Tag Archives: #ForkYeah

FORKING EASY Brisket Recipe

This is a variation of a brisket recipe I got by watching Diners Drive Inns and Dives on Food Network. Guy Fieri said this brisket was amazing and I think my last brisket recipe was pretty much what I saw on TV. There is no searing or smoking. The hard part is trimming off the hard fat and deciding on how much fat that you want to leave on. Briskets were on sale so I picked one up. It happened to be a small one (around 9 lbs) I cut off not all but most of the fat. Then I just cut the brisket in half. Sprinkled a whole 1.41 oz box of Sazon all purpose seasoning. One pan got 2 lbs onions and some garlic and a 1/2 cup of water, smoked sea salt and black pepper. The other pan got red peppers, garlic, smoked sea salt, black pepper, and 1/2 a cup of water. Cover pans tight and 6 hours latter we had really great flavorful brisket. (one pan didn’t contain onions so my dogs could eat some and it still came out delicious anyway) Serving size will differ dramatically on depending on how much fat you trim and how much fat you are willing to eat. Jiggly brisket fat grosses me out so I trimmed mine far more than you probably would. My 9 pound brisket only made around 9 not so big dinners……..(but I think they gave me more fat than meat …..).

Ingredients for at least 9 servings

1 brisket (mine was 9 pounds) – trimmed to your liking and cut in half

1 – 1.41 ounce package Sazon con Colantro & Achiote (cilantro and annatto)

15 garlic cloves – chopped

2 lbs. onions – sliced and rough chopped

3 red bell peppers – slices and rough chopped

4 sweet potatoes – peeled – cut in half if large

1 cup water

a good sprinkle smoked sea salt

1 good sprinkle fresh ground black pepper

Directions

Set oven to 350 degrees F

Each pan gets 1/2 a brisket sprinkled with 1/2 the Sazon. One pan gets all the onions, 1/2 the garlic, a good sprinkle of smoked sea salt and black pepper and a half cup of water.

The 2nd pan gets all the bell peppers, the sweet potatoes, 1/2 the garlic, a good sprinkle of smoked sea salt, black pepper, and a 1/2 cup water.

These pans get covered tight with foil and go on the middle rack for around 6 hours.

I thought this was extra easy!

FORKING EASY and DELICIOUS Brisket

(Tip***** You will want to put the briskets in the refrigerator over night so you can slice them. The liquid you might want to chill overnight so you can remove the thick layer of fat. *****Another hint- You might want to keep that fat in your freezer. It can add a lot of flavors to other foods and it can also be used to make beef gravy.)

ENJOY!!!!

The Forking Truth

FORKING Great Deviled Eggs Recipe

This is how I make my basic Deviled Eggs. If you eat two halves as a serving then this will make 9 servings with a few extra whites that you can snack on.

Ingredients for around 9 servings.

12 eggs – boiled till hard (10 minutes) soaked in ice bath till cold, then peeled, cut in halves. Rice the yolks.

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/2 teaspoon piment d’ espelette + plus extra to sprinkle the cooked whites

2 Tablespoons Dijon but preferably Amora Brand

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 dashes Worcestershire sauce

smoked sea salt – to taste

9 small celery leaves

Directions

Lightly sprinkle the egg whites on both sides with smoked sea salt and piment d’ espelette.

In a medium bowl the riced yolks, mayonnaise, 1/2 teaspoon piment d’ espelette, Dijon, dry mustard, white pepper, cayenne pepper, and Worcestershire sauce together.

This mixture gets spooned or piped into the egg whites. Finish with a piece of celery leaf.

Everybody loves them. You will be a hit!

FORKING Great Deviled Eggs

ENJOY!!!!!!!

The Forking Truth

Quick and Easy Sweet Potato Hand Pies Recipe

I got some sweet potatoes so I threw them in the oven with a little water to steam them till they got soft. Then I got the idea to make them into hand pies. I made them up real fast. I did have extra filling left over that you can heat and then eat. I got lots of compliments on my unique crust. If you mix it up by hand real fast like I did it comes out light and flaky like from a master baker.

Ingredients for around 10 servings

2 cups flour

1/2 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon course sea salt

1/3 cup water

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 eggs separated (egg whites for inside dough for sealing and yolks for glazing)

1 lb sweet potatoes – cooked, peeled, and mashed

1 egg – lightly beaten

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup sour cream

Directions

In a large bowl mix together the flour, oil, vinegar, salt, water, and baking powder. Make it into a short fat log and wrap with plastic wrap.

Mix together the sweet potato mixture (sweet potatoes, 1 egg, cinnamon, ginger, dark brown sugar, and sour cream. If it’s lumpy use a mixer.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Either divide into 10 equal pieces or pinch off around a golfball 1.5-2oz piece of dough and roll it thin and flat and close to a round shape.

Brush the whole top with egg white.

Add small scoop or teaspoon of sweet potato mixture.

Bring up ends together.

crimp ends with your fingers or just use a fork.

These all go on a baking sheet lined with parchment.

Brush the tops with all of the egg yolks.

These go in the oven till golden……depending on your oven around 30-40 minutes.

Sweet Potato Hand Pies

ENJOY!!!!!

The Forking Truth

Lemon Mostarda Glazed Cabbage with Gorgonzola Recipe

Mostarda is a spicy Northern Italian Condiment. It is usually but not always made with candied fruit and mustard syrup. I read at www.LaCucinaItaliana.com that there are SIX basic kinds of mostarda (cherry, apricot, fig, peach, squash, tomato). According to La Cucina Italiana instead of mustard they use something called mustard essence instead of mustard to make mostarda. I used a combination of mustard and mustard powder to make my inspiration. I previously made a FORKING DELICIOUS acorn squash with mostarda and taleggio cheese….so this is a spin off of that. Serving size is always difficult to judge because I don’t know if you want a small or large serving. For me this made 6 side servings so I’ll say 6 servings.

Ingredients for around 6 servings

1 cabbage – core removed, rough chopped

1 onion – rough chopped

3 carrots – peel if not organic – slice on a slight diagonal around 1/4 inch thick

1/4 cup chives

4 oz gorgonzola – crumbled (or any blue cheese)

1 cup sugar

1 lemon – zest and juice but separate

2 Tablespoons mustard powder

3 Tablespoons whole grain mustard (I used Maille Old Style)

2 short Calabrian dried chili peppers – crumbled

1/2 teaspoon course sea salt

4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

sea salt – to taste

black pepper – to taste

Directions

Set oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl (or maybe a few bowls if you bowl isn’t very large) mix together the sugar, lemon juice (zest is for finishing), mustard powder, mustard, oil, Calabrian chili flakes, and sea salt. Mix well. Mix in the cabbage, onion, and carrots.

This goes on baking sheets with rims in an even layer.

Add a light amount of fresh crushed sea salt and fresh ground black pepper.

This goes in your preheated 400 degree F oven for 30-50 minutes or until lightly charred.

Finish with lemon zest, gorgonzola, and chives.

Lemon Mostarda Glazed Cabbage with Gorgonzola

It came out DELICIOUS!!!!! Even my dog thinks so!

The Forking Truth

Focaccia style Bread with Onions, Tomatoes, and Grana Padano Recipe

I was reading a recipe for Focaccia and I was very surprised that it had an egg and heavy cream in the dough. This recipe I would have not read but it was by an Italian Chef from Lombardy so I guess it’s for real. I didn’t have heavy cream at home but I did have a French cheese called Fromagerd d Affinois with herbs (basically Brie). I used that in the dough instead of cream and I changed up the flours due to what I had in my pantry. I also changed up the liquids slightly. I also had to figure out the oven temperature and timing. But WOW! It came out FORKING DELICIOUS! Serving size is always difficult to determine because I don’t know if you want a small serving or a large serving. This made 6 small breads……so that means between 6-12 servings depending on if you want a half bread or a whole bread…..so I’ll say 9 servings. That is my guesstimate.

Ingredients for around 9 servings

1/4 cup + 1 Tablespoon water warmed up to 110 degrees F

1 pack active dry yeast

1 Tablespoon honey

1/4 cup brie cheese or something similar

1 egg – lightly beaten

1 teaspoon course sea salt

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

5 Tablespoons 00 flour

4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil + more for spraying the dough

4 Tablespoons water

6 pinches flake sea salt

1/4 red onion – sliced extra thin

12 sweet grape tomatoes – sliced thin

3 oz Grana Padano – shredded

3 small pinches rosemary

3 small pinches Italian seasoning (This is what I used…..I tablespoon sea salt, 1 Tablespoon black pepper, 1/2 Tablespoon garlic powder, 1/2 Tablespoon onion powder, 1 Tablespoon basil, 1 tablespoon oregano, 1 Tablespoon fennel seeds, 1 crushed small dried Calabrian Chile pepper)

non stick spray

a few pinches of cornmeal or semolina

Directions

Set oven to 425 degrees F.

Combine yeast, 110 degree water, and honey in a large bowl. Mix and wait about ten minutes till you see a foamy surface. Whisk in cheese, egg, and salt. Add flours, water, and olive oil. This mixes together very well. Knead it some and make a ball and put it in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. In around an hour divide the dough into 6 balls. 2 sheet pans get sprayed lightly with non stick spray and then spray the lightly with olive oil and add a light sprinkle of corn meal or semolina. Shape each ball of dough into a flat pancake. Three pancakes will fit on each sheet tray. Cover them loosely with plastic wrap. Let them rise 30-60 minutes.

Spray them with olive oil. Sprinkle them with a light sprinkle of sea salt flakes and rosemary. (Optional….you should make the dimples in the dough….I did but they didn’t stay dimpled)……Add a sprinkle of raw onions slices and tiny sweet tomato slices. Add a sprinkle of Grana Padano. Finish with a LIGHT sprinkle of Italian seasoning and another sprinkle of extra virgin olive oil.

This goes in your preheated 425 degree F oven till slightly browned. Ovens do differ. This took around 25 minutes in my oven on a middle rack. In my old oven I think this only would take around 15 minutes.

Anyway it really did come out FORKING DELICIOUS! (Below is one of the 6 small loaves sliced up)

Took some to a party I went to with my FORKING AMAZING chocolate chip cookies.

Focaccia Style Bread with Onions, Tomatoes, and Grana Padano

I didn’t make chef Mattia Agazzi’s recipe for Focaccia (only because I didn’t have the ingredients) but it inspired me to make what I got here so a Special Thanks!!!! to him!

The Forking Truth

EZ Roasted Cheese & Mustard Cauliflower Recipe

I was thinking about calling this recipe FORKING TASTY cauliflower because when my husband tried it he said that this was, “FORKING TASTY Cauliflower. Sorry I missed photographing my dog for you……….. but even he thought it was FORKING TASTY too and STOLE a piece off of this plate while my back was turned. I used an orange colored cauliflower that is slightly tastier than the white ones but you can use a white cauliflower. Purple cauliflowers are more delicate and would probably burn up so I wouldn’t recommend using purple. Serving suggestion size may differ because we all have different appetites.

Ingredients for around 4 servings

1 cauliflower (preferably orange) – break down to florets

2 eggs

3 tablespoons mustard (I used Amora Brand Dijon mustard)

4 oz parmesan cheese – grated

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon paprika

non-stick spray

Directions

preheat oven to 450 degrees F

Spray your baking sheet(s) with non-stick spray and set to the side.

In a large mixing bowl mix together the eggs, mustard, cheese, pepper, and paprika. Mix well and then add the cauliflower florets. This mixture will be very thick. Mix well till it looks like the cheese mixture is all over the cauliflower. Then arrange the cauliflower on sprayed sheet pan(s) in single layer with a small amount of room around each floret.

These go on your middle rack for around 25 minutes or until cauliflower is cooked and slightly brown.

Roasted Cheese & Mustard Cauliflower

This is FORKING TASTY Cauliflower.

The Forking Truth

Cheesy Mini Corn Pudding Stuffed Peppers with Salsa Macha Recipe

I had these baby bell peppers that I had to use so I was thinking cornbread…..Then I thought cheesy cornbread. Then I made them so darn cheesy they were pudding and I topped it with a FORKING AMAZING salsa macha. You can buy salsa macha from many stores and Mexican grocery stores but the recipe on The FORKING Truth is FORKING AMAZING. Don’t mean to brag…BUT…If I was on a competition show…I’d WIN for this. If a restaurant served this they’d be written in the newspaper for this dish. That is how FORKING AMAZING they really taste!…..Anyways…… This recipe makes at least 24 mini stuffed peppers…I ran out of peppers but had enough to do at least 5 more. I’m figuring around 8 servings thinking that you are going to eat about three mini peppers a serving.

Ingredients for around 8 servings

1/4 cup cornmeal

1/4 cup masa de harina

1/2 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup butter – melted (doesn’t matter if salted or not you adjust salt)

sea salt – to taste

1 egg – lightly beaten

1/2 cup milk

1 cup shredded mature cheddar

2-3oz sliced mature cheddar (this is for topping the corn puddings)

3 Tablespoons salsa macha

24 mini bell peppers

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Set oven to 350 degrees F.

The baby bell peppers get sprayed with oil and go on a sheet pan. Roast the peppers until cooked. Ovens do differ…in my old oven this would take only 15 minutes. In my current oven this took 30 minutes.

Line mini muffin pan(s) with paper liners.

In a large mixing bowl add the cornmeal, masa de harina, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cheese and mix well, Add the melted butter, egg, milk, You will need a little salt. I used salted butter and added about 5 turns of salt from my salt grinder.

When the peppers are cool enough to handle remove cores and stems. Split them down the middle and put them in the cups.

Fill about 3/4 of the cup with corn pudding mixture. Then top each with a chunk of cheese.

This goes on the middle rack of your preheated 350F oven. For around 15 minutes.

Serve warm and top with salsa macha.

They are FORKING SCRUMPTIOUS!

Enjoy!

Cheesy Mini Corn Pudding Stuffed Peppers with Salsa Macha
The Forking Truth

Roasted Cauliflower with Walnut Vinegar Sauce Blue Cheese and Raisins Recipe

I got a nice big fat cauliflower that I had to use and some walnuts I keep in my freezer and blue cheese so I was able to come up with this recipe easily. Going forward my new oven roasts different than my last oven so I need to turn up my recipes a little and most things seem to take a little longer. So it is very important to know that ovens really do differ. Your cauliflower might not be the same size as the giant one that I was lucky to get at a great price….SO…that also means that servings may differ too. I got six side servings out of this one but often I only get 4 servings from a cauliflower. I’ll say 4 servings because I usually can only find 4 serving cauliflowers.

Ingredients for around 4 servings

1 cauliflower – break down to florets

1 onion – rough chop

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes – slice in halves

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 cup walnuts

4 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 Tablespoons walnut oil

1 garlic clove – either chopped or ground to paste

1 Tablespoon date syrup

1/4 cup golden raisins

1/4 cup blue cheese – crumbled

1/4 cup toasted walnuts – slightly crumbled

1/4 cup scallions – sliced thin

sea salt – to taste

crushed black pepper – to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Cauliflower florets, bought cut onion, sliced cherry tomatoes go on a sheet pan(s) and get sprayed generously with olive oil. Do a light sprinkle of sea salt and black pepper. Place in preheated 425F oven until lightly charred…..(ovens do differ…in my old oven this would be 30-45 minutes…in my current oven it is more like 50-60 minutes.)

While the cauliflower is roasting use a stick blender and lightly blend the walnuts with the vinegar, oil, garlic, and date syrup. You might want it still a little chunky and not like peanut butter. Set to the side.

When the cauliflower is done assemble and serve. Add the walnut vinegar sauce. Finish with a sprinkle of walnuts, blue cheese, golden raisins, and scallions. It’s delicious and most people will enjoy!

Roasted Cauliflower with Walnut Vinegar Sauce, Walnuts, Blue Cheese, and Golden Raisins

ENJOY!!!

The Forking Truth

Yotam Ottolengi Test Kitchen Inspired Cheddar and Feta Flat bread with Za’atar Pesto and Crisp Onions Recipe

This recipe is a variation of the Ottolengi Test Kitchen’s Middle Eastern Mac ‘N’ Cheese with Za’atar Pesto. I made it a few months back and it was SO FORKING AMAZING!!!!!!!! Incase you don’t know Yotam Ottolenghi is a famous chef, restauranteur, and multi award and James Beard winning cookbook author. Anyways that Middle Eastern Mac ‘N’ Cheese really was FORKING Amazing…. so

Middle Eastern Mac & Cheese with Za’atar Pesto & Crisp Onions

I thought these same flavors would also be great on a flatbread so I gave it a try.

I made my own bread and my own crisp onions but you can buy a flat bread already made. I always just wing bread because bread recipes are very rarely perfect to the brand flour you buy. They are all ground different so your results will differ. I basically made the bread the way I try to describe on how I make pizza dough. You can look that up on The Forking Truth if you like. The onions are easy. Either you can buy them already made crisp in a bag or slice onions yourself and coat them in either flour or cornstarch and fry in oil on medium heat till crisp. After that all I had to do was to make a cheese foundation that taste like what was on the pasta from the original recipe and then make the pesto. Serving size is difficult to judge. This recipe makes enough to dress two 14 inch breads that I cut into 16 small slices. I don’t know if you want one, two, three, or four slices to eat? I think the majority of people will eat two slices so I’ll guesstimate 8 smaller servings.

Ingredients for around 8 servings

2 – 14 inch flat breads

1/2 cup crisp onions

5 Tablespoons butter room temperature – topping

3 garlic cloves – ground to paste – topping

1/8 teaspoon turmeric – topping

1+ 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin – topping

5 Tablespoons cream cheese

1 + 1/3 cup mature cheddar cheese – shredded

6 + 1/3 oz feta cheese – crumbled

sea salt – to taste

black pepper – to taste

1 lemon – zest & supreme the segments and chop the supremes, squeeze what’s left not to waste the juice – pesto

3 Tablespoons za’atar – pesto

1 cup either parsley, cilantro, or celery leaves or a bit of each – rough chopped – pesto

1 garlic clove – ground to paste – pesto

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts – lightly crushed – pesto

6 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil – pesto

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil – to oil pan

Directions

Depending on your bread depends on the temperature you need. If you are using a purchased bread you only need to preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. If you are baking a pizza type dough then you would need a higher temperature on what your pan or stone can handle between 450 and 500 degrees F.

Make topping- In a medium bowl combine butter, garlic, turmeric, cumin, cream cheese, cheddar, and feta cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set to the side.

Make pesto – In a small bowl combine zest, lemon supremes, any lemon juice that you can squeeze from the skins you removed from the supremes, za’atar, cup of leaves (parsley, cilantro, and or celery), garlic, pine nuts, olive oil. You will want to blend this slightly. It is easiest if you have a stick blender. Or you can muddle it with a mortar and pestle.

Preheat your oven to at least 350 degrees F.

Place a bread on an oiled pan.

Spread 1/2 of topping on bread. (other 1/2 goes on 2nd bread)

This goes in oven till hot. (about 10 minutes)

Next – take out of oven and add up to 1/2 of pesto. (Some goes on 2nd bread)

Finish with crisp onions and slice and serve!

Cheddar & Feta Flatbread with Za’atar Pesto & Fried Onions

A Special THANKS!!!!!!!!! to Ottolenghi Test Kitchen so I could come up with what I got here!

The Forking Truth

Green Chili & Cheese Corn Muffins Recipe

A corn muffin is very easy to prepare. I gave these corn muffins a southwest twist by using masa de harina, green chilies and cheese to basic corn muffins. This recipes makes 24 small muffins. Extras can be frozen for latter use. Latter I found out that they make a FORKING SCRUMPTIOUS filling for fresh fish. They actually sell fresh fish at supermarkets here….WOW if you can get some fresh mild white fish by where you live you can make something incredible.

Ingredients for 24 servings

3/4 cup cornmeal

1/4 cup masa de harina

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup butter room temperature (either salted or unsalted butter will work here. – I usually use unsalted but got salted by accident and I thought I had enough salt so I’m adding sea salt to taste to recipe)

sea salt – to taste

1 egg – lightly beaten

2/3 cup non fat dry milk (or just one cup milk and skip the water in this recipe)

1 cup water

1 cup scallions – sliced thin

4 roasted chili peppers – peeled, stem & seeds removed – well chopped (I used Anaheims but many different ones are delicious…You might need more or less chilies depending on what kind you use)

2 cups mostly cheddar cheese – cut in small pea sized cubes.

1/2 cup cilantro – well chopped (thin stems are good but thick stems should be thrown out)

Directions

Set oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl mix together the masa de harina, corn meal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, dry milk, (and salt if using). Next mix in the butter, egg, water, scallion, chili peppers, cheese and cilantro.

You use paper cupcake liners because the cheesy muffins might stick to the pan.

Fill the cupcake liners a little over 1/2 way.

In my oven on middle rack the muffins were done in 15 minutes. Timing may differ slightly.

Green Chili & Cheese Corn Muffins

They are tasty and moist. Everyone will enjoy!

But after I made them I discovered that they make a FORKING AMAZING STUFFING for mild white fish. I cut a muffin in half and rolled a sole filet around half a muffin.

I rolled sole filets around 1/2 muffins and added my home made salsa to the tops of them and popped them in a 350 degree F oven on an oiled baking sheet for 20 minutes. They came out FORKING AMAZING!

The Forking Truth