The Wonder of the Meat Raffle

Ever been to a meat raffle? Neither had I until last night. Never heard of a meat raffle before? Neither had I until my old grammar school organized one as a fundraiser. What is a meat raffle exactly? In  one word: awesome.

Raising the dollar bills for some meat

The basic premise is just what it says on the tin: a raffle of meat. Twelve raffles last night to be exact. Twelve rounds of $1-$2 a pop for a chance at all sorts of meat! Oh and there's unlimited beer and wine to aid the decision making process. The meat raffle really is a fantastic concept I have to say.

So anyhow, that's how I ended up with some delicious pork chops. (Thank you solo cups of Merlot!)

Two of my prized chops

Grabbing some inspiration from Mr. Jamie Oliver I took to the stove.

Simple Sage Pork Chops
(adapted from Jamie Oliver's "Roasted Pork Chops with Sage"

2 Pork Chops
Olive Oil
4 Sage Leaves
Salt & Pepper
2 tablespoons Applesauce
2 tablespoons Greek yogurt

Rub the chops with some olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Heat up a large frying pan and throw on the chops. Grab the sage leaves and bruise them a bit before drizzling with about a tablespoon of olive oil.

Heat each side of the chops 4-5 minutes at a time and flipping every minute. Halfway through cooking the pork chuck the sage into the pan. Meanwhile,in a small bowl, mix the applesauce and yogurt. While flipping the pork chops, cover both sides with the applesauce mixture.

After your chops are cooked golden brown with the sauce, plate up and enjoy!!

Finished product accompanied by some veg & vino

And be sure to check out a meat raffle near you!!

Secret Ingredient Veggie Pumpkin Chili

A colorful bowl of chili to warm you inside & out

I've been feeling rather daring in the kitchen lately, with my results sometimes a raging success and other times naddasomuch! For instance, last week I decided to conquer the almighty kohlrabi and was super psyched to make some fritters... epic fail.

God loves a trier as they say, so tonight I took to the stove once again determined to master this rooted beast. As the weather has definitely told us loud and clear that it's winter here in Buffalo (see Snovember), there's no better dish for a frigid snowy evening than a piping hot bowl of chili. I wanted to incorporate the remainder of my kohlrabi/cook it into submission and also had an idea to make this vegan/veggie friendly. Also, I'm loving how pumpkin fills out a dish so thought hey what the heck let's throw some 'kin in there too. Now the ingredient list is a bit long and wild, but they're all whacked into just one pot so the recipe is easier than it looks! All in all, I think I've got a winner here. Take that, kohlrabi!

Garlic and the elusive Kohlrabi on the chopping board

Secret Ingredient Veggie Pumpkin Chili
Serves about 8

2 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, smashed & chopped
1 medium or 1/2 large kohlrabi,cubed & softened
1 bell pepper (any color), seeded & chopped
1 green poblano pepper
1-3 tbsp chili powder (based on your spice preference)
1 tbsp chili pepper flakes
1 tbsp whole black peppercorns
1 tsp cumin
salt to taste
1 14-oz can red kidney beans
1 14-oz cannelini beans
1 14-oz diced tomatoes
1 28-oz can plum tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 14-oz can pumpkin

Garnishes
(I used the below but feel free to dress the bowl up however you like!)
Avocado
Shredded Cheddar cheese
Light sour cream
cilantro, chopped

Thinking about the end at the start

In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil and throw in the onions, garlic and kohlrabi. Stir to get everything coated with the OO. Next, add the bell pepper and spices.

Get those lovely veg coated!

Like I said I was feeling fancy so for the poblano pepper, I channeled some Jamie Oliver and charred it over the flame of the stove before chopping up. Throw that in either way you prefer.

Pepper torture: chopped & charred

Rinse and drain the beans and add those to the mix.

Giving the beans a little shower

It's time for the tomatoes, so we're nearly there! Add all three of the paste, diced & plum, stirring to ensure the paste is mixed evenly. Add about a half cup of water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and mix in the pumpkin. Now's the time to salt to taste, as well as check the heat level of the spices. Once you're satisfied, simmer for about 25 minutes.

Tri-tomatoes about to coexist reaaaall well

Pumpkin for a bit of sweetness & heart

Once simmered, ladle out and dress up the bowls with your favorite chili accouterments!

Ravishing Risotto

Up until I was 13, I stuck strictly to baking in the kitchen. I had (have) a serious sweet tooth and never saw the excitement in cooking non-dessert dishes. I ardently watched The Food Network for all things saccharine until one fateful evening. I was babysitting and after putting the little ones to sleep, I tuned into FoodTV and a cheerful bloke from Essex was cooking up a storm from his London flat. I discovered Jamie Oliver, The Naked Chef and my life changed forever!

I quickly became hooked on the concept of the dinner party and loaned each of Jamie’s cookbooks from the library, pouring over keishes, pastas, roasts, etc. And then came the “Girls, girls, girls” episode from Season 2. Jamie cooked for the lovely Jules and her friends. His choice of entree? Risotto. I had never heard of this rice dish before but it looked spectacular. I needed to find a reason to make this dish immediately! So I organized a Valentine’s party for all my girlfriends. I felt just like Jules minus the hunky British chef boyfriend to cook! Jamie’s Risotto with Peas was on the menu and my fate was sealed.

Since that auspicious dinner party, I have cooked dozens of risottos for family and friends alike. My risotto has actually even become a Christmas tradition and each year I attempt different flavors and combinations. Below I’ve shared this year’s version, a sautéed mushroom and sundried tomato risotto, that may have been my best yet!

The finished product

I really love cooking risotto and I hope you will too. It’s a recipe that may demand a bit of TLC, but one that allows me to feel most present. Give it a bash as JO would say and don’t forget about the pukka tukka! 

Stovetop action

Risotto with Sautéed Mushrooms and Sundried Tomatoes

(Inspired by Jamie Oliver's Basic Risotto)

·         2 ½ pints stock (I used leftover turkey stock from Thanksgiving, thanks mom!)

Celery & onion going into butter & olive oil

·         1 tbsp butter

·         2 tbsp olive oil

·         1 large onion, chopped

·         2 cloves garlic, minced

·         ½ head celery, finely chopped

·         2 cups risotto rice

·         2 wineglasses dry white vermouth or dry white wine

·         sea salt

·         freshly ground black pepper

·         1 cup baby bella mushrooms, sliced

·         ¾ cup sundried tomatoes, packed in oil

·         Fresh Basil

1 dash cream

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a medium pot, heat up the stock; keep heated up to the point of boiling. In a separate large stock pot, heat the olive oil and melt the butter together. Add the onions, garlic and celery, and soften without browning for approximately 15 minutes. Add the risotto rice and turn up the heat.

As the rice slightly fries, stir continuously. Once the color is almost translucent (very important!) add the wine/vermouth and stir until alcohol has burned off.

Add the first ladle of stock with a pinch salt. Turn down the heat to a simmer as you don’t want the rice to cook too fast. Simultaneously, grab a large frying pan with deep sides. Dump the oil-packed sundried tomatoes in the pan and heat over medium. Once the oil has rendered a bit, add the mushrooms. Stir to coat all of the mushrooms and add small ripped pieces of the fresh basil. Turn down the heat to low. Keep adding ladles of stock one at a time, waiting for the rice to absorb before adding the next. This is TLC time for risotto so be attentive! Taste test for seasoning and adjust accordingly.

Massaging zee rice

Once the rice has absorbed enough stock and mixture is nearly at a batter consistency, remove from heat. Add the dash of cream, Parmesan, and stir. Next slot in the mushroom and tomato mixture and give a couple strong beats to mix everything up. Transfer to your serving dish and sprinkle with some extra Parmesan and cracked black pepper.

Bon Appétit!!