GCC: Menu 24 - Irish Stew and Ficelles

March 13, 2011 by Monica in Bread, Cookbooks, Cooking Club, Dinner, Gutsy Cooks Club, Main Courses, Meat

This weeks Gutsy Cook Menu is a tribute to the upcoming Saint Patrick celebration. Chosen by Shandy of Pastry Heaven, it was the perfect Saturday night dinner. The Florida weather even cooperated, since we were enjoying a nice sunny, COLD day. Perfect for a stew, with a crusty homemade bread. There was a third option of dessert – French Apple Tart, which I skipped.

I’m not a huge meat eater, in fact I really try not to eat meat at all, but lamb is just too good to pass up and this weeks stew called for lamb as the main protein ingredient. While it is a bit pricy, the fact that this was feeding only 3 of us, and one of those was a child, I got away with spending about $14 bucks for 1 pound. And it was just the right amount and we still have some leftover for Tom to take to work on Monday.

As like any savory dish I try out of a cookbook, I tend to use it as a springboard for me to put my own twist on it. And this one was no exception. The instructions tells you to pretty much layer all of the ingredients in a heavy casserole, season and bake for one and half hours.

Raw.

I just could not bring myself to follow this.

Beef Involtini - Slow Braised Meat Rolls

February 24, 2011 by Monica in Beef, Cookbooks, Family Cookbook, Main Courses, Meat, Savory

For the past 11 days I have been fighting a cold. I experience every single symptom that every cold medicine list on their packaging. I don’t think I ever had a cold hit me this hard or overstayed it’s welcome - EVER!. I had been, simply put – MISERABLE. And like anyone, when you are sick, the last thing you want to do is cook or be around food - at least that is the case with me. On top of all that I’m in the middle of interviewing for a new job, which has taken over my mental state.

Tomorrow I will be going in for my third interview with this company and I’m about to crack – No joke. To have something that you want so very bad right there for you to take, but still beyond your reach, because other people are making the final decision - well, it’s sucks the big one. I can honestly say that I comprehend what Top Chef contestant go thru doing everything in the power to reach their dream and still not have full control of the final outcome.

So, I know that I have neglected Sweetbites this past week. But, hopefully this weekend I will be back in full swing and cook up a storm, and then you all be sending me emails to stop posting so much. Just you watch.

But what I do have is a recipe that I made over a month ago, and just remember that it has been sitting on my DRAFT box all this time.

Timballo

February 13, 2011 by Monica in Dinner, Entertaining, Main Courses, Meat

See that picture above that looks like a cake?

It’s not cake.

Instead is an Italian dish called Timballo.

Timballo is an Italian dish consisting of a filling baked encase in pasta, rice or even potatoes. Usually one or more ingredients (cheese, vegetables, etc) are included. Like everything else in Italy, varieties of Timballo differ from region to region and it’s sometimes called bomba, tortino or sartu (the Neapolitan interpretation). The dish is usually prepared in a dome or springform pan, and eggs or cheese are used as the binder.