I thought we would celebrate Valentine’s week with several pink and red recipes … here’s the first.  If you’ve never had vodka sauce before, don’t be  scared.  It’s not anything like bellying up to the bar for dinner.  The sauce simmers for about half an hour and the alcohol cooks out; the vodka flavor is subtle in the end.  As a matter of fact, the only thing I would cut back on if I was serving this to kids is the red pepper flakes – a quarter teaspoon doesn’t sound like much, but after my sauce reduced for half an hour, it did end up having quite a little kick.  Just something to keep in mind!

Add a protein to this if you’re so inclined - sliced grilled or sauteed chicken, shrimp or even some cooked and crumbled Italian sausage would be awesome.    Have a great week!

PENNE ALA VODKA
Makes 3 cups; enough for 1 pound of pasta
SOURCE:  foodandwine.com, recipe by Grace Parisi

1/4 c. good olive oil (Sendik’s Olive Oil is on sale if you’re running low)
2 oz. pancetta, small dice (ask them to cut you a smallish chunk in the deli)
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 t. crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 c. vodka
1 T. tomato paste
1 28 oz. can whole peeled Italian tomatoes with their juices, crushed by hand
pinch of sugar
2 basil sprigs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 c. heavy cream

Hot cooked penne pasta (DaVinci Short Cuts are on sale)

In a large saucepan, heat the oil.  Saute the pancetta, garlic and crushed red pepper over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 5 minutes.  Deglaze the pan with vodka.  Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring for 1 minute.  Add the canned tomatoes with their juices.  Stir in the sugar and basil, season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil.  Simmer the sauce over low heat , stirring occasionally, until it thickens and is reduced to 3 cups, about 30 minutes.  Taste sauce and season again with salt and pepper if desired.  Discard the basil sprigs and the garlic.  Add heavy cream and simmer 5 minutes; toss sauce with hot pasta and serve.

When working through the game day menu, I thought I would feature a nod to both the Giants and the Pats — maybe New York cheesecake and New England clam chowder…possibly a Boston Cream Pie.  Then I thought, no, Mexican food is similar to Switzerland here – the neutral choice.  So I have two sort-of upscale dishes for you today, both by my chef crush, Rick Bayless.  I’m pretty sure I could survive on his recipes every day for the rest of my life and they would never get old — he’s like, the total GOD of Mexican cuisine.  I highly recommend getting your hands on some of his cookbooks if you’re a fan of Mexican home cooking.

Anyway, I’ll tell you right out of the gate not to bother sharing these with the kids; this is grown-up party food.  Mexican chorizo is a highly seasoned sausage, and the avocado salsa is quite spicy.  However, if you go the taco route for Super Bowl, there are tons of Old El Paso products on sale this week to help keep your kids happy and your pennies in check, and I’ve linked some other kid-friendly football food at the bottom of the post if you’re planning on watching the game with picky punks.

Hope you’re having a great week.  Again, go Pats … go Giants … go to Sendik’s before the game. 

POTATO & CHORIZO TACOS
Makes:  approximately 12
Source:  ”Mexico One Plate at a Time,” by Rick Bayless

3 medium Yukon gold potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (Yukon Golds are on sale)
Coarse salt
1 pound Mexican chorizo sausage, casing removed (Dos Mamacitas Chorizo is on sale; it comes in a bulk package without casings)
1 small white onion, finely chopped
3 medium tomatillos (about 4 ounces), husked, rinsed, and coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic
1 jalapeno, stemmed
1 large ripe avocado, peeled and pitted (organic avocados are on sale)
12 soft corn tortillas (swap in flour if corn isn’t your thing)

In a medium saucepan, bring 1 quart of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes, and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain, and set aside.

In a large skillet over medium heat, combine chorizo and onion. Cook, stirring often, until sausage is cooked through and onion is soft, about 10 minutes. If sausage has rendered more than a light coating of fat over bottom of skillet, pour off extra. Add potatoes, and continue to cook over medium heat, stirring often, until potatoes begin to brown, about 8 minutes. As mixture cooks, mash everything together a little with back of a spoon or a spatula, scraping up any crusty bits of potato, so that it roughly holds together. Cover, and keep warm over very low heat.

Meanwhile, in a food processor fitted with the steel blade, combine tomatillos, garlic, and jalapeno. Pulse until fine. Add avocado, and pulse until combined. Season with salt. **see note**

Wrap tortillas in a warm, damp kitchen towel, put them in a microwave-safe casserole dish, and cover. Warm in the microwave for 4 minutes, remove and let stand a few minutes. Top each tortilla with potato mixture and avocado salsa, fold in half, and serve.

**NOTE: Here’s the thing:  you don’t see the avocado salsa in the photo because I couldn’t make it.  The avocados were too hard to work with - let’s be honest, this happens sometimes.  It’s not the Store’s fault of course.  If this happens to you this weekend, just punt and pick up some Sendik’s guacamole.  It’s on sale and it’s always good.    But if the avocados are ripe, then by all means make the salsa, it’s KILLER!

COCTEL DE CAMARONES, ESTILO ACAPULCO
Makes 4 cups, serving 4 to 6
Source:  FronteraKitchens.com, recipe by Rick Bayless

1 pound cooked shrimp (CenSea Shrimp are on sale)
1/2 cup fresh lime juice (fresh limes are on sale)
3/4 cup ketchup (Heinz Ketchup is on sale)
1 to 2 tablespoons hot sauce (Tabasco Chipotle Pepper Sauce is delicious here)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 small white onion, finely diced
1/2 cup (loosely packed) chopped cilantro, plus a few springs for garnish
1 ripe avocado (organic avocados are on sale) (**again, see note)

Place the shrimp in a large bowl and add the lime juice. Measure in the ketchup, hot sauce, Worcestershire, onion and cilantro. Mix well.

Cut the avocado in half, running a knife around the pit from stem to blossom end and back again. Twist the two sides apart and scoop out the pit. Scoop each half out onto your cutting board, cut gently into small cubes, then scoop the avocado on top of the shrimp mixture. Carefully fold in the avocado, then divide the mixture between 4 to 6 serving dishes.

**NOTE:  Didn’t let the hard avocados stop me; you shouldn’t either.  Just go ahead and serve it without the avocado if you must. 

As I mentioned above, here are a few more dishes you might want to serve at your Super Bowl party.  All of them have been tested by the DamFam several thousand times, so you know they’re good.

Best Ever 7-Layer Taco Dip Make two trays.  Trust me.  Sale ingredients:  LaPreferida or Old El Paso Refried Beans, Old El Paso Taco Seasoning, Breakstone’s Sour Cream, Philadelphia Cream Cheese, fresh limes, Matilada’s Chips
Roasted Vegetable Quesadillas Every party needs one serving of vegetables!  Sale ingredients:  Fresh asparagus, red bell peppers, Sendik’s Pico de Gallo
Citrus Shrimp Gosh, I haven’t made this in FOREVER and they are SO. FLIPPING. GOOD!!  Sale ingredients:  CenSea Cooked Shrimp (go with the largest your budget can handle), fresh lemons and limes.
Salsa Baked Goat Cheese  I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t like this.  For real.  Sale ingredients:  Philadelphia Cream Cheese, Nabisco Small Snack Crackers.  

If you find yourself dying for fish fry but can’t fathom standing in line with patience-challenged children at a crowded restaurant on a Friday night (or any other night for that matter), here’s the perfect recipe for a do-it-yourself fish fry fix. This method yields both crunchy fish and fries, without a ton of oil, and without leaving your house smelling like the Krusty Krab (pardon the SpongeBob reference).

The sale cod is so mild, even my punks who ‘don’t like fish’ gave it a try and pronounced it to be ‘blogworthy.’ The oven fries turned out so well, I seriously might never buy another frozen bag again. I promise you will be blown away by how easily this meal comes together (trust me, I never lie about dinner). For more kid friendliness, switch things up and serve the fish on buns with pickles, lettuce and tartar sauce. Yum!

Chicken & Mushrooms in Garlic White Wine Sauce

February is only just getting under way, but it’s never too early to think ahead to spring break.  And specifically, to what we’re going to want to look like when we hit the beach. I mean, none of us really wants to hide beneath an oversized Packers t-shirt while on holiday in island paradise (well I don’t, anyway).  To get us headed in the right direction, here’s a main course that’s so delicious and rich tasting, you’ll never believe it’s light.  It’s also easy-peasy and comes together in a matter of minutes – perfect for a busy weeknight.  An added bonus: it makes perfect use of the ridiculously cheap Sendik’s boneless chicken breasts. That means we’ll have more money to spend on fruity umbrella drinks when we arrive in island paradise.

These French Bread Pizzas would be awesome for Friday or Saturday supper, or weekend lunches.  French bread is not on sale, but I’ve swapped in other types of good-quality, sturdy bread with no problem – the sale Sendik’s Ciabatta Rolls would be an excellent choice, for instance.  Other sale ingredients to look for:  Fresh Sliced Baby Bellas (or ShurFresh Canned Pieces & Stems), fresh bell peppers, Sargento Shredded Cheeses.  These pizzas are always a hit around here. 

For more of a grown-up lunch or dinner choice, you could try this Open Faced Salmon BLT – it’s fab!!  I haven’t made it in ages, but with the Wild-Caught Copper River Sockeye Salmon on sale, I might have to resurrect this one in time for the weekend.  Look for sale Sendik’s Artisan Sourdough Pan Bread (or if sourdough isn’t your thing, use the Ciabatta rolls I mentioned above) and  Burger’s Smokehouse Bacon.

Monday will come around soon enough, so for a quick, easy and KID-FRIENDLY dinner I’ll be making Pork Chops with Country Gravy and Mashed Potatoes.  Last time I made this recipe, there weren’t even enough left over for the Husband to take for lunch the next day.  Look for sale Sendik’s Natural Boneless Pork Chops and Daisy Sour Cream for the mashed potatoes. 

With that, I’m making my list and heading off to the Mequon store!  Have a great weekend. 

I drove home, where I sat my sweaty self down on the couch and didn’t move until the end of the game, which I think was around 5:15 or so?  Starving people had come home from the ski hill.  Starving people were loudly demanding to know what was being served for dinner.  How the heck should I know, I thought – I’ve been pretending to care about the outcome of this stupid game for the past three hours.  Quite honestly, I had no idea what to make for dinner.  And obviously, I hadn’t ever made it to the store.  The Husband kindly volunteered to pull something together.  But as we all recognize by now I have control issues when it comes to my, I mean our kitchen, so I decided to see what I could scrounge.

This is what we had, and it was really, really good.

HUEVOS RANCHEROS IN TORTILLA CUPS
SERVES:  6
SOURCE:  epicurious.com

Neutral cooking oil
6 – 6″ diameter corn tortillas
1 – 15 oz. can pinto beans or black beans, drained
2/3 c. chopped fresh cilantro, divided
1 t. ground cumin
Kosher salt
6 large eggs (Shurfresh XL Eggs are on sale)

1 c. purchased pico de gallo
2 -3 t. bottled chipotle hot sauce
3/4 c. grated Monterey Jack cheese (Sargento Shredded Cheeses are on sale)

Preheat oven to 350.  Brush six compartments of a muffin tin generously with some of the oil.  Stack the tortillas; microwave uncovered until warm and flexible, about 25 seconds.  Gently press 1 tortilla into each cup.  Brush tortillas with additional oil. **see note**

Place pinto beans, remaining 1 tablespoon oil, 1/3 cup chopped cilantro, and cumin in a small bowl; mash coarsely with fork.  Season with kosher salt.  Spoon bean mixture into bottom of tortilla cups, spreading and dividing evenly.  Crack 1 egg into each tortilla cup atop beans.  Sprinkle eggs with a bit of kosher salt.  Bake uncovered until egg yolks are firm to the touch and whites are set, about 26 minutes (yolks will still be soft inside).

Meanwhile, mix pico de gallo, 1/3 cup cilantro, and hot sauce in a small bowl.  Using a large spoon, lift tortilla cups from muffin tin; transfer to plates.   Top eggs with pico de gallo and cheese and serve immediately.

**NOTE:  I put the warmed tortillas on my cutting board and brushed them with oil on both sides, then fit them into the cups.  BE GENEROUS with the oil on the bottom of the muffin tin; some of my finished Huevos stuck horribly to the pan and it wasn’t a good look.

Also it’s National Peanut Butter Day, and the peanut butter people would be totally fired up if you chose to celebrate with them.

When it comes to food, there’s always something to celebrate. 

SUPER-NUTTY PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
Makes Approximately 3 Dozen
Source:  cooksillusrated.com

2 ½ c. flour
½ t. baking soda
½ t. baking powder
½ t. salt
2 sticks butter, salted
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. granulated sugar
1 c. extra-crunchy peanut butter
2 large eggs
2 t. vanilla extract
1 c. roasted, salted peanuts, ground in the food processor to resemble coarse crumbs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Place flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to blend.

In the bowl of an electric mixer (or by hand), beat butter until creamy.  Add sugars; beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes with an electric mixer, stopping to scrape down bowl as necessary.  Beat in peanut butter until fully incorporated, then eggs, one at a time, then vanilla.  Gently stir dry ingredients into peanut butter mixture.  Add ground peanuts, stir gently until just incorporated.

Working with two tablespoons of dough at a time, roll into large balls, placing them two inches apart on the cookie sheets.  Press each dough ball with the back of a dinner fork to create crosshatch marks.  Bake until cookies are puffed and slightly brown along edges, but not on top, 12 minutes (they will not look fully baked).  Cool cookies on cookie sheet until set, about 4 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Small note:  I usually divide the dough and freeze half.  The dough freezes just fine and I’ve never been sad to open up the freezer and see peanut butter cookie dough sitting there.  Besides,  having too many extra cookies hanging around the kitchen is not good for anyone who’s looking ahead to spring break.

I have here a few kid-tested, mother-approved dinner ideas that make good use of ingredients in the current sale ad, January 18th through January 24th.

Excellent and easy, too:  try Pasta with Turkey Pesto Meatballs.  I like to double the meatballs and freeze half for a rainy day.  Sale ingredients to look for:  Plainville Farms Ground Turkey, Sendik’s Brand Pasta.

Loaded Potato Soup is the perfect meal on a cold night – my kids LOVE it.  Serve a simple sandwich or green salad alongside and voila! Dinner is served.  Pick up sale Jumbo Idaho Potatoes, Daisy Sour Cream.

One more idea for sale spuds.  These Potatoes Stuffed with Brie and Ham are always a hit around here.  Again, make a quick green salad while the potatoes are in the oven.  Or, skip making the salad and go goof around on Facebook … or get your text on with your best friend … or pour a glass of wine and go hide from your kids.  Not that I’ve ever done any of those things, of course – they’re simply suggestions.  For this recipe, look for the sale items Jumbo Idaho Potatoes and Sendik’s Black Forest Ham in the deli.

Have a great week ~ Leah 

This awesome sandwich isn’t heart healthy or swimsuit friendly.  But the Packers broke my heart on Sunday and I’ve no plans to wear a bikini today, so I just ate the photo shoot and washed it down with the beer you see in the background.

I’m such a rebel.

On a happier note, it’s only 80 days until the Brewers Opening Day!

CROQUE MONSIEUR
SERVES:  4 to 8
SOURCE:  Barefoot in Paris, by Ina Garten.  Copyright 2004 .  p. 48-49.

2 T. butter
3 T. flour
2 c. hot milk
1 t. kosher salt
1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
pinch of nutmeg
12 oz. Gruyere cheese, grated (about 5 cups); divided
1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
16 slices good quality white sandwich bread, crusts removed (I used Sendik’s Artisan Country French Bread)
Dijon mustard
1/2 lb. Black Forest ham, sliced thin but not falling apart (Sendik’s Black Forest Ham is on sale)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan, and add the flour all at once, stirring with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes.  Slowly pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thickened.  Off the heat, add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup grated Gruyere and the Parmesan and set aside.

To toast the bread, place the slices on two baking sheets and bake for 5 minutes.  Turn each slice and bake for another 2 minutes, until toasted.  Lightly brush half the toasted breads with mustard, add a slice of ham to each, and sprinkle with half the remaining Gruyere.  Top with another piece of toasted bread.  Slather the tops with the cheese sauce, sprinkle with the remaining Gruyere, and bake the sandwiches for 5 minutes.  Turn on the broiler and broil for 3 to 5 minutes (watch sandwiches carefully), or until the topping is bubbly and lightly browned.  Serve immediately.

I took these incredible wings to a paddle tennis party last Saturday night.  Normally, I would test a recipe before serving it to a bunch of people I barely know, but I went out on a limb (I should have known it would be great - Michael Symon’s like, a total genius).  Suffice it to say, the one problem I encountered was that I only made about 50 pieces and that wasn’t nearly enough.

The paddle tennis crowd pronounced these wings to be 100% blog-worthy (thanks, guys!). And if that isn’t a favorable review, I don’t know what is.

Enjoy!

SPICY SRIRACHA CHICKEN WINGS
Makes 10 servings
SOURCE:  foodandwine.com; recipe by Michael Symon

10 lbs. chicken wings, split **see note
1/4 c. coriander seeds, crushed
1 t. cumin seeds, crushed
1 t. cinnamon
2 T. kosher salt
1/4 c. olive oil

3/4 c. Sriracha chile sauce (find this in the ethnic food aisle; it’s a red sauce with a bright green lid and a rooster on the label)
1 1/2 sticks butter, melted
1/2 c. chopped cilantro, plus additional sprigs for garnish if desired
finely grated zest and juice of 3 limes, plus additional wedges for garnish if desired

In a very large bowl, toss the wings with the coriander and cumin seeds, cinnamon, kosher salt, and olive oil.  Cover and refrigerate for at least four hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 475.  Spread the wings in a single layer on 3 large rimmed baking sheets.  Roast for 25 minutes.  Turn wings and continue to roast for an additional 20 minutes, or until skin is golden.

While wings are roasting, mix the Sriracha, butter, cilantro, lime zest and lime juice in a large bowl.  Toss the roasted wings in the sauce and transfer them to a large platter.  Drizzle sauce over wings.  Garnish platter with cilantro sprigs and lime wedges and serve.

**NOTE:  In the Food & Wine photo, it shows the wings left whole.  I picked up four packages of Sendik’s wings and asked the guys at the meat counter to split them for me and discard the tips. I probably ended up with six pounds total.  Next time, I’ll shoot for the whole 10 pounds, they were that big of a hit.  Hope you like them, too!