Sausage Stuffed Baked Potatoes with Arugula. Not as weird as it sounds.

When Giada made this a couple of years ago on her show I thought - "Nope."

Granted it's hard to make sausage look pretty, particularly when thrown in a baked potato drowning in marinara. But more than that I just thought the whole idea was messy and weird. Arugula? Tomato Sauce? Sausage? Potato? It reminds me of something a pregnant person would crave after accidentally eating a pot brownie.

But as they say, time changes everything. I ordered her latest book (official cookbook hoarder - HELP!), saw this recipe again and went huh, that looks pretty good actually. Just for the record I'm not pregnant nor do I have a stash of pot brownies lying around. Sadly.

Just to blow your mind a little more, I subbed cottage cheese for the mascarpone because I didn't have any on hand. It sure as hell didn't make it prettier but it passed the husband test and my thighs were grateful for the little switcharoo. I also added a slice of fresh mozzarella to the split potatoes before covering them in sauce (sorry thighs.) The cheese melted like butter giving the sauce a nice little place to get cozy in.

Speaking of the sauce it's pretty dang great on its own and would be delish in a more traditional environment. Like say, pasta.

Cheers to facing our fears. And eating them.

Baked Potatoes with Sausage and Arugula
Lightly adapted from Giada De Laurentiis.
Serves 4.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, diced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed or chopped
1/2 pound sweet or spicy Italian-style turkey sausage, casings removed
1 1/2 cups tomato-basil or marinara sauce
3 cups baby arugula or basil
freshly grated nutmeg (my addition, out of habit)
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese (4 ounces), at room temperature OR low fat cottage cheese or ricotta
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, or to taste
4 baked russet potatoes, 8 to 10 ounces each (see Cook's Note, below)
4 thin slices of fresh mozzarella cheese, optional
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or basil

Directions:
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the sausage and break up the meat into 1/2-inch pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook until browned and cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the marinara sauce and arugula (or basil). Stir in a good pinch fresh grated nutmeg. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until the arugula has wilted, about 2 minutes. Add the mascarpone cheese (or cottage cheese or ricotta) and stir until the mixture forms a creamy sauce. Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper.

Cut a slit in the top of each baked potato and gently squeeze the ends to form an opening in the top. Lay over the slices of mozzarella if using, then spoon the sausage sauce into each potato. Garnish with parsley or basil.

Cook's Note: To bake the potatoes: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Using a fork, prick the skins of the potatoes all over. Wrap each potato in foil and bake until tender, about 1 hour. To cook the potatoes in a microwave: Using a fork, prick the skins of the potatoes all over. Place 2 potatoes at a time on a dinner plate. Microwave on high for 8 minutes. Turn the potatoes over and microwave until soft, 6 to 8 more minutes.

Zesty Chopped Chicken Salad with Vibrant Verde Dressing

Oh hi. How are you? Long time no talk.

It's my fault. Between work and a bad run of luck with my animals I haven't been in the mood to write lately. But I'm putting the 'woe is me' behind and getting back in the saddle, starting with...a salad.

I know I know. It's hard to get jazzed about salad. But when my husband (who has the palate of a 12 year old) got jazzed about this salad I knew I had to share it.

As for me, I'm perfectly happy with some arugula dressed with lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and parmesan. But my husband is not. He calls this 'half ass salad.' So if I want to serve salad as dinner I have to go all out. Lots of textures, lots of surprises, LOTS of flavor.

I will now utter the phrase I most detest from fellow foodies. Deep breath... Making your own croutons really makes a difference here. Like a major, ginormous, cute and perky Lindsay Lohan in Mean Girls versus scary plastic Lindsay Lohan today difference. See how much I feel like I have to justify sounding like a douche? Okay I feel better.

Anyway, they really do make a difference. And if lazy a#$ like me can do it, you can do it. You get crunch from the freshly toasted ciabatta chunks, toasted pecans and juicy tart apple, creamy savoriness from black beans and cheddar cheese, and a kick of flavor from jalapeño slices and chopped green onion. Chicken breast seasoned with coriander makes it a meal (for the guys) while a bright yet creamy green onion dressing (honestly you would think it had cream in it - it's awesome) keeps every bite as refreshing as the one before.

I used bagged shredded ice burg mixed with a couple handfuls of arugula but I think any kind of lettuce would do.

Alright then. Just wanted to say I'm back and am dying to know everything you're up to. And remember the proportions below are up to you. If you like something a lot, just add more of it.

PS - this dressing would be good on an old shoe. I have half a mind to bottle and sell it.

Zesty Chopped Chicken Salad with Vibrant Verde Dressing
Serves 2 hungry people as a main or 4-6 as a side. And as a side, I'd probably omit the chicken!
* Feel free to sub roasting your own chicken breast for the white meat from a rotisserie chicken - about 3/4 cup.

Vibrant Verde Green Onion Dressing:
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon honey, or more to taste
1/2 jalapeño (deseeded, deveined) chopped
1/2 cup canola oil or olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (or half teaspoon jalapeño salt and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, if you don't have a jalapeño)
Good pinch freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cumin

In a blender or food processor, blend the green onions through the cumin until gorgeous, smooth and bright greenl. Store in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before tasting, then make any adjustments as far as salt or pepper. If you feel it needs to be sweeter, stir in a pinch of sugar (honey won't break down once the dressing is cold - sugar's your gal.)

Salad Ingredients:
1 (8 oz) bag of shredded iceberg lettuce
large handful of arugula
3 tablespoons black beans, rinsed and patted dry
2-3 tablespoons pecan pieces, toasted
1/3 cup shredded cheddar (I use 2%) or more to taste
1/4 cup pickled jalepeno slices, mild or hot, to taste
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup cubed apple
3/4 cup homemade croutons (1 ciabatta roll, cut into 1/2 inch cubes seasoned with coriander, salt pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil, baked at 325 for 18 minutes or just until golden brown. Let cool to room temp before serving. Extras can be stored in a plastic bag for 5 days.)
1 boneless skinless chicken breast, patted dry, seasoned with salt, pepper and coriander and a dash of olive oil, baked at 375 for 15-18 minutes (depending on size) torn into chunks
pinch black pepper and tiny pinch of salt
Vibrant Verde Dressing (above), to taste

In a large bowl, toss all ingredients (iceberg through the chicken and salt and pepper.) Add the dressing, a tablespoon at a time until to the consistency/flavor you like. Adjust any salt/pepper and serve.

SXSW Eats: Lucy's Fried Chicken

For your first course, get the deep fried deviled eggs.

For your second course, get the fried chicken. It comes with sliced jalapeños and pickle spears on top - an idea that is so genius it makes me want to curl into the fetal position and weep because I just can't deal with it.

For your third course, get the pie. Any pie, but S'mores pie is a personal favorite. They also have a sweet tea pie which at first bite is a little weird but by the third bite will have you hiding under the table with it, stabbing anyone that comes near you with a fork.

That's Lucy's Fried Chicken.

You don't go for the vegetables.

Drunken Irish Filets over Creamy Gorgonzola Grits

I have been dying to make 'drunk and dirty tenderloin' ever since I saw the recipe in an old book last year. The only problem is you need an entire filet of beef to marinate. And since my husband and I have been in perpetual house hunting mode it's hard to motivate oneself to go out and splurge on a $100 slab of beef. Then the damnest thing happened. The lovely people of Omaha Steaks contacted me asking if I'd care to review their products. Well, hell yes!

As a blogger you get the weirdest offers for free stuff to 'review.' I'm ashamed to say I've turned most of them down because I can't find it in my heart to say 'hey y'all - so and so's BBQ sauce is top notch!' if I've never actually used it before or don't believe in it.

Well the good news is Omaha Steaks and I have a little history. In high school I won a writing contest with a story about a horse we had rescued and the prize, among other things, was a delivery of tender-as-butter filet mignons from Omaha Steaks. I was hooked. And it so happens I send Omaha Steaks to friends and family every year at Christmas so I can stand proud in recommending them to my lovely readers out there. They are great gift for people who love good food but don't love to cook as they have entire meal packages including chocolate cake, twice baked potatoes, appetizers, etc. You just throw everything in the oven or on the grill and you have a party. In fact they're tagline says it perfectly - "Mix with Company." Love it.

Okay so back to that recipe I was telling you about. Well it was every bit as delicious as I hoped although the soy did make the beef appear a little parched in the photo (the end product was more delicious than the picture implies.) If you ever make this with individual steaks like I did and not an entire filet cut your marinating time to 4 hours max as the exposed surface of 'cut' meat will drink in the soy very quickly. The only changes I made were to use fresh ginger, since I was only marinating a short time, and to sub Jameson Irish Whiskey for the bourbon in the recipe. It's smooth as butter and is my marinade liquor of choice. And it's almost St. Patty's day so this is what you should be drinking and cooking with and filling your bathtub with anyway.

So thank you again Omaha Steaks! I was going to just blog about the filets but after making their pork chops last night I think you'll hear a little more about them in the coming weeks...

Drunken Irish Filets
Serves 2, easily doubled

Ingredients:
1/2 cup soy sauce (suggest lite soy if marinating longer than 3 hours)
1/4 cup Whiskey (Jameson)
1/8 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
½ teaspoon fresh grated ginger
2 garlic cloves , minced
2 beef filets

Directions:
Mix the marinade ingredients together in a medium bowl until the brown sugar has dissolved and everything has made friends. Transfer to a large ziploc, add the steaks in and seal. Refrigerate for 2-4 hours. Remove from the marinade and pat off excess moisture.

Grill to your liking and serve with Gorgonzola grits. See below.

Creamy Gorgonzola Grits:
Serves 4.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil, enough to coat the bottom of a small/medium pot
1/2 cup chopped shallots
3/4 cup instant 'quick cook' grits
3 cups low sodium chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper
pinch fresh grated nutmeg
3/4-1 cup gorgonzola
1 tablespoon butter, optional
1/2 cup chopped green onions, divided

Directions:
Heat the olive oil on medium heat for 1 minute. Add the shallots, season with salt and pepper and sauté until translucent. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, stir in the grits along with a pinch of salt. Reduce heat slightly to an active simmer and stir constantly until grits are to the consistency you like (about 4-5 minutes.) Reduce heat to low and stir in the thyme, garlic powder, nutmeg, gorgonzola, butter and 1/4 cup of green onions. Taste for seasoning - I find I usually need to add quite a bit more salt but it depends on the stock you used, etc.

Serve the grits as a 'bed' for the steaks and garnish with additional green onion and more gorgonzola if desired.

Spicy Ginger Chicken with Cool Cucumber Yogurt Sauce

Spicy Ginger Chicken Marinade:
* The leftover chicken makes a killer sandwich the next day with mayo and more cilantro.

2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, for marinating

1 small tub (usually 5.3 oz) Greek yogurt (preferably whole or 2% Fage brand)
1 chunk gresh ginger, at least 1 tablespoon when grated or chopped, or more for more kick
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
small handful of fresh mint, roughly chopped
2-3 small shallots, chopped
big handful fresh cilantro, chopped plus extra for garnish
2 smashed garlic cloves
zest of one lime

Directions:
Mix the yogurt with the ginger, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, herbs, shallots, garlic and lime zest. Place chicken breasts in a large ziploc or medium tupperware and cover with marinade, being sure to turn to coat and really piling on the mixture to give them a good soaking. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

Preheat your broiler oven. Remove the chicken from the marinade and scrape off excess (don't be tempted to leave large hunks clinging onto the chicken - it will only burn.) Season the tops lightly with salt and pepper. Grease a pan with a rack in it, place breasts on the rack and put in the oven. Check starting at 8 minutes - breasts are done when the edges are JUST beginning to char and the thin veil of marinade on the meat has completely lost its glossy wetness and become a chalky, dull white. They're not pretty to look at but they're delicious to eat. Conversely you can just bake them on a cookie sheet (sprayed with nonstick spray) at 400 for 15 minutes until cooked through. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with cucumber yogurt sauce, following, and garnish with additional cilantro.

Cucumber Yogurt Sauce:
* You can make this hours ahead or even the day before with good results. The mixture will look a bit watery and sad - just stir it together and remind yourself looks aren't everything.

Ingredients:
1 small tub whole or 2% Greek yogurt, NOT fat free
1 handful of fresh mint, rough chopped
1 large handful cilantro, rough chopped
1 medium cucumber, seeds scraped and discarded then finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
juice of 1/2 lime
lime zest, optional for more zing

Directions:
Mix alltogether and let sit for at least 30 minutes in the fridge before serving. Spoon over hot chicken when dishing, or serve alongside for people to serve themselves.

SXSW Eats: Mag Mud at Magnolia

My beloved city is about to be poked and prodded like a prized heifer at the state fair. SXSW is almost here and everyone and their granny is packing their bags, checking their RSVP lists, and stretching out their gut muscles in preparation for queso and BBQ and Amy's Ice cream.

In lieu of this I thought I'd share one of our favorite quesos. It can be found at Magnolia Cafe (2 locations, one on Lake Austin Blvd and the other on South Congress.) Named after the establishment itself, 'Magnolia Mud' ('Mag Mud') is a don't-knock-it-til-you-try-it concoction of queso, black beans, and guacamole. There might even be some salsa tucked in there along with a few tears from the baby Jesus...

It is that life altering, particularly when eaten between the hours of 1 and 6 am, which you can do any night of the week because Magnolia is like the US postal service and is there for you rain or shine 24 hours a day 7 days a week save Christmas.

Magnolia Cafe
1920 South Congress Ave
Austin, TX
512 445-0000

Magnolia Cafe
2304 Lake Austin Boulevard
Austin
(512) 478-8645

Savory Bacon, Tomato and Cheddar Bake

Some call it a strata. Some call it a bread pudding. Some even call it a casserole.

Food and Wine calls it a Savory Bacon, Tomato and Cheddar Bake.

I don't care what you call it as long as I can eat it. This is a labor of love and makes enough for an army but the upside is, you can freeze the leftovers as individual portions and heat them up later when you have an emergency comfort food craving. I've even done this with the eggs intact, but if you're picky you can discard the eggs from the top before freezing and just put a pan fried one over the top after it bakes. Disco.

Bacon, Tomato and Cheddar Breakfast Bake

Ingredients:
1 pound bakery white bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (16 cups)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound sliced applewood-smoked bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
One 28-ounce can whole Italian tomatoes—drained, chopped and patted dry
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 pound extra-sharp cheddar, shredded (about 2 cups)
1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
2 tablespoons snipped chives
Big handful minced flat leaf parsley, plus extra for garnish
1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Salt
8 large eggs
Hot sauce, for serving

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly oil a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish. In a large bowl, toss the bread with the olive oil and spread on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes, tossing once or twice, until the bread is golden and lightly crisp.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the bacon over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain; reserve 2 tablespoons of the fat in the skillet.
Add the onion to the skillet and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and crushed red pepper and cook until any liquid is evaporated, about 3 minutes.
Return the toasted bread cubes to the bowl. Add the contents of the skillet, along with the bacon, shredded cheeses, chives, parsley and broth. Stir until the bread is evenly moistened. Season with salt. Spread the mixture in the baking dish and cover with lightly oiled foil.
Bake the bread mixture in the center of the oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the top is crispy, about 15 minutes longer. Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven and, using a ladle, press 8 indentations into the bread mixture. Crack an egg into each indentation. Return the dish to the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still runny. Garnish with additional parsley and serve right away with hot sauce.

MAKE AHEAD The recipe can be prepared through Step 4 and refrigerated overnight.