Sopapilla Time

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So maybe you want sopapillas for dessert, hey it happens especially after you eat some great Mexican food. Maybe, your at home and you just finished up that meal so what do you do? Ok, I got a solution for you but I hope you have at least a small fryer to make it work (not too hard to come by, a little secret, I got mine for about $20-25, nothing fancy but hey it frys just the same as a more expensive model would). I'm sure glad I made the purchase because while I try not to fry a whole lot of food, its come in handy more than once.

            Ingredients:

• 3 cups all purpose  flour 
• 1 egg     
• 2 cups of milk
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 1/2 tbsp of baking powder
• 2 tbsp of shortening 
• Pinch of salt   
• Canola or vegetable oil for frying
• Powdered sugar and honey (as much as you want)

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, except obviously the oil for frying.

Knead dough well and let sit for 20 minutes 

 Throw a bit of flour on your cutting board to keep the dough from sticking. Then roll out the dough into about a 10x by 10x inch square. With that square, use a pizza cutter to cut 3 inch squares (a great cooking tip is to cut dough with a pizza cutter as I've mentioned on previous posts, makes it so much easier).

                         

Frying is quick and easy. The temperature of the oil should be about 400 degrees. Whole prep time should only take about 30 minutes and after that you've got a simple but very sweet Mexican treat.

Eggplant Parmesan: An Authentic Italian Meal

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Talking to a buddy the other day, who happens to be going to culinary school, I asked him if he liked Eggplant Parmesan. To my surprise the answer was that he had never tried it. Yes, I was surprised because it's such a delectable Italian meal that everybody at least needs to try once. Once they do, I don't know how the majority of taste testers wouldn't fall instantly in love with this delicious dish, I know I did.

I might add one more thing, Chef Megs is a believer in baking the eggplant to make Eggplant Parmesan and a firm believer that the only way to go is to fry it. This is another one of our kitchen duels so we might as well play it out here. In other words, this post contains to two different versions of the same meal, we will give you the steps on how to bake and how to fry it. Lastly, only because a healthy food competition warrants it, there will be a verdict to see who's version of Eggplant Parmesan is the winner. 

Ingredients:

• 1 large eggplant, cut into half-inch slices
• salt
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• olive oil
• 3 cups spaghetti sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• shredded mozzarella cheese
• grated Parmesan cheese

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut the eggplant into slices, then lay out in a single layer on either a cookie sheet or a cutting board.  Sprinkle both sides of the eggplant slices with salt.  Let the eggplant sit for 30 minutes.  By going through this process called sweating, the excess moisture will be drawn out of the eggplant.

After 30 minutes, rinse both sides of the slices thoroughly with cold water.

After rinsing the eggplant, dry each piece very well with paper towel.

Beat the egg and put it into a shallow dish.  (I like to use a pie dish.)

Pour the bread crumbs into a separate shallow dish.

Dip each eggplant slice into the egg (above), and then cover completely with bread crumbs (below).

Place the slices on a cookie sheet that has been covered with olive oil.

Place in the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes then flip slices, and bake for an additional 10 minutes.  (The time that you bake on either side can be adjusted based on desired crispiness.)

Cover the bottom of a 9X13 baking dish with spaghetti sauce.

Place the baked, breaded eggplant slices evenly into the baking dish that has the sauce in it.  Make sure not to fully submerge the slices in the sauce.

 

Top the slices and sauce with the dried basil, Parmesan cheese, and mozzarella cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese and eggplant are golden brown.

Chef Matt's Fried Eggplant Parmesan: 

In preparing the eggplant to fry you just need to repeat the above steps but obviously when you come to the part about baking, hold off for now. 

Heat your Canola Oil to medium and fry your slices of eggplant until they look golden brown on both sides (above) and sprinkle with olive oil for taste.

After you're done frying the eggplant. Cover the bottom of a 9X13 baking dish with spaghetti sauce.

Place the fried eggplant slices evenly into the baking dish that has the sauce in it.  Make sure not to fully submerge the slices in the sauce.

Top the slices and sauce with the dried basil, Parmesan cheese, and mozzarella cheese.

Bake several minutes or until cheese is melted. 

Food Competition Verdict: Don't tell Chef Megs, I said this but frying is actually more fun than baking. Who has heard of, say for instance a catfish bake, no it's a catfish fry for a reason. People love getting together and frying up whatever their hearts desire and then have a unhealthy feast to celebrate. I think you know where this competition is leaning.. the fried eggplant edges out the baked not because of what I said about frying being more fun but because I think most people that have had both versions of eggplant will tell you that the fried version has way more crispiness to it. The baked version on the other hand tends to be more soggy and does not hold up as well to putting sauce and cheese on it. Which version do you prefer, baked or fried?

Anyway you wanna cook it though is Delizioso because it's Eggplant Parmesan!!!

Bonus: Chef Matt's serving suggestion for next day leftovers. 

Cold Days Call For Chili

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Sadly, the groundhog saw his shadow on February second, leaving us with six more weeks of winter.  Fortunately, you can warm yourself up with this hot, delicious, slow cooker chili.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground turkey (you can use ground beef if desired, however turkey is healthier) 
• 1cup chopped onion
• 1 small green pepper
• 1/2 sweet banana pepper (from a jar)
• 1/4 cup vegetable broth 
• 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 can dark red kidney beans
• 1 can light red kidney beans
• 1 can  pinto beans
• 1 can rotel
• 1 can stewed tomatoes 
• cheese (to top if desired)

Steps:

Cook the ground turkey in large skillet until brown.

Add the onion, green pepper, sweet banana pepper, spices (chili powder, sugar, cumin, and salt), the vegetable broth and the minced garlic to the browned meat.  I put all of these ingredients into a mini-food processor (or blender) and puree them all together.

 

While the flavors of the vegetables and spices are mixing with the turkey in the skillet, add the kidney beans, pinto beans, rotel, and stewed tomatoes to the slow cooker.

After the canned items have been emptied, add the turkey mixture to the slow cooker.

Make sure to mix the uncooked chili thoroughly.

Place the lid on the top, and set your slow cooker to the low setting.

Let chili cook for 8 hours.  

Top with shredded cheese, and serve with corn chips or buttery crackers.  Enjoy!

Rainbow Cake: As Much Fun To Make As It Is To Eat!

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This is such a fun and simple cake!  Every time I make this cake, everyone just loves how colorful and delicious it is.  People will keep asking you your secret, little do they know that it is so easy.

Ingredients:

• 1 box (1 box will make 1 round cake) white cake mix
• 13 ounces clear soda (any clear soda will work...7up, Sierra Mist, Sprite)
• Gel food coloring (this type of food coloring will create the beautiful bold colors)
• 1 can frosting of your choice (or if you wish to have your cake be virtually fat free, frost your cake by combining 1 tub of light cool whip and 1 package of instant pudding (I have used the white chocolate flavor in the past...delicious) be sure to combine the pudding mix and the cool whip well)

Steps:

Preheat the oven as directed on the cake box.

Grease a round pan with cooking spray, then by dusting with flour.

 

Pour the cake mix into a medium bowl, then add the clear soda.  Mix well until smooth.

Separate the cake batter into six small bowls.

Add the food coloring to each one of the bowls.  You will need to use quite a bit of food coloring (depending on how deep you would like your colors to be).  You can always add more food coloring to get the colors where you want them, but you can't remove color, so add only a little at a time.

 

When the colors are mixed to your liking, pour each of the colors into the prepared cake pan.  Distribute the colors however you would like.  

Bake the cake according to the directions on the cake mix box.

When you take the cake out of the oven, run a butter knife around the edge of the pan, and cool completely.

Flip cake very carefully onto a plate and frost.

Adding soda to this cake gives it a very fudge-like quality.  It is so good!

*The cool thing about this cake is that you don't have to just stick to the colors of the rainbow.  You can change it up to compliment any occasion.* 

Chicken Alfredo: Forever An Italian Favorite

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There's a reason Chicken Alfredo is an Italian classic. This dish is well worth the time and effort that it takes to make it.

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh or jarred garlic
• 1 teaspoon dry parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon creole seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• 4 ounces (1/2 package) cream cheese
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup Parmesan, Romano, Asiago cheese blend (kraft; you can buy it in the refridgerated section with the Parmesan cheese)
• 1 16 ounce package of Fettuccine

Steps:

Cut the chicken into strips 3/4" to 1" wide.

Put the olive oil into a skillet, and heat over medium heat.

While the olive oil is heating, season the chicken strips with the garlic, parsley, pepper, salt, creole seasoning, and basil.  Mix well making sure to evenly coat the chicken with seasonings.

 

Place the chicken in the heated oil, and cook thoroughly.

While the chicken is cooking, heat the cream cheese and butter in a sauce pan.  Stir occasionally with a whisk  slowly adding milk to the cheese and butter mixture.

When the cheese and butter have completely melted together, add the Parmesan cheese blend, making sure to keep stirring the mixture until the cheese has melted.

When you have completed the sauce, the chicken should be done cooking.  Place the chicken in a container and pour the sauce over it.  Cover the mixture with a lid, and place aside.

In a large pot, heat water to boiling, and add Fettuccine.  Cook until al dente, then drain pasta.

Place pasta into a large serving dish, and pour the chicken and sauce mixture over the pasta, and mix well.

Serve this dish with garlic bread, and enjoy!