot.
3. Rinse the duck and remove any organs still inside.
4. Season the inside of the duck with salt, pepper, thyme, and the small onion.
5. Secure the legs, wings, and neck skin to the body of the duck.
6. Prick the skin around the thighs, back, and lower breast with a fork.
7. Dry the duck thoroughly.
8. Place the duck breast up in the roasting pan.
9. Add the carrot and medium onion to the pan.
10. Set pan in the middle level of the oven and brown for 15 minutes.
11. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and turn the duck on its side for 30 minutes.
12. Then turn the duck on its other side for 15 minutes.
13. Then salt the duck and turn it breast up for the remaining 15-30 minutes.
14. When done, discard trussing strings and place duck on a serving platter.
15. The duck can be kept warm in the turned-off oven as long as you leave the door open a few inches.
16. Now, remove all but 1 Tbsp. of the juices from the roasting pan (leaving the vegetables in there).
17. Add the beef stock to the pan and bring to a rapid boil on the stove top, crushing the vegetables and scraping up the drippings.
18. Boil until liquid is reduce at least by half.
19. Add the port and simmer for a minute.
20. Add salt and pepper to taste.
21. Take off heat and just before serving, stir in the butter.

Tips

• If your duck weighs less than 5 1/2 pounds, make sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly. Our duck was 4.4 pounds and we only cooked it for about an hour total.
• Duck gets dry and tough if cooked too long. We cooked it to medium rare and found that to be perfect.
• The duck is medium rare when the juices from the fattest part of the thigh or drumstick run faintly rosy when the meat is pricked and the last drops when the duck is lifted and drained are a pale rose color.
• The duck is well done when the juices run pale yellow.

We went on a short sabbatical because our lives got really crazy for awhile. We didn’t stop cooking; however, the recipes just didn’t quite make it into the blog. So, we have lots of recipes to share. We’ll start out with a healthy one and there will hopefully be more to come soon. We have been trying to branch out and try some new vegetables lately (by which I mean, I have been trying to convince Phil that green leafy things don’t kill you and can actually be quite tasty if prepared well). If you live in Lynchburg, good luck finding Swiss Chard (Kroger might have it). We actually snagged ours at Whole Foods in Charlottesville on the way home from one of our weekend trips.

For those of you who might not know what Swiss Chard is, it is a large, green, leaf on a long stalk that may be white, yellow, or red. Click Here for a picture. When I say that it’s a large leaf, I mean it’s approximately 12-14 inches in length. It tastes somewhat similar to spinach and this recipe is pretty good. Note: when dealing with meat lovers who don’t like vegetables that much, entice them with bacon. Now, on to the recipe.

Ingredients

Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 cup bacon
2 cloves garlic, smashed
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 bunch Swiss chard
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
Salt

Directions

1. Cut the bacon into 1/4 inch pieces.
2. Remove the stems from the Swiss Chard and cut them into 1/2 inch lengths.
3. Cut the Swiss Chard leaves into 1 1/2 inch lengths.
4. Coat a large skillet with the olive oil and add the diced bacon, garlic, and crushed red pepper.
5. Heat to medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
6. After the garlic has turned golden brown remove it from the pan and throw away. At this point the bacon should look brown and crispy, if not, cook just a little longer.
7. Add the Swiss chard stems and the stock and cook until the stock has mostly evaporated.
8. Add the Swiss chard leaves and saute until they are wilted.
9. Season with salt. Make sure not to add too much. You can always add more later.

1. Skillet – This is the number one tool you need because it is very versatile. You can cook almost anything with it in a pinch. We recommend a 12-inch (minimum 10-inch), non-stick skillet because it is easy to work with and easy to clean. Take care not to use metal utensils on any skillet that has a Teflon or non-stick coating because this will ruin the finish. Also, get one with a lid if you can.
2. Spatula – This tool can be used for mixing, stirring, or scraping – to name a few. We recommend investing in a silicon spatula because it has a higher melting point and if you forget and leave it in a pot, it won’t become a part of your meal. We also prefer the kind that are all one piece instead of the ones that come apart at the head because the ones that come apart can get food stuck in them permanently and tend to break easier.
3. Knife – It is normally easier to buy a knife block with several knives because then you have the right knife for whatever you happen to be doing. However, knives can be pretty expensive. If you had to get just one knife, get an 8-inch, stainless steel chef’s knife.
4. Cutting Board – This one is pretty simple and doesn’t have to be expensive. We like plastic cutting boards because they are durable and can go right in the dishwasher. We have one with rubber on the sides and this helps it grip the counter top and stay in place while you are chopping and dicing. Wooden cutting boards are not a good choice if you need to cut meat because the wood can retain any germs or diseases in the meat.
5. Mixing Bowl – A large mixing bowl will serve many purposes. It can be used for mixing cookie dough, thawing meat in the microwave without making a mess, breading meat, tossing and serving a salad, combining several ingredients, and many more things. These don’t have to be expensive. What we did was find some cheap plastic bowls at the store and we bought four of them. They come in handy when making large recipes or when preparing several items at the same time. We spent less than $8 total and we use the bowls all the time.
6. Casserole Dish – You want to get a 9”x13” baking dish because you can use it to make large or small meals. Deeper dishes are better because if you are making something with a lot of sauce or liquid, you want to make sure it stays in the dish, not the bottom of the oven. Pyrex makes good glassware, but you don’t have to get a glass one unless you want to.
7. Metal Pot – Make sure this comes with a lid because the lid is very useful. Also, make sure that this pot is pretty large. It should be big enough to easily hold an entire package of spaghetti or linguine and maybe even bigger than that. Try to get one that is all stainless steel because other metals can rust and plastic can break and melt. I used to have a pot with a plastic handle. The handle was attached with metal studs that rusted over time. One day when I was cooking something, I picked up the pot and the handle broke off in my hand. Lesson learned.
8. Measuring Cup – If you only get one, make sure it measures at least a cup (preferably 2 cups) and has ½, 1/3, and 2/3 cup markings on it. The glass ones are our favorites because they are durable and cheap. You can get these at Wal-Mart for a reasonable price.
9. Measuring Spoons – These are good for when you only need a little bit of something. Spices, vanilla, salt, and baking soda are all ingredients that normally need to be measured out in small quantities. We bought a cheap plastic set because these don’t need to be anything special.
10. Strainer – Some pots have a strainer built into the lid, but you have to be prepared to stand there and hold the pot (along with its contents) with one hand and hold the lid with the other hand while the liquid drains out. I’m not a fan of this and found a cheap strainer instead. If you want one that will last a long time, get a stainless steel one.

Did I miss one of your essential kitchen tools? I’d love to know about it.

Roasting a whole pig

Getting ready to flip it over

In the process of flipping it over

The underside of the pig

Chicharritas de Plátano (like potato chips, but with plantains) being sliced

Cooking the chicharritas

After cooking, draining off some of the oil...

Once finished, they get salted and eaten (and they are delicious)

Arroz Moro (Rice with black beans cooked in the oven for several hours)

We also got to witness the roasting (and subsequent eating) of an entire pig. Bacon anyone? Many years ago, the pig was roasted by digging a pit in the ground, covering the pig in giant banana leaves, and cooking it over wood coals. However, modern conveniences have updated the process somewhat. This weekend’s pig was roasted on top of 18 cinder blocks arranged in a rectangle with one open side. The pig was covered in aluminum foil, and the coals came from charcoal briquettes. Cooking an animal of this size also requires special metal racks to aid in flipping the pig. Mr. Piggy was seasoned using a secret family recipe and when it was done, it was tender, flavorful, and delicious.

Probably my favorite food this weekend was the chicharritas. These are very simple to make if you have access to green plantains. I have included the recipe below so that you can try these at home. I strongly recommend that you take a look at the new gallery page before attempting to make these so you know what they are supposed to look like and what equipment you will need.

Ingredients

Canola oil
3-5 green plantains
Salt

Directions

1. Heat oil in a deep, wide, metal skillet or pot (see pictures for an idea of what you need) over medium-high heat
2. Slice plantains potato-chip thin using a mandolin or vegetable slicer of some kind (must be able to achieve very thin slices)
3. Fry plantains until very light brown and crisp.
4. remove to plate layered with a couple paper-towels.
5. Add salt to taste and enjoy!

Tips

• Don’t try to cook too many slices at a time. There should be no more than a few slices on top of each other.
• If plantains start sticking together, lower heat slightly or try putting less in the pot at once.
• Stir these constantly to avoid clumping or burning.
• Make sure to use enough oil so that the plantains are floating and easy to flip – about 2-3 inches.
• It’s best to use something similar to a skimmer or slotted spoon to flip the plantains and remove them from the pot. Doing so will keep most of the oil in the pot.