Dear Friends...

I haven't posted a blog in ages... But this is SO worth posting... AMAZINGLY heartfelt words from the love of my life...

 Dear Friend,
      This week, Amy and I are taking off on our dream vacation. She's always wanted to visit Paris, and I haven't been back there since our kids were born. I must admit that sometimes I feel like a bit of a charlatan, teaching students about places and events which I have never experienced. I've yet to dine on the Eiffel Tower, celebrate Bastille Day in France, swim in the Mediterranean on the French Riviera. All of these experiences and so many more will be realized over the next few weeks. It is an opportunity that we have looked forward to since our marriage…we originally wanted to go for our 10th anniversary. Money Matters made us wait until our 13th.
     While excitement abounds here at Chez Rookey, there is always that kernel of fear somewhere inside of us. More than one family member or friend is worried that, "your flight is 8 hours!", "you're going to Paris!", or, "you're not getting off the boat in Turkey, are you?" All of the above are true. As for the first, statistically it is far more dangerous for me to drive to work each morning than it is to fly. In regards to the latter two, I've always felt that one incident does not a city make. Millions still flock to Orlando and NYC, despite the nightclub shooting and September 11th. Rest assured that I am Human, and I also have some uncertainty in the back of my mind as well. Anything can happen at any time. As a man of Faith, I've always believed that when it's my time, it's my time. Who am I to fight Fate?
      That being said, I've never been one to let the terrorists win. When we stop traveling, stay at home, fear people from other cultures…they win. I'm far too American to stand by and let that happen. Mark Twain said that, "travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness". This is what I teach my students. I love learning about other cultures. I am fortunate enough to speak three languages fairly fluently. I look forward to the challenge of getting by in France and Spain, and moving on to countries where we do not speak the language… Italy, Greece, Turkey. I do not fear what awaits us on the other side of The Pond. This is what I was meant to do…for my wife, for myself, for my students.
     And if something should go wrong? Well, perhaps this is my chance to "go viral". Me, the man who never once owned a cell phone, never sent a single text, never Tweeted! As many of you know, I am a true Gamer. Video games, card games, board games…I love putting my mind and my digits to the test. The Bloodhound Gang have a song in which they state that, "Life is a game that no one wins".  I beg to differ. I like to think that I've  played the game of Life well, and that I've won. I've never known hunger, poverty, depression, or serious illness. I have known a stable family, love, fatherhood, friendship, and a fulfilling career. Through 38 years I have lived a relatively regret-free existence. Were I to do it again, I would make the same choices. They're what led me here, to this keyboard, today.
      Of course, I didn't  get to this point by myself. I owe everything to my parents, family, friends, and Baxter. If we truly want to Make America Great Again, we should take a page from the Mike and Diane Rookey playbook. They provided me with three key essentials that successful people need. 1: A stable family: one that never turns their backs on each other, even in times of upheaval or crisis. 2: A strong work ethic: no handouts, no pity parties. Everything earned is so much better than everything given. 3: Faith. I don't care if it's in Jesus, Atheism, or Pastafarianism (it's a thing…look it up)…we all have to believe in something. I've chosen to place mine in Catholicism, God, Jesus. No fan of Country Music am I, but I remember a song from the '90's by Aaron Tippin that seems apropos. He said, "You've got to stand for something, or you'll fall for anything. You've got to be your own man- not a puppet on a string. Never compromise what's right, and uphold your Family Name. You've got to stand for something, or you'll fall for anything".
     I thank God every day for the family that He provided me. No matter what happens, I know that Amy and I have provided Brandon and Dana with these same tools for success. And if they're living in our basement 20 years from now? We'll love them just the same.
      Thank you, Dear Friend, for coming along for the ride. I hope to see you, to share a laugh and a beer, when we get home from our trip. If for some reason that won't work out, here's what my favorite rocker, Ozzy Osbourne, would say: "God knows I'll see you…see you on the Other Side".
Jason Michael"Rook" Rookey
 July 6th, 2016

When Life Gives You Lemons...

The past few months I've been laid up around the house. I was in a car accident back in December. I am ok, just in a lot of pain, a lot of the time. If you know anything about me, you KNOW cooking is my therapy. When I'm sad, I cook. Happy? I still cook. I've been thinking about this blog a lot lately, and I think since I am home, and cooking like crazy lately, that I really want to amp up my posting. Where to start with these lemons life has thrown me?? One of my family's faves... Lemon chicken pasta. 

 My original basis for this recipe was Melissa D'Arabia's winning recipe from Food Network Star. I knew this recipe was a gem from the start. It is INCREDIBLY versatile and can easily be alterered to fit any flavor profile you like. It's an easy technique that makes for amazing results. My initial problem with this recipe was that it made quite a bit of sauce that was way too good to just spoon it over the chicken and serve it with potatoes. I tweaked the recipe to make it my own. I upped some of the liquids to make it with enough sauce to coat a mountain of pasta and it is DIVINE. 

 To start, I take 3 large, boneless, skinless chicken breasts and butterfly them. Take a sharp knife and cut right through the center of them lengthwise, so you end up with 6 pieces of chicken. Season both sides of the chicken with salt, pepper and some dried thyme. Coat the bottom of a heavy saucepan with some olive oil and get it heated up over medium heat. Dredge the pieces of chicken in flour and place them into the saucepan. These won't take long to cook through, and they will cook again in a later step, so no need to worry about them being cooked through just yet! I cook them for about 4 minutes per side, until the flour is just starting to brown on the outside. Remove them from the pan onto a plate tented with foil. Now get ready for the magic. Add some diced onion and about a tablespoon of fresh thyme to the hot oil and cook until aromatic and tender. Add 1/2 cup of white wine to the pan and scrape up all of those brown bits off the bottom. Add in chicken broth, some more dried thyme, And the juice of three lemons. This is what you end up with...

Already looking good!  At this point you can start cooking your pasta.  This time we chose rotini...

Once the pasta starts cooking, it's time to finish the sauce.  Whisk in 2 tablespoons of butter.  This will give the sauce that glossy sheen you've been waiting for! I return the pieces of chicken to the pan.  Put them in, stir them around a bit to coat the bottom with sauce, then give them a flip.

When the pasta is just about done, remove the chicken from the pan one more time.  Drain the pasta reserving about 1 cup of the cooking liquid.  Toss the pasta right in the pan with the sauce until it is well coated and glossy.  If it seems too thick, add in some of the reserved cooking water.

Once the pasta is all coated, I place the chicken right on top and serve it right from the pan... Why dirty another bowl, we're going for rustic here! Plate it up and serve with some crusty Italian bread to soak up all that lemony sauce goodness!

Enjoy!! And here's the full recipe...

Ingredients:

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied

Salt and pepper, to taste

Dried thyme, 2 teaspoons, divided

1/4 cup flour

2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Pasta of your choice, 1 lb.

1 large yellow onion, diced

1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme, lightly chopped

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 cups chicken broth

Juice of 3 lemons, about 1/2 cup

2 tablespoons butter

Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and 1 tsp. of dried thyme.  Heat olive oil in a large saucepan.  Dredge chicken in flour, then cook in hot oil, for a few minutes per side, until coating is golden brown.  Remove chicken from pan and place on a plate tented with foil.  Sauté onion and fresh thyme in the saucepan until tender and aromatic.  Add wine to the pan and deglaze, scraping up all brown bits on the bottom.  Add broth, remaining dried thyme and lemon juice to the pan.  Cook the sauce until starting to reduce, about 20 minutes over medium heat.  Whisk in butter until melted and thoroughly combined.  Return chicken to the pan, flipping once to ensure each piece is coated in sauce.  Remove from the pan and set aside.  Drain cooked pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.  Toss pasta in the lemon sauce until coated and glossy.  If it seems too thick add in pasta water until desired consistency.  Top with chicken, serve hot with Italian bread and Parmesan cheese for sprinkling.  Enjoy!!!

Squish Squash Lasagna

Two things happened this week of note... a friend asked me when I was going to start blogging again and I came up with a new recipe that many asked me to share... so here it is...

I posted last fall my recipe for Butternut Squash risotto, and while it is one of our family faves, we had an over abundance of squash this year and I wanted to come up with something different. I turned to my favorite tv chef, Giada deLaurentiis and found her recipe for Butternut squash lasagna. This is my spin on her recipe... and it was DELICIOUS...

Squish Squash Lasagna

2 tbs olive oil
1 1/2-2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
salt & pepper
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp curry powder (I used fresh from my herb garden)
red pepper flakes, a pinch or more to taste
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
3 1/2 cups milk (I used skim)
pinch of nutmeg
3/4 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves
12 or so no boil lasagna noodles
large container of ricotta cheese
2 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat.  Add squash to the pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper and stir to coat the squash with the oil.  Add water to the pan, cover and simmer until squash is tender, stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes. In the meantime, melt butter in another large saucepan. Add the flour and whisk for about a minute. Slowly whisk in the milk.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often until the sauce thickens nicely.  Whisk in the nutmeg. Transfer 2 cups of the sauce to the food processor, add the basil leaves and blend until smooth (I used my immersion blender for this!) Return to pot with the sauce and stir until well combined. Keep warm. When the squash is tender, add the crushed red pepper flakes, cumin and curry.  Blend in blender (again, I used my immersion blender) until squash is a smooth puree.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly butter a 13x9 inch baking pan. Spread about 3/4 cup of the white sauce in the bottom of the pan. Place three noodles over the sauce. Spread a thick layer of ricotta cheese over the noodles. Spread 1/3 of the squash mixture over the ricotta. Spread 1/3 of the white sauce over the squash and sprinkle with some mozzarella. Repeat this process 2 more times, sprinkling the top of the final layer with a good amount of mozzarella. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes until the top is golden and bubbly. Let cool for 15-20 minutes before serving and enjoy!

Yup... I'm back! :D

Falling for Autumn

 

This past weekend, my family and I spent three days on the St. Lawrence River fall camping.  It is always my favorite camping trip of the year... the colors, the cooler temperatures, and a feeling of nostalgia... thinking about all the fun we had camping over the summer.  This trip, my eleven year old daughter wanted to make all of us breakfast one morning as well, using a recipe she found in a book.  She made us all peanut butter and jelly French toast fingers, and while everyone said they were good, my little chef wasn't impressed.  She told me how she didn't think she would make them again, and I asked her, "Why?"  She went on to list the reasons as we walked around, and when she was done I think I taught her a valuable lesson, that everyone who likes to cook should learn.  Never ever give up on a recipe!!!  Cooking is all about experimenting... instead of throwing away a "bad" recipe, figure out what you could have done or should do to make it better and try it again!  Next time my daughter makes her French toast, she's decided to try using Nutella instead of PB & J.  She talked about using a different kind of bread so the toast wouldn't be so flimsy.  She wants to sprinkle them with powdered sugar next time for a finishing touch.  Point is, maybe it will be successful, maybe it won't... but try again!  You just may come up with a winner all on your own!

My pumpkin soup is one of those recipes for me.  To be honest, I have NO idea where I got the original recipe for this soup.  All I know for sure is that the first time I made it, I was unimpressed.  It tasted like hot pumpkin in a bowl, and it wasn't the least bit appetizing to me.  I kept at this one, to it got to the point where it is now... and it is SO good, I can't think of tweaking a single ingredient!  My original recipe is on this old, beaten up piece of paper that has been scribbled on again and again as I made adjustments.  This soup just screams autumn to me.  It is warm, spicy, and just ultimately comforting.  This is one of those recipes that I make, that I always get asked for the recipe for.  My favorite step of making this is when you add the spices to the hot onion and garlic... when those babies hit the heat your whole house will smell AMAZING.  This soup would be great served in mini pumpernickel bread bowls, or you can even serve it in mini hollowed out pumpkins. 

Pumpkin Soup

4 tbs. unsalted butter
2 medium onions, chopped
2 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 cayenne pepper, add more or less to adjust spice level
3 15oz. cans of pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling, just plain old pumpkin!!)
6 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. salt

Melt butter in a 4 quart saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic and saute until soft, about 4 minutes.  Add spices and cook for a minute longer, until the spices are fragrant.  Add pumpkin and 5 cups of chicken broth.  Stir and blend well, until completely combined.  Bring to a boil stirring often, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  Puree the soup using an immersion blender or transfer soup in batches to a blender or food processor and puree.  Return soup to saucepan over low heat.  Add brown sugar and mix well until incorporated.  Slowly pour in milk while stirring until well blended.  Add cream and salt and stir until well blended.  Taste soup and adjust seasonings to taste: if not spicy enough add more cayenne pepper, if too spicy add more heavy cream.  Serves 8.

For camping this weekend I also baked up a batch of caramel stuffed apple cider cookies.  These cookies were fantastic.  This was a recipe I found on pinterest, and immediately tweaked it a bit.  The original recipe calls for using a whole caramel candy in the center of each cookie... I worried this would be a bit much, maybe oozing out the cookies and making a mess of my sheet pans.  I cut my caramels in half and  they baked up perfectly, just know you could try to use a whole caramel if you would like a lot of it in the center of each cookie.  Also, I didn't have a box of instant apple cider drink mix.  What I DID have though was a TON of Hot Apple Cider K cups.  The original recipe called for using an entire 7.4 ounce box of apple cider mix (10 packets), I weighed and measured the amount of mix in my K cups and ended up opening and using 7 of them to equal about 7 ounces and the cookies were perfect!

Caramel Stuffed Apple Cider Cookies

1 cup softened butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
7 ounces of instant apple cider drink mix
2 eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 cups flour
16-20 caramel candies, cut in half

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.  Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat together butter, sugar, brown sugar and apple cider drink mix, until fluffy.  Beat in eggs, one a time, then add vanilla.  Reduce the speed of your mixer to low and slowly incorporate flour mixture into butter mixture, in 3 equal additions.  Beat each addition until just incorporated.  Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes or so, so it will firm up and be easier to work with.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line your cookie sheet with parchment paper and spray lightly with baking cooking spray.  Begin by rolling about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough into a ball.  Flatten slightly with your palm, then place a piece of caramel in the center, forming the dough all around it so the caramel is completely encased.  Place 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets.  Bake for about 12 minutes, until the cookies are just beginning to brown.  Remove from the oven and carefully remove the parchment paper from the cookie sheets and onto the table or counter top to let the cookies cool for about 5 minutes.  Transfer cookies from parchment to a cooling rack and let cool completely.  Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

As always, don't be afraid to try something new and I hope these recipes will have you in love with Autumn too!

Broaden those horizons!!

If any of you are anything like me... we get stuck in ruts at dinner time.  Same old, same old.  Blah, blah, blah!  Yet, sometimes when we feel the need to try something new, it's a big leap of faith, especially for anyone who doesn't have an adventurous palate!  So here are 2 of my favorite, different than the norm recipes to spice up your week!

First off, let's begin with my mango chutney. A few years ago, my husband and I went to a beer tasting event.  There were 6 courses served, each course with a different food that would compliment the beer.  One of the entrees featured was pork with mango chutney.  Neither one of us had ever had chutney before.  I was a fan of mangos, my husband had never tried one.  Both of us, never really afraid to try something new tasted it.  It was delicious.  Chutney is somewhat of a cross between a jam and a salsa, being chunkier than jam, yet thicker than a salsa.  It is sweet and spicy, but not overpoweringly hot.  You get the sweetness immediately upon your first bite, and then that warm, fuzzy feeling from the heat after you swallow.  It is perfect with pork, but can be used many other ways as well... over cream cheese served with crackers, as a dip for pita chips, eaten by the spoonful... well, you get the idea!

Mango Chutney

3 Mangos, stoned and diced
1/2 of an onion, finely chopped
1 small jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (de-seeded too if you like less heat)
1 tbs. grated, fresh ginger root
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. coriander
1/4 tsp. turmeric
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. cinnamon, + 2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
3/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar

Place all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat.  Stir frequently.  Simmer for 45-60 minutes until mangoes are soft and chutney is golden brown.  If you like your chutney chunky, simply serve!  If you like it not quite so chunky, use an immersion blender to puree the chutney to desired consistency.  Store in sterilized glass jars in the refrigerator until ready to use! 

 

 

The next recipe I want to share is for Butternut Squash and Vanilla Risotto.  I know, I know... sounds INCREDIBLY weird!  Several years ago for Christmas my husband bought me one of Giada De Laurentiis's cookbooks.  As I leafed through it this recipe jumped out at me... I had never had butternut squash, and the thought of making a dinner with vanilla in it was just so bizarre to me that I had to try it!  When I make it I use more broth than Giada calls for, and most of the time vanilla extract instead of a vanilla bean.  It is now one of our family favorites and perfect in the fall when butternut squash is in season.  For the record too... do NOT be afraid of risotto!!!  While it IS time consuming, and a dish that definitely needs to be "babysat," I think it gets a bad rap as being difficult to make.  Before you start just have everything lined up, ready to go and you will end up with a beautiful dish that will wow!!!

 

Butternut Squash and Vanilla Risotto

 

6 cups chicken broth (can also use vegetable broth if you want to do this vegetarian!)

1 large vanilla bean, OR 3 tsp. real vanilla extract

3 cups (about 12 ounces) butternut squash, peeled and cut into roughly 1 inch squares

3 tbs. unsalted butter

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 1/2 cups Arborio rice (it HAS to be Arborio rice... other kinds will not work!!)

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tbs. finely chopped chives

 

In a medium saucepan, warm the broth over medium high heat.  Either cut the vanilla bean in half, scrape the seeds into the broth and put entire bean into the broth, or simply add the vanilla extract.  When the broth comes to a simmer, add the butternut squash, and continue to simmer until the squash is cooked through, 7-10 minutes.  Squash is done when a fork easily pierces it.  Remove squash from the broth with a slotted spoon to a side dish.  Turn the heat on the broth down to low, and cover to keep warm. 

 

In a large, heavy saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat.  Add the onion and sauté until transluscent, but not brown, about 3-4 minutes.  Add the rice and stir to coat the rice with butter.  Add the wine, and simmer down until all of the liquid is almost completely absorbed, 2-3 minutes.  Add about 1/2 cup of the simmering broth (I use my soup ladle to do this) and continually stir until all of the liquid is almost absorbed.  Continue cooking the rice, adding 1/2 cup/ladle full of broth, allowing each addition of broth to almost fully absorb before adding the next.  Continue until all of the broth is gone and the rice is tender, but still firm to the bite and the mixture is creamy.

 

Turn off the heat under the risotto and gently stir in the cooked squash, parmesan cheese, remaining tablespoon of butter and salt.  Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with chopped chives and serve immediately!

 

Now go and broaden those horizons!!

 



Tailgating Treats!

Watching football on tv is fun, and we always make our football Sundays a good time.  Going to an actual NFL game on the other hand, is OFF THE HOOK.  Especially at our favorite Buffalo Bills!  My favorite part is the tailgating. It is a feast for the senses! I love nothing more than to sit in my chair, a beer in my hand, surrounded by friends, and taking in all of the sights, sounds, and smells around me.  Among my favorite smells are those of amazing food being prepared all around us.  Watching the creative things people come up with, along with their creative ways of cooking never ceases to amaze!

This year, I wanted to try out some new recipes.  Honestly, not all of them were stellar.  In fact, quite a few of them need some work.  Among the stellar recipes was my pull apart, ranch, bacon bread.  To be fair, we first ate this at Jay's cousin's farm at a family reunion.  Problem was that I couldn't find the exact recipe after misplacing my copy.  Here is what I pieced together to create a tailgating breakfast masterpiece!

Bacon Ranch Pull Apart Bread

6 slices of bacon, cooked until crisp and chopped finely
1 tube of refrigerated biscuits (I used Pillsbury Butter Tastin' Grands)
1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tbs. olive oil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Liberally grease either a small sheet pan, or a bundt pan.  Open the tube of biscuits and cut each biscuit into quarters, placing pieces into a large bowl.  Add olive oil, packet of dressing mix, bacon bits and cheeses to the bowl.  Toss well to coat all of the biscuit pieces.  Pour into greased pan, and bake for 20-30 minutes until biscuits are golden, and cheese is melted and bubbly.  Serve warm!

One of my goals for a tailgating menu is always to incorporate beer in as many of my recipes as I can, because honestly, it just isn't tailgating without some!  My idea this time was to create some kind of drunken pasta salad.  Finding a good recipe for a beer vinaigrette proved to be quite the task!  After looking at several recipes, I threw this one together on my own...

Beer Vinaigrette

1/2 cup beer of your choice (I actually used Labatt Blue Light as I had this on hand... I am thinking this would be WONDERFUL with either a Hefeweizen or a good wheat beer)
1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar (again, I had this on hand... could use white vinegar or white wine vinegar as well!)
2 tbs. lemon juice
1 tbs Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
Ground black pepper, to taste

Place all ingredients in a bowl and whisk together until emulsified.  Here's a tip for you... I, rather foolishly, decided to make this in a cruet, as I do most of my dressings, and just give it a good shake until it emulsified.  The beer DOES NOT like this!!!  The lid popped off, and I was covered from head to toe in said vinaigrette as was my kitchen!!  Lesson learned!  For my pasta salad I tossed this with elbows, cheddar cheese, green onions, black beans and red beans.  Another tip for you... whenever you make any kind of pasta salad only toss in 1/2 of the dressing when you first make it, then toss in the rest just before serving to ensure the salad doesn't dry out!

Finally I was left with the question of what to do with the remainder of the bacon.  I decided I wanted to try to incorporate it into some kind of dessert... a sweet/salty combo if you may.  I ended up candying the bacon and making maple chocolate chip bacon cookies.  This cookie recipe is a work in progress.  I wanted light, high, airy cookies, with a thumbprint full of delicious candied bacon in the center.  What I got was run of the mill, flattened out cookies that had the bacon all throughout them.  The cookie recipe is still being fixed.  The candied bacon however was AMAZING and I think that it would be a perfect accompaniment to a French toast breakfast! 

Candied Bacon (AKA... Pig candy!!)

6-8 slices of bacon
1/4 - 1/2 cup brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Place an oven safe rack on top of a baking sheet.  Sprinkle sugar on one side of each slice of bacon, using your fingers to press it into the meat.  Flip over all slices and repeat on the other side.  Place all slices on top of the rack.  Place rack on baking sheet in the oven and cook for 10-15 minutes, until bacon is to desired doneness. 

And as always... eat up and enjoy!!!

Oh... and GO BILLS ;)