TLC Cooking Buddy's Recipes
TLC Cooking Buddy's Recipes
TLC Cooking Buddy's Recipes
Ingredients: cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 medium carrot, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary cup diced tomato 2 14-ounce cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained Directions: 1. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Add onion, carrot, garlic, rosemary, and a pinch of salt. Cook until the vegetables are soft. 2. Add chickpeas and tomato to saucepan along with stock. Cook gently for 30 minutes. Then remove about 3 cups worth of soup and set aside. 3. Using an immersion blender, blend remaining chickpea mixture until smooth. If you do not have an immersion blender, use a food processor or blender, and then pour it back into the saucepan. Return the reserved chickpea mixture to the pot and add the pasta. Cook until pasta is al dente, 8 to10 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper. If the soup is too thick it may be thinned out with a little boiling water. 4. Serve drizzled with a little olive oil and sprinkled with basil and Parmesan. 3 cups homemade chicken stock or canned low-sodium-chicken stock pound ditalini or tubetti pasta Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper Fresh basil leaves, chopped
SERVES 4-6
Ingredients:
For the filling:
6 cups apples, peeled, cored and sliced (I used macs, maccoun, jonagold) Lemon juice from 1/2 lemon 4 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon teaspoon ground ginger teaspoon ground nutmeg Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 2. Place the sliced apples in a large bowl and toss with lemon juice. Add remaining filling ingredients and toss to coat well. Transfer the apples to a 9 x 12 inch baking dish. 3. Combine the topping ingredients in the apple bowl and use a pastry cutter, or your fingers, to mix the topping until the it looks crumbly and there are no large pieces of butter visible. Be careful not to blend in the butter completely. 4. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the apples. Set the apple crisp in the oven on the middle rack and bake for 35-45 minutes, until apples are bubbling and the crisp topping is browned. 5. Remove apple crisp from oven and let cool for a few minutes before serving. Serve warm with
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 cup Gruyere cheese, grated 1 cup semi-soft Fontina cheese, grated cup Parmesan cheese, grated 1 8-ounce container Kraft Cooking Cream, original flavor Salt and pepper 8 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked according to package directions and
Directions
1 14-ounce can Italian cherry tomatoes, drained cup Buddy's Master Breadcrumbs
drained
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with butter. 2. Heat a medium skillet with the olive oil over medium heat. Crumble in the sausage and cook, breaking up any large chunks, until browned and cooked through about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the sausage with a slotted spoon to a large bowl. 3. In another bowl add the Dijon mustard, Gruyere cheese, Fontina cheese, Parmesan cheese and Kraft Cooking Cream. Taste, and add salt and pepper to taste (keeping in mind the saltiness of the sausage). Mix well to combine. 4. Mix the macaroni and cooked sausage into the cheese bowl. Fold in the cherry tomatoes. Pour the contents into the prepared baking dish. 5. Sprinkle evenly with the breadcrumbs and dot with butter, bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven
Steak Fajitas
by Buddy Valastro SERVES 6 Prep Time: 45 minutes, including resting time Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
For the steak: For serving:
Zest from 2 limes 4 garlic cloves, minced 2 teaspoons cumin 1 teaspoon cayenne (more depending on taste) 2 teaspoons salt 4 tablespoons canola oil 2 1/4 pounds skirt or flank steak, trimmed of fat
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced 1 red onion, thinly sliced 1 tablespoon canola oil Pinch of salt
For serving:
1 jalapeno, seeded and thinly sliced 1 small bunch fresh cilantro, roughly chopped 1 avocado, thinly sliced
Directions: 1. In a small bowl, whisk together lime zest, garlic, cumin, cayenne and salt. Stir in oil to make a paste. Rub steak with paste and place in a baking dish. Let sit at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes. 2. Preheat a grill pan over high heat. Oil the grill pan if needed. Grill the steak for 2-3 minutes each side. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let sit. 3. Toss the peppers and onions with the tablespoon of canola oil and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Add to the grill and cook for about 3-5 minutes, turning a few times during cooking, until the vegetables are softened. 4. When steak has rested, about 5 minutes, thinly slice it against the grain on a diagonal. 5. Serve steak and cooked vegetables with warm tortillas, sliced jalapeno, sliced avocado, cilantro and
Fresh Tomato Salsa, recipe follows 12 flour tortillas, warm Sour cream, optional Hot sauce, optional
salsa. Also serve with sour cream and hot sauce, if using.
Ingredients: 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for bread 2 large onions, chopped 1 medium bulb fennel, chopped 1 large carrot, chopped 1 rib celery, chopped 2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped, plus 1 clove for bread 1 cup dry white wine 4 cups water 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, plus more chopped, for serving 1 pound orzo 1 loaf country-style bread, sliced 1/2-inch-thick Freshly grated Parmesan cheese Directions: 1. In a Dutch oven or a large saucepan, heat olive over medium-high heat. Add onions, fennel, carrot, celery, garlic, bay leaf, and tomato paste; season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes then add the sea robins. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables have softened, about 8 minutes. 2. Stir in wine, tomatoes, and enough water to cover completely. Bring to a simmer and cook slowly for 2 hours. 3. Strain soup, discarding solids. Return to Dutch-oven on medium-high heat, and add orzo. Cook, stirring occasionally, until orzo is heated through. 4. Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle bread lightly with olive oil on both sides. Grill bread, turning once, until toasted. Remove from grill and rub one side with garlic clove. 5. Transfer soup to bowls and garnish with grated cheese and chopped parsley. Serve immediately with garlic toasts. Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 bay leaf 4 medium sea robins, gutted and roughly chopped 1-28 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, coarsely chopped
Ingredients:
For the Sauce: For the steaks:
cup freshly squeezed orange juice cup raisins cup Worcestershire sauce 2 tablespoons cider vinegar 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons Ketchup
2 (1 to 2-pound) rib-eye steaks, about 2 -inches-thick Olive oil Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1. Let steaks stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking. 2. Heat grill or grill pan to medium-high. Rub both sides of steak with oil and season liberally with salt and pepper. Place steaks on the hottest part of the grill. Sear steaks, turning once, for about 5 minutes per side on medium-high heat. Then move steaks to a slightly cooler part of the grill and cook, turning once, for 30 to 35 minutes for medium-rare. Remove from grill and let rest 10 minutes before serving.
For the Steak Sauce:
1. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine all sauce ingredients. Bring to a boil, stirring, for 2 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool. Transfer mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. 2. Serve sauce over steaks immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 month.
Ingredients:
For the roasted tomatoes: For the salsa:
2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes 2 jalapeno pepper, quartered lengthwise, ribs and seeds removed 2 clove garlic, halved lengthwise 1/4 cup olive oil 1 teaspoon salt
1. 1/2 of a red onion, roughly chopped 2. 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, tough stems removed, coarsely chopped 3. 1 lime, juiced 4. 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 5. Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place the tomatoes and jalapeno in one layer in a small baking dish or on a foil-lined baking sheet. Add garlic, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt and stir to coat. Roast for 10 minutes then remove pan and shake. Remove from oven and set aside to cool for 5 minutes. Place onion, cilantro, lime juice, cumin, pepper and a pinch of salt to a food processor. Pulse/process to chop. Add in the roasted vegetables and their juices from the baking dish or sheet pan, and pulse to get a thick salsa. Taste, and season with salt and extra lime juice, if desired. Transfer to a serving bowl.
Ingredients: Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper 8 ounces orchiette pasta 8 ounces hot Italian sausages, casings removed 1 medium onion, diced 4 large cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary leaves 1 cup white wine 1 cup chicken stock 2-15 ounce cans Cannellini beans, 1 bunch baby spinach, trimmed and well washed Salt and pepper
Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add salt and pasta. Cook pasta, stirring occasionally, until tender according to package directions. 2. Heat oil a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until brown, about 5 minutes. Add onion, garlic, and rosemary and cook until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add white wine, chicken stock, and beans, bring to a simmer, then add spinach and heat until wilted. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Stir in cooked pasta. 3. Ladle into bowls and serve with grated cheese, if desired.
SERVES 4-6
Ingredients: 2 pounds fresh clams, such as littlenecks, in their shells Cold water Salt 1 pound linguini 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 garlic cloves, chopped 1/4 cup dry white wine 1 cup clam juice 1 15-ounce can clams, rinsed 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley Directions: Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
1. Soak clams in enough salted water to fully cover them for about 5-10 minutes to purge sand. Then rinse and scrub well and set aside. 2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add linguini. Cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside. 3. Heat olive oil in large Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped garlic and saut for 30 seconds. Add both kinds of clams, wine, clam juice and simmer covered until wine is mostly reduced and the clams open, about 3-5 minutes. 4. When the clams have opened add the linguini and parsley. Stir to combine all ingredients and serve hot. 5. Serve with Parmesan, if using.
**Note: If clam is already open, tap it on a surface to see if it closes. If it does not close, it is not fresh and you should throw it away. You want all your clams to be closed before you cook them.
Grace's Meatloaf
by Buddy Valastro SERVES 6-8 Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour
Ingredients: 2 pounds ground meatloaf mix (equal parts veal, pork, beef) 1 medium Spanish onion, chopped 1 cup grated Romano cheese 1 cup breadcrumbs cup chopped Italian parsley 1 teaspoon kosher salt teaspoon pepper 5 slices white bread 2 large eggs 2 pounds whole milk mozzarella (not water-packed, Grace recommends PollyO), grated and divided
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 2. Lightly oil a 9 x 12 inch baking dish
3. In a large bowl: combine the meat, onion, Romano cheese, breadcrumbs, parsley, salt and pepper. Dip slices of bread in water then tear up and mix into meatloaf mixture. Add 2 eggs, and 1 pound of grated mozzarella. Mix with hands to combine very well. Let mixture rest 5 minutes before shaping. 4. Form meatloaf mixture into the baking dish. Spread top with tomato sauce and the remaining 1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes
before serving.
Ingredients: 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder, divided 1 teaspoons packed dark-brown sugar Boiling water 1 16-ounce bottle chilled seltzer water 1 cups premium ice cream 2 cups heavy cream 2 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons finely chopped chocolate covered espresso beans Directions: 1. In a small pitcher, combine 1 teaspoon espresso powder and brown sugar. Add 2 tablespoons boiling water and stir until sugar has dissolved, then add seltzer water. 2. In a separate bowl, beat cream, sugar, and remaining espresso powder until mixture becomes fluffy and set aside. 3. Divide seltzer mixture between 2 glasses. Using a small ice cream scoop, divide ice cream between glasses. Press down to submerge. 4. Top with a dollop of whipped cream. Sprinkle with espresso beans; serve immediately.
Directions: 1. Peel the onions and slice them crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick slices. Separate each slice into individual rings. 2. Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed medium stockpot or Dutch-oven, or in a deep fryer, to 350 degrees F. 3. While the oil is heating, pour the buttermilk into a large bowl and season liberally with salt and pepper. Add onions to the buttermilk mixture and stir to coat. 4. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, and a pinch of salt and pepper. 5. Working in batches, dredge some of the onion rings in the flour mixture and tap off the excess. Gently drop onions in oil to fry the rings, turning once or twice, until golden brown and tender, about 4 minutes. 6. Remove with a mesh skimmer and transfer to plates lined with paper towel. Serve hot.
Creamed Spinach
by Buddy Valastro SERVES 4 to 6 servings Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients: 1 cups heavy cream or whole milk Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided 3 cloves garlic, chopped 2 pounds baby spinach or 2 1/2 pounds fresh spinach, tough stems discarded 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 large shallot, finely chopped 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour Directions: Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1. In a saucepan heat heavy cream and nutmeg over medium-low heat stirring occasionally. 2. In a large skillet, heat 2-3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook the garlic until fragrant, about 30 second. Add the spinach and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 2 to 4 minutes for baby spinach and 4 to 6 minutes for regular spinach. 3. Remove spinach from heat and squeeze out all excess liquid either by wringing it out in a clean kitchen towel, placing it in a mesh strainer and pressing the moisture out with a large spoon, or by squeezing small handfuls to remove as much water as possible. Coarsely chop the wrung-out spinach. 4. Meanwhile, wipe out pot used for cooking spinach and add remaining olive oil and butter and cook over medium-low heat until melted. Add shallot with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking, about three minutes. Add the cream in a slow stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps, and simmer, until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. 5. Stir in spinach; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until heated through.
Chorizo Quesadillas
by Buddy Valastro SERVES Makes 3 quesadillas, 12 pieces
Ingredients: 3/4 pound fresh chorizo, or spicy Italian sausage, casings removed 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated 6x8-inch flour tortillas 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped Sour cream, for serving
Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 2. Line a baking sheet with foil and spread oil onto it with a brush. 3. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Add onions and saut for 2 to 3 minutes. Add chorizo and stir to break up into crumbles. Cook for an additional 6 to 8 minutes until chorizo is cooked through and the onions are soft. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. 4. Place 3 tortillas on prepared baking sheet. Divide 1/3 of the chorizo-onion mixture between each tortilla and top with some grated cheese. Top each with another tortilla and brush with remaining vegetable oil. 5. Place quesadillas in oven and bake for 10 minutes. Raise heat to 450 degrees and bake an additional 5 minutes until slightly blistered and browned. Watch closely to avoid burning. 6. Remove from oven and slice each quesadilla into 4 pieces. Top each with a dollop of sour cream
Ingredients: 3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled 4 tablespoons butter at room temperature 3 ounces cream cheese 3 tablespoons sour cream Salt and pepper 1 cup milk
Directions: 1. Cut the potatoes, into 1 to 2 inch chunks and place in a deep pot with cold water to cover by 1 inch. Add 1 teaspoon
of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, 15 to 20 minutes, or until potatoes are just-tender in the center. Pour potatoes into a colander and shake dry. Put potatoes into a stand mixer or a separate bowl to mix with beaters
2. Gently heat the milk and keep warm. 3. Begin mixing potatoes and add butter, cream cheese, sour cream, salt and pepper. When those ingredients have incorporated, slowly add the warm milk. 4. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve warm.
Ingredients: 3 pints strawberries 2 of Buddy's Vanilla Cake, recipe follows 2 quarts chilled heavy whipping cream 2 cups Sugar
Directions: 1. Reserve 8 of the nicest berries to decorate top of the cake, then hull and halve the remaining berries. 2. Cut the tops off of each cake so they are smooth and even. 3. Whip the cream with the sugar to soft peaks. Place one cake layer on serving
platter, leveled/cut side up. Spread or pipe whipped cream on the cake. Add strawberries and another thin layer of whipped cream. Stack the next cake on top with cut side facing up. Spread or pipe more whipped cream on top and decorate the top of the cake with the strawberries.
Buddy's Vanilla Cake 2 1/2 cups cake flour, plus more for flouring the cake pans 2 cups sugar, plus more for unmolding cake 3/4 cup vegetable oil 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt 4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature 1 cup whole milk Unsalted butter, for greasing two cake pans (about 2 tablespoons); nonstick cooking spray or vegetable oil may be substituted 1. Position a rack in the center of the oven, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 2. Put the flour, sugar, vegetable oil, baking powder, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. (If you don't have a stand mixer, you can put the ingredients in a bowl, and use a hand mixer with the blending attachments, but take extra care to not over mix.) Mix on slow just until the ingredients are blended together, a few seconds, then raise the speed to lowmedium and continue to mix until smooth, approximately 1 additional minute. 3. With the motor running, add 1 egg at a time, adding the next one after the previous one has been absorbed into the mixture. Stop the motor periodically and scrape the bowl from the bottom with a rubber spatula to integrate the ingredients, and return the mixer to low-medium speed. After all the eggs are added, continue to mix for an additional minute to ensure the eggs have been thoroughly mixed in. This will help guarantee that the sugar is dissolved and that the flour has been thoroughly mixed in, which will help produce a luxurious mouthfeel in the final cake. 4. With the motor running, add the milk, 1/2 cup at a time, stopping the motor to scrape the sides and bottom between the two additions. Continue to mix for another minute or until the mixture appears smooth. Before baking, be sure the batter is at 70F to 73F, or the cake will crown. (Test by plunging a kitchen thermometer into the center of the batter; if it is too warm, put the bowl in the refrigerator for a few minutes; if too cool, let it rest at room temperature.) 5. Grease two 9-inch cake pans (2 inches high) with the butter, and flour them. 6. Divide the batter evenly between the two cake pans, using a rubber spatula to scrape down the bowl and get as much batter as possible out. Bake until the cake begins to pull from the sides of the pan and is springy to the touch, 25 to 30 minutes. 7. Remove the cakes from the oven and let cool for at least 30 minutes, preferably an hour. 8. The cakes should be at room temperature before you remove them from the pan. Put a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet, top with sugar, and one at a time, turn the pans over and turn the cakes out onto parchment; the sugar will keep it from sticking. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to decorate.
Ingredients:
For the Churros: For the chocolate sauce:
1 cup water cup butter 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar teaspoon salt 1 cup all-purpose flour 3 eggs teaspoon vanilla Vegetable oil, for frying cup sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon Directions:
For the Churros:
cup heavy cream teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup semisweet chocolate pieces 4 tablespoons butter 1 tablespoon sugar teaspoon ancho chili powder or cayenne ground cinnamon
1. In a medium saucepan, combine water, butter, brown sugar, and salt. Place pan over medium heat and bring mixture to a boil. 2. Add flour all at once, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon. Cook and stir until mixture forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Turn off heat and add eggs one at a time, beating well with a spoon until the egg is fully incorporated. Then add vanilla. 3. Transfer dough to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. 4. Heat 3 inches of oil in a deep saucepan to 375 degrees F. 5. In a large bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon and cayenne. 6. When oil is ready, pipe 4" logs of dough into the hot oil (you may need to twist the pastry bag to get the dough to release, or use a sharp paring knife or scissors to cut free), a few at a time for about 2 minutes or until golden brown on both sides, turning once. Drain on paper towels. Return oil to 375 degrees before adding next batch of dough. 7. Sprinkle hot Churros with cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat. Serve warm with chocolate sauce for dipping.
Tip: Keep churros warm while you fry them in batches by placing them in a 250-degree oven until ready to serve To make the Chocolate Sauce:
1. In a medium saucepan, heat heavy cream and sugar over low heat, stir until sugar is dissolved, add a pinch of salt. Add chocolate and butter and stir constantly until both are melted and combined. Stir
in vanilla, chili powder and cinnamon and remove from heat. Pour into a serving bowl and serve warm.