De Ma Cuisine

Thoughts Archive

Monday

13

February 2012

0

COMMENTS

Roasting Beef… Easier Than You May Think

Written by , Posted in Thoughts

It’s chilly and rainy this morning. Not a complaint, but a contented observation. Perfect for sleeping in after staying up too late watching Downton Abby. 🙂

Today’s recipe is on this week’s menu for Tuesday (the menu will be live later today). It’s from the “archives”, a.k.a. my recipe journal. It’s for a beef roast done in the Crock Pot. I’ve made this more times than I can remember, and it’s always turned out great. It’s really really easy, and it seems much harder than it actually is (but if you have guests, or someone you want to impress for Valentine’s Day tomorrow, you don’t have to tell them that part). It’s what I taught our friend, Nathan to make when he had a cooking lesson. I hope you enjoy it!

Roast Beef in the Crock Pot!

Last modified on 2014-10-06 21:57:27 GMT. 1 comment. Top.

 

Recipe Type: Beef, Roast, Main Beef, Roast, Main
Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine
So easy, so delicious! Roasted to perfection in the Crock Pot while you ignore it!
Ingredients
  • 1 roast (Tri Tip, Chuck… whatever your favorite roast is)
  • 1 1/2 C water
  • salt
  • pepper
  • olive oil
  • *Above is a simple roast. If you want to, you could add: red wine, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar in addition to, or in place of the water. You could also add herbs/spices like: red pepper flakes, chili powder, rosemary.
Instructions
  1. Drizzle olive oil in the bottom of the Crock Pot. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add roast.
  2. Pour water around roast. Drizzle roast with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  3. Cook on low for 5-6 hours, on high for 3-4, or until internal temperature reaches 160F).
Notes

With the pan drippings you can make gravy: Heat 2 T oil, whisk in 2 T AP flour. Let bubble 30 seconds or so. Slowly whisk in pan drippings. Bring to a bubble and let thicken. Add and salt, pepper or seasonings to taste. Voila, gravy. 🙂

 

I’ve got some good things in store for you this week. Like… a menu, A Cooking Show with Rachel O – This Week’s Feast‘s 10th episode (which has a few new things in the intro and the set), and my youngest brother will be Friday’s guest… and maybe a few more thoughts and recipes.

Happy Monday (and I mean it!)!

Friday

10

February 2012

0

COMMENTS

Alexandra Joy’s Red Velvet Brownies

Written by , Posted in Guest Posts, Thoughts

I’ve known my dear friend AJ for almost 9 years. We met in Texas, and have stayed friends over the many miles, as she’s now in Calgary, AB, and I’m in California. She is a talented, creative, beautiful, wonderful gal. I’m so thankful for her. She has a sweet treat to share with you – perfect for Valentine’s Day, or just a regular weeknight, if you feel so inclined.

Here’s A.J.!

Happy Valentine’s Day sweet De Ma Cuisine readers! My name is Alexandra Joy, and I love love. As the owner of Pink & Honey event styling and writer of Alexandra’s Joys, I am passionate about pretty details, DIY celebrations and warm hospitality. And a thoughtful, homemade treat is always the perfect way to show your love for others.

(Adapted from How Sweet It Is)

Red Velvet Brownies with White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Last modified on 2012-06-05 01:47:51 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Red Velvet Brownies with White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Recipe Type: Dessert, Brownie
Author: Alexandra Joy
No one can deny the charm of red velvet cake, so here’s a fun version as a chewy brownie with white chocolate buttercream frosting. It’s easy and irresistible.
Ingredients
  • For the brownies: 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 oz red food coloring
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract, divided
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • For the white chocolate buttercream frosting: 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 4 oz good-quality white chocolate (not chips), melted
  • 1 – 2 tbsp heavy cream
Instructions
  1. To make the brownies: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour an 8″x8″ baking pan.
  2. In a small bowl, slowly stir together the cocoa powder, food coloring, and 1 tsp vanilla into a thick paste until no lumps of cocoa remain. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then stir in the remaining 1 tsp of vanilla. With the mixer off, add in the cocoa mixture, then turn the mixer to medium and beat the two mixtures together until they are one uniform color. Slowly add in the flour and salt and mix on medium-low speed, just until combined. Do not overmix.
  4. Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir up the batter with a rubber spatula once or twice just to ensure all of the flour has incorporated from the sides of the bowl and there isn’t anything stuck on the bottom of the bowl. You’ll want one uniformly colored (red) batter.
  5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the brownies. Allow brownies to completely cool in the pan on a baking rack, about 45-60 minutes. Frost brownies in the pan, cut into 12 bars, and serve, or remove the entire batch from the pan to a cutting board, cut into 12 bars, frost, and serve.
  6. To make the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter until soft and fluffy then beat in the vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time; allow the sugar to mix in before adding the next 1/2 cup. Once all of the sugar has been added, beat on medium speed for 30 seconds and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add in the melted white chocolate and beat on medium speed until incorporated. With the mixer on low, add in heavy cream 1 tbsp at a time and beat at medium speed until the frosting has reached your desired consistency.

 

Enjoy the gooey goodness with someone you love!

 xoxo 

Alexandra Joy

Thursday

9

February 2012

2

COMMENTS

Substitution = Delicious!

Written by , Posted in Ask Rachel, Thoughts

Ever have a recipe that you’re so excited to make, only to discover that you’re missing some of the ingredients? What do you do? Run to the store? make something else altogether? How about substituting for something else that you might already have?!

I realize this takes some thinking, and it’s a bit of an art, sometimes a science (especially when it comes to baking – make sure you know what you’re doing here – do some research, since baking is about reactions and sciency things). But, one thing I am good at is substituting and paring foods. So I’ll share a few things I’ve discovered.

IF YOU DON’T HAVE TRY (and vice versa)
Cheddar Cheese Gruyère, Monterey Jack
Bacon Grease Smoked Paprika + Olive Oil
Chili Powder Smoked Paprika
Ground Beef Ground chicken/turkey
Pinto Beans Cannellini Beans
Lemon Orange
Onion Leek
Broccoli Cauliflower
Bacon Ham
Pork Chicken
Kidney Beans Black Beans
Bread Crumbs Pulse heel of bread in food processor
Sour Cream Yogurt
Pepperoni Salami
Truffles (not chocolate) Mushrooms
Blackberries Raspberries
Apple Pear
Radicchio Cabbage
Honey Maple Syrup
Kale Spinach
Carrot Parsnip
Butternut Squash Sweet Potato/Yam
Buttermilk 1 T White Vinegar or Lemon Juice and fill to 1 C with Milk
Greek Yogurt Regular Plain Yogurt
Potato Turnip
Pumpkin Sweet Potato/Yam

The point is to learn that you don’t have to be restricted by a recipe. It’s great to be able to run to the store. But it’s fun (and practical) to make use of the things we already have and to be creative with them. The recipe will not be exactly the same. But, you will have made it uniquely yours, with your twists!

On a slightly different note, I really enjoy doing this – figuring things out when it comes to  food. If you have a substitution question, or a food related question, I’ve introduced a new page to the blog called, “Ask Rachel” where I’ll do what I can to help with food-related quandaries. So, ask away! Happy Cooking!

Wednesday

8

February 2012

2

COMMENTS

Brussels Sprouts, Please?! – Episode 9

Written by , Posted in A Cooking Show with Rachel O, Abundant Harvest Organics, This Week's Feast, Thoughts

Hellooooo! I’m back and have another episode of This Week’s Feast for you! Hooray!! This meal features brussels sprouts (please don’t run away… try them… they’re really good!), leeks, bacon, chicken, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and honey. Most of these ingredients can be found either in this week’s Abundant Harvest Organics box, or as an add-on to your box.

By the way, this was not my first time trying the bacon from Llano Seco Organic Pork. I love this stuff! So much so that they’re now a sponsor (yesssssss!!!!!!). This was my first time trying a whole chicken from Pitman Family Farms – Oh wow! Yum! That was a delicious bird!

This was a simple dinner, made even more so by the Crock Pot. I hope you enjoy it!

Don’t forget to have a look at this week’s menu for some great meal ideas! Happy cooking, happy eating!

Caramelized Leeks and Brussels Sprouts

Last modified on 2012-06-05 01:41:20 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Caramelized Leeks and Brussels Sprouts
Recipe Type: Side, Main, Veggie, Chicken
Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Total time: 30 mins
Serves: 2-4
Bacon meets caramelized brussels sprouts. They live happily ever after.
Ingredients
  • 15-20 brussels sprouts, quartered
  • 1 leek, cut into rounds, washed
  • 1-2 T honey
  • 3 slices bacon
Instructions
  1. Cook bacon. Drain fat, but leave any crumbled bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.
  2. Add brussels sprouts and leeks to bacon pan. Drizzle with honey. Cook over medium heat. When they begin to caramelize, turn the heat down a little if necessary. Cook until slightly browned and caramelized, about 5-10 minutes.
  3. Crumble the bacon into the brussels sprouts and combine.
  4. Serve and enjoy!

Balsamic Glazed Chicken

Last modified on 2013-02-22 00:56:18 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Balsamic Glazed Chicken

Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 2-4
Ingredients
  • 1 whole chicken, giblets removed (you can use them to make stock)
  • 2 T olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 C water
  • 1 T cornstarch
  • 1/2 C water
  • 3/4 C balsamic vinegar
Instructions
  1. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper in bottom of Crock Pot. Add chicken. Drizzle chicken with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour 1 C water into bottom of Crock Pot. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours, or on low for 5-6 hours (or until temperature inserted into thickest part of meat comes to 180F).
  2. Whisk together cornstarch, 1/2 C water, and balsamic vinegar. Pour into a small saucepan over medium heat. As it gets warm, it will start to thicken. Whisk, and be careful that it doesn’t burn. It should only take a few minutes.
  3. Halfway through cooking time, brush chicken with glaze (or if you’re not going to be home, brush with glaze when you put chicken in at the beginning).
  4. Right before serving, brush a little more glaze on the chicken.
Notes
Would be yummy with Caramelized Brussels Sprouts, polenta, potatoes, or a simple pasta.

 

P.S. Did you see the note in the newsletter the other week about the show?! How cool is that! Since we were out of town, I didn’t get a physical copy, but it sure was fun to read online!

Friday

3

February 2012

1

COMMENTS

Amazing Pizza by Jo – Guest Post

Written by , Posted in Guest Posts, Thoughts

I’ve known Joanna for just a few months. But, in that short time, she’s become a really dear friend. We have lots of things in common, one of them being food. We both love to eat, and enjoy cooking. Joanna is also a talented graphic designer, and she’s responsible for my awesome logo and business cards! I’m so thankful for her, and am happy to have her as a guest today!

Here’s Jo!!

Hello there De Ma Cuisine readers! My name is Joanna Waterfall. I’m a graphic designer, and wanna be chef. When Rachel asked me to do a guest post for her amazing cooking blog, I must admit, I was a little intimidated. I’ve always been the kind of girl who was fine with eating cereal for dinner… until I got married 6 months ago. Then I had to learn how to cook. It’s been a rocky road, but hanging out with Rachel, reading her blog and seeing how easy cooking can be has really helped me along.

So I’m going to share with you a recipe that I’ve grown to love – and so has my husband, which is always good! It’s easy, versatile, and good for any night of the week! We’re gonna cook up some Tomato and Mozzarella Pizza! Super yums.

Having a great pizza dough recipe is so great, because once you have that, you can modify it and put whatever you like on top! I’ve made bar-b-que chicken pizza, veggie pizza, even an egg breakfast pizza! All have been hits, but this one is my favorite, probably because it calls for basil and I’m really proud to say I’ve successfully kept a basil plant alive for a few months now (I’ve been known to kill plants) and I LOVE the taste of the fresh basil. There’s something refreshing about using an ingredient you grew yourself. Its very rewarding – I highly recommend it. 🙂 So here is my recipe, concocted from numerous other recipes and put into one!

So yummy!!

Add in your own toppings, and get creative with what kind of pizza you make! This is my favorite, experiment until you find yours!

(Recipe adapted by Joanna from Joy the Baker.)

Jo’s Tomato and Mozzarella Pizza

Last modified on 2012-06-02 01:48:59 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Tomato and Mozzarella Pizza
Recipe Type: Pizza
Author: Joanna Waterfall adapted from Joy the Baker
I’ve made bar-b-que chicken pizza, veggie pizza, even an egg breakfast pizza! All have been hits, but this one is my favorite, probably because it calls for basil!
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
  • 1/2 cup warm water
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Toppings:
  • 8 oz Fresh Mozzerella (change amount to how much cheese you desire!)
  • 2 med size tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil
  • 1 large garlic clove (I’m a huge fan of garlic, so feel free to add more!)
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • Any other spices/toppings you desire!
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and yeast. Create a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the warm water and olive oil. Using a fork, bring together the dough so that all of the dry mixture is moistened by the water and olive oil.
  2. Dump shaggy dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for about two minutes until the dough comes together into a ball. The dough may be slightly sticky, that’s fine!
  3. Add a teaspoon of olive oil to the large bowl that the dough was mixed in. Use your fingers to spread the oil around the bowl. Place the dough into the bowl, sprinkle with a bit of flour and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Place in a warm place and let the dough rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
  4. When dough has doubled, remove from bowl and place on a lightly floured work surface. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to a 1/4-inch thickness. The dough can be rolled perfectly round, but a rectangle, or totally odd shape is fine as well.
  5. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
  6. Flip a cookie sheet upside down and sprinkle with flour. Place pizza dough on baking sheet.
  7. Sprinkle with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Then place on the tomatoes and cheese evenly across your dough. Throw on half your basil now, and keep half for after it comes out of the oven.
  8. Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes, until crust is golden brown and cheese is perfectly melty.
  9. Remove from oven. Throw on the rest of your basil, allow to cool for a few minutes. Then slice and serve!

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