Brainy Dinner by the beach...

Tuna steaks are great grilled or seared in the skillet with a creamy dill and chive sauce to top!

For this dish you will need: as many tuna steaks as guests, heavy cream, butter, fresh dill sprigs, chive and rosemary. To begin, dress your skillet with several drops or more of olive oil or coconut oil depending on your dietary choices. If you are going to sear up to 6-8 steaks, use a bit more oil and a very large skillet.

Once the steaks are seared on both sides, turn down the heat and add 1/4 cup of heavy cream if you like or just 2-3 tbs of butter... either or its your choice. Add your herbs and let simmer uncovered while you prepare a side dish which can be anything you prefer: pasta, a fresh green salad or stir fried vegetables.*Note, do not let the steaks get dried out as uncovering will reduce juices. You can always remove from heat, set aside as you prepare your sides.

Put fresh lime or lemon halves on the table, a good squeeze over the tuna adds zest and zing.

~ Tutti a Tavola!

Tuscan Garlic Chicken with Rosemary...

Tuscan garlic chicken with rosemary marinated in lemon juice and served with potatoes mashed with Parmesan cheese and garlic. You will need to buy: a package of chicken thighs with the bone in and skin on. Fresh garlic, one lemon, fresh rosemary sprigs or use dried, yellow gold potatoes (six or seven med. size) and Parmesan cheese.

To begin, marinate the chicken thighs in a glass baking dish using the juice of one lemon, toss over the top 3-4 peeled and diced garlic cloves, drizzle on some olive oil and lay on your rosemary sprigs or sprinkle generously dried rosemary. Heat your oven to 425F.

After 12-15 min. of marinating time, place the chicken in the oven and roast for about 30-40 min uncovered. Check to see if the skin is crisping and if yes, turn over the thighs, return to the oven for 5 min. After five minutes or so turn the thighs back over and consider adding a few fresh washed red cherry tomatoes and a handful of kalamata olives.

Return to the oven covered, reduce heat to 350F and let roast for another 15 -20 min. Take this time now to prepare the potatoes. Wash, peel and halve, the potatoes. Add to boiling salted water and cover. When tender, drain and mash using 3 tbs of butter, the same of sour cream, a dash of olive oil, Parmesan cheese, 1/4 tsp of minced garlic and 1 tsp of dried herbs - Italian blend. 
















~ Tutti a Tavola!

Pork Loin Medallions in Mustard Sauce...

Oh the Taste, so Regal, so French, so Versailles....

Pork loin cut into medallions in mustard sauce with sun dried tomatoes and dried plums... so yummy. And, tonight's dinner is served with a few left overs. For this dish, you will need: 1 lb of boneless lean pork loin, onion, Dijon mustard, heavy cream, sun dried tomatoes and dried plums - prunes.

To begin, saute one chopped onion in olive oil until browned. Push aside in the skillet and sear the loin which you cut into one inch thick medallions. Once seared, bring back the onion, shake some garlic powder over them, a couple of mills 'grinds' of sea salt and as much dried herbs: rosemary, oregano and mint as you like.

Next, drop in several sun dried tomatoes (jarred is best) and as many dried plums. Then pour in 1/2 cup of heavy cream and 3 tbs of Dijon mustard or more depending on your preference. Let simmer while you prepare sides. As I said, this evening we will eat left overs along with the medallions in mustard sauce and a few sliced steamed buttered zucchini.

~ Tutti a Tavola!

Brainy Creamy Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo...

Late summertime blues.... cook up a batch of creamy chicken alfredo served on fettuccine pasta and escape to Italia where everyone is on vacation!

For this dish you will need: boneless, skinless chicken breasts, fettuccine pasta, heavy cream, onion, and parmesean cheese. There are two great sides to serve along with this dish: a mixed green salad and fresh green asparagus.

To begin, saute chopped onion in olive oil until browned on the edges. Push the browned onion aside and in the same skillet, sear the chicken breasts (cut into strips) shaking some garlic powder over the top and tossing in a pinch of sea salt. Next, add fresh dried herbs: rosemary, mint and oregano and a bit of basil.  To that, pour in 1 cup of heavy cream and 1/2 cup of grated parmesean cheese.

While the sauce bubbles away on low heat uncovered, you can boil the pasta and prepare either a salad or the asparagus or both. Once the pasta is tender, drain and rinse. Ladle the fettuccine onto a low lipped serving plate pouring out all the delicious sauce and chicken over the pasta. Lastly, top with grated parmesan cheese and call everyone to the table - Tutti a Tavola!

So so good and there is plenty - Abbondanza!

The Brainy Gourmet's Jambagumbo...

Yes, you read it right, 'jambagumbo'. And, its just as you imagine, jambalaya and gumbo combined.  But, one might just think of it as a really juicy jambalaya. Its not only juicy but its hot and spicy as well.

For this dish you will need: wild rice, long grain rice, onion, tomatoes, Italian sausage and shrimp. To begin, saute one chopped onion and two cloves of garlic in olive oil. Once browned, push aside and add 1lb of bulk Italian sausage (sweet/mild or hot depends on what you like). When the sausage is brown, bring the onion/garlic back in and stir.

Next add 2 cups of diced tomatoes (or use one small can of diced tomatoes) and 1/2 cup of beef stock. Then add your spices and add only as much as you like in terms of heat: red pepper flakes, paprika, cayenne pepper, a pinch of salt and dried sweet basil.

Let simmer while you cook the rice: a blend of wild rice and long grain. Start the wild rice first, 1/2 cup boiled in 1 and 1/2 cup of beef stock. When it becomes slightly tender, add 1/2 cup of long grain rice add water to replace any lost liquid. Boil together until fully tender. Then drain and add to the sausage sauce.

To finish, take a package of frozen pre-cooked 'large' shrimp, thawed and rinsed, de-tail and add to the pot. Lastly, let this mixture gather flavor on low heat for about 20 minutes.

Set the table and get ready to jambagumbo!  And, don't forget a bottle of Louisiana hot sauce...

~ Tutti a Tavola!

The Best of the Best Comfort Foods ~ Swiss Steak!

Nothing brings me back to the idea of a country home kitchen more than the delicious taste of Swiss steak with a heaping side of mashed potatoes.

For this dish, you will need a large round steak, one whole onion, one small can of tomato paste and fresh dried herbs. Its as simple as that; and of course - yellow gold potatoes (2 per person is my ratio when making mashed).

To begin, marinate the steak in balsamic vinegar, two dashes of A1 steak sauce and a couple of good shakes of meat tenderizer. After 1-2 hours, begin cooking by sauteing one whole onion chopped in olive oil on med heat. While the onion begins to brown on the edges, cut up the round steak into palm size medallions or even strips.

Push the onions aside and lay in the steak, turn up the heat to high to sear the meat on both sides. Next, turn down the heat to med. and bring back the onion adding 1 cup of water and all of the contents of the one small can of tomatoes paste. Give it a good stir and add your dried herbs: rosemary, mint, oregano and sage.

Let this simmer on the stove on low heat for 30-40 min. Prepare potatoes (wash and peel) cut into halves and boil in salted water until tender. Once the potatoes pass the fork test, drain and mash with butter and milk until creamy.

~ Tutti a Tavola!

Its That Blueberry Time of Year....

Depending on your location/region, blueberry picking is either over or midway through. So, you may either be picking or freezing them or picking some at your local grocer/farmer's market.

In that case, who can't help but think blueberry muffins or pancakes, right?  The flavor is amazing and you know too that blueberries are good for you in many ways.

Long before Fats Domino was crooning about "Blueberry Hill," Native Americans used the potent fruit to treat coughs. These tiny little gems do indeed pack a potent punch. They rank the highest of any fruit for antioxidants (those free-radical-fighting powerhouses), and one cup delivers 14% of the recommended daily dose of fiber and nearly a quarter of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C.

For today, try baking some blueberry muffins for when the kids come home from school. What a nice way to say welcome home and back to school. Put one in their lunch!  Even if you are not a baker, just be brainy and make em blueberry pancakes to start their day... and or first day back!

The Brainy Gourmet and the Brainy Baker recommend this mix while using fresh clean juicy blueberries and farm fresh eggs.




*Source ~ https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/blueberries-nutritious-things-come-in-small-packages_

*And, special thanks to the Brainy Baker for sharing her ideas - look forward to hearing more from her on this blog.