monterey jack cheese

Squash Blossom Quesadillas Test Your Culinary Compass

11 Aug 2010
Squash Blossom Quesadillas from Sippity Sup

What would you do if you came home one day to a nice bunch of squash blossoms waiting for you by the front door? No note. No message. No hint as from where they came.

Now let's say you live in the heart of the big city where people of questionable sanity pass you on the sidewalks every day.

Let's also say that you are going out of town that very afternoon. You know those blossoms will have bloomed and faded by the time you return from yet another glamorous weekend in Palm Springs.

Suddenly you are faced with a choice. What would that choice be? Now don't look at the photo or read the title of this post– 'cuz that would be cheating.

Do You:

  • A) Drop them in the compost bin, after all you live in Hollywood. Freaks abound.
  • B) Assume they are from a nice neighbor with a vegetable patch, and call to investigate.
  • C) Make quesadillas immediately before whomever dropped those blossoms figures out what happened.

And just so you know there is only one correct answer.

 

Sippity Sup Continues »
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Orange Scented Squash Blossom Quesadillas

Sippity Sup's Squash Blossom Quesadillas
By jgreghenry Published August 10, 2010
Prep time: 20
Yield:1 ()

Ingredients:

  • 25 squash blossom, cleaned with stamens removed
  • 0.5 lb monterey jack cheese, thinly sliced or grated
  • 2 T canola oil
  • 6 green onions and part of their greens, thinly sliced
  • 1 clv garlic, peeled & minced
  • 1 t orange zest
  • 2 t fresh oregano leaves, minced
  • 0 kosher or sea salt salt, as needed
  • 8 nine-inch flour or corn tortillas
  • 1 ripe avocado, peeled and sliced
  • 0 green tomatillo salsa, served along side
  • 0 cilantro leaves as garnish

Directions

Tear the squash blossoms into 2 or 3 pieces each. Heat the oil in a large skillet set over medium-low heat. Add the onion, garlic and oregano, saute until the onion is soft, but not yet colored, about 10 minutes. Add the squash blossoms along with a pinch of salt. Cook about 1 minute more, just until the blossoms begin to wilt. Remove from heat and stir in the orange zest. Heat a second large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Lay the tortillas out in front of you. Top each of 4 tortillas with 1/4 of the cheese and 1/4 of the squash blossom mixture. Lay 1 of each of the remaining tortillas on top of the squash blossom lined tortillas. Carefully move them to the hot skillet and cook them one at a time (or more at once if using a griddle) until well-browned on the bottom. Flip the quesadilla over and continue to cook until the cheese is melted and the other side is brown. Repeat if necessary with the remaining quesadillas. Serve the quesadillas hot with the avocado, salsa and cilantro on the side to garnish as desired.

Notes:

serves 4 Source: Inspired from Eating Local

Judi's Bistro- Chicken Kiev

10 May 2010
making Chicken Kiev

When you were a kid was there a special food in your family’s life?

There was at my house. It was called Chicken Kiev, and despite my mother’s love of classical French cooking styles this was a dish that we three kids always asked for on special occasions.

Because it was more than just “fancy food”, we were quite used to fancy food. I have shared some of my childhood food memories when I started this week long tribute to the recipes of my mother. Click here if you’d like to revisit that story.

So when my brother set to work compiling all the collected recipes of my mother after she passed away in 1993, I was happy (but not at all surprised) to see that he included Chicken Kiev in the cookbook he put together for me. It’s a recipe that means something to me.

However, it would probably not please my mother to be most remembered by me for this particular recipe. It is not the style of cooking that I actually associate with her or her tastes. But I can’t think of Chicken Kiev with out smiling a little… feeling that little tingle run down my spine,­ and yes– tearing up a little too. So... sorry mom, but you’ll always be Chicken Kiev to me!

Sippity Sup Continues »
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Chicken Kiev

prepping Chicken Kiev
By jgreghenry Published May 7, 2010
Prep time: 180
Yield:1 ()

Ingredients:

  • 0 unsalted butter at room temperature, divided
  • 2 T fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 t dried basil
  • 0 salt and pepper as needed
  • 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
  • 6 sli monterey jack cheese about 1x2 inches and 1/4 inch thick
  • 1 c fine dried bread crumbs
  • 0.5 parmesan cheese, grated
  • 0 vegetable oil

Directions

Prepare the herb butter by combining 1/4 cup butter, parsley, basil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl, mix well. Place chicken breasts, 1 at a time, between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Using a mallet pound the breasts to about 1/4-inch thickness. Season each piece of chicken with salt and pepper. Lay 1 chicken breast on a new piece of plastic wrap and place 1/6 of the compound butter and 1 slice Monterey Jack cheese in the center of each breast. Using the plastic wrap to assist, fold in ends of breast and roll breast into a log, completely enclosing the butter; roll very tightly. Secure with toothpicks. Repeat with each breast. Place chicken in refrigerator for 2 hours, or up to overnight. When ready to bake pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Melt the remaining 1/4-cup butter and pour it into a wide shallow bowl. Put the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese into another wide shallow bowl, mix well. Heat 1/2-inch of vegetable oil in a 12-inch saute pan over medium-high heat. Un-wrap the breasts and remove toothpicks. Then one at a time dip each breast in the melted butter and then roll in the bread crumbs. Gently place each breast into hot oil and cook on all sides until golden brown all over. Transfer each breast to a baking dish once browned. This may be done an hour or two in advance and set aside until serving time. To serve: Transfer all 6 breasts to the pre-heated oven and bake, approximately 10 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Serve immediately.

Notes:

serves 6 Source: Adapted from a recipe by Judi Henry (my Mom)