Pear, Blue Cheese and Honey Crustinis with Balsamic Drizzle

So far, I’m digging twenty fourteen. I may be jumping the gun only sixteen days in, but I’ve already had quite a bit of fun and I just booked a whole lot more.

On the books in the next few months, Vegas, NYC, Dallas, Atlanta and Denver. And if I can swing the time off, maybe a little hop over the pond to Europe.

But my favorite part of this new chapter is the cooking remix that has been happening. I’m revisiting a bunch of my old buddies. I’m calling them up, having them for dinner and giving them a little makeover.

I’ve made this dish before on Sundays when my whole family is together. Last weekend, Josh was having his last meal on US soil until the late spring. The pressure was on for a great last meal.

With a little extra kick with the balsamic drizzle, this dish got even more irresistible. Basically, I should have made double.

You will need…

2 pears, sliced 1/8 inch thick and halve dif the pieces are large

1 baguette, sliced ¼ inch thick

1 cup crumbled blue cheese

2 tablespoons honey

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees F.

Spread out the bread slices on a baking sheet and lightly brush them with the olive oil.

Bake the bread in the oven until slightly toasted. About 8 minutes.

While the crustinis are baking, pour the vinegar into a small saucepan and heat over medium high. Bring the vinegar to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer until the vinegar has reduced by half.

When the crustinis are toasty, pull them out of the oven and top each one with a pear slice and ½ tablespoon blue cheese. Season well with salt and pepper to taste.

Pop them back in the oven and toast for another 5 minutes. Just until the blue cheese starts to melt.

Remove them from the oven and place them on a platter.

Drizzle with honey and reduced balsamic.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Pear, Blue Cheese and Honey Crustinis with Balsamic Drizzle

2 pears, sliced 1/8 inch thick and halve dif the pieces are large

1 baguette, sliced ¼ inch thick

1 cup crumbled blue cheese

2 tablespoons honey

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees F.

Spread out the bread slices on a baking sheet and lightly brush them with the olive oil.

Bake the bread in the oven until slightly toasted. About 8 minutes.

While the crustinis are baking, pour the vinegar into a small saucepan and heat over medium high. Bring the vinegar to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer until the vinegar has reduced by half.

When the crustinis are toasty, pull them out of the oven and top each one with a pear slice and ½ tablespoon blue cheese. Season well with salt and pepper to taste.

Pop them back in the oven and toast for another 5 minutes. Just until the blue cheese starts to melt.

Remove them from the oven and place them on a platter.

Drizzle with honey and reduced balsamic. 

Slow Cooked Pear Pulled Chicken

Some days are just bad days.

Today was a bad day.

This morning there was a major shake up in my department at work and a lot of people’s jobs were reconstructed, including my own. Some good people are no longer with the company. Change is never easy, but is often necessary. But something necessary isn’t always painless.

So today was a bad day.

But not just for me.

Today was a horrible day for many people on the East coast of our country.

My hearts go out to all those who have experienced damage or loss at the hands of sandy.

I am very happy to report that my family and friends that were affected are all safe. Without power, but safe.

Bad days happen.

It is inevitable. The only thing you can control is how you react to bad days.

Only you can decide how you are going to be affected by your day.

I chose to come home, drink wine, spend time with my family and make really good food.

And man oh man do I feel better.

You will need…

6 chicken breasts

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

3 pears, chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

¼ cup sage, chopped

2 tablespoons brown sugar

3 to 4 cups chicken stock

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating your oven to 300 degrees.

Then heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat.

When the oil is nice and hot, season your chicken well with salt and pepper and seer 3 of the breasts in the hot oil.

Sear the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes a side so they have a nice brown.

When you have seared both sides of the chicken, remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.

Heat the remaining oil. When it is hot, add in the remaining chicken and continue to sear the remaining 3.

Remove the chicken and set it aside.

Add in the onions and cook until they are translucent. About 5 minutes.

Toss in the pear and the garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

Then, add in the sage and the brown sugar and give it a good stir.

Add the chicken back to the Dutch oven.

Pour in just enough stock to cover the chicken, cover and place in the oven.

Cook for 3 hours.

Remove the Dutch oven and set it out on the counter.

Pull the chicken out of the sauce and place it on a cutting board.

Using 2 forks, pull the chicken into pieces and add it back into the sauce.

Spoon some chicken and sauce over rice or pasta and serve.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela 

Slow Cooked Pear Pulled Chicken

6 chicken breasts

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

3 pears, chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

¼ cup sage, chopped

2 tablespoons brown sugar

3 to 4 cups chicken stock

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating your oven to 300 degrees F.

Then heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat.

When the oil is nice and hot, season your chicken well with salt and pepper and seer 3 of the breasts in the hot oil.

Sear the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes a side so they have a nice brown.

When you have seared both sides of the chicken, remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.

Heat the remaining oil. When it is hot, add in the remaining chicken and continue to sear the remaining 3.

Remove the chicken and set it aside.

Add in the onions and cook until they are translucent. About 5 minutes.

Toss in the pear and the garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

Then, add in the sage and the brown sugar and give it a good stir.

Add the chicken back to the Dutch oven.

Pour in just enough stock to cover the chicken, cover and place in the oven.

Cook for 3 hours.

Remove the Dutch oven and set it out on the counter.

Pull the chicken out of the sauce and place it on a cutting board.

Using 2 forks, pull the chicken into pieces and add it back into the sauce.

Spoon some chicken and sauce over rice or pasta and serve. 

Balsamic Roasted Pork Tenderloin and Pears

Since I was out of work yesterday being a great citizen, my work today was slightly hectic. And by slightly I mean I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off.

My friends and I often send each other, photos, videos or articles of things we find funny, interesting or heartwarming.

Most of the time, I take a gander but sometimes I’m crazed at work and forget to take a gander.

At the end of the workday today, my good friend Morgan sent me the link to a website about a bird name Alex.

Normally, at the end of a frantic day I would just ignore the link and never bring it up again. But for some reason, I decided I wanted to read this little story about a linguistics research bird so I forwarded myself the link.

While waiting for Albert to finish cooking dinner (I really do most of my cooking on Tuesdayz) I read all about this amazing parrot.

Why am I telling you this? Because it was freaking awesome. See for yourself here.

It just goes to show you that there is so much out there we don’t know about the world and everything.

But with everything we read, or experience, or cook we learn a little more.

You will need…

2 lbs pork tenderloin

3 bosc pears, halved

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon thyme, finely chopped plus a few extra springs for roasting

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

3 tablespoon balsamic vinegar plus ¼ cup for roasting

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees F.

In a small bowl combine the garlic, thyme, mustard, balsamic and salt and pepper. Mix the ingredients well.

Rub half of the mixture all over the pork.

Then, heat the olive oil in a large oven safe pan over high heat.

When the oil is very hot, add the pork to the pan and sear until the pork is golden on all sides. About 8 minutes.

After the pork has been seared use a spoon to drizzle the pork with the remaining mustard and vinegar mixture.

Add the pears, remaining thyme and balsamic to the pan and pop it in the preheated oven. (Do not do what I did and use an aluminum foil roasting pan. It will mess up your cook time.)

Cook until the pork has reach 137 degrees F. About 15 minutes.

Remove the pork from the pan, cover it with aluminum foil and let it rest for 10 minutes.

Slice the pork into ¾ inch slices.

Place a couple of slices of pork and a pear on the plate.

Drizzle the pork with the pan juices and serve.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela 

Balsamic Roasted Pork Tenderloin and Pears

2 lbs pork tenderloin

3 bosc pears, halved

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon thyme, finely chopped plus a few extra springs for roasting

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

3 tablespoon balsamic vinegar plus ¼ cup for roasting

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees F.

In a small bowl combine the garlic, thyme, mustard, balsamic and salt and pepper. Mix the ingredients well.

Rub half of the mixture all over the pork.

Then, heat the olive oil in a large oven safe pan over high heat.

When the oil is very hot, add the pork to the pan and sear until the pork is golden on all sides. About 8 minutes.

After the pork has been seared use a spoon to drizzle the pork with the remaining mustard and vinegar mixture.

Add the pears, remaining thyme and balsamic to the pan and pop it in the preheated oven.

Cook until the pork has reach 137 degrees F. About 15 minutes.

Remove the pork from the pan, cover it with aluminum foil and let it rest for 10 minutes.

Slice the pork into ¾ inch slices.

Place a couple of slices of pork and a pear on the plate.

Drizzle the pork with the pan juices and serve. 

Poached Pear and Arugula Salad

When I was young, my brothers and I fought all the time. I’m pretty sure my mom had to listen to a solid twelve years of bickering. But no matter how bad the arguments got, I always knew that we would be friends for life.

At nine years old I didn’t realize that hanging out as adult siblings would also mean hanging out with their girlfriends.

And honestly, when I realized that someday I would have to let another girl be a part of my family I was dreading it.

Lucky for me, both of my brothers have managed to attract awesome girls. How they managed it, I’m not sure. But I will take it.

Last Saturday, we had a rare opportunity to get the whole family together. And for the first time ever, we made a nice even eight.

It was really awesome not being outnumbered for once.

To honor the occasion I made this amazing salad. So amazing I made it twice in three days last week.

You will need…

2 ripe pears, sliced about 1/8^th inches thick

4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoon olive oil

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

6 cups arugula

4 oz burrata cheese

1 cup homemade croutons

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by chopping up your burrata and seasoning it with salt and pepper and set it aside.

Heat the olive oil, vinegar and rosemary in a large skillet over medium heat.

When the oil and vinegar are nice and hot, add in the pears.

Simmer the pears for about 2 minutes a side.

Immediately remove the pears from the heat.

While the pears are cooling, combine the arugula, burrata and croutons.

When the pears have cooled to a warm temperature, drizzle the pears and the remaining oil and vinegar over the salad. Discard the rosemary.

Toss well and serve while the pears are warm.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela 

Poached Pear and Arugula Salad

2 ripe pears, sliced about 1/8^th inches thick

4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoon olive oil

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

6 cups arugula

4 oz burrata cheese

1 cup homemade croutons

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by chopping up your burrata and seasoning it with salt and pepper and set it aside.

Heat the olive oil, vinegar and rosemary in a large skillet over medium heat.

When the oil and vinegar are nice and hot, add in the pears.

Simmer the pears for about 2 minutes a side.

Immediately remove the pears from the heat.

While the pears are cooling, combine the arugula, burrata and croutons.

When the pears have cooled to a warm temperature, drizzle the pears and the remaining oil and vinegar over the salad. Discard the rosemary.

Toss well and serve while the pears are warm. 

Calbi Short Rib Tacos

Well, all six ladies made it back from Vegas in one piece. There were a couple of touchy moments, but everyone survived. Not only did we make it out unscathed, but we also had an awesome time.

But after two days of not much food and too much booze, I was ready to get in the kitchen and make myself something tasty.

No matter how bad I just wanted to curl up and take the longest nap EVER.

You will need…

1 ½ to 2 lbs of short ribs

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 pear, pealed and diced

1 kiwi, peeled and diced

4 green onions, chopped

12 cloves garlic, minced

8 tablespoons soy sauce

4 tablespoons white sugar

2 tablespoons sesame oil plus and extra tablespoon

¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons plus rice vinegar

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

2 to 3 cups chicken stock

½ green cabbage, sliced

½ red onion, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Salt and pepper to taste

8 grilled or heated flour tortillas

Start by preheating your oven to 300 degrees.

Then, in a Dutch oven or oven safe pot, heat the olive oil and the red pepper flakes.

Season your meat well on both sides with salt.

When the oil is nice and hot, add in the short ribs and sear them until browned on all sides. About 10 minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat and add in the pear, kiwi, green onions, soy sauce, sugar, 2 tablespoons of sesame oil, 3 tablespoons rice vinegar and ginger.

Pour in the chicken stock just until the beef is covered.

Stir up the mixture, cover and place in the oven.

Cook for 3 to 4 hours. Till the meat pulls apart easily.

As soon as you put the meat in the oven, combine the cabbage, onions, remaining sesame oil and rice vinegar, and the sesame seeds.

Toss the mixture well and make sure to stir ever 20 minutes or so.

When the meat is done, pull all the meat  part.

Assemble the tacos with a warmed tortilla, ½ cup meat and ¼ cup of cabbage mixture. Drizzle with the sauce from the meat and serve hot.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela 

Calbi Short Rib Tacos

1 ½ to 2 lbs of short ribs

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 pear, pealed and diced

1 kiwi, peeled and diced

4 green onions, chopped

12 cloves garlic, minced

8 tablespoons soy sauce

4 tablespoons white sugar

2 tablespoons sesame oil plus and extra tablespoon

¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons plus rice vinegar

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

2 to 3 cups chicken stock

½ green cabbage, sliced

½ red onion, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Salt and pepper to taste

8 grilled or heated flour tortillas

Start by preheating your oven to 300 degrees.

Then, in a Dutch oven or oven safe pot, heat the olive oil and the red pepper flakes.

Season your meat well on both sides with salt.

When the oil is nice and hot, add in the short ribs and sear them until browned on all sides. About 10 minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat and add in the pear, kiwi, green onions, soy sauce, sugar, 2 tablespoons of sesame oil, 3 tablespoons rice vinegar and ginger.

Pour in the chicken stock just until the beef is covered.

Stir up the mixture, cover and place in the oven.

Cook for 3 to 4 hours. Till the meat pulls apart easily.

As soon as you put the meat in the oven, combine the cabbage, onions, remaining sesame oil and rice vinegar, and the sesame seeds.

Toss the mixture well and make sure to stir ever 20 minutes or so.

When the meat is done, pull all the meat  part.

Assemble the tacos with a warmed tortilla, ½ cup meat and ¼ cup of cabbage mixture. Drizzle with the sauce from the meat and serve hot.