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Stuffing So Good It Should Be Made All Year Long

partysugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:15:58 -0800

Last year on Thanksgiving, my older brother, while shoveling stuffing down his throat asked, "How come we only have stuffing once a year? It's so good!" I have to agree with him, stuffing is one of the main reasons I look forward to turkey day. Although I change up the recipe I use, there's one ingredient (besides bread) my stuffing must have: Italian sausage. As the plump sausage renders fat, it imparts an incomparable depth of flavor and porky goodness to the bread and vegetables. This recipe combines the fragrant juicy pork with soft butternut squash, leafy kale, oozing parmesan cheese, and melt-in-your mouth focaccia. The elements may not be traditional, but the resulting stuffing is comforting, addictive, and most-importantly, delicious. To serve this stuffing to your family, get the recipe and read more.

Sausage and Kale Thanksgiving Stuffing
From Food Network Magazine

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
1 pound sweet Italian fennel sausage, casings removed, broken into small pieces
3 large leeks, white and light-green parts only, sliced
1/2 medium butternut squash, peeled and diced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 bunch kale, leaves trimmed and chopped
1 pound stale onion focaccia, cubed
1 large egg
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or turkey stock
1 cup diced parmesan cheese, plus 1/4 cup shredded

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish.
Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook until golden brown, about 6 minutes.
Add the leeks and squash and season with 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper; cook until the leeks are soft, about 3 minutes.
Add the kale, toss and cover until the kale wilts, about 4 minutes.
Add the focaccia cubes and the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and toss until the butter melts.
Whisk the egg and chicken broth in a bowl until smooth; stir in the diced parmesan and 1 teaspoon salt.
Pour the broth mixture over the bread mixture; cook until the liquid is absorbed by the bread, about 1 minute.
Transfer the bread mixture to the prepared casserole dish. Scatter the shredded cheese evenly on top and bake until golden and cooked through, about 40 minutes.
Set aside for 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 8.

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Yummy Links: From Pumpkin Seeds to Carbonara

partysugar — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 09:15:35 -0700

Ten ways to spice up pumpkin seeds.- Chow
Kale and bacon make one delicious combination. - The Epi Log
Josh Ozersky questions the patriotism of the humble hamburger. - Vanity Fair
Fabio Viviani's latest gig? Pizza delivery man. - Grub Street NY
Cook's Illustrated's editor, Christopher Kimball, is ready to wage war on the blogosphere. - Eat Me Daily
The Bocuse d'Or USA is now searching for its next national team. - Eater
Jazz up classic pasta carbonara with peas and ricotta. - Serious Eats

Fast & Easy Dinner: Rosemary Tuna With White Beans

partysugar — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 06:50:19 -0700

Tonight, plate up a fiber-rich meal of fish, beans, and greens. In this recipe, ahi tuna is rubbed with a quick homemade rosemary oil before being seared to perfection. Garlicky kale with white beans and cherry tomatoes makes a simple but satisfying side.

Though this dish is healthy, it doesn't lack fresh flavor. If you dislike tuna, substitute chicken breast cutlets or peeled and deveined shrimp. To look at the recipe, please read more.

Rosemary Tuna With White Beans
From Whole Living

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, 1 thinly sliced and 1 minced
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 pound ahi tuna steak (1 1/2 inches thick)
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
3 to 4 kale leaves, thinly sliced (1 cup)
3/4 cup homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock
2 cups canned cannellini beans, rinsed
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 1/2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar

Directions

Heat 1 tablespoon oil and sliced garlic in a skillet over medium heat. When garlic begins to sizzle, remove and discard. Add rosemary to oil, and immediately pour into a heatproof bowl. Let cool slightly.
Season tuna with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Rub half the rosemary oil over tuna. Let stand 15 minutes.
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add tuna, and sear until dark golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to a plate, and cover loosely with parchment. Let rest.
Heat remaining teaspoon oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add thyme, red-pepper flakes, and minced garlic, and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
Add kale, and cook 2 minutes. Add stock, and simmer 5 minutes.
Add beans and tomatoes, and simmer 2 minutes. Stir in vinegar and remaining salt and pepper.
Thinly slice tuna. Drizzle rosemary oil over tuna and beans on serving plates.

Serves 4.

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Kale Chips: A Savory, Simple, and Nourishing Snack

YumSugar — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 08:30:18 -0700

When some friends announced they'd be stopping by last Sunday, I wanted to make a welcoming snack in a flash. But after hours of munching on heavy March Madness snacks the day before, I needed to give my body a little lovin' with some lighter, vegetable-centric fare.

I knew exactly what to make: oven-baked chips made from nothing but olive oil and Tuscan kale. The crispy bite, conceived by James Beard-nominated chef Dan Barber, is so basic, it's practically a non-recipe. Find out how I made these nutty, melt-in-your mouth chips when you read more.

Tuscan Kale Chips
From Bon Appétit

Ingredients

12 large Tuscan kale leaves, rinsed, dried, cut lengthwise in half, center ribs and stems removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 250°F. Toss kale with oil in large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Arrange leaves in single layer on 2 large baking sheets. Bake until crisp, about 30 minutes for flat leaves and up to 33 minutes for wrinkled leaves.
Transfer leaves to rack to cool.

Makes approximately 24 chips.

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Eat Kale For St. Patrick's Day

FitSugar — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 04:30:00 -0700

Along with wearing green on St. Patrick's Day, as a health nut I enjoy eating my fill of green food on March 17. This is easy to do in an Irish fashion with colcannon, a tasty potato dish with added kale, a leafy green. Or just braise kale with a little oil, red pepper flakes, and red wine vinegar to make a healthy veggie to go with your traditional corned beef.

It is true that I love kale, and it is in season from early Winter through early Spring. So it should be available at most grocery stores and be affordably priced since it is abundant right now. Kale is a powerhouse veggie: high in vitamins K, A, and C, a cup of this cooked green provides a quarter of you daily requirement of fiber. This green is loaded with phytonutrients, which may fight ovarian cancer.

Steer clear of the green beer, and add some greens into your St. Patty's Day meal.

Source

Yummy Links: From Kelly Choi to Chinese New Year

partysugar — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 06:45:21 -0800

Meet Kelly Choi, the host of Bravo's upcoming series Top Chef Masters. - Serious Eats
Read Alice Waters's personal letter to Barack Obama. - Gourmet
Learn the difference between cinnamon and nutmeg.- Cookthink
Find out how far your food travels. - The Kitchn
Here's how restaurants are coping with recession. - The Epi-Log
Fight the Winter flu by eating more kale. - Mouthing Off
Ten good-luck foods to enjoy during Chinese New Year. - Chow

Source

Fast & Easy Dinner: Breaded Pork With Cabbage and Kale

partysugar — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 06:45:45 -0800

This delicious, effortless meal is made with a surprise ingredient: cornbread stuffing mix. Pounded slices of pork are coated with the crunchy, flavorful mix before being pan-fried in oil.

Sautéed kale and red cabbage is a colorful, healthy side. Balsamic vinegar adds a tangy punch to the wilted veggies.

To make this tonight, read more.

Breaded Pork With Cabbage and Kale
From Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients

1-1/4 lb. center cut pork loin, cut in 4 slices
2 cups corn bread stuffing mix, crushed
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cups sliced red cabbage
6 cups coarsely chopped kale
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
Salt and black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
Place pork slices between plastic wrap. Use flat side of meat mallet to lightly pound slices to 1/4-inch thickness. Place stuffing mix in shallow dish; coat pork with stuffing mix.
In extra-large skillet heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook two of the pork slices for 2 to 3 minutes each side, until crisp, golden, and cooked through. Transfer to baking sheet; keep warm in oven.
Repeat with remaining oil and pork.
Wipe skillet. Add cabbage. Cook and stir until cabbage is crisp-tender.
Add kale and vinegar; cook just until wilted. Lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve with pork.

Serves 4.

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In Season: Kale

YumSugar — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 09:00:33 -0800

It's a shame that so many varieties of kale wind up as garnish on a plate, because the truth is, this dark, tender green tastes divine. Unlike iceberg lettuce, this sweet relative of cabbage happens to be loaded with nourishing nutrients. While the leaves are often available year-round, the peak of kale's season is in the Fall and Winter, so right now it is abundant at the market. To find out what to look for in kale, read more.

Fresh kale will have a deep green hue and moist, hardy stems.
Avoid leaves that are wilted, browned, or have small holes in them. The kale should be displayed in a cool environment, as it does not react well to heat.
Take the time to select smaller leaves; they are younger and will be more tender.
Store refrigerated, wrapped with a damp paper towel in a plastic bag, for no more than several days. When ready to use, soak in water to rid of sand or dirt.

Some preparation ideas:

Boil and mash with potatoes to make colcannon.
Sauté or boil, then serve on crusty bread with an egg on top.
Serve sautéed on top of baked yams with a dollop of sour cream.
Heat kale with carrots, onions, and zucchini; stir in canned tomatoes and beans and simmer for a hearty stew.

Are you a fan of kale? If so, how do you enjoy it?

I Love Your ShopStyle: A Decadent Halloween

FabSugar — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 14:00:22 -0700

Most people consider Halloween an event left for goblins and ghouls, but I beg to differ. I welcome the freaky, but I prefer the fabulous. If you're stuck on the idea, ask Paisley.

Her witches' brew of classic Halloween colors and fanciful frocks takes the term costume party to a whole new level. It's certainly a recipe that's to die for. Muhahaha.

Five Wholesome Pork Dishes

YumSugar — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 05:30:00 -0700

From bacon to egg rolls and sausages to smoked ham, pork is crucial to so many of the things we eat. That's why we're celebrating National Pork Month. To celebrate, take a cue from one of these five ways to prepare succulent, flavorful pork.

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