Beef Eye of Round Roast

I think this recipe needs a better name, but it really is just a beef eye of round roast, so what can you do?  I was originally going to make a stew with the beef but felt like eating a roast.  I was not sure how it would turn out, as it is a leaner and cheaper cut of meat, and indeed it was a bit tough.  Well, that is life, and one day when I am rich I will only buy the finest cuts of meat.  Serve with horseradish, and lots of it (I love horseradish!).

Roast (3 pounds)
-cover with gravy (I had leftover gravy in my fridge, but I think you can omit this step)
-season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder
-preheat oven to 500 degrees F for 20 minutes (although my oven only went up to 450 F.  Lame!)
-roast in oven, uncovered, for 21 minutes (3 minutes/pound)
-when it is done, without opening the oven door at all, let sit in oven for 1 to 2 hours
-take it out and let sit for half an hour
-slice thinly


Green Beans
-cook green beans lightly (I prefer to steam them)
-add 2 tbsp butter, salt and pepper, juice of half a lemon, 3 tbsp minced parsley


Enjoy!

Cauliflower Gratineed with Cheese and Tomatoes

I really enjoyed this dish!  Thank you again to Julia Child. The dish looks pretty thanks to the extra colour of the tomatoes, which also gives it a nice tangy flavour.  The cheese and butter help too!

Ingredients:
-1 cauliflower, cut into flowerets
-3 tomatoes, sliced
-1/3 cup melted butter
-1/4 cup breadcrumbs
-1/2 cup grated parmesan
-salt and pepper

Directions:
-blanche cauliflower (which means to cook it, but just barely, then submerge in cold water to stop the cooking process)
-arrange cauliflower in middle of baking dish, with sliced tomatoes surrounding it
-cover with half of the melted butter
-top with breadcrumbs, parmesan, salt and pepper
-top with rest of the melted butter
-bake at 375 degrees F for about 20 min

Chicken with Cream Sauce (aka Poulet Saute a la Creme)

I am so full of rich food I can barely keep my eyes open, let alone muster up the energy (haha, I just wrote "courage" by accident) to write this.  This is another Julia Child recipe, but adapted to be a touch healthier.  I will keep it short and simple. 

Ingredients:
Chicken thighs, without skin
Butter
Salt, pepper, dried thyme
Fresh parsely
Half of a shallot, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup heavy cream

Directions:
-Fry chicken in 1 tbsp oil and 2 tbsp butter
-Cover and cook over medium heat until cooked thoroughly (about 15 min)
-Remove chicken from pan and season with pepper and dried thyme
-Discard all but 1 tbsp leftover oil/butter

-Fry half shallot until slightly browned in leftover oil/butter
-Add white wine and cook until reduced to about 3 tbsp liquid
-Add cream and cook until slightly thickened
-Remove from heat and add 1 tbsp butter and diced parsely

-Add in cooked chicken and serve

Adzuki Bean Soup

Adzuki beans are red beans that are cheap and very healthy, and are typically used in Asian desserts.  I have had them in dessert soups and pastries, and have always liked them since I was a little girl.  You can find them in Asian supermarkets or sometimes in the "ethnic" section of other grocery stores.  Here is some nutritional information from the website livestrong.com to try to encourage you to make this recipe:

"A 100 g serving of cooked adzuki beans offers 128 calories, 0 g of fat, 7.5 g of protein, 25 g of carbohydrates, 7.3 g of dietary fiber, 8 mg of sodium, 0 mg of cholesterol, 121 mcg of folate, 532 mg of potassium, 168 mg of phosphorus, 52 mg of magnesium, 2 mg of iron, .57 mg of manganese, and 1.78 mg of zinc."

Convinced?!

Recipe/Directions
-soak 1 cup of adzuki beans in water overnight
-rinse and drain well
-place adzuki beans in large pressure cooker or pot and add 7 to 8 cups of water
-cover and simmer for 20 minutes in pressure cooker or 1 hour in regular pot

-serve with 1 tbsp condensed milk
-eat for breakfast, snack, or dessert!

Variations:  Other people thicken the soup, and/or add raw or brown sugar instead of condensed milk.  Do as you please!

Julia Child - Mastering the Art of French Cooking

TIME TO GET FAT!!!!

Inspired by the book & movie, Julie and Julia, I will be embarking on a French cooking journey and making a series of recipes from the book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking.  I will be interspersing these dishes with some healthier, less heavy meals, especially considering it is summer and ridiculously hot outside (i.e., not really a time for heavy stews and meats with cream).  All recipes will be slightly adapted since I cannot be bothered to follow exact recipes.

Recipe 1:  Potage Parmentier (Leek and Potato Soup)

4 cups potatoes, peeled and diced
4 cups leeks, sliced
10 cups water

Boil and then simmer these ingredients for 50 minutes.  Mash with potato masher.  Add 2 to 3 tbsp of butter and decorate with fresh parsley before serving.

PS. This is not a recipe with a lot of butter and cream....wait for it!