Seared Duck Breast

Howdy bloggers and bloggerettes! Welcome to our newest edition of Everyday Meals. I'm your fantastic hostess, Mandie. Today, we will be tackling a recipe we've never done before. Normally, I prefer to have chicken recipes or seafood recipes in my blog, but I wanted to do something different. I can only think of one other time that we've ever made anything with duck as our main ingredient. So, instead of standing around chit-chatting, why don't we get in the kitchen and make ourselves a wonderful meal? Meet you there!

Seared Duck Breast with Blackberry Pan Sauce

You will need:

• 2 Magret Duck Breasts
• 2 shallots, peeled and diced
• 1/2 cup blackberry jam
• 2 teaspoons flour
• 1/4 cup bourbon
• 2 cups beef stock
• Pinch of crushed red pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• Salt
• Pepper

Let's get cooking!

1. Pat the duck breasts dry. 
2. Score the fat on the top of each breast, cutting down to the flesh.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-low. 
4. Salt and pepper the breast liberally.
5. Place them in the skillet, fat side down, and render the fat for 10 to 12 minutes. 
6. A dark golden crust should form as the fat melts away.
7. Flip the breasts and cook another 6 to 10 minutes for medium-rare meat.
8. Remove from the pan and tent with foil.
9. Carefully pour the duck fat into a glass container to store for later use.
10. Raise the heat to medium and add the shallots to the pan. Saute for 3 to 5 minutes to soften and brown.
11. Mix the flour into the blackberry jam. 
12. Then add the jam, bourbon, beef stock, red pepper and thyme.
13. Stir and bring to a low boil. 
14. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes to thicken. 
15. Add salt and pepper to taste.
16. Slice the duck breasts thin and serve topped with blackberry pan sauce.
17. Enjoy!

Thank you for joining me today. I hope you have a wonderful afternoon as well as a wonderful time around the dinner table with your family. Come back soon for more delicious recipes! Happy blogging to all! <3

Easy Meals and Goofy Ramblings

Hellooooooooo bloggers! Welcome to a brand new edition of EMEF. Today, we are going to be making something so incredibly easy, it'll knock your socks off. When I first saw this dish, my initial thought was, "Oh god, I'm going to die from how extremely difficult it must be to make something so beautiful". Well, folks, I was wrong. Very wrong. This is the part where you laugh hysterically with me as my goofiness. ^_^ Anyway, I wrote a ton the other day, so today, I'm handing out 'pass' cards so you can stop reading my boring rants and go straight to the kitchen so we can cook. Meet you there!

Rosemary and Red Wine Beef Saute

You will need:

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1.25 pounds stir-fry beef
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1.5 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 cup red wine
• orzo (rice shaped pasta)

Ready?

1. Stir together the flour with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper on a large plate. 
2. Toss the beef in the flour to coat.
3. Heat one tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. 
4. Sauté the steak in 3 batches, adding one tablespoon for each new batch, until it's no longer pink on the outside, about 2 minutes per batch. 
5. Transfer batches to a clean plate.
6. Meanwhile, cook the orzo according to package instructions.
7. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet. 
8. Sauté the garlic and rosemary until golden, about one minute. 
9. Add the wine and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper and boil, scraping up the brown bits, until reduced by about half. 
10. Return the beef with juices to the skillet and cook to warm through and coat with sauce.
11. Serve over the orzo and enjoy!

I thank you for hanging with me today. I have to say, this has been one of the easiest dishes we've done in a few weeks. Come  back soon for more delicious recipes and awesome ramblings! Happy blogging to all! <3

Honey Garlic Drumsticks! Yay!

Good afternoon bloggers and fellow foodies! Welcome to a new edition of Everyday Meals. Today, I'm serving up a sweet ditty in the form of honey garlic chicken drumsticks. I figured, why not let them (meaning you) enjoy something not normally served as a Sunday dish? Then again, have we ever been normal here at EMEF? I think not! So, before we begin, I want to fill you in on what's been going on with me. As you all know, I started working out last week as well as watching my calories and food intake. It's really, really tough. Like, kill me now tough. They always say, "never trust a skinny chef". I think this is a load of booboo. You can still be skinny an enjoy food! So, I took the past few days off to train a bit harder as well as keep a close eye on the foods I eat. Trust me, it's no easy task. If you've been with me this entire time, you should know how much I love food. But I want to extend a HUGE thank you to those supporting my metamorphosis. You rock! You rock too! Yes, you. The person reading this entry. I adore each and every one of you. Now, let's get cooking!

Honey Garlic Chicken Drumsticks

You will need:

• 18 chicken drumsticks
• 6 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon papaya paste
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Kosher salt
• 6 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon dried mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons dried lemon thyme
• 8 sprigs fresh lemon thyme
• 2 teaspoons black pepper, coarsely ground
• 1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Let's start cooking!

1. Wash the chicken drumsticks and pat them dry using paper towels.
2. Season the chicken with kosher salt, ground ginger, dried mustard, 1 teaspoon dried lemon thyme, cinnamon and black pepper. 
3. Add the 2 cloves of garlic, papaya paste and baking powder, then toss well. 
4. Place the chicken in a large bowl or a seal-able zip-top bag. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. 
5. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.
6. Meanwhile, heat a small pan over the grill of the barbecue. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil. 
7. Once the oil is hot enough, add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. 
8. Add the rest of the dried thyme, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, honey and pepper. 
9. Bring to a boil and reduce the liquid for about 15 minutes, then set aside.
10. Remove the chicken 15 minutes before cooking to bring it back to room temperature.  
11. Place 2 sprigs of thyme at a time on the grill to let it release its nice aroma while grilling the chicken. 
12. Replace with other sprigs often, to prevent it from burning.
13. Brush the hot barbecue grill with oil using a brush. Arrange the chicken drumsticks on the hot grill. 
14. Season with a little salt. 
15. Make sure the barbecue is well ventilated. 
16. Cook for about 2 minutes. 
17. Start glazing the chicken with the marinade. 
18. Cook until you see nice charred marks. 
19. Lift the meat with tongs and flip the drumsticks. Continually baste the drumsticks with the glaze so the chicken is coated and maintains an optimal level of moisture. 
20. Turn the chicken several times. 
21. The total cooking is about 30-40 minutes.
22. Take the chicken off the grill and loosely cover with foil. Let it rest for at least 10 minutes.
23. Enjoy!

Thank you for joining me today. I know that grilling could be impossible for those of you with snow issues due to winter. Please, don't let this recipe slip through your hands though. It makes for an excellent spring and summer dish. Come back soon for more recipes and crazy chatter! Happy blogging to all! <3

Liebster Award

 I want to give a big, HUGE, monstrous THANK YOU to Jessica at Pencil Kitchen for nominating me for this award. It's a great honor! Her blog is magnificent as well! You can find it here:

Pencil Kitchen

In return, I'd love to nominate 5 wonderful blogs. Those blogs would be...

The Hugie Happenings (Their life is amazing to watch progress)

For Echelons (Because the Echelon are more than just a cult. We're a family!)

Show and Tell (This website is chock full of cute things galore!)

The Abbott Adventures (Their story is absolutely romantic. ^_^)

On Clever Mode (This site always makes me smile!)

Now, there are some guidelines when accepting... They are:

After Accepting:
- Thank the Liebster Blog Award Presenter on your blog.
- Link back to the blogger who nominated you.
- Copy and paste the award on your blog.
- Reveal 5 blogs of your choice
- Let them know by leaving a comment on their blog

Thank you once again, Jessica! I love my readers and followers! <3

Delicious, Delicious, Delicious!

Good evening bloggers! Welcome to a nightly edition of EMEF. I'm your host, Mandie. Today was a busy day. I had to force myself to exercise. I did it though! It's day one of many to come... In the end though, it'll pay off and I'll look great when my trip to California rolls around! Please note: just because I'm having a lifestyle change does NOT mean that I'm going to stop posting the good stuff in this blog. I encourage you to live life to the fullest and eat what you want, but in moderation.  Anywho, tonight, we are going to be making stuffed shells, so hang tight and let's meet back in the kitchen!

Baked Sausage and Spinach Shells

You will need:

• 18 jumbo pasta shells
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 pound fresh pork sausage links, casing removed and broken up
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup frozen spinach, thawed and squeeze dry
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more to sprinkle on top before baking
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Let's do this!

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Make an ice bath by filling a large bowl with cold water and ice, then set aside.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. 
4. Add the pasta shells and cook according to the package directions. 
5. Drain well then add to the ice bath until ready to stuff.
6. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. 
7. Add the olive oil and the garlic, then sauté briefly.  
8. Add the pork sausage and cook 5 to 6 minutes until browned. 
9. Add the tomatoes, spinach and sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese and cook for 1 minute.  
10. Season with salt and pepper.
11. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the ricotta cheese.
12. Using a spoon, fill the pasta shells with sausage/spinach mixture and arrange in a baking dish. 
13. Sprinkle the top with shredded mozzarella and some more grated parmesan and bake until the cheese has melted and the shells begin to crisp and brown, about 25 to 30 minutes.
14. Enjoy!

Thank you for joining me tonight. It means the world to know that you are with me during my transformation. Enjoy the good life and come back soon for more recipes! Happy blogging to all! <3

Romesco Roast Salmon

Good early morning bloggers. I thought I would post this considerably early seeing how I can't sleep at night anymore. This entry is all about salmon. I love salmon for multiple reasons: 1.) It's incredibly good for you, health-wise 2.) I'm from Alaska originally and we have the best darn salmon ever and finally, 3.) It makes for a quick and easy dinner. Lucky for us, we won't be having just any plain, ol' salmon. We're going to be conquering... drum roll please?

Romesco Roast Salmon Over Pumpkin and Olive Grits

You will need:





For the romesco:

• 1 tomato
• 2 cloves garlic, separated
• 2 tablespoons slivered almonds
• 1 roasted red pepper
• 1/4 cup unseasoned croutons
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

For the salmon:

• 2 salmon filets
• 2 tablespoons romesco
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup quick cooking grits
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup mixed olives, pitted and chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• black pepper

Ready?

1. To make the romesco, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the tomato slices and one garlic clove on a baking sheet. 
2. Bake for 30 minutes or until the tomato is soft and caramelized, but not browned.
3. Add the cooked tomato, garlic, almonds, bread and vinegar to a food processor or blender. 
4. Process until smooth. 
5. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, continuing to process the sauce, until the oil has been incorporated and you are left with a thick sauce.
6. Now onto the main meal...
7. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
8. Slather each salmon portion with 1 tablespoon of romesco and place on a baking sheet. 
9. Roast the salmon for 10 to 15 minutes, or until it is cooked to a medium level of doneness.
10. Meanwhile, bring the stock to a boil in a medium saucepan set to medium-high heat. 
11. When the stock comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and add the grits and the pumpkin. 
12. Cook, stirring frequently, until a thick porridge has formed , about 5 minutes. 
13. Stir in the olives and season with black pepper.
14. To serve, spoon half the grits onto each serving plate. 
15. Top with a potion of roast salmon and sprinkle with fresh parsley.
16. Enjoy!

I thank you, once again for joining me this morning. I'll be back soon with more recipes for you to try. Have a splendid day and remember: happy blogging to all! <3

Eggplant and Bolognese Whole Wheat Pizza

Good evening bloggers. I'm sorry about the delay with this post. I've been off, galavanting online, trying to plan my trip to California for this summer. The saving and planning has started and I am about ready to die due to excitement. Since I'm going to California, I decided that a transformation is needed. I need to slim down a little (not that I weigh much) in order to look good in a bikini. So, in order to do that, I need to start eating healthier. Today, we will be eating whole wheat pizza. I know, it sounds kind of nasty, but trust me, it's not bad. Stick around and find out what's in store for this recipe!

Eggplant and Bolognese Pizza

You will need:





For the dough:

• 4.5 cups all white whole wheat
• 2 cups warm water
• 1 tablespoon yeast
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• rosemary

For the toppings:

• 1/2 cup slices mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 small eggplant, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, roughly chopped
• crushed red pepper
• Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano cheese
• cornmeal to dust on pizza

Ready?

1. To make the dough, add the yeast to the 2 cups of water until it becomes foamy. 
2. Add the sugar, olive oil, and vinegar.
3. While the yeast is dissolving in the water, add the flour, rosemary, and salt to food processor and pulse a couple times to thoroughly.
4. Add the water and yeast mixture gradually to the flour mixture and process until the dough begins to form a ball and comes away from the sides of the container. 
5. Pour the dough onto a floured surface. 
6. Sprinkle with flour and knead for several minutes until the dough is smooth and not sticky.
7. Place in a bowl rubbed with olive oil, cover with towel and let sit for 1.5 to 2 hours, until it doubles in size.
8. While the dough is rising, prepare the eggplant by frying in olive oil in a small pan until golden brown. 
9. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
10. Back to the dough: After two hours, place the dough onto a lightly floured surface, knead a couple times and cut in 1/2 or in three equal pieces. 
11. Form into neat balls.
12. For the pizza, preheat the oven to 500 degrees. 
13. Place a rack in the center of the oven.
14. Stretch out your dough and push downward in the center with your fingers to a desired shape and size.
15. Dust the pizza peel with a little cornmeal and lay down your dough on top of it, reshaping it and leaving a little thickness on the edges.
16. Spread out a layer of sauce in the center of the dough, leaving about an inch for the crust. 
17. Arrange the eggplant pieces and cheese evenly over the sauce. 
18. Sprinkle the top with fresh parsley.
19. Lightly rub a tiny bit of olive oil on the edges.
20. Slide the pizza onto the rack and let cook for about 10 minutes, until cheese is bubbling and the crust looks browned.
21. Remove and garnish with the fresh parsley, parmigiano cheese and crushed red pepper if.
22. Enjoy!

I thank you for joining me this evening. Come back soon for more delicious recipes. Happy blogging to all! <3