Fat Tuesday means a Brainy Mardi Gras....

 

Jambalaya is a simple dish. It can be whipped up in 35 min.  For this dish you will need, boneless, skinless chicken breasts, smoked sausage (buy meat according to number of guests/family), one onion, green and red pepper, dry white wine, chicken stock and a whole bunch of good ole hot stuff as in seasonings.

In a large covered skillet, pour in 5 tbs of olive oil, add to that chopped one whole onion and your red/green peppers (if you have on hand only green peppers then use them, you don't have to be strict). Give this onion and pepper a good stir fry on high heat. Reduce heat to med, and add 1/2 cup of chicken stock and 1/4 cup of white 'dry' wine. Cover and let simmer on med. heat while you dice up your chicken and sausage. Once you've done your dicing, add the pieces of chicken and sausage.

To this mixture now bubbling in your skillet, add your seasonings: 1 tsp of sea salt, 1 tsp of black pepper, 1 tsp of red pepper flakes and the same of garlic powder, 1/2 - 1 tsp of cayenne pepper and 1/2 - 1 tsp of paprika (hotter if you want to melt snow). Stir in all seasonings until everything is a rusty amber. Cover and let simmer for 25 min.

In the meantime, prepare a side dish. I recommend rice, after all its Jambalaya. Add dry kernel rice (1-2 cups depending on # guests) to a deep stock pot of boiling water (two cups water to one of rice) with a pinch of salt.

When the rice is tender, ladle onto a low lipped serving dish, pour out your Jambalaya and garnish with fresh chopped parsley. You can also squeeze on fresh lemon or lime. Or, you can just put a half of lemon on the table along with a bottle of Louisiana hot sauce.

~Tutti a Tavola!

When in Italy, do as the Italians... Brainy Italian Bisque!

 

Italian tomato bisque is a creamy rich, velvety soup characterized by the use of vine ripe tomatoes i.e. San Marzano, accentuated by fresh herbs such as leafy basil and dried oregano, olive oil and heavy cream. Its really very simple too.

Just stir together in a large stock pot 4 cups of chicken stock along with a few cloves of garlic and a med.onion if you like. Add one small can of tomato paste and simmer. Add the basil, oregano, olive oil and heavy cream on the end. While the bisque simmers, prepare either baked brie or grilled cheese or just toasted bread with butter and Parmesan cheese. 

*Tutti a Tavola a Mangiare! 

 

*Brie is not necessarily Italian but being on the French/Italian border, you find such a mix ;-)

Teriyaki Chicken ~ Brainy Quick, Easy and Delicious...

 

Chicken teriyaki ingredients typically include chicken (breasts or thighs). For this dish, thighs are used (skinless or skin on). A basic sauce of soy sauce and brown sugar, plus flavorings like fresh or ground ginger and garlic, often thickened with cornstarch, and sometimes finished with sesame oil, sesame seeds or peanuts and coconut as well as a garnish of green onions or rocket.

And, let me stress… it’s the brown sugar that truly adds flavor and sweetness as well as fresh ginger and garlic for flavor and depth.

The basic ingredients are:
1 package of boneless and or skinless chicken thighs per guest. One package of either flat rice noodles or regular spaghetti noodles or just simply cook rice for as many guests per serving. Use 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 2 tbs of soy sauce and 1/4 cup orange juice or lime juice, one large diced onion and one or two gloves of garlic.

Chop your onion and garlic (2 cloves)
Take chicken out of the package and set aside. In a covered skillet on a low flame, melt 3 tbs of Coconut Oil and the same of Olive Oil and then add the diced onion, garlic and brown.

Place chicken thighs in and turn up the flame to get them nicely browned on both sides.
Now add your brown sugar, soy sauce, and also add 1/4 cup orange juice.
Cover and let simmer until chicken is cooked. I like to use a braiser with cover which finishes the chicken nicely in the oven on 350 for about 30 minutes. 

In the meantime, cook noodles or rice. When the noodles/rice are done, drain and place on a large low lipped bowl.  Pour out the chicken and all skillet contents then sprinkle with sesame seeds, peanuts and or coconut flakes! 

 
*Teriyaki Sauce and hot sauce for the table is perfect ... 

Italian Sausage with Penne and Olives ~ Brainy Tavern Style

 

Italian food stirs the imagination...

This dish is so awesomely delicious that you can imagine never eating anything else for the rest of your life. The key is in the sausage. Quality Italian sausage is best bought from the local deli or butcher and it should be 'rustic' as in meaty... not overly seasoned; no fennel. The other key aspect regarding the sausage is that the casing is excellent quality; you don't want it to be rubbery or chewy.

Besides really good Italian sausage, you will need: black olives, one med. red pepper (roasted) one large onion, and penne pasta.  To get started, saute the onion and pepper 'chopped' in olive oil until browned on the edges. Have your sausage cut into bite sized chunks or crumbled. Add to the skillet with the onion and pepper pushing them aside while you brown the sausage.

Bring back in the onion and pepper covering the sausage while you open a can of crushed Red Gold tomatoes unless of course you have either fresh garden tomatoes to use and one handful of black olives. Generously, sprinkle in dried herbs: rosemary, mint and oregano. Stir and cover, let this simmer on med heat while you prepare the pasta; simmering the sauce for a good 25 min.

Add the penne pasta to salted boiling water. Once tender, drain and ladle onto a serving plate and or bowl. Pour out the hot bubbly Italian sausage sauce onto the pasta and serve.

Put on the Parmesan... ~ Tutti a Tavola!

Be Brainy about Lasagna... Layered Ravioli Style!

 

An old favorite in a new way ...

Ravioli lasagna ... 

You probably have seen at your deli or cold meat, cheese and veggie counter... prepackaged ravioli. If you shop wisely, you already know that a favorite store of mine 'Aldi' has such prepared stuffed  ravioli with ricotta and or ricotta and spinach. 

Buy at least four packages of ravioli. Again, these are pre-made/prepackaged pasta stuffed pockets. Take a glass baking dish and drizzle olive oil over the bottom. Put a layer of ravioli pastas on the bottom, then cover with your favorite tomato sauce, then shredded mozzarella cheese, then ravioli again, sauce and cheese and sauce again... sprinkle with Parmesan and bake in the oven on 350 until bubbly. 

Ah, so so good... 

 

~Tutti a Tavola!

Have a Brainy Gourmet New Year!

 

 

The  Brainy Gourmet has always been about sharing food and any information that is fast and frugal. If you are opting to stay at home, like most of us, for New Years, you are being brainy! The best parties are usually home parties because you control the mood, the food and the alcohol if you plan on serving any.

I usually do baked brie (check past posts); but this year, the plan is to do steamed mushrooms in buttery beef stock served with creamy garlic Parmesan sauce along with some mushroom filled ravioli.

 

For steamed mushrooms you will need: fresh button mushrooms (1-2lb) depending on number of guests. Steam or gently saute the mushrooms, washed and left whole, in one cup of beef stock with half a stick of butter. Once tender, ladle onto a serving plate, top with the creamy garlic Parmesan sauce, and sprinkle with fresh green parsley.

As for the creamy garlic Parmesan sauce to top them off, you will need: heavy cream, a few garlic gloves and fresh grated Parmesan cheese. Melt the other half of the stick of butter in a separate sauce pan. Add crushed garlic from a few hulled cloves. Then, pour in 1 cup of heavy cream and about 1/2 cup of grate Parmesan, stir until creamy.

For the mushroom filled ravioli... be frugal by buying them fresh or frozen. Boil until tender, top with the same creamy garlic and Parmesan sauce, that recipe can be doubled if need be. You can also make extra mushrooms on the side and top the ravioli for flare and flavor!

tutti a tavola...

~ All the best to you and yours in 2026!

*Outsourced info ~ https://nypost.com/2014/12/26/skip-the-clubs-and-have-a-ritzy-but-reasonable-new-years-eve-party-at-home/

Can't afford Prime Rib this Holiday, then make this substitute!

  

The secret to really juicy delicious meatloaf that tastes like prime rib is using quality ground beef. Yes, you can make a very good meatloaf from turkey, veal and even pork; but, using excellent quality ground beef (sirloin i.e.) makes meatloaf into prime rib.

This recipe is no different from any other 'Brainy' recipe using ground turkey/veal/pork. The key then as now has always been never to use egg in the mix and also to never add oatmeal or crushed soda crackers; and, certainly the most important is to never add anything that takes away from the name - meatloaf!

For the best turnout, use a combination of bread crumbs, heavy cream, garlic powder, a pinch of sea salt, 1 tbs of Worcestershire sauce, beef stock and fresh dried herbs.

Turn the oven on to 350. Then, in a metal or glass bowl mix by hand 1 pound of quality ground beef with 3/4 cup of bread crumbs (home grated) 1/2 cup of heavy cream, 1 tsp of garlic powder and then add the Worcestershire sauce along with a pinch of salt and dried herbs: rosemary, mint and oregano. Mix it up and form into a loaf size.

Drizzle a bit of olive oil onto a glass baking dish, and lay in the meatloaf. When the oven is ready, pop it in; for an extra zing top with a few slices of roasted red pepper. After about 20 min, take the meatloaf from the oven and pour in 1/4 cup beef stock, toss in a few sun dried tomatoes for even more amazing flavor. Return to the oven and bake for another 20-30 min. Check the meatloaf with a meat thermometer; if it says med.rare as for steak or prime rib, its ready.

As for a side, prepare mashed or baked cheesy potatoes along with a salad and you've got dinner!


~Tutti a Tavola!