Gnocchi Gratin With Ham

On busy days, I usually do a casserole of some sort.   They are great  - you just need to assemble and pop in the oven.   You can also make the dish ahead of time and when you are ready to bake pop it in the oven.

This recipe is very easy to make and is a crowd pleaser.  I love the taste the Gruyere cheese adds to the recipe.  The gnocchi is a nice change from your everyday pasta bake. Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did.


Gnocchi Gratin With Ham
From Southern Living

Ingredients:

 1 (16-oz.) pkg. potato gnocchi
 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
 1 pound ham steak, cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces
 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
 2 cups whole milk
 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
 4 ounces shredded Gruyère cheese (about 1 cup)
 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divide

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Cook potato gnocchi according to package directions; drain and transfer to a large bowl.
2. Melt 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Add ham and cook, stirring often, until ham is lightly browned and any moisture has evaporated, 5 to 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer ham to bowl with gnocchi. Wipe Dutch oven clean.
3. Melt 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter in Dutch oven over medium-high. Whisk in all-purpose flour. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is light golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in whole milk, and bring to a boil; whisk vigorously to work out any lumps.
4.Whisk in kosher salt and black pepper. Remove from heat, and slowly whisk in shredded Gruyère cheese and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, until melted. Pour cheese sauce over ham and gnocchi.
5.Transfer mixture to a lightly greased (with cooking spray) 11-x 7-inch baking dish. Sprinkle remaining 1⁄4 cup grated Parmesan cheese on top, and bake in preheated oven until bubbly and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven, and serve warm.

Serves 4-6

Crispy Boneless Breaded Pork Chops - Air Fryer

I tried out my new Air Fryer the other day.    I have read and heard great things about Air Fryers.   Needless to say, I was excited to try it out.  For the first recipe, I made some Crispy Boneless Bread Pork Chops.  This is a very easy recipe to make and the Pork Chops came out moist on the inside and crispy on the outside!  Made in the air fryer  they took just 12 minutes to cook.    

Crispy Boneless Breaded Pork Chops
From Skinny Taste

Special Equipment:  Air Fryer

INGREDIENTS:
olive oil spray
6 (3/4-inch thick) center cut boneless pork chops, fat trimmed (5 oz each)
kosher salt
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 cup panko crumbs (check labels for GF)
1/3 cup crushed cornflakes crumbs
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese (omit for vegetarian)
1 1/4 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the air fryer to 400F for 12 minutes and lightly spray the basket with oil.
Season pork chops on both sides with 1/2 tsp kosher salt.
Combine panko, cornflake crumbs, parmesan cheese, 3/4 tsp kosher salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder and black pepper in a large shallow bowl.
Place the beaten egg in another. Dip the pork into the egg, then crumb mixture.
When the air fryer is ready, place 3 of the chops into the prepared basket and spritz the top with oil.
Cook 12 minutes turning half way, spritzing both sides with oil. Set aside and repeat with the remaining pork chops.

Serves 6

Slow Cooker Korean Beef

Another great recipe for your slow cooker that is easy and delicious.  Flank steak is cut into strips and coated with cornstarch.   The steak is cooked in a sauce for 5 hours composed of sesame oil, garlic, soy sauce,  beef befog, brown sugar, onion and red pepper flakes.  Once the beef is cooked through and tender, I served it over rice.  You can garnish with green onion and sesame seeds, if you wish.



Slow Cooker Korean Beef
The Recipe Critic

Ingredients:
1 ½ pounds Flank Steak
¼ cups cornstarch
2 tablespoons Sesame Oil
½ teaspoons mince Garlic, Cloves
½ cups Soy Sauce
½ cup beef broth
¾ cups Brown Sugar
¼ cup onion, chopped
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
sesame seeds and green onions, for garnish
Instructions:
Cut flank steak into thin strips. In a ziplock bag add flank steak pieces and cornstarch. Shake to coat.
Add sesame oil, minced garlic, soy sauce, beef broth, brown sugar, onion, and red pepper flakes to the slow cooker. Stir ingredients. Add coated flank steak and stir again until coated in the sauce.
Cook for high 2-3 hours or on low 4-5 hours until cooked throughout and tender. Can serve over rice and garnish with green onions.

Serves 4

Scoma's Lazy Man Cioppino

I love Scoma's Restaurant in San Francisco.  When I eat there, I usually order their Lazy Man Cioppino. A delicious Fish Stew in a tasty tomato base broth.  I was very excited when I found Scoma's recipe for their Lazy Man's Cioppino on the web.

Half the fun of making this stew is shopping for the ingredients.  The kids and I head down to our local Whole Foods market and pick up the fish, wine,  veggies and clam juice.  We also pick up some bread to toast up to dip in the broth and clean up our bowl.

This recipe came together very nicely.  You first start by sautéing the garlic and then add the chopped onion.  Add the wine,  followed by the fresh herbs.  Add your favorite tomato sauce, bring to a boil and add the fish.  Once the fish is cooked, add the crab meat, clam juice, and seasoning.  Heat through and serve.

A bowl of a delicious and hearty stew awaits your family and/or friends.  Enjoy.

SCOMA’S LAZY MAN’S CIOPPINO

From Scoma's

(Serves 4 – 6 people)
Prep time: 30-45 minutes
Cook time: 30-40 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1⁄4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon garlic
1 large white or yellow onion, chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
2 cups fish stock or clam juice
6 cups of your favorite tomato sauce
1 lb rock cod cut into 1″ cubes
1.5 lbs Manila clams
12oz prawns (deveined and peeled)
1 lb cooked crab meat
8oz bay shrimp
12oz scallops
Salt and pepper

PROCEDURE

• Heat olive oil over medium heat and cook garlic for one minute.
• Add the onions and let them sweat for two or three minutes.
• Turn heat to high and add the wine to deglaze. Cook for 2-3 minutes (or until reduced in half) then reduce heat to medium.
• Add fresh oregano and basil.
• Add the tomato sauce and bring to a boil.
• Slowly add fish, shellfish, and shrimp meat.
• Bring the cioppino back to a boil and simmer for 5-7 minutes or until all the seafood is cooked.
• Add cooked crab meat.
• Thin the cioppino to your liking with fish stock or clam juice.
• Adjust the seasoning with salt & pepper.
• Serve in a large bowl with fresh sourdough bread and enjoy!

Croque Monsieur

Croque Monsieur is one of those delectable sandwiches you will always remember eating.  My first one was at The French Pastry Shop in the La Fonda hotel in Santa Fe, NM.  Fast forward many years and I found the perfect recipe for one of the best Croque Monsieur sandwiches ever.  This recipe is from Cook's Country magazine and it is sandwich worth savoring.

Croque Monsieur
From Cook's Country

Ingredients:

Sandwich
8 slices hearty white sandwich bread
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
12 ounces thinly sliced Black Forest deli ham
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded (1 cup)

Mornay Sauce
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
4 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded (1 cup)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Pinch ground nutmeg

Directions:
1. For The Sandwiches:  Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat oven to 375 degrees.  Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with vegetable oil spray.
2. Brush bread on both sides with melted butter and place on prepared sheet.  Bake until light golden brown on top, about 10 minutes.  Remove sheet from oven and flip slices.  Return to oven and bake until golden brown on second side, about 3 minutes.  Reserve 4 slices for sandwich tops; evenly space remaining 4 slices on sheet.
3. For The Mornay Sauce:  Melt butter in small saucepan oven medium heat.  Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute.  Slowly whisk in milk and bring to boil.  Once boiling remove from heat and quickly whisk in Gruyere, Parmesan, salt, pepper, and nutmeg until smooth.
4. Spread 1 tablespoon Mornay on each slice of toast on sheet.  Then, folding ham slices over themselves multiple times so they bunch up, divide ham every among slices of toast.   Spread 2 tablespoon Mornay on 1 side of each reserved slice of toast and place slices Mornay side down on top of ham.
5. Spread 2 tablespoons Mornay evenly over top of each sandwich, making sure to completely cover toast, including edges (exposed edges can burn under broiler).  Sprinkle sandwiches with  Parmesan, followed by Gruyere.
6. Bake until cheese on top of sandwiches is melted, about 5 minutes.  Turn on broiler and broil until cheese bubbles across tops of sandwiches and edges are spotty brown, about 5 minutes.   Serve.

Make 4 sandwiches.

Instant Pot Rice

I have found a fool proof way to make outstanding rice - in my Instant Pot. I did a lot of research before   I found a recipe on the NYT Cooking website that resulted in perfect rice.

Start out by rinsing your  rice in a fine mesh sieve until the water runs clear.  Add your rice to the Instant Pot with water and some sea salt.  Stir and place the lid on your Instant Pot.  Place the valve on seal and choose the rice option on your Instant Pot.  Once the rice is done let the rice rest for 5 minutes and then move the valve to the vent setting.    Fluff the rice with a fork, let it rest, and serve.  Perfect rice.


Instant Pot Rice
From NYT Cooking School Website

Ingredients:
1 cup white rice or short grain rice
1 1/4 cups water
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:
1.  Rinse rice in  a fine mesh sieve until the water runs clear.
2. Combine the rice, water, and salt in the inner pot of the Instant Pot.
3. Secure the lid on the Instant Pot and be sure the valve is on the seal setting.  Select the Rice setting.
4. Let the rice rest for 5 minutes once it is done.  Move the valve to the vent setting.  Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork.
5. Cover the rice with a dish towel and loosely put the lid back on the Instant Pot.  DO NOT LOCK IT IN PLACE.  Let the rice rest for 10 minutes.
6. Serve.

Serves 4-6

Turkey a la King With Rice

Growing up, after a turkey dinner I could count on having Turkey a la King.  It was just as predictable as the sun coming up.  I can't say I was overly fond of the meal but I did not hate it.

Fast forward a few decades, and I find myself making not my parents version of  Turkey a la King, but this tasty recipe I found on the Taste of Home website.  Leftover turkey never tasted so good. Bites of turkey with fresh mushrooms, green pepper, peas, in a flavorful sauce composed of milk, chicken broth and seasoning.  Ladle over rice and you have an appetizing dinner for your family.

Turkey a la King With Rice
Taste of Home

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1-3/4 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 celery rib, chopped
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup fat-free milk
2 cups cubed cooked turkey breast
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups hot cooked rice

Directions
1. In a large nonstick skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, celery, onion and pepper; cook and stir until tender.
2. In a small bowl, mix flour and broth until smooth; stir into vegetable mixture. Stir in milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Add turkey, peas and salt; heat through. Serve with rice.

Serves 4