Siracha Hot Reuben

As most of you know, the Midwest has turned cold to the point that I have to force myself out of the house to the gym or grocery store or work! Thus, when I do make it out the door, I promise to make each trip worthwhile...and that means planning! Planning to keep pantry and fridge stocked so that once I get home I have options readily available!

Sometimes you just need something warm with a little heat to take the chill out of your bones after walking home home from campus! I have taken a hot Reuben Sandwich and made it hotter with a Siracha version of the traditional Thousand Island dressing! Want it "hotter"...replace the Swiss cheese with Pepper Jack! 

Stay warm after studying! Finals are almost over! 

And...use my holiday coupon above to invite a friend for dinner. 

Make somone happy today!

Siracha Hot Reuben

Equipment:
Non-stick skillet
Small mixing bowl

Ingredients:
Pastrami, any kind (I used Turkey) or Ham
Swiss Cheese (or Pepper Jack)
Sauerkraut
Rye Bread
Butter, softened
Siracha Sauce

Siracha Thousand Island Sauce:
1/2 cup mayo
1-2 Tbls ketchup
2-3 tsp of Worchestershire Sauce
1-2 tsp of Siracha or Chili Paste

Instructions:
1. Wash your hands.
2. Combine all of the Siracha Sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Adjust to your taste.
3. Spread butter on one side of rye bread of each sandwich slice, i.e. bottom and top slices.

4. Heat skillet with 1-2 Tbls of butter over MEDIUM heat.
5. Place each slice of rye bread with butter side DOWN.
6. Begin building your sandwich layering cheese, meat, sauerkraut.

7. Spread sauce over kraut / meat and second slice of bread (inside part).

8. Sear first side of sandwich until golden brown and then carefully flip to the second side. (should have butter as well)

9. Sear until golden brown.

10. Remove from heat and share...or not!

Potato, Corn, and Leek Chowder

One of Jon's favorite types of meals is having a great soup or chowder with fresh bread or cheese toasts--preferably in a bread bowl--but I won't be making that today.  Winter has hit Chicago with a chilly wind that makes the low temperatures of 22 degrees seem below zero; and, there is nothing like coming in from the cold to a hot bowl of chowder, soup or stew.

If you plan ahead, most soups and chowders can be frozen in small tupperware portions that can easily be thawing while you head out the door.  The only caveat to making soups and chowder is the prep work--something you should be familiar with at this point if you have done any cooking from this blog.

Get your ingredients prepped and the fire started.  Let's do this!

(Adapted from Cooking Light's The Essential Dinner Tonight Cookbook)

Note:

Can be vegan or vegetarian if you exchange butter for olive oil and use vegetable broth!

Equipment:

Large 5 qt saucepan (like the one you have seen in previous blogs to boil pasta or eggs)

Dutch Oven (is also an option if you have one instead of the sauce pan)

Knife

Peeler

Mixing bowl (to soak the leeks clean)

Dutch Oven

5-Qt Saucepan

Ingredients:

2 Tbls butter

1 Tbls olive oil

1 1/2 cups leek, coarsely chopped, soaked in cold water (this removes the dirt), and drained.

1/2 cup celery, finely chopped

1/2 cup red pepper, finely chopped

1/3 cup of carrot, finely chopped

2 cups whole milk (I used 2%)

3 Tbls flour

3 cups of chicken or vegetable broth (I use bouillon for both space-saving / money-saving reasons)

2 lbs yukon potatoes, peeled and cubed (can place them in cold water to avoid turning brown if need)

2 cups of corn kernels, drained

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Pinch of fresh parsley

Hot sauce or cheese (optional)

Instructions:

1. Wash your hands. 

2. Read the recipe and get organized.

3. Clean, peel and prep all of your veggies.  Prepare you broth if you are using bouillon.

4. Heat your dutch oven or large sauce pan over MEDIUM heat with butter / oil.

5. Add leek, celery, red peppers, and carrots.  Cook for 4-5 minutes until softened.  Stir often.

6. Combine milk and flour in a small bowl with a whisk.

7. Slowly add the milk mixture to your veggies while stirring frequently.

8. Stir in the broth.

9. Add your potatoes, corn, salt and pepper.  Bring entire mixture to a boil.

10. Reduce heat to SIMMER for 20 minutes.  Cook until potatoes tender.

11. Add cheese, hot sauce and/or parsley.

12. Make some buttered toast or just have great Italian or French bread ready for dipping.

An Omelet For Anthony

Yes, another post on making eggs, and this one is for Anthony.  Anthony is one of Jon's  friends who commented that "it's kinda hard cooking on your own." And,  he needed something simple, "like an omelet."

Funny thing...eggs look easy, but that's just it, they take several rounds of practice.  Writing this blog took three tries in order to break down the recipe for our novice cook Anthony...and to get the pictures right.

So, here you have it: The Basic Omelet For Anthony!

Equipment:

8" non-stick skillet

Rubber spatula or small flat spatula

Small mixing bowl

Measuring spoons

Ingredients:

1 tsp butter

2 large eggs

2 Tbls milk or cream

Salt & Pepper

2 Tbls sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions:

1. Wash your hands.

2. Whisk the eggs, milk, pinch of salt and pepper together.

3. Melt your butter in the skillet over MEDIUM--eggs are sensitive beings and have to cook slowly.

4. Add your egg mixture.

5. Do not touch the egg mixture.  Let it cook and begin congealing.

6. After 2-3 minutes, swirl the pan to keep the liquid egg moving. But do not move or scrape.

7. Add your cheese.  (If you like other ingredients, like ham, peppers...you add them here)

8. As less and less egg remains liquid, lift the sides with a rubber spatula and separate the edges.

9. Gently roll the egg onto itself or fold it in half.

10. Turn the heat off.

11. Flip it one last time and slide it onto your plate with toast and hot sauce or ketchup.

12. Please don't starve Anthony!  This egg's for you.

Fiery Black Bean Burritos

In light of my recent post on reducing food costs, I thought it might be useful to provide concrete steps in doing so.  Aside from learning a few cooking skills to avoid the costs of pre-packaged, processed foods, another sure-fire way to reduce your grocery bill is to eliminate meat one or two days a week--or go completely vegetarian to really cut costs!

Fiery Black Bean burritos are simple and rich in flavor and complexity without a whole lot of thinking or doing!  Additionally, it provides huge amounts of protein, low fat and sugar content, and has a lot of fiber.  You can certainly buy the beans raw and save even further, but using canned black beans is definitely a feasible alternative, and a huge time-saver.  Cost:  $1-1.89 / can.

Equipment:
3-quart sauce pan
Knife, for chopping
Measuring spoons
Stove top with functioning burners

Ingredients:
2 cans (15oz) black beans
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 jalapeños, diced and seeded unless you like a lot of heat
1 Tbls red wine vinegar
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper
1/2 - 1 lime, juiced
1 tsp of honey
1-2 tsp of hot sauce, depending on how hot you want it

Fixin's:
Flour, corn or wheat tortillas
Cheddar cheese or Cojita cheese
Tomatoes
SourCream
Avocado
Salsa
Corn
Green Onions
Sauteed bell peppers and onions, ie like Chipotle's fajita mix

Instructions:
1. Wash your hands.
2. Empty the beans into your saucepan and set heat to "LOW-MED".

3. Prep, chop, dice, and mince all of your other ingredients.

4. Add to the beans:
---garlic
---jalapeños
---salt
---pepper

5. Add red wine vinegar and lime juice, starting with 1/2 of lime.

6. Add your honey

7. Add the hot sauce.

8. Stir and combine all ingredients and let simmer on LOW, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.

9. Prepare all the fixin's and set the table!

10. Begin your assembly line--you'll forget all about the meat!

11.  Wrap it up and take a bite...hmmmm! Satisfying!