Alfredo Sauce

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I think it’s safe to say that Alfredo sauce is one of the most comforting things on the planet. Butter, cream, and cheese – what’s not to love in that equation? I vaguely remember buying the jarred stuff when I first started cooking. But, quickly came to the conclusion that cream based sauces shouldn’t be in a jar, and started making my own.

Couldn’t be any easier. Melt some butter (toss in a clove or two of garlic if your feeling spunky), whisk in some heavy cream, and toss in some Parmesan cheese. Voila! Alfredo sauce. I do add a bit of cornstarch, I like a thicker consistency to my sauce – and, it seems to help with separation issues when reheating leftovers. Great with pasta (obviously), but the possibilities are endless as far as mix-ins go. Shrimp, chicken, bacon and chives, Jon’s favorite is crab cake alfredo – talk about good! But, it’s also great just tossed with some fresh pasta and a side salad. Super simple. Can be kept in fridge for up to 5 days, with no issues. If it seems a bit thick when you go to reheat, add a splash of heavy cream or milk to help thin it out to it’s original consistency.

Homemade Alfredo Sauce

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
2 cups heavy cream
3 tsp cornstarch
2 tbsp cold water
1 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
kosher salt
ground white pepper

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Slowly whisk in the heavy cream. Cook, over medium heat until simmering. Combine the cornstarch and cold water, whisk into the cream mixture.

Cook, whisking constantly, until sauce thickens.

Take off heat, and whisk in the Parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and white pepper.

Peach Cobbler

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Peach cobbler was always my favorite dessert as a little girl, and my mom makes a great one. I’ve made her version too many times to count, but it uses Bisquick – and I really wanted a to come up with a homemade recipe for the cobbler portion. I tried a couple of different recipes, but they were too puffy and biscuit-like for my taste. I like my cobbler to ooze into the fruit and bake, almost making for a bread pudding type consistency. When I stumbled over this version and tried it, I knew I had found a winner.

With the all the oppressive dry heat we had during July, peaches are about coming to an end here in Maryland. But, I’m hoping to take one more trip to my local orchard for a peck or two before they’re gone for good. Aside from prepping the peaches, this comes together in minutes. Who doesn’t love that kind of dessert? More time to spend outside having fun!

Peach Cobbler

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar, divided
1 tablespoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup milk
4 cups fresh peach slices (about 5 peaches)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Ground cinnamon

Melt butter in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish.

Combine flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt; add milk, stirring just until dry ingredients are combined. Pour batter over butter (do not stir). Bring remaining 1 cup sugar, peach slices, and lemon juice to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly; pour over batter (do not stir). Sprinkle with cinnamon, if desired.

Bake at 375° for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve cobbler warm or cool.

Source: Southern Living, June 1997 via MyRecipes

Chicken Gyros

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I had to do a double check to make sure I hadn’t posted this one yet. This is a dinner that we’ve eaten pretty much every other week for the past 3 years, and still never tire of it! It’s relatively quick and easy dinner too, that doesn’t heat up the whole house.

My husband grew up working in Greek family restaurants, so he’s always loved gyros. I stayed away from them for a long time, due the flat grey meat that is usually lurking inside. Then, my favorite internet Greek resident, Elly, shared her recipe for chicken gyros. It was like a revelation! I made them once years ago, and our whole family has been loving them since.

The chicken is marinated in lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and oregano. Then grilled, sliced, and piled into a warm pita with plenty of cool, creamy tzatziki and fresh veggies of your choosing. I like lettuce, tomato, sliced cucumber, and red onion. Perfect for an evening dinner outside in the backyard, which we love to enjoy this time of year.

I usually like to serve a Greek (think garlic & oregano!) seasoned oven fry or Greek salad with them, but with the abundance of gorgeous tomatoes in my backyard right now I decided to make a cucumber tomato feta salad. Amazeballs! If you haven’t made this Greek favorite already, just go ahead and do so. I can say with certainty that it will probably go onto heavy menu rotation on your dinner menus!

Chicken Gyros

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken (breasts or thighs)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lemon, juiced
2 tsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp dried oregano
kosher salt and pepper
1 batch tzatziki sauce
sliced tomatoes
sliced onions
sliced cucumbers
lettuce
4 (pocketless) pitas

Whisk together the garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, oil, oregano, and 1 teaspoon salt in a small bowl and add to Ziploc bag. Add in chicken pieces and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour, turning halfway through.

Preheat the grill (or pan, or broiler).  Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides, and then grill over indirect heat until cooked through, about 8 minutes per side, depending  what size/type chicken you are using. Allow the chicken to rest for a few minutes before slicing into strips.

Meanwhile, warm your pita bread. I have a gas stove, so I just spray them with a little bit of oil and stick them right on the burner for a few seconds per side. Top the pita with the chicken, tzatziki, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and lettuce.

Souce: slightly adapted from Elly Says Opa!

Garlic-Parsley Fries

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I know, I know – I just shared a recipe for homemade french fries on Friday, but I couldn’t resist sharing this rendition with you guys. My first taste of this wonderful fry flavor fry at Gordon Biersch, a national brewery/restaurant chain. I was blown away by their sheer awesomeness, and immediately went home and tried to re-create them. Several attempts were made, but none of them turned out quite right.

I’d been using olive oil to create the garlic-parsley infusion, which just seemed to make them extra greasy. The next time I tried butter instead. Once I swapped that out, bingo! Right on the money. These fries are drop dead delicious, ya’ll. A pungent bite from the garlic, a hint of lemony-herby goodness from the parsley. Certainly a great side dish, but these stand alone as an appetizer as well. With football season only a few weeks away (can I get an Amen?), I’m going to be looking for fun new munchies to make for my guys during the game. These fries definitely fit the bill!

Garlic-Parsley Fries

1/2 gallon vegetable oil
8 medium Idaho potatoes, peeled
kosher salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut in chunks
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced

Pour the oil into a deep fryer or heavy saucepan to reach halfway up the sides and heat to 350 degrees F, use a deep-fry thermometer to determine this. While the oil is heating, peel the skin off the potatoes and cut them into uniform 1/4-inch sticks; feel free to use a knife, mandoline, or French fry cutter. Dry the potato sticks thoroughly to keep the hot oil from splattering.

Fry the potatoes in batches so the pot isn’t crowded and the oil temperature does not plummet. Cook the French fries for 3 minutes, until soft but not browned. Remove the fries with a long-handled metal strainer and drain on brown paper bags.

To make the parsley butter: combine the butter, parsley, and garlic in a saucepan over medium heat. Swirl the pan around until the butter is completely melted.

Increase the oil temperature to 375 degrees F. Return the par-fried potatoes to the oil and cook a second time for 2 minutes, or until golden and crispy. Drain on fresh brown paper bags then place in a serving bowl. Salt the fries while they’re still hot and pour the parsley butter on top; toss gently to combine.

Source: adapted from Eat This Book by Tyler Florence