Three Cheese Linguini

This pasta dish, is yet another dish I made at DaVinci's.  It was another favorite of my many customers.  Especially Michelle, she would come in almost every week and order this wonderful dish with grilled chicken on top.  It was always a pleasure cooking for them as they where so thankful.  I really miss being able to make people happy with my food.  Anyways Michelle this dish is for you.

Enjoy

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups Heavy Cream
1/2 Cup Fresh Mozzarella
1/2 Cup Fresh Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/4 Cup Danish Blue Cheese
1 Shallot
4 Cloves Garlic (minced)
3 TBL Butter

Putting The Sauce Together

• Start water for your pasta 
• Grab a large saute pan
• Grab a cutting board
• Start dicing and chopping your garlic and shallots

• Turn your saute pan on to medium to medium high heat
• Once heated up add your butter
• Allow the butter to melt
• And your shallots and garlic to the butter and allow it to cook for 5 minutes
• Once this has cooked we add our heavy cream and turn down the heat to low

• Allow the heavy cream to heat up about 2 minutes
• As this is heating up start shredding your cheeses

• Add the cheese and stir together very well so that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan

• Allow this to cook on low for 5 minutes 
• Add your salt and pepper to taste (try not to add to much salt, as the cheeses have a lot of salt in them)
• Once this has thickened up turn your heat off and grab a plate, bowl or just the sauce its self and start adding it to your noodles

• Usually I add toasted pine nuts to the top, but I did not have any, as they are extremely expensive right now.

Enjoy this wonderful rich dish, that is a favorite of ours and hopefully yours now.  Michelle enjoy too.  Have a wonderful day and ill be returning with more recipes soon.  Enjoy.

Fried Buttermilk Chicken

There is nothing more exciting then frying something.  I mean who ever came up with the idea to turn on a ton of oil on high and dip that something in magical goodness and then toss it in hot oil, is a freaking genius.  I tend to not eat fried food a lot, we maybe eat it once or twice a year.  But when we do I have to make fried chicken.  My Mom used to make us fried chicken a lot when we were kids, but sorry Mom this is not your recipe.  I hope you all enjoy making this wonderful fried dish.  Make sure you wear your baggy paints that day.  Have fun.

Enjoy

Ingredients

6 Random Bone In Chicken (Organic, from local butcher)
3 Cups Buttermilk
2 Tbl Granulated Garlic
1 Tbl Granulated Onion
1 Tbl Dill
Salt and Pepper
2 Cups All Purpose Flour
4 Cups Canola Oil

Putting It Together

• First thing we do is marinate the chicken for about 2-6 hours
• Grab a large bowl 
• Add your chicken
• Start adding all of your seasonings and mix it well together

• Add your buttermilk
• And mix this well together and place in your fridge for a few hours so that the buttermilk has a chance to tenderize the meat

• After this has had time to marinate
• Grab a cast iron skillet and add your oil and turn the heat to medium high
• Turn your oven on to 375 degrees

• Grab your chicken out of the fridge
• Get another large bowl and add your flour
• Add salt and pepper and dill to the flour and mix well
• Start adding your chicken to the flour and place the chicken in another dish so that it doesn't mix with the Un-floured chicken

• You can dip this twice if you want a thicker crust
• Grab a chicken and head to the cast iron skillet
• The oil should be hot when you add a few drops of water to it and it pops

• Slowly add your chicken to the oil so that it doesn't pop at you from the wet ingredients

• Add your chicken pieces one at a time, because the oil cools down when you add the chicken, allow the heat to rise back up to temperature

• Once you have added a few pieces allow the chicken to cook on each side for 5 minutes
• Once it has cooked on each side add it to your baking pan and place it in the oven for 20 minutes or until it reaches 165 degrees

• Once the chicken is done grab your plate and start to eat it

I served ours with rice and steamed carrots and broccoli.  Normally I do mashed potatoes but I felt like something a little more light.  This is a great recipe and its great to eat the next day for lunch.  Have fun with this recipe and if you have any questions just ask.  Have a wonderful day.  Enjoy.

Doggie Peanut Butter Banana Cookies (These are for your dogs, but you can eat them too)

During Christmas time, I make a lot of cookies and my poor dog's have to suffer through all the smells.  So this year I have decided to make them cookies.  They haven't received them yet, they won't get them until Christmas day.  But this cookie is easy, simple and actually really good.

Enjoy

Ingredients

3 Tbl Peanut Butter
3 Bananas (My bananas were in the freezer)
3 Cups All Purpose Flour
3 Large Eggs
1 Cup Oats

Mixing Cookies Together

• Turn your oven on to 300 degrees
• Grab a mixing bowl and add your bananas
• Mix them until smooth

• Add your flour, oats, eggs, peanut butter and mix well
• If it is to wet add a little more flour

• Add your mixture to a floured surface and roll out thin so you can cut them out

• Grab a cookie sheet and add your cut outs to the sheet
• Bake them for 40 minutes

• While they are baking let the dogs lick the spoon

• Take the cookies out and let them cool
• Once they have cooled put them in an air tight container and give them to your kids when they are good.

Have fun making these wonderful cookies for your doggies.  They container no sugar and add crap to it.  They will truely think you are the best thing ever.  Enjoy.

Hot Buttered Rum

Making this traditional drink mix is so fun and so easy.  When I make this I like to make a lot so I can share it among friends, neighbors and family.  This is a very simple recipe, that well you can make in your sleep.  I hope you enjoy this with a nice rum.  Have fun and have a wonderful holiday.

Enjoy

Ingredients

1 Stick Unsalted Butter
2 Cups light Brown Sugar (packed)
1 Tsp ground Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp Nutmeg
Pinch of Ground Cloves
Pinch of Salt
Bottle Dark Rum
Boiling Water

Mixing It All Together

• First thing you do is put your butter in the mixing bowl
• Add your sugar and spices

• Mix these well together until it is crumbly
• Put in a air tight container and place in fridge until it becomes solid

• When you want to serve this wonderful drink
• Add 2 Tbl of mixture to a mug
• Add 3 oz. of Rum (I add more) and boiling water
• Mix these all together well and serve immediately

Have a wonderful time with this wonderful drink, its great for parties, family gatherings and of course the holidays.  Have a wonderful day.  Enjoy

Grilled Rosemary Lamb Chops

Last night Felicia finished her exams and all the papers that she has been writing for a month now.  She is half way done with her masters program and to celebrate I made her, her favorite meal.  Lamb chops.  The sauce is a red wine based sauce, served over couscous and served with sauteed green beans.  Fantastic.  Here is the recipe

Ingredients

3-6 Lamb Chops (From local butcher)
1 Sprig of Rosemary
3 Cloves of Garlic
2 Shallots
1 Cup Dry Red Wine
1/2 Stick of Butter
2 Cups of Arugula
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
1 Cup Couscous
2 Cups of Water
1/4 Cup Slivered Almonds
1 LB Fresh Green Beans

Marinating The Lamb

• First grab a bowl and add your lamb chops
• Dice up your rosemary and add it to your lamb chops
• Add salt and pepper with olive oil and mix together well
• Allow this to marinate for a good 2 hours

• After this has marinated lets get started on the sauce
• Slice up your shallots and garlic
• Turn a large saute pan on medium and add 2 tbl butter and allow this to heat up

• Cook the shallots and garlic until caramelized for about 5 minutes
• After this is done add your wine and reduce the heat to low 
• Allow the wine to reduce to half, this normally takes about 7 minutes

• As the sauce cooks start your couscous
• When you cook couscous you need to cook it on low and leave it alone
• When it is done turn the heat to low and add 2 Tbl butter, salt and c raisins

• Now grab a stove top grill or a cast iron skillet
• Get this thing really hot and add a little oil to it

• Start to add your lamb chops

• Let them cook on one side for 3 minutes and then turn them over and let them cook on the other side for 1 minute
• Add the lamb chops to your sauce and place them in the oven for 15 minutes

• While this is in the oven lets start the green beans
• Steam them first for about 3 minutes
• Grab a saute pan and turn on to medium heat 
• Add Olive oil 
• Add your almonds and then your green beans cook this for 5 minutes and add salt and pepper to taste
• Grab another saute pan and cook your Arugula, this only takes a few minutes add oil to the pan and let this cook for 2 minutes and turn the heat off
• Now lets get your lamb out and start to plate it

• Its plating time

• First I put the couscous done so that it absorbs all of the sauce
• Then I add the Arugula
• Now the lamb chops

Enjoy this wonderful array of flavors and have a fantastic day.  Enjoy