A Day from Scratch

Concierge cooking - Tailored nutrition

White Chicken Chili

by Filed Under: Poultry, Recipes 1 Comment

Finally it’s winter in Austin! One of the things I loved about living in Nashville was the change of seasons, Fall was beautiful and Winter started right around Thanksgiving and I got to wear sweaters and enjoy warm winter foods. It’s been in the 70’s and 80’s lately in Texas and we finally got some winter weather yesterday in Austin. As the weather gets cold I always whip up a huge batch of white chicken chili, it’s my favorite winter dish! I love to freeze the leftovers in small portions to have whenever I get a hankering for it. My childhood neighbor Lori gave this recipe to my mom and I can honestly say it’s the best white chicken chili I have ever had, thanks Lor!

What you’ll need: 2 poblano peppers- chopped, 1 red bell pepper- chopped, 1 sweet yellow onion- chopped, 3 garlic cloves- minced, 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1 beer of choice (1 1/2 cup chicken broth can be substituted) 2 14oz cans chili diced tomatoes, 1 can kidney beans- drained, 1 can black beans- rinsed and drained, 2 cups water, 3 cups cooked chicken, and a packet of white chicken chili seasoning of your choice (I used McCormick)

Start by sweating the onion, peppers and garlic in the olive oil

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After about 8-10 minutes, until the veggies are tender, add the rest of your ingredients. My favorite addition this year was this local Austin beer, Austin Amber. I have really embraced the local brews since moving back to Texas and I really love this one!

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Once everything is incorporated, bring it to a boil, and then turn it down to a slow simmer for about an hour.

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This chili is super healthy and has a great “kick” to it! I like to top mine with a little shredded sheddar, but you can add sour cream, tortilla chips, jalapeno peppers or whatever your heart desires.

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The leftovers are even better, so grab a spoon and dig in; then grab a tupperware and have some more tomorrow.

Happy eating!

BBQ Chicken Pizza

by Filed Under: Pizzas, Flatbreads, Savory tarts, Recipes Leave a Comment

I love making pizza from scratch, it’s so simple to make the dough, and this recipe makes enough for two pizzas so you can freeze half and have some ready to go whenever you get a pizza craving. Last night I had a hankering for some pizza and I decided BBQ chicken was the way to go. I had all the ingredients on hand so while I was working on a project for school I let the dough rise.

What you’ll need for the dough: 3 1/2 cups flour (I used half all purpose and half whole wheat) 1/4 cup canola oil, 1 1/3 cup warm water, 1 packet of yeast, and 2 tsp sea salt. 

In a mixing bowl combine the warm water and yeast until the yeast is dissolved. If you have a kitchen aide mixer you can stir in the salt and flour and mix on medium high speed for 5 minutes. While the mixer is going, drizzle in the olive oil. I don’t have a kitchen aide so I just get my hands in the mixing bowl and hand mix until everything is incorporated well, about 8 minutes.

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Now all you have to do is cover the bowl with a dish towel and let the dough double in size, about 2 hours or so.

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While my dough was rising I was working on a menu development project for school. We are creating a dessert menu and costing out each ingredient to develop purchasing documents for a faux restaurant. It is super time consuming so it was perfect timing to let some pizza dough rise.

About two hours later when the dough had doubled in size, I was hungry and ready to eat some yummy pizza. So I turned my oven on 450 degrees, stretched out my dough and assembled my bbq chicken pizza. I found some Texas local BBQ sauce at the grocery store and I was really excited to try it.

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This sauce is great! So I spread some sauce on the dough, topped it with some mozzarella medallions, sliced red onion, cooked chicken and was ready to bake!

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Once the oven reaches 450, I turn it back down to 425 degrees and bake the pizza for about 15-17 minutes or until the cheese starts to bubble. Once it’s done top it off with some fresh parsley and dig in!

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Now you have a yummy pizza and also some extra dough for the next time you feel like assembling a pizza, and the toppings are unlimited!

Happy eating!

Venison and Turkey Meatballs

by Filed Under: Pasta, Pork, Beef, Lamb, Poultry, Recipes Leave a Comment

My cousin and his wife recently welcomed a beautiful baby girl into the world. I love to cook, but I LOVE to cook for other people, especially if it’s a special occasion. Tonight I am going over to their house to meet the little princess and I decided I would make them my favorite Venison/ Turkey Meatballs. This isn’t a recipe that I whip up very often because 1. it makes a lot and 2. it’s not a quick recipe. They are however, delicious and totally worth it!

There are many different meat combinations that you can use for meatballs, Beef/ pork, chicken/turkey, beef/ turkey; but since I hunt I love to use venison meat combined with ground turkey.

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To make the meatballs, combine meat, garlic, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, eggs, salt, pepper, parsley, and a splash of milk in a mixing bowl. Mix together well with hands. Roll into 25 1 1/2-inch balls and place on a cookie sheet. Place cookie sheet into the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes to firm up.

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While I let these set in the freezer, I may or may not have been dancing around my kitchen jamming out to Christmas tunes…

To brown the meatballs, heat olive oil in a heavy pot or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs 8 at a time, turning to brown. Remove and drain on a paper towel after each batch. Set meatballs aside.

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In the same pot, add the onions and garlic and cook for a few minutes, or until translucent. Pour in whole tomatoes and crushed tomatoes. Add salt, pepper, sugar, and parsley. Stir to combine and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes.

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Add meatballs to pot and stir in gently. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring very gently a couple of times during the simmer.

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Yum! My kitchen smells great. I am going to pack up these bad boys and get ready to head over to my cousins’ house.

If you’re at home and making these for dinner you can make the classic spaghetti and meatballs or how I decided to do a taste test, over some roasted broccoli. Either way definitely give these a try.

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Happy eating!

What you’ll need: 

Meatballs: 1 pound turkey, 1 pound ground venison, 3/4 cup breadcrumbs, 3 garlic cloves, 2 eggs, 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan, 1/4 cup freshly minced parsley, pinch S&P, olive oil.

Sauce: 1 yellow onion, 3 garlic cloves minced, 1 28oz can whole tomatoes, 1 28oz can crushed tomatoes, 1 tsp sugar, S&P to taste, 1/4 cup fresh leaf parsley.

Sunday Brunch Grilled Cheese

by Filed Under: Recipes, Vegetarian 3 Comments

When I go out to brunch for some reason I am normally drawn to the savory items on the menu, french toast just doesn’t do it for me. Today I made brunch at my house and decided to do a twist on the grilled cheese sandwich. I love when fruit is pared with savory meats and cheeses so this is the perfect combination in my book. Fresh boule bread, smoked turkey, blackberry and basil jam, and fontina cheese; this grilled cheese is heavenly!

Let’s start by making our blackberry jam. All you need is some blackberries and some chiffonade basil. Then with a fork mash the berries and mix it together with the basil.

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Then take a freshly baked boule loaf and slice two thick slices to assemble the sammy. You really can use any bread of your choice, but I decided to go this route because to be honest the little loaf was just so cute at the store.

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Then we start assembling. I used fontina cheese because it melts beautifully and it is so creamy and delicious.

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Then some smoked turkey slices

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Then the superstar blackberry and basil jam

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Then in a medium-low heated skillet with a touch of butter add the grilled cheese. I butter both outsides of the bread as well just to add a little extra flavor.

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The challenge here is to be patient and let this grilled cheese cook until the cheese is melted. This would be the perfect time to pour some mimosas!

About 5 minutes or so on each side and you are ready to rock in roll! Slice this bad boy in half and go to town.

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Holy moley this grilled cheese is so delicious and perfect for an at home Sunday brunch! Do yourself a favor and make this immediately.

Happy eating!

Braised Chicken Thighs

by Filed Under: Poultry, Recipes 1 Comment

How in the world is it already December 1st? I have done most of my christmas shopping and this afternoon I am listening to Christmas music and decorating my apartment for the holiday. This is the perfect meal to get going when you have stuff to do around the house because it’s simple and takes a bit of time to cook.

I love braising meat. The slow and low cooking method always leaves the chicken moist and delicious. When braising poultry you want to make sure to use darker, more fibrous bone in cuts, such as legs and thighs for better flavor. I decided to do my chicken thighs with parsnips, celery, and leeks.

What you’ll need: 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1 pound skinless bone-in chicken thighs, 1 leek- white and pale green parts thinly sliced, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/2 pound parsnips, 2 celery stalks, 5-8 fresh sage leaves, 1 cup low sodium chicken stock.

Start by heating your oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in a large oven proof pot over medium- high heat. Season the chicken on both sides with S&P and cook until golden brown on all sides, then remove from the pan and set aside.

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Cook the leeks until tender- about 4 minutes. Add the apple cider vinegar to deglaze and scrape up the brown bits with a wooden spoon. Add parsnips, celery, sage, and seared chicken to the pan and bring the liquid to a boil.

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Cover and transfer the pot to the oven. We are going to braise this chicken for about 50 minutes. Your kitchen is gonna start smelling goooood! After 50 minutes you are going to be left with deliciously moist chicken and tender veggies. You can serve this over some brown rice or as it, either way your gonna love it.

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Then grab a plate and dig in. I’m off to finish decorating this ole casa.

Happy eating!

Spaghetti Every Friday

by Filed Under: Pasta, Recipes 1 Comment

When I think of my grandpa I think of a man who is funny, kind, a great father, husband, grandpa and great grandpa; but I also think athlete. I can’t think of a time growing up when he wasn’t running marathons or at least training for them. My grandpa started running just a few years shy of his 50th birthday.

Most people would say that fifty is not the age to start up a new fitness regimen but that’s exactly what he did. However, I don’t think he expected was to fall in love with it the way he did, so much so that the year of his 50th birthday him and my grandma set out on a mission and he ran 50 marathons in 50 weeks. Crazy right? But he did it, he even chronicled it in a book…

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During the years of running, my grandparents would meet up with grandpa’s running buddies for a spaghetti dinner on Friday night- to carb load for the big race. So tonight, I decided I would make some pasta.

I didn’t make spaghetti, but this fettucini with tomato cream sauce will fit in for tonight. In a sauce pot I heated some olive oil and added some chopped onion and garlic.

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After a minute or so I added in a can of tomato sauce, along with some S&P, garlic powder and some Italian seasoning.

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While this is cooking for about 20 minutes, cook your choice of pasta according to the directions on the box. After 20 minutes remove the sauce from the heat and add just a touch of heavy cream.

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Toss your pasta with the sauce and top it with some freshly shredded parmesan and basil.

Grandpa has retired from his running days, but that still hasn’t stopped the athlete in him. These days he is training for some rowing competitions. His training endurance and discipline is as sharp as ever and I bet this pasta dish would be perfect before a big day of rowing.

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So whether you are training for any athletic event or just want a delicious meal for a Friday night, this will do the trick.

Happy eating!

Family Bowling Tournament and Mom’s Chili

by Filed Under: Pork, Beef, Lamb, Recipes Leave a Comment

Every year on Thanksgiving Eve my family travels to Fredericksburg to begin the Turkey Day festivities and for as many years as I can remember we have always had a family bowling tournament. This year was no exception! We were down two cousins, their wives and kiddos but we still had a full house.

This bowling tournament is like no other family bowling tournament; we all are broken up into a few teams and we bowl a few rounds all the while drinking some beers, cheering each other on, and laughing hysterically at certain family members bowling technique.

The kicker to this bowling tournament is that for the past 7 years or so my mom and Aunt Stephanie have had an “awards ceremony” before dinner and the prizes are goofy hats. The prizes range from “The big wiener” which is a hot dog hat that goes to the highest scorer, there is a top hat, a beer mug hat, a crab hat and each hat has an award associated with it and everyone gets a prize.

It has become such a fun tradition to have the day before Thanksgiving and we all look forward to it every year. After the awards we all hang around and have a yummy dinner and this year we had some sausage, cheese and crackers to start. Then we dug into delicious chili, tamales and salad.

I hope you and your family had a fantastic Thanksgiving! I know we sure did.

My mom is a fantastic cook so I knew I wanted to pass along her chili recipe so y’all can make this for your family this winter.

Mom’s chili recipe: without link sausage

Venison Chili – serves 6 to 8
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 cups chopped onion
Cayenne to taste (about 1 Tbsp)
2 lbs meat – (I usually use 1 lb venison & 1 lb beef (sometimes I get a cheap steak or roast)
1/4 cup chili powder (then I add more to taste)
2 Tbsp cumin
3 Tbsp chopped garlic
2 cups crushed tomatoes (or 1 can)
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 cans (14 oz) beef stock
2 Tbsp masa to 4 Tbsp water

In a large sauce pan heat oil and saute onions til they start to wilt – season with cayenne.
Stir in meat and brown (I pour of excess liquid when using venison).  Add chili powder, cumin.
Mix thoroughly with meat.  Add garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste & beef stock.  Bring to boil
then reduce simmer about 1 hour (I do this then turn it off and let the seasoning sit)
Then I simmer again and add a masa slurry.
Season with salt & pepper to taste.
Then add extra seasonings as needed.

Have fun cooking!

Turkey Pot Pie

by Filed Under: Poultry, Recipes 1 Comment

I hope y’all had a great Thanksgiving! I spent the holiday with my family in Fredericksburg and it was a blast as always. We had a bowling tournament, watched a lot of football, drank and ate until our hearts were content! Now my mom, dad, sister and I are heading to the YO Ranch for a weekend of relaxation and deer hunting.

After a big day of eating and indulging I’m sure the last thing you want is more turkey, but this root vegetable turkey pot pie is perfect for those turkey leftovers.

What you’ll need: 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, 1 yellow onion- finely chopped, 1 celery rib, 2 carrots, 2 parsnips, 1 turnip, 1-2 cups peas, 2 garlic cloves, 2 Tbsp flour, 1 3/4 cup low sodium chicken stock, 3/4 cup whole milk, 3/4 cup heavy cream, 3 bushes of fresh thyme- picked and minced, 1 pound turkey meat (about 3 1/2 cups) 1 large egg, 1 14-16 oz packaged frozen puff pastry- thawed but chilled.

This recipe is super easy, so after a day full of cooking this will be perfect.

Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees. In a cast iron skillet melt the butter over medium heat. Then add the onion, celery, carrots, turnip, parsnips, peas, garlic and cook stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Sprinkle in the flour and stir well for 1 minute to cook the flour but not to brown it, this will act as your thickening agent. Raise the heat to medium high and stir in broth, milk, cream and thyme. Let this simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cooked turkey and season with S&P.

 

 

 

In a small bowl, mix the egg with a little splash of milk with a fork to comine. Roll the pastry on a lightly floured counter into a 13 inch square. Brush the egg mixture around the edges of the pastry and lay it over the pan and gently press the edges to the sides of the pan. Brush some of the egg wash over the pastry and transfer the pan to the oven. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the topping is golden brown.

 

 

 

Let it cool slightly and then serve it up!

Homemade Kolache

by Filed Under: Pork, Beef, Lamb, Recipes Leave a Comment

When I lived in Nashville for some reason I always found myself wanting Kolaches on Saturday mornings. There were so many great breakfast places: Noshville, Pancake Pantry, but for some reason I repeatedly wanted a Kolache. When I first moved back to Texas this summer I went a little nuts for these things, I live down the street from 2 different kolache shops and I could not be stopped. OK, it’s not that serious, but you catch the drift that I love them. This morning when I woke up I had the old hankering for you know what, so I decided to try and make my own. The result was pretty spot on and super easy!


What you’ll need: Brioche roll, ground sausage, egg, cheese.

Aside from the brioche roll, you can really stuff them with whatever you like or have on hand.

In a skillet heat up your sausage. I keep a frozen batch of ground sausage/ chorizo in my fridge in case of emergency.

 

Then add in your egg and scramble it up.

 

Top it off with some cheese- sharp cheddar works great.

 

Now with your brioche roll- cut a small hole and hollow out.

 

Then all you have to do is stuff the roll with your sausage/ egg mixture.

 

On a sheet pan, bake the kolache in a 325 degree oven for about 8 minutes just to warm everything up.

Pour yourself a cup of joe, add some fresh berries or fruit and you have yourself a great meal to start your day!

Filet with Mushroom Marsala Sauce and Mashed Cauliflower

by Filed Under: Pork, Beef, Lamb, Recipes 1 Comment

Thinking back I can probably count on one hand the amount of times I have ordered steak at a restaurant. Growing up my dad made the best steaks and nothing ever really compared to them. Most of our family steaks came from a meat market- and a deer that we had hunted; or my mom had scouted great quality steaks at a local store. Even now when I go home I love sitting down with my family and having a filet, it’s always such a treat. Now sticking with the a home steak making I took to my kitchen to create a beautiful cast iron seared filet topped with a decadent mushroom marsala sauce and some mashed cauliflower. Make this tonight for dinner and you’ll end your week on a perfect note!

What you’ll need:

Steak and wine sauce: Filet steak, 1 1/2 oz dried oyster mushrooms (you can also get dried porcini,) 1 1/2 cup chicken stock, canola oil, 1 clove of garlic minced, 1 small shallot minced, 1 cup marsala wine, 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, 1 Tsp fresh thyme minced,

Mashed Cauliflower: 1 Tbsp chopped chives, 1 head of cauliflower, 3 Tbsp milk, 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, 2 Tbsp light sour cream, 1/4 Tsp garlic salt, S&P

Let’s get started: Combine the dried mushrooms and chicken stock in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil and then cut off the heat and let them sit for about 10-15 minutes. Then pull the mushrooms out of the liquid, reserving the stock and slice the mushrooms.

Mmm the smell of these are so pungent and rich. Getting the dried mushrooms and rehydrating them this way brings out such a bold flavor that you just can’t get from fresh.

At the same time we can get the mashed cauliflower going. Separate the cauliflower into florets and chop the core finely. Bring about 2 cups of water to a simmer in a pot, then add the cauliflower. Cover and turn the heat to medium and cook for about 12-15 minutes or until tender.

Now if you are a meat and potatoes fan you can definitely use some yukon gold potatoes and make those with this same recipe, but with the rich flavor of the mushroom sauce I promise you won’t miss them.

Onto the steak: heat your cast iron skillet over high heat, drizzle in a light coating of oil, this helps create a great crust on the steak. Lightly coat each side of your steak with a touch of oil and S&P. Place the steak into the pan and cook without moving for about 3 minutes. Using tongs flip the steaks and continue cooking; about another 4 minutes for rare, 5 minutes for med-rare, 6 minutes for medium. You can also use a meat thermometer and pull them off at about 100 degrees. Remove the steak and let it rest wrapped in foil for about 5 minutes while we make the sauce. If your filet happens to be bacon wrapped like mine, just remove it before serving.

Before you start on the sauce drain the cauliflower and let it sit to dry. The drier the cauliflower is the better.

For the sauce: In my opinion this is the star of the show! You won’t find any A1 around here. Once you remove the steak from the skillet, add the sliced mushrooms, garlic and shallot. Cook about 3-5 minutes.

Tip: If you are cooking in a small kitchen like me, turn on your vent fan. Otherwise your smoke alarm may go off and that mess is LOUD! Anyways…

Add the marsala wine and the reserved mushroom liquid to the pan, be careful not to let any grit stay in the bottom of the pan. Bring the sauce to a boil and reduce down by half.

Turn off the heat and whisk in the butter until melted and the sauce has thickened, the butter adds such a great creamy element to the sauce that is just mmmmm good! Add thyme and season with S&P.

Finish off your cauliflower by adding the milk, butter, sour cream, S&P and mash wit a potato masher. Top with the chives and we are ready to plate up.

Oh so yummy! The rich flavors from the marsala sauce and the hearty beef flavor marry so well together, this was definitely a great treat. Do yourself a favor and make this tonight, you can thank me later.

Happy eating!