Showing posts with label herb. Show all posts
Showing posts with label herb. Show all posts
Thursday, February 12, 2015
Holiday Menu Item Turkey Two Ways Part I Turkey for Two Herb Roasted Turkey Breast
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| Turkey for Two: Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast |
This turkey was so tender and juicy it was falling apart. I used a fresh 5-pound Butterball bone-in turkey breast, which is perfect for 2 to 4 people. For 2 people, there will be leftovers and leftover turkey makes a great sandwich the next day or even a turkey pot pie.
This recipe was definitely inspired by Ina Gartens Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast with just a few modifications because Im not in my normal kitchen and didnt have everything at my disposal.
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| Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast |
I used an adjustable rack fitted inside a disposable pan to roast the turkey breast.
Turkey for Two: Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast
adapted from Ina Garten
Serves 2-4
Oven 325 degrees F
Ingredients:
5-pound bone-in turkey breast (I used a fresh Butterball)
2 Tablespoons butter, room temperature
4 leaves fresh sage, minced
2 Tablespoons fresh rosemary, leaves only
1 Tablespoon fresh thyme, leaves only
2 large cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
kosher salt
fresh cracked pepper
1 cup white wine
Pat turkey breast dry with paper towels, then place skin side up on rack in shallow roasting pan.
In small bowl mix butter, sage, rosemary, thyme, and garlic. Using your hands place some of the butter mixture under the skin of the breast and spread the rest evenly on top. Pour the olive oil in the palm of your hand, rub together then pat the outside of the turkey to distribute. Then sprinkle with salt and pepper, including the cavity.
As I often do, I forgot to add the garlic to the butter mixture until just after I had placed in the oven. I quickly pulled it out, added it at that time, and it was fine.
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| place some of the butter mixture under the skin |
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| spread the rest evenly on top |
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| with the garlic, the way it should have been |
Pour the wine in the bottom of the pan and place in oven. Roast for 2 to 2 1/2 hours until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the muscle reads 170 degrees F. If turkey is browning too much, cover loosely with aluminum foil. When turkey is done, remove from oven and allow to rest for about 10 minutes before serving.
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| just out of the oven |
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| So juicy and tender, and the rosemary really comes through. |
Stay tuned for Part II of Turkey Two Ways.. Turkey for 10 with a Twist.
Italian Chicken Orzo Soup Featuring a Gourmet Garden Refrigerated Herb Giveaway
After weeks of holiday-related indulgence, we’re really enjoying Lighten Up Month’s lighter, fresher menus. We’ve even decided to incorporate 1 or 2 meat-free days per week for our 2014 health-related change…we don’t use the word resolution in our house! We’re starting with Meatless Mondays in January and adding one more day in February. We couldn’t be vegetarian 100% of the time, but this seems like a great change to us. I’ll keep you posted on how it goes during the year and maybe even share some of our favorite veg-friendly recipes!
One of our favorite Lighten Up meals in Winter is soup…they’re a hearty, warming meal-in-a-bowl. One thing I refuse to compromise on is flavor, which can sometimes happen when you reduce fat and calories in your dishes. I find that using lots of herbs and spices really helps fill the void left by using lower-fat products. One easy way to use more herbs in your cooking is with Gourmet Garden tubed herbs and garlic. They recently sent me a package containing 11 of their most popular varieties, including garlic, parsley, chili peppers, Italian herbs and basil. As soon as I saw this grouping, an Italian-inspired soup immediately came to mind. If you’ve never used Gourmet Garden products, you simply must…I am now hooked on them and plan to keep them in my fridge at all times! They use organic herbs...within 24 hours of being picked, they chop them just like you would yourself. Then, theyre packaged in handy squeeze tubes that allow you to use just what you need. They even stay fresh in the fridge for up to 3 months!Gourmet Garden herbs and garlic worked perfectly in my Italian Chicken-Orzo Soup. It’s chock full of fiber-rich veggies: onion, celery, zucchini, mushrooms and tomatoes…for protein, I used lean chicken breast. The convenient Gourmet Garden herbs saved me so much chopping time, and they provided the Italian flavor that I wanted for this soup. You can use any pasta you like, but I opted for tri-color orzo. It cooks quickly and is an easy-to-spoon pasta. This was a hearty, healthy dinner that we enjoyed on a cold Texas night. It makes 4-6 servings and tastes even better after an overnight rest in the fridge.
Italian Chicken-Orzo Soup
a Weekend Gourmet Original
Ingredients:
- 1 tbs. olive oil
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion
- 2 stalks celery, sliced
- 1 cup chopped zucchini
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1 tbs. Gourmet Garden Chunky Garlic
- 1 tbs. Gourmet Garden Parsley
- 1 tbs. Gourmet Garden Italian Herbs
- 1 tsp. Gourmet Garden Chili Peppers
- 1 tbs. tomato paste
- 1 can petite diced tomatoes
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 1 lb. chicken breast, cut in bite-sized pieces
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 cup tri-color orzo
Directions:
Step 1: Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over med-high heat. Add the onion and celery and cook until the onion is translucent. Toss the chopped chicken with a bit of salt & pepper, then add to the pan. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink. Add the Gourmet Garden Ingredients and stir well to combine.
Step 2: Add the diced tomatoes – juice and all – to the pot. Add the zucchini and mushrooms, then stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to med-low. Cover and simmer for 30-45 minutes.
Step 3: After the initial simmer, add the orzo. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes longer, until the orzo is tender. To serve, ladle into deep serving bowls. If desired, top each serving with a spoon of grated parmesan. This soup is hearty and filling on its own, but a simple green salad would pair nicely with it.
This soup is very comforting and filling…a healthy complete meal in a bowl! We loved the rich broth, the juicy chunks of chicken breast and the healthy veggies. The Gourmet Garden products provided the perfect Italian seasoning to the soup, and they were a snap to use. You can find Gourmet Garden products in the refrigerated section of the Produce department of many large grocery stores, near the bagged salads.
So...how would you like to try out Gourmet Gardens wide variety of fresh herbs in your kitchen? Well...youre in luck! The nice folks at Gourmet Garden are going to give one lucky Weekend Gourmet reader an insulated cooler thats filled with ELEVEN of their most popular products: Basil, Chili Pepper, Cilantro, Chunky Garlic, Dill, Garlic, Ginger, Lemon Grass, Oregano, Italian Herbs and Parsley. Just think of the amazing culinary creations youll be able to make! These herbs are perfect for saving time in the kitchen, and their flavor is fresh and bright. To enter the giveaway, simply follow the instructions below. Ill accept entries until 1159 p.m. CST this Friday, and Ill notify the winner this weekend. Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveawayDisclosure: Gourmet Garden provided me with a selection of their herbs to facilitate the feature. I received no further compensation, and all opinions expressed are my own.
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Guest Post Food and Grilling Ideas for Summer Featuring Herb Butter Grilled Corn
Good morning, friends! Today Im sharing a delectable guest post with you. Jenny is here to share a delicious and fun Summertime side dish featuring sweet in-season corn-on-the-cob. The herb butter and smoked salt give it a wonderful aroma as it cooks, and it tastes great!
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Corn is a popular staple that is at its peak during the Summer months. Sweet and crunchy, it’s a common accompaniment to grilled meats, or as an ingredient in salads and salsas. Corn is also high in Vitamin A, with 355 IU per one-cup serving, and high in dietary fiber. You can cook corn in a variety of ways, but dry heat like roasting or grilling brings out corn’s natural sweetness. A pinch of Herbs du Province adds an earthy element and enhances the flavor of the corn.
(1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are using a grill without a thermostat, use a thermometer to determine when the grill is between 300 and 400 degrees.
Read more »
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Corn is a popular staple that is at its peak during the Summer months. Sweet and crunchy, it’s a common accompaniment to grilled meats, or as an ingredient in salads and salsas. Corn is also high in Vitamin A, with 355 IU per one-cup serving, and high in dietary fiber. You can cook corn in a variety of ways, but dry heat like roasting or grilling brings out corn’s natural sweetness. A pinch of Herbs du Province adds an earthy element and enhances the flavor of the corn.
Herb-Butter Grilled Corn
What you Need:
- 1 Large sheet of aluminum foil
- 4 pats of butter, softened
- 1 Tbsp Herbs du Province
- 1 Tsp smoked sea salt
- 4 large ears of corn, shucked with silk removed
(1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are using a grill without a thermostat, use a thermometer to determine when the grill is between 300 and 400 degrees.
(2) Spread out enough foil to wrap all four ears of corn in one packet. Spread the softened butter on the foil. Leave about one inch of clean foil around all the edges. Sprinkle the herbs du Province and smoked sea salt onto the butter. Try to get the coverage as even as possible.
(3) Lay the corn out on the foil. Leave about ½ inch of space between each ear. Leaving space keeps the ears from sticking together and ensures even cooking. Sprinkle cold water on the corn. The water will provide a little steam to prevent the corn from drying out in the grill or oven.
(4) Wrap the foil around the corn and seal the edges. Making a good seal ensures the steam will stay in, it will also prevent the butter from escaping. Put the corn in the oven, or grill, and let it cook for 15 to 20 minutes.
(5) Remove the corn and let it cool inside the foil wrapper. Open the pouch carefully and transfer the corn to a serving dish with raised sides. The raised sides will trap any herbed butter that did not absorb into the corn. Serve the corn on its own, or with your favorite summer cookout classics.
If you don’t have Herbs de Province, you can also make a blend of dried rosemary and thyme. If you can’t find smoked sea salt, you can use regular sea salt instead. Of course, you can also use other herbs and spices like dried garlic or Old Bay seasoning instead of the Herbs du Province. You can find different herb mixes at your local grocery store, as well as through some specialty retailers.
Cooks Note: If you need to make more than four ears of corn, remember that it’s one pat of butter per ear; one tablespoon of seasoning and one teaspoon of smoked sea salt for every four ears.
Disclosure: Consideration was received by The Weekend Gourmet for the editing and publishing of this feature article. However, I did test the recipe in my kitchen so I could taste test it and photograph it for the article.
Disclosure: Consideration was received by The Weekend Gourmet for the editing and publishing of this feature article. However, I did test the recipe in my kitchen so I could taste test it and photograph it for the article.
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
Organic Herb Salad with Black Eyed Peas Grapes and Spanish Marcona Almonds
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| Organic Herb Salad with Black Eyed Peas, Grapes, and Spanish Marcona Almonds |
Never underestimate the value of a good salad. There have been many times when Ive gone out to eat at a restaurant and I didnt want to order a salad as my main course because I thought Id be missing out on something - some really great fish, or pasta, or who knows what. But then when I actually do order it, Im never disappointed.
Such was the case last weekend when we went to Gulfstream Restaurant. They make a really, really great salad. Actually, more than one. And they make really, really great other stuff, too. I really, really like Gulfstreams. I could do a whole post just about them but Ill let you check them out if youre ever near one. Theyre from the same family of awesome Hillstone Restaurants as Houstons, R+D, and Banderas. One more thing - they make really, really great cocktails. They fresh squeeze their juices on site and what a difference that makes.
And, no, Im not getting paid or compensated in any way to say that. These are some of our favorite haunts simply because they have great food, great drinks and a great atmosphere. And Im kinda selective about my food and drinks. Okay, and atmosphere.
Back to the salad...
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| Organic Herb Salad with Black Eyed Peas, Grapes, and Spanish Marcona Almonds |
This isnt the salad I got at Gulfstreams, rather its one I made based on their inspiration. Salads are so great because you can make them any way you want, use any greens you want, include as many or as few simple or exotic ingredients as you want, and toss in whatever dressing you want. Love that about salads.
This is pretty much what I put in mine, minus the rotisserie chicken because I ate that while I was making the salad...
I bought the organic herb mix from Bristol Farms. They have the best selection of organic produce around, btw. The others mostly came from the farmers market, including the purple bell pepper (which I couldnt believe I finally found around here!). The black eyed peas (also known as cowpeas) were fresh so I just boiled them for about 8 minutes in salted water to soften them a bit more, then let them cool.
The beautiful greens rinsed and ready...
A few cutting tips:
Chopped and ready:
In the bowl all together, and then with a very simple dressing:
Dressing:
How did I make the very simple dressing you ask? I just took a heaping spoonful of mayonnaise (about 2-3 Tablespoons), added about 1 Tablespoon of citrus champagne vinegar (I used my favorite O Olive Oil Co. vinegar, but any champagne or white wine vinegar will work) and some fresh cracked pepper, then whisked together. Adjust according to your taste.
This made enough dressing to coat the whole container of greens (enough for 4 people) even though I only used half the container this time. My bad - I ended up with too much dressing, but it was still good!
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