Cooking

Steamed Mussels

I got back from Spain, and I love mussels. This is interesting, considering I only ate mussels once in Spain. I can’t explain it, but they are my new go-to. I also got my family and four friends hooked on them. All this to say, you should try cooking mussels. Or you could order them in a restaurant.

Mussels are pretty easy. First, sauté some onion and red pepper in olive oil and butter. Then, add canned tomatoes, white wine, pimentón, saffron and parsley. Stir that together and throw in the mussels.

Cook mussels for about six minutes. They’re really tasty served with toast.

My secret (or not so secret) reason for loving this recipe is I get to use my pimentón and my saffron from Spain. Oh the flavors!

Steamed Mussels

2 lbs mussels

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp butter

1 clove garlic

1/4 cup onion, chopped

1/4 cup red pepper, chopped

1 can chopped tomatoes, drained

1 cup white wine

1/2 tsp pimentón (smoked paprika)

5 sprigs saffron

1/4 cup fresh parsley

Salt and pepper, to taste

There are many ways to clean the mussels. An easy technique is to soak them in water for 10 minutes. Then, scoop the mussels out of the water, rinse and remove beard from the mussels. However, if you know a better method, definitely use that.

In medium pot, sauté garlic, onion and red pepper in olive oil and butter, until onion begins to caramelize. Add tomatoes, white wine, pimentón and saffron. Boil liquid, then add mussels. Cook mussels about 6 minutes, until they open. Stir around a bit to make sure all mussels are soaked in the sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

Chicken Sausage Barley Soup

Like chick-flick night, sometimes I need a soup night. When subfreezing temperatures confine us to the indoors, we throw together a steaming bowl of soup. It was negative two degrees here the first day I made this. “I hate this place” has been my signature response to the weather. Therefore, I hate this place.

Chicken Sausage Barley Soup needs mild Italian style chicken sausage, barley, vegetable broth, diced canned tomatoes, onion, garlic, fresh parsley, bay leaves, olive oil and salt and pepper.

After only 1 hour 45 minutes, enjoy a bowl of comfort. Too much? It comforted me from the cold, at least!

Chicken Sausage Barley Soup

1 lb Italian style chicken sausage

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup onion

2 cloves garlic

1/4 cup barley

32 oz vegetable broth

1 14 oz can diced tomatoes

1/4 cup fresh parsley

4 bay leaves

Pepper, to taste

In the soup pot, cook sausage, onions and garlic in olive oil on medium high until sausage starts to crumble.

Add vegetable broth, barley, tomatoes, parsley and bay leaves. Crack in a bit of pepper. Add other vegetables, if you like. Let the soup simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes. Before serving, separate sausage into smaller bites. Serve immediately, or remove from heat and reheat before serving.

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

As strange as it seems to make dinner before eating breakfast, I love starting dinner in the slow cooker in the morning. The work is done after putting the ingredients together, and the kitchen smells great when you get home. Those are both good things.

For this recipe, grab chicken, salsa, lime juice, chili powder, sea salt, cilantro and a dash of season salt.

There it is. I used the mini tonight. Isn’t it cute?

The salsa really affects the flavor of the chicken, so choose a salsa you like. If you have a little extra time, try the Pioneer Woman’s Restaurant Style Salsa.

I sneak Season-All into most recipes because it makes almost anything better (disclaimer: that is an opinion), but if you hate it, leave it out.

If you like, serve with corn tortillas, guacamole, cheese and sour cream. I prefer the meat without the tortilla, but many of my friends (specifically the male college students) uphold carb overload diets, so I usually serve it with tortillas.

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

1 lb boneless skinless chicken tenderloins

1 cup salsa

2 tbsp lime juice

1 tsp chili powder

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

season salt, to taste

2 tbsp cilantro, for garnish

Combine salsa, lime juice, chili powder, sea salt and season salt in slow cooker. Add chicken, stirring to coat with salsa mixture. Cook on low for 6 hours. Shred chicken and leave slow cooker on warm setting for 30 minutes. Transfer chicken, with salsa mixture, to serving dish and garnish with cilantro.

Baked Brie

This is a go-to appetizer. It’s perfect to prepare before a nice dinner; an elegant, yet simple and hands-off snack.

You only need brie, walnuts and a savory jam. I like to use Stonewall Kitchen Hot Pepper Peach Jam, but use the flavor you prefer.

Baked Brie

1 8oz brie

1/4 cup jam

2 tbsp walnuts

Preheat oven to 350. Unwrap brie and shave off rind on one flat side. Place brie rind side down in ovenproof baking dish. Spread jam evenly over brie and sprinkle walnuts. Bake for 13 minutes, until brie is soft and spreadable.

Blackened Brussels Sprouts

There’s one thing you should know. Brussels sprouts are my favorite food in the whole world. I really think I could eat them every day for the rest of my life.

That being said, this recipe is a fun twist on the classic sauté.

You’ll need worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, olive oil, cumin, garlic powder and brussels sprouts.

To start, cut off the brussels sprouts stems and slice the sprouts lengthwise. Place the groomed vegetables in a bag, add two tablespoons of olive oil and toss.

Next, put the brussels sprouts in a frying pan on medium high heat. Leave them here, stirring occasionally, until sufficiently blackened (7 minutes for me). The brussels sprouts will likely still be firm, so turn the heat down to low, and let them cook about ten more minutes, again stirring occasionally.

When the brussels sprouts are soft, right before removing for serving, add two teaspoons worcestershire, 1/4 teaspoon cumin, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder and hot sauce to taste. Stir around and serve.

Blackened Brussels Sprouts

12 oz brussels sprouts

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp worcestershire sauce

hot sauce, to taste

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp garlic powder

Trim brussels sprouts and cut in half, lengthwise. Toss brussels sprouts and olive oil in sealed bag. Cook brussels sprouts in frying pan on medium-high heat for 7 minutes until blackened, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low, and let brussels sprouts cook for 10 minutes, until soft, again stirring occasionally.

When soft, add worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, cumin and garlic powder.