Hawaii Five-0 Searches For The Truth

Is there really a secret out there? Some mystery locked away looking to be found, After watching last week's episode of Hawaii Five-0 Ka 'Ola'I'O Ma Loko or The truth within, I had to sit and really ponder this one.  What truth is there to be had in cooking?   For certain it won't be locked away in the base of King Kamehameha.  

What truth is there in cooking, it is not the mystery wrapped in a boxed surrounded by an enigma  waiting to be purchased off of eBay  but then again there are so many thing you can pick up there who knows.  

Is there some secret, a symbol that is locked away? Well I have found cooking to be defined as a process to make food ready to eat by heating it. People can cook food with fire using wood or charcoal, with a stove that uses propane or natural gas, or with a stove that uses electricity. 

What exactly does this mean.... in the scheme of all things, maybe there can be some great mysteries out there, but letting cooking get the better of you should not be one of them.  You don't need a good cargument to set you straight either. 

So I thought for this collection I would just keep it simple, an eclectic assortment of dishes that can tantalize the palate and maybe leave you thinking you may be part Julia Child when it comes to the cooking creativity.   

Bean Soup

With the fall moving in, this calls for a quick, simple soup, this very simple soup will have them searching for more.

2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/2  Pork Tenderloin, diced into small pieces

2- 32-oz. packages  Chicken Broth

15-oz. can Great Northern Beans, drained and rinsed

14.5-oz. can No-Salt-Added Diced Tomatoes

1 cup  Penne Rigate Pasta

2 cups S Baby Spinach, roughly chopped

1. In a large stock pot, add the olive oil and turn to high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the pork tenderloin and cook almost all the way through.
2. Pour the chicken broth, beans and tomatoes (including the juices in the can) over the pork tenderloin. Reduce to medium-high heat. 
3. After 5 minutes, add the pasta. Cover with a lid and let cook according to the directions on the pasta box. 
4. Once the pasta is finished cooking, add the spinach and let simmer another 5 minutes before ladling up the soup.

Roast Chicken with Balsamic 

Bell Peppers

This chicken dish takes a classic, takes it up a notch with balsamic bell peppers giving it an Italian flair .  Bringing a warmth and richness to your dinner all in about 40 minutes.

5/8 tsp salt, divided 

3/4 tsp fennel seeds, crushed

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided

1/4 tsp garlic powder 

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

4- 6 oz skinless, boneless chicken breasts 

2 Tbsp olive oil, divided 

Cooking spray 

2 cups thinly sliced red bell pepper 

1 cup thinly sliced yellow bell pepper

1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots (about 1 large)

1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary

1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Combine 1/2 teaspoon salt, fennel seeds, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, garlic powder, and oregano. Brush chicken with 1 1/2 teaspoons oil; sprinkle spice rub over chicken. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to pan. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes or until browned. Turn chicken over; cook 1 minute. Arrange chicken in an 11 x 7–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes or until done.
3. Heat remaining olive oil over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers, shallots, and rosemary; sauté 3 minutes. Stir in broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high. Stir in vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Serve bell pepper mixture over chicken.

Vegetarian Mini Pizza

Everything is better on a pizza, now you can make the dough from scratch, but you can find dough at many markets, including whole wheat and herb.  You can purchase dough from your local pizzeria.   As for the topping, anything goes, these are just some suggestions, the only restriction is your imagination.   You can marinate the zucchini and eggplant and the tomato sauce is from scratch, it is the only concession I have made.  But it you have a favorite jarred sauce use it..

2 pizza dough rounds (either from your supermarket  or your local pizza guy) or feel free to make your own 

Tomato sauce:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 clove garlic

2 tbsp capers (drained)

a pinch of dried chili 

1 1/2 cup/3,6 dl of canned tomatoes

1 tbsp fresh or 1 tsp dried oregano

salt & black pepper

Topping:

4 pre boiled potatoes

250 g marinated artichoke hearts

100 g kalamata olives

1 zuchini (marinated)

1 eggplant (marinated)

4 brown mushrooms, cut in quarters

1/4 fennel, thin slices

300 g small tomatoes

2 small spring onions, divided in half

1/2 broccoli100 g goat cheese

salt & black pepper

fresh aragula, put it on after the pizza has been in the oven

1. Put the dough in the bowl and drizzle it with olive oil. Work the dough until it’s completely covered in the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it in a warm place for 1 – 2 hours.
2. Making the tomato sauce: Heat olive oil in a medium size pot. Add onion, garlic, and chili and saute  for 2-3 minutes. Add capers and fresh tomatoes and spices and cook for 10 minutes, lower the heat and let it simmer for half an hour more under a lid.
3. Preheat the oven to the highest possible temperature (450-500°F). Remove the plastic cover from the dough and start working it with your hands on a slightly floured work surface. Make 8 to 10 small portions. Stretch and flatten the dough until you get the desired size and thickness that you prefer and move it to a baking pan covered with parchment paper. 
4. Brush the dough with 2 tbsp tomato sauce. Cover them with topping of your choice. Bake for about 10-15 min until the outer part of the topping and the edges are slightly burnt. Sprinkle with fresh goat cheese, a bit of olive oil, fresh arugula, salt and freshly grounded pepper. Serve immediately.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

These spiced pumpkin cookies are soft, chewy, and dotted with chocolate chips! If you like pumpkin pie and chocolate, you'll love these cookies. It's dessert enough said! 

1/2 cup of shortening

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 cup chocolate chips

1. Cream shortening and brown sugar together.  Then add the pumpkin, egg and vanilla.  Mix until well incorporated.
2. In a separate bowl mix together all the dry ingredients.
3. Fold in the chocolate chips.
4. Place rounded tablespoons of the gooey goodness on your greased cookie sheets a couple of inches apart and bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes – until the edges are golden brown
5. Cool completely on wire racks

Choices Abound!!!!

Good day to one and all!  Yes it has been a while since I have blogged to my hearts content, finding a mix of culinary delights, to mix up with some aloha adventure.  That said I do hope your holidays treated you well and time spent with loved ones was very fulfilling.  

Alas a new year is upon us usually bringing with it many new resolutions. What we plan to do,  face it the top two diet and exercise.  I know this really is not the place for that, but I have always looked at it this way, with a few simple swaps, you can easily make your favorite foods lighter; give it an alternate ending of sorts, you choose what you want.  

  

You may ask yourself what does this have to do with H50? I have to admit I had the same thought myself until I actually looked for the definition of Kapu that translates (I hope I have this right) into  as "forbidden", though I have seen it as  "stay out". So I guess you can stay out of the fridge, or away from the forbidden food.... Ok I have taken some license here, my Hawaiian is not that good, I do hope my recipes are more to your liking.   

Enjoy it any way you choose, but remember lighter may alter your ending by calorie not taste.

Oven-Fried Chicken

3 cups cornflake cereal, crushed

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 to 1/2 tsp. ground red pepper

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup fat-free buttermilk

1 whole chicken cut-up and skinned

Vegetable cooking spray

1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic freezer bag; seal and shake well to combine.  
2. Pour buttermilk into a shallow bowl. Dip 2 pieces of chicken in buttermilk, and place in bag. Seal and shake well, coating completely. Place chicken on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining pieces of chicken. Sprinkle remaining cornflake mixture evenly over chicken on baking sheet. Lightly coat with cooking spray.  
3. Bake at 400° for 35 to 45 minutes or until chicken is well browned and done. Serve immediately.

Spicy Southern-Fried Chicken

Marinade:

2 cups Buttermilk 

1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard

1 tsp salt 

1 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp coarse ground black pepper

Chicken

1-3 1/2lb Chicken, cut into 8 pieces 

2 cups flour 

1 Tbsp baking powder

1 Tbsp garlic powder 

1/2 tsp salt

1. In a gallon-sized re-sealable plastic bag or a large bowl with a tight-fitting lid, combine the buttermilk, mustard, salt, dry mustard, cayenne, and black pepper. Add the chicken pieces and turn to coat. Seal and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. 
2. Preheat oven to 150 degrees F. 
3. In a 13-inch by 9-inch by 2-inch pan, whisk together flour, baking powder, dry garlic, and salt. Add chicken pieces and turn to coat thickly. Let the chicken stand 10 minutes, turning occasionally to re-coat with flour. Shake off excess flour before frying.
4. In a large heavy-gauge skillet with a deep-fry thermometer attached, heat oil or vegetable shortening over medium-high heat, bringing it to 375 degrees F. 
5. In batches of four, fry the chicken pieces, turning once when the coating is sealed and begins to brown 3 to 4 minutes. 
6. Reduce the heat to medium to lower the temperature to 325 degrees F. Maintain temperature and continue to fry, turning the pieces halfway through cooking time until chicken is golden brown and cooked through about 20 more minutes.
7. Transfer to a wire rack on a baking sheet and place in oven to keep warm. Repeat the procedure for the remaining batches. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Turkey Jambalaya 

1 Tbsp olive oil

1- 1/2 cups onion, chopped

1 tsp garlic, minced 

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 red bell peppers, chopped

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

2- 1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp pepper

1 cup uncooked long-grain rice

2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

14- 1/2 oz diced Tomatoes, No Salt Added

2 cups shredded cooked turkey

6 oz smoked pork sausage

2 Tbsp sliced green onions

1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 6 minutes or until lightly browned. 
2. Stir in bell peppers and next 5 ingredients; sauté 1 minute. Add rice; sauté 1 minute. Stir in broth and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. 
3. Add turkey and sausage; cover and cook 5 minutes. Sprinkle with green onions.

Sausage and Shrimp Jambalaya

2 tbsp butter

8 oz Andouille sausage, sliced 1/4" thick, or spicy smoked sausage

2 Tbsp paprika

1 Tbsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup diced tomato, fresh or canned

1 large green bell pepper, diced

2 ribs celery, sliced 1/4" thick

4 green onions, sliced thin

1 cup brown rice

3 cups chicken broth

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1. In a heavy bottomed pot with a lid, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sliced sausage and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. 
2. Add the paprika, cumin, cayenne, black pepper, and salt. Saute the spices for 1 minute, and then add the tomatoes. Cook stirring for a few minutes to let some of the liquid from the tomatoes evaporate. Add the green bell pepper, celery, and most of the green onions (reserve some of the dark green slices of the onions to garnish the top); cook, stirring for 5 minutes. 
3. Stir in the rice and mix well. Add the stock, turn the heat up to high, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and cook for 45 minutes. 
4. Remove the lid and check the rice. It should be just tender; if it is still too firm cook longer. 
5. When the rice is tender, add the shrimp, stir in, and cook covered for 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning, and adjust if needed. 
6. Serve the jambalaya in bowls with green onions sprinkled on top. 

The point is to start a meal off right and leave the table full and happy.  How could you not with one of these choices..