The 2 Spoons

I Love Eggplant Parmesan! Comfort Food!

February 12, 2019 by Becky Spoon

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In the Italian American kitchen eggplantparmesan was a staple. Its history is rather curious. As with many dishes the Italian American version is not the same as the recipe in Italy. Eggplant was developed in Asia and came to Southern Italy with the Arabs in the 9th century. http://thefoodtable.com/eggplant-parmesan.html

Eggplant slices are dipped in eggs, then seasoned breadcrumbs, cooked to a golden brown in a little oil, layered with marinara, Parmesan and fresh mozzarella!

Eggplant Parmesan is the ultimate comfort food and the perfect dish for Meatless Monday’s! Even my “meat and potatoes” cowboy likes this dish!

I Love Eggplant Parmesan!

This recipe calls for a jar of your favorite marinara. If I have it on hand or have the time to make I use my recipe for Marinara. Here’s the link:https://the2spoons.com/basic-marinara-sauce/

https://the2spoons.com/chicken-cacciatore-a-dish-made-hunter-style/This Eggplant Parmesan would be a great side dish to my Chicken Cacciatore!

I Love Eggplant Parmesan!

Eggplant Parmesan is delicious! Eggplant slices are dipped in eggs, then seasoned breadcrumbs, cooked to a golden brown in a little oil, layered with marinara, Parmesan and fresh mozzarella!

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Prep Time 45

Cook Time 15

Total Time 1

Servings: 4 Servings

Course: dinner, easy side dish, vegetable, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

1 Large eggplant sliced in 1/2 inch slices
1 jar Marinara of your choice
1 Cup flour, salt and pepper to taste
2 Eggs beaten
2 Cups Panko breadcrumbs
1/2 Cup Parmesan, plus more for layering
1 Tsp Italian seasoning.
oil for frying the eggplant slilces

Method

Slice the eggplant, salt and place in a colander for about 30 minutes to release the water in the eggplant.
Meanwhile set up your dredging station. Place the flour in one dish and season with a little salt and pepper. Add the eggs to a second dish and beat the eggs until only yellow shows. In a third dish add the panko, the Italian seasoning and the parmesan cheese.
After the 30 minutes has passed, rinse the salt off the eggplant and dry with a towel. Place the eggplant, one piece at a time in the flour, coating both sides, then the egg mixture, coating both sides, then the final coating of breadcrumbs coating on each side.
Cover the bottom of a large skillet with oil and heat to medium. Place the eggplant in the oil and fry to a golden brown on each side. Continue cooking until all eggplant slices have been browned and drain on paper towels. You’ll have about 8 or 9 slices.
Pour some of the sauce in a casserole dish. Add a piece of eggplant, top with a little sauce, then a slice of fresh mozzarella and a sprinkling of parmesan.,
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Stack another eggplant on top of this layer, finishing with the mozzarella. Depending on how many towers you want to make, you can stack two high or 3 high, your choice.
Place the casserole dish in the oven and cook until the cheese is melted and the sauce starts to bubble. Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh basil and more parmesan. Bon Appetite!

Essential – Perfect Roast Beef

February 11, 2019 by Becky Spoon

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Did you know that the carving station roast beef is called a “Steamship Round”? It is the whole Round (hindleg) of the cow with the Top Round, Bottom Round and Eye Round included. The heel and one of the leg bones are taken out, as is the Rump, so that it can sit upright on the carving table. They can weigh any where from 30-50 lbs. They are quite hard to carve, because now we have the grains from several muscles running different directions. A good Chef (or knifeman) can cut nice thin slices of beef, against the grain, starting at the top of the meat and working his way down.

Read more: http://askabutcher.proboards.com/thread/77/big-roast-beef#ixzz5fFZ5irGr

Roast Beef at home can be accomplished with a nice top round . The top round will bring about those roast beef carving station results you’re looking for. Roast Beef is a delicious main course either served with aus jus, a brown gravy or a horseradish cream.

Essential – Perfect Roast Beef

Not only is this Roast Beef perfect as a main course, but this is the roast beef for those thinly sliced sandwiches! This is the roast beef you get used for deli sandwiches.

Slather some mustard or another favorite sandwich topping on my homemade rolls for a delicious slider! https://the2spoons.com/my-best-dinner-rolls-yet/

Here’s the recipe! I think you will love it!

Essential – Perfect Roast Beef

For the home cook, a nice top round will bring about those roast beef carving station similar results and is a delicious main course served with aus jus, a brown gravy or a horseradish cream. Not only is this a main course but this is the roast beef for those thinly sliced sandwiches!

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Prep Time 15

Total Time 21

Servings: 6 Servings

Course: dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

1 Top round roast, 3 or 4 pounds
2 Tsp Salt
3/4 Tap Garlic powder
1 Tsp Minced garlic
1 Tsp Black pepper
Fresh herbs, thyme, rosemary and parsley, chopped
4 Tbsp Olive oil

Method

Combine all the ingredients and pour into a plastic zip lock bag. Add the top round roast and turn, coating on all sides. Place in the refrigerator and marinate 24 to 48 hours. This is a tough piece of meat so the marinating is essential.
When ready to cook take the roast out of the refrigerator and bring to room temperature for about 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Remove the fresh herbs because they will burn while searing the roast. In a hot, heavy skillet, brown the meat on all sides. Place the roast on a roasting rack over a sheet pan and cook until the internal temperature reaches 125 for medium rare. A thermometer is essential because if you over cook this roast it will be tough.
Remove the roast from the oven and let it rest for about 30 minutes.
Thinly slice this roast against the grain. Serve with a brown gravy, with aus jus, or a horseradish sauce. Perfect for sandwiches too!

Essential Old Fashioned Beef Stew

February 9, 2019 by Becky Spoon

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Normally I make Old Fashioned Beef Stew without a recipe that I’ve made for years; however my sister made this Old Fashioned Beef Stew the other day that was yummy! Her Recipe came from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook.

https://www.amazon.com/Better-Homes-Gardens-Cook-Book/dp/0544714466/ .

Her stew had a rich thickened sauce from the little bit of flour you tossed the meat. There’s a slight sweet taste, maybe from the vegetable juice, something I had never used in a stew but I think the juice added so much flavor to the stew.

I had to make this old fashioned beef stew and what better time than this chilly weekend! Why would I want to share another cookbook recipe? Because this is Better Homes and Gardens recipe and I think most of us learned how to cook from the old addition of Better Homes and Gardens recipe, and this is a great Old Fashioned Beef Stew I’ll add to my repertoire!

Essential Old Fashioned Beef Stew

Pair this Old Fashioned Berf Stew with my cornbread recipe. https://the2spoons.com/southern-cornbread/

Can’t wait for you to try this recipe! Let me know what you think! I definitely will be making this again!

Essential Old Fashioned Beef Stew

This classic stick-to-your-ribs stew is the ideal project for this chilly weekend. Beef, onion, carrots, potatoes, vegetable juice and beef stock come together in cozy harmony.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1 30

Total Time 1 50

Servings: 6 Servings

Course: dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

2 Lbs Beef chuck roast
1/4 Cup All purpose flour
1/4 Tsp Pepper
3-4 Tbsp Vegetable oil
3 Cups Vegetable juice I used V8
3 Cups Beef broth
2 Medium onionscut into wedges
1 Cup Thinly sliced celery
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tsp Dried oregano, crushed
1/2 Tsunami Dried marjoram, crushed
1 Bay leaf
4 Red potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces I peeled them
4 Carrots , 1/4 inch sliced

Method

Cut meat into 3/4 inch pieces. In a large plastic bag combine flour and pepper. Add meat to a bag; shake until evenly coasted. Brown the meat. Stir in vegetable juice, broth, onions, celery, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, morjoram and bay leaf. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 60 minutes.
Stir potatoes and carrots into the stew. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer covered for 30 to 40 minutes or until meat and potatoes are tender. Discard Bayleaf.

Amazing French Toast with Banana & Apple Bread

February 8, 2019 by Becky Spoon

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I love French Toast! But, can you imagine French Toast made from homemade Banana & Apple Bread? Perfection! The bananas, the chunks of apple, all toasted together, then served with syrup and fresh fruit then topped with whipped cream, so good!

Amazing French Toast with Banana & Apple Bread

This is the link for my recipe I used for this French Toast: https://the2spoons.com/the-best-banana-apple-bread/

French Toast is the perfect recipe for your weekend family breakfast together. There’s just something about French Toast! It just seems so classy? Is that the word I’m looking for? Whatever the word, your family will love, love, love this French Toast made with my delicious Banana & Apple Bread.

I always love the history of foods. Here’s a little tidbit about the history of French Toast! http://www.foodreference.com/html/food-history-a-e.html

Honestly, it is a beautiful dish to serve! Colorful is just one word that comes to mind.

Amazing French Toast with Banana & Apple Bread

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings: 2 servings

Course: Breakfast, brunch

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

4-6 slices Banana & Apple Bread Link to the recipe:https://the2spoons.com/?p=4467
4 eggs
2 tbsp heavy cream
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp butter

Method

Beat the eggs with the heavy cream and vanilla. Slice the Banana & Apple Bread and lay each slice in the mixture. Use like a sheet pan or a cake pan with sides. Let the bread soak up the egg/cream mixture, turning to coat. Be gentle so you won’t break up the bread.
Heat a large skillet or griddle and melt the butter. Add each piece of the bread that has been soaked in the egg to the skillet. Brown on medium high heat on both sides.
Remove to a serving plate and add syrup, your favorite fruit, a sprinkling of powder sugar and Whipped cream if you like. Bon Appetite!

Amazing French Toast with Banana & Apple Bread

I love French Toast! But can you image French Toast made from homemade Banana & Apple Bread! Perfection! — Amazing French Toast with Banana & Apple Bread

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The Best Banana & Apple Bread – Delicious!

February 8, 2019 by Becky Spoon

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This Banana & Apple Bread is waiting to be sliced hot out of the oven and slathered with butter!

The Best Banana & Apple Bread

Banana & Apple Bread brings back so many childhood memories. Actually, any time I make a pound cake or banana bread, I think about my Mom making these and she would slice it hot out of the oven and we’d slather butter on it and the entire loaf would be gone in minutes.

This Banana & Apple Bread is the perfect use for those very ripe bananas. If you decide not to use your bananas immediately, you can freeze them, take them out and thaw before use. Here’s a link on freezing bananas: http://dish.allrecipes.com/how-to-freeze-bananas

If you decide to not eat this Banana & Apple Bread immediately (but you have to), you can wrap it and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This bread also freezes well.

Let’s start baking!

The Best Banana & Apple Bread

This Banana & Apple Bread is waiting to be sliced hot out of the oven and slathered with butter!

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Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

1 stick plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 apples like Figi or Granny Smith, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsps vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg, or ground nutmeg
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 ripe bananas, mashed (1cup)
1/4 cup orange juice

Method

Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 9-by-5-by-4 1/2 inch loaf pan. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, salt, cloves, nutmeg, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.
Step 3
In a large bowl, using a handheld electric mixer beat the remaining stick of butter with the granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and mix until smooth. Add the mashed bananas, orange juice and the remaining 1 teaspoon of vanilla and beat until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and beat on low speed until smooth. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the apples.
Step 4
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean; cover loosely with foil if the loaf becomes too dark. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a rack to cool completely.

Perfectly Delicious Avocado Toast with Poached Salmon

February 6, 2019 by Becky Spoon

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This avocado toast with poached salmon is absolutely one of my favorite toast! There’s toasted bread, sliced avocado, poached salmon, and a mustard dill sauce!

Poached Salmon Toast — Perfectly Delicious Avocado Toast with Poached Salmon

Honestly, this Avocado Toast with Poached Salmon is perfect for Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, or an appetizer.

Perfectly Delicious Avocado Toast with Poached Salmon

I cooked the salmon for the avocado toast to a medium rare. I didn’t want to over cook it so it would be dry. The medium rare salmon with the mustardy sauce, the avocado

And that mustard sauce! Oh wow! This sauce takes this avocado toast to a new level! The sauce is sweet and mustardy!

Perfectly Delicious Avocado Toast with Poached Salmon

Just look at this salmon. Can you imagine adding this to your Avocado Toast?

It seems everyone is having avocado toast for breakfast these days and that makes me happy! Here’s a little history of Avocado Toast! https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/05/06/how-the-internet-became-ridiculously-obsessed-with-avocado-toast/

Perfectly Delicious Avocado Toast with Poached Salmon

Here’s the recipe! Bon Appétit!

Perfectly Delicious Avocado Toast with Poached Salmon

This Avocado Toast with poached salmon is absolutely one of my favorite toast! Toasted country bread, sliced avocado, medium rare poached salmon, topped with a sweet mustard dill sauce!

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 5

Total Time 15

Course: Appetizer, Breakfast, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

For the Poached Salmon

1 Lb Salmon filet
Salt
1/2 Cup White wine vinegar
1 Shallot, peeled and thinly sliced, or a few slices of onion
Several sprigs of fresh dill or sprinkle of dried dill
Fresh parsley
Fresh ground pepper
A few slices of lemon

For the Toast

2-4 Slices country brear
1 Ripe avocado, sliced
2 Lemon, quartered
Salt and pepper
Poached salmon, sliced or chunked into pieces
Red onion slices
Dill fronds for serving

For the Sauce

2 Tbsps Dijon Mustard
1 Tbsp Honey Mustard
1 Tsp Whole-grain Mustard
1 1/2 Tbsp Sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp White wine
2 1/2 Tbsp Olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp Grapeseed oil
2 Tbsp Minced fresh dill
1/2 Tsp Kosher salt

Method

Poaching the salmon

Cover and cook 5 to 10 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillet, or to the desired fineness. Do not overlook! I only cook for 5 because I like my salmon medium rare.

Building the Toast

Toast the bread and add sliced avocado. Sprinkle with lemon juice, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place a slice of salmon, ribboning it out to cover the bread or some chunks. Drizzle with the sauce. Garnish with some red onion, sprinkle with dill fronds, salt and pepper, and serve with extra sauce.

For the sauce

Whisk together the Dijon Mustard, honey mustard, whole grain mustard, sugar, and vinegar in a medium bowl. Combine the oils in a cup. Slowly add the mixture to the mustard mixture, whisking constantly until emulsified. Stir in the dill and salt.

These soft boiled eggs are the perfect side for this avocado toast:https://the2spoons.com/soft-boiled-eggs/