Munch Brothers» Paleo Diet

Eclectic Kitchen™: Thanksgiving – Let’s Be Thankful & Let There Be Gourmet Turkey

Michelle Norris — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 23:12:08 +0000

Well, I was just recently asked to shoot a cooking video, roasting & carving a turkey for the “Eclectic Kitchen™” for the BBC for an upcoming Holiday Special. Needless to say, I was pretty excited about the opportunity! – I’m gonna give you the recipe for my roasted turkey but I’ll also provide you the links to go check out the videos. Currently they are in their unedited state but once I receive the pilot copy of the show, I do plan on uploading it so I will update everyone.

Roasted Herbed Turkey

2 Lemons

Dijon Mustard

1 cup Soy Sauce (I use low sodium soy sauce)

Nice handfuls each of rosemary, basil, thyme and sage

Preheat oven to 350° Make sure to remove the neck, gizzards, heart & liver then rinse & pat dry the turkey – placing it in a roasting pan either with a lid or you will need heavy duty foil to tent over the turkey while it is roasting. Next slather dijon mustard all over the turkey generously, I like to get up underneath the skin & coat the meat with it, making sure to get the skin loose so that we will be able to put the herbs under the skin when we’re ready to really infuse the herb flavors into the bird. Next, roll the lemons across the counter several times to loosen the fruit & juice from the rind, then cut into quarters & squeeze over the turkey, place rinds into the cavity of the bird. Next, gently pour the soy sauce over the turkey to coat it thoroughly but being careful not to wash off the dijon mustard. Now it’s time to stuff herbs under the skin but make sure the skin continues to cover the bird & herbs. Then place herbs all over the outside of the bird, as well. You can keep some herbs back to use as garnish, if you like. Now cover with a lid or if you have foil, tent the foil over the bird tightly. Depending on the size of your bird, you’ll want to roast for several hours until the internal temperature of the thigh meat has reached 180°. Approximately 30 minutes before the bird is done cooking, you will want to check and see if it is browning, if it isn’t browning, then you’ll want to remove the lid or the foil. Now, make sure to baste frequently so you’ll keep the exposed breast meat from drying out on you. This makes one of the most juicy, suculent and tasty turkeys you will ever put in your mouth. Serve this with all your normal holiday sides.

I’ll be posting wonderful holiday recipes over the next few days & weeks so be sure to come back often.

Here are the links to check out my turkey roasting & carving videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DDm3W9aWUg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKSZouKvRZQ

Eclectic Kitchen™: Fancy Eggs without the Fuss – Baked Eggs Florentine

Michelle Norris — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 03:08:23 +0000

Don’t you just love a fabulous weekend brunch breakfast? But hate all the muss & fuss of it, don’tcha? Me, too! That’s why I love this breakfast it is so flavorful and fancy looking but definitely not a lot of work. Pair it with some juice, a cup of fresh columbian coffee and a nice half melon or grapefruit and voila! — you have a brunch that looks like you ordered in from that fancy little bistro down the street.

Baked Eggs Florentine

Recipe per ramekin serving:

1 slice prosciutto

1/2 cup baby spinach

1/2 cup diced tomato

1 round slice provolone

2 eggs

1/4 cup shredded mozarella

Sea salt & Cracked Pepper to taste

First you’ll need to butter or oil your ramekins, place them on a cookie sheet and then preheat oven to 350.

Then for each ramekin, tear prosciutto into small pieces and place in the bottom of ramekins. Next add baby spinach, then tomatoes. Salt & pepper, to taste. Then place the provolone in the ramekin so that it makes a table over the items below. In my ramekins, I have to cut into 4 pieces & overlap. Then crack the eggs over the top of the cheese being careful not to break yokes. Salt & pepper, to taste then cover with shredded mozarella. Place ramekins on the cookie sheet into the oven and bake for approximately 12 -14 minutes until the cheese starts to brown a little. I like my yokes to still be a little runny, so if you would prefer them a little more done you might want to bake a little longer. Have a little fruit, some avocado slices & some coffee with it and you have a fabulous gourmet brunch! Bon Appetito!

Baked Eggs Florentine Breakfast

Eclectic Kitchen™: Eggplant A Cosmopolitan Fruit?

Michelle Norris — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 23:37:22 +0000

Italian or Baby Eggplant

This is a must read - for those looking for a

fabulous hors d’oeuvre, a hearty side dish, or a wonderful

vegetable main course. With a little modification, it

could be a fully vegan entrée – so look no further.

Filling? Yes it is. Meaty? Uh huh.

Flavor? Out of this world, delicious!

Right now, is the peak season for……eggplant.

Sliced Eggplant With Tomatoes

Eggplant is related to the tomato and potato

as part of the nightshade family.

It is actually a fruit, specifically a berry,

though it is referred to as a vegetable.

In this recipe, I used the smaller

Italian or baby eggplant. I find that it has

a better flavor. This is just a great simple

recipe for the fall and it would be an easy

recipe to take tailgating, as well. Just make

sure you cut up the eggplant just prior to

using it so that it doesn’t discolor. In this

recipe I call for rosemary & garlic goat cheese

but feel free to substitute any flavors

that you like. We’re fortunate, we get our

goat cheese direct from the farmer who raises

the goats and handmakesthe cheese in all

kinds of delicious flavors,

it really is magnificent.

If you’re interested in an organic

source such as ours, I suggest your local

or state farmer’s market to help you locate one

or you can go to localharvest.org, as well. Mangiamo!

Sliced Eggplant & Tomatoes

Grilled Eggplant Neopolitans

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 TBS minced fresh rosemary leaves

1 TBS minced fresh basil leaves
Freshly Ground Sea Salt and black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 baby or Italian eggplants
2 medium tomatoes
1/4 pound rosemary & garlic goat cheese, crumbled (Substitute soy-based cheese alternate to create vegan entrée)

Optional – shredded mozzarella to top off

Prepare the grill so that the temperature on 1 side is hotter and the other is just medium-low. If you cannot do this, then get the temperature to medium and really watch your veggies closely.

Whisk together the vinegar, rosemary, basil then salt and pepper, to taste. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. ***

Wash the eggplant and cut crosswise into 1/3-inch slices. Cut the tomatoes crosswise into 1/3-inch slices. Place the vegetables on a tray or in a bowl and brush generously with the dressing.

Grill the eggplant until it’s just cooked, on the hotter side of the grill, 3 to 5 minutes per side, brush with more yummy dressing. Grill the tomato slices for 1 minute per side. Transfer the vegetables to a tray as they finish grilling.

Arrange stacks of vegetables on the cooler side of the grill: start with the eggplant, add a slice of tomato, then add some crumbled goat cheese. Then layer in reverse with the eggplant ending on top with a small dollop of goat cheese and a bit of mozzarella if you opted for it. Cover the grill and cook the stacks 2 to 4 more minutes or until the cheese melts. Voila! You have a meal or a fabulous snack!

***Sidenote – this vinaigrette is also wonderful on all kinds of salads. You simply must try it.

Grilled Eggplant Neopolitans w/Tomato, Goat Cheese & Mozarella

Eclectic Kitchen™: Grilling Two Steaks with the effort of One

Michelle Norris — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 23:17:19 +0000

Raspberry-Pomegranate Vinaigrette

I see this as the old adage of killing two birds with one stone…When you’re like me, you’re busy, you have a lot of irons in the fire and a schedule that rivals Madonna’s. Now, as much as I love to cook and find that cooking and the kitchen are my sanctuary…even I dare say my nirvana, I do need to be efficient at times and do some multi-tasking when I’m in there or in this case – at the grill. If you’re going to go through all the trouble to fire up the grill, doesn’t it makes sense to throw on a little extra beef (or maybe chicken) to cover for another meal or maybe even two?

We love grilling a good London Broil or a juicy sirloin in addition to whatever steak we’re having for dinner, to slice up and use for steak salads or steak sandwiches as a quick fix meal on another night when we have plans, a late night at work or we know we won’t have time to cook an entire meal.

I just start with a rub of a little olive oil all over the steaks, then a bit of cracked pepper and end with a light sprinkling of brisket rub. Throw those babies on the grill and pull em off when you find they’re done. We prefer medium – to medium rare, mmmm – excellente. Refrigerate the extra steak, whole and uncut until you need it then slice it up to put it over your favorite salad fixins or use it in steak sandwiches. This keeps it nice and juicy so the refrigerator doesn’t dry it out.

My favorite steak salad is over baby greens, with chopped celery, sliced baby cucumbers, sliced onions, avocado chunks, shredded carrots, sliced strawberries, sliced peaches, Clementine segments, chopped walnuts and fresh goat cheese with Raspberry-Pomegranate Vinaigrette. Steak salad is so filling and so quick to put together. Our kids love it, too! Mmm, that’s what we’re having for dinner tonight! Yum!

Steak Salad with Raspberry-Pomegranate Vinaigrette

1/8 cup Pomegranate Vinegar

1/3 cup Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar

1/2 cup Light Olive Oil (I use Bertolli)

3 TBS Fresh OJ

1 TBS Dried Orange Peel

1 TBS Brown Sugar (You can use regular sugar)

1/2 tsp fine sea salt

1 Finely Minced Shallot

1 tsp Poppy Seeds

1 TBS Pumpkin Pie Spice (if you don’t have this – a dash each of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and allspice will do)

Honestly, I don’t measure this out, I’ve never had a recipe, this is something I just put together. I eyeball this and do it by sight. These are approximate values, I got from walking it through, today. I usually make up a large double batch of this. It seems like a lot to do or measure but really once you get this down it takes a couple of minutes to whip it together, the shallot takes the most time. It’s really easy and so flavorful.