Author: thebigkitchentable

Black Eyed Peas

Black Eyed Peas

Black Eyed Peas for the New Year, and now Black Eyed Peas for the WHOLE year, because they are so yummy.  Try them as a side dish, or even as a substitute for pinto or black beans in your burrito.  I originally started to make 

Spiced Boiled Peanuts

Spiced Boiled Peanuts

My husband’s family is from the South, and boiled peanuts are one of his favorite snacks.  In California raw peanuts are impossible to find.  You have to order them online, and finding a reputable place to order from is hard.  Today on Saveur, the magazine 

Fresh Tomato Sauce

Fresh Tomato Sauce

This is a Vitamix recipe that is simple and made with fresh ingredients.  I used it as a pasta sauce, but the original recipe says that it can be used as a base for bruschetta.  Just spread it on toasted baguette and add toppings.  


Ingredients:
6 medium Roma tomatoes
1/4 chopped onion
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 garlic clove
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon brown sup gar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Place all ingredients into the Vitamix container in the order listed, and secure lid.  Select smoothie program.  Switch machine to start and allow it to complete the cycle.  Pour into saucepan and simmer for 35-40 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  

Recipe from Vitamix
Skillet Brownies

Skillet Brownies

My husband bought me a bunch of the mini Lodge skillets just for this recipe.  This is one of our favorite things to do for dessert. Everyone loves having their own little skillet of gooey, brownie goodness.  Ingredients:1/4 lb. (1 stick) unsalted butter4 ounces plus 1/2 cup 

Maple Braised Belgian Endive

Maple Braised Belgian Endive

Ingredients:6 Heads of Belgian Endive, split lengthwise4 Tbsps. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter1/4 cup maple syrup5-6 sage leavesSalt and pepper to tasteDirections:Preheat oven to 350 degreesMelt butter in large saucepan that can hold all of the endive.  Add Maple syrup and sage leaves, swirling to combine. 

Dot’s Rice Pilaf

Dot’s Rice Pilaf

Rice Pilaf is an eastern european side dish.  My family is from Serbia/Montenegro, and my grandmother (Baba) makes this for all of our family gatherings.  Rice pilaf is definitely one of our family’s comfort foods.  My kids love rice pilaf, and I make it at home all of the time. I now add less butter, and recently I have been substituting a cup of white quinoa for one of the cups of rice.  It makes the side dish a little healthier and my family loves it just the same.  

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp. of butter

2 cups white rice
2 handfulls dried minced onion
4 handfulls browned vermicelli noodles
5 cups chicken broth
seasoned salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
In a large saute pan, melt the butter.  Add the rest of the ingredients in order listed: rice, onion, vermicelli, chicken broth, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil and then cover and simmer for about 15 minutes or until done.  

This is my grandmother’s “special recipe”.  I have cut the butter to update it.  If you want to add more you can.  A cube and a half is what the recipe originally called for.  

Christy Cookies

Christy Cookies

I have made so many chocolate chip cookie recipes over the years, and I just have never found the perfect one until now.  This recipe is by far the BEST Chocolate Chip cookie recipe I have ever made. The cookies come out perfectly every time, and they 

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

I lost my favorite cookie recipe last night, and realized I need to start adding recipes to my blog.  The whole reason I started this blog, was to have my recipes in a safe place, and to make them easily available to family and friends. 

Nick & Toni’s Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola

Nick & Toni’s Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola

This pasta was easy to make and my family enjoyed it. What I liked about the sauce, is that it is a vodka marinara with a little kick. 

Serves 4
Ingredients:
¼ cup good olive oil 
2 1/2 cups chopped Spanish onion (1 large) 
1 tablespoons minced garlic (3 cloves) 
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 
1½ teaspoons dried oregano leaves 
1 cup vodka 
2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled plum tomatoes, drained 
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 
3/4 pound penne pasta 
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano leaves, plus extra for serving 
1 cup heavy cream 

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Heat the oil in a large (12-inch) oven-proof sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the red pepper and dried oregano and cook for 1 more minute. Add the vodka and continue cooking for 5 to 7 minutes, until the mixture is reduced by half. 

When the onions are ready, crush each tomato with your hands into the pan. Add 2 teaspoons of salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and bake for 1 1/2 hours. 

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons of salt and the pasta and cook for 11 minutes, or according to the directions on the package. Drain and set aside. 
Carefully pour the cooked tomato mixture in a blender in small batches and puree until smooth. Return the tomato mixture to the pan (be careful – the handle is hot!). Add 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 2 tablespoons of the fresh oregano, and the cream and simmer partially covered for 10 minutes. Add the pasta to the sauce and cook for 2 more minutes. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and serve hot sprinkled with extra Parmesan and chopped fresh oregano. 


Ina Garten, 2012 Barefoot Contessa Foolproof


Balsamic-Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Balsamic-Roasted Brussels Sprouts

My family loves brussels sprouts.  This Barefoot Contessa recipe is a great way to make them.  I also like to make them plain; tossed with olive oil, kosher salt and pepper. Browning them under the broiler, so that the leaves get a little black on