Category: Back to Basics

Categories
Back to Basics Featured Recipes Side Dishes

Oven Roasted Asparagus

Oven Roasted Asparagus from www.jasonscooking.com
Temperature400°Time10 – 12 mins

Oven Roasted Asparagus from www.jasonscooking.com

BackgroundAsparagus? Asparagus.

The first recipe back in the saddle is roasted asparagus. Why roasted asparagus, you ask? I will answer your question with a multiple choice:

A. Because it’s spring and asparagus is in season.
B. Because we need some more vegetable side dishes on this site.
C. Because asparagus is delicious.
D. Because I already had the picture and recipe ready to go in my Google Drive.
E. All of the above.

If you chose E, dear reader, you are correct. At this time of year, asparagus is tasty, vegetabley, and already photographed-ey! My favorite way to cook asparagus – or really any vegetable for that matter – is to roast it in a hot oven just until it picks up a bit of color. A simple seasoning of salt and pepper allows the flavor of the asparagus to shine through.

Warning: This recipe is no doubt a tasty way to cook asparagus but it’s still asparagus. Kids seem to have a natural hatred of these little trees and roasting them isn’t likely to change that. If this describes your kids (or husband or wife) hopefully they/he/she will grow out of it and learn to love these spring vegetables.

The RecipeRecipe
Oven Roasted Asparagus
 
Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Ingredients
  • 1 tsp Olive Oil (you can also use vegetable oil)
  • 1 Bundle Asparagus, rinsed
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°
  2. Using a big knife, cut off the bottom half to one inch of the asparagus.
  3. Toss the trimmed asparagus, oil, 2 big pinches of kosher salt and a few grinds of pepper together in a large bowl.
  4. Spread out in a single layer on a sheet pan and cook for 10 – 12 minutes until your asparagus is tender-crisp and oxymoronically delicious!
Tips and TricksTips and Tricks

Here’s a tip to use when rummaging around the produce aisle for asparagus. Thinner stalks are more tender and a bit sweeter, while thicker stalks have a more asparagussy flavor.

Feed the FreezerFeed the Freezer

Freezing asparagus, like most other vegetables, requires a quick blanching in salted boiling water (maybe 60 seconds) and then an immediate dip in an ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain, freeze in a single layer on a sheet pan until solid, transfer to a zip-top bag and store for about 6 months.

Fun FactsFun Facts

Michael hates asparagus so I don’t make it for us that often. If you ever invite us over to your house and are wondering what sort of vegetable to cook, I’d enjoy some asparagus!

Categories
Back to Basics Breakfast Featured

Thick-Cut Oven Bacon

Crispy Oven Bacon
Temperature375°Time20 – 30 mins

Crispy Oven Bacon

BackgroundMmmmmmm.  Bacon.

I’m no bacon cultist but whoever decided that it would be a good idea to take a pork belly, cure it in salt, smoke it, slice it and then fry it up was a visionary the likes of which the world has never seen before or since. This salty, smoky, crispy meat goes well with pretty much everything and is guaranteed to make any dish more delicious. It’s basically the King Midas of meats.

The only bad thing about bacon is that it can be messy to fry up on the stove top.* It splatters, and if you have to cook a lot of bacon for a crowd, it can seriously throw off your timing as you have to babysit it on the stove. I’m not sure where I learned about cooking bacon in the oven (I’m guessing Alton Brown), but I’m super glad that I did. It’s the easiest, least messy way to cook this delectable delight and if you’ve never tried cooking bacon in the oven, it will change your life.

The RecipeRecipe
Crispy Thick-Cut Bacon in the Oven
 
Print
Cook time
Total time
 
Cooking bacon in the oven is quick, easy and way less messy than cooking it on the stove top.
Author:
Recipe type: Breakfast
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 8 Pieces of Thick-Cut Bacon
Instructions
  1. Do not preheat the oven! This is the key to perfect oven bacon.
  2. Place the bacon on a half-sheet pan and put in the cold oven.
  3. Turn the oven on and cook for 20 – 30 minutes until it reaches the desired doneness (see notes below)
  4. When the bacon reaches your preferred doneness, remove from the oven and place on a paper towel to drain.
Notes
This recipe is for thick-cut bacon. If you use regular bacon, it should take 10 – 15 minutes.

The fewer pieces of bacon you have on the pan, the less time it will take.

Begin checking the bacon 10 minutes before you think it should be done and take out of the oven when it reaches your desired crispness/doneness.

The bacon will continue to cook a wee bit when you take it out of the oven.
Tips and TricksTips and Tricks

*If you have a cast iron skillet that needs seasoning, do not use this method for bacon. Frying up bacon or sausage in the skillet, wiping out the grease with a paper towel, and repeating is the perfect way to season a cast iron skillet.

Feed the FreezerFeed the Freezer

Bacon freezes great and can be cooked from frozen by slightly adjusting the cooking time. I always freeze each slice of bacon individually in a single layer so I can take out a few pieces at a time rather than freezing a whole pound in one giant bacon block.

Fun FactsFun Facts

Google the “Bacon Number of [celebrity name]” and you can be the master of Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon. #1994PopCultureReference.

bradlycooperbaconnumber

Categories
Back to Basics Featured Jason's Favorites Lunch Main Dishes Snacks

Bacon and Cucumber Sandwiches

Bacon and Cucumber Sandwich
Temperature375°Time35 mins

main_cucumberbacon_070214

BackgroundBackground

Last year, I started a garden and grew a bunch of vegetables and herbs.  “Bunch” may be a strong word as a lot of stuff didn’t make it due to rabbits and overcrowding.  Apparently those “place x inches apart” notes are important and you can’t grow 2 parsley plants, 2 basil plants, 2 cilantro plants, 2 mint plants, 2 bell peppers, 1 zucchini and 1 squash in a 4’ x 4’ garden bed.  Who knew?

The herbs grew too tall and crowded out everything except for the zucchini and cucumbers but that was because they are vines and grew out of the bed onto the lawn.  Long story short: I had a lot of cucumbers last summer!

Michael doesn’t like cucumbers all that much so the perfect storm that created this sandwich involved him being out of town, a glut of cucumbers, bacon, and me not want to cook.   This lazy dinner became my absolute favorite sandwich ever.  It’s salty and sweet, crispy and soft, hot and cold and embodies summer.  You should try it!

The RecipeRecipe
Bacon and Cucumber Sandwiches
 
Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
This quick and easy sandwich is a refreshingly sweet and salty taste of summer.
Author:
Recipe type: Sandwich
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 10 Slices of Thick Cut Bacon
  • 2 Cucumbers, Sliced into ¼ inch rounds
  • 8 Slices of Bread, I used Multi-Grain Sourdough Bread
  • 4 Tbs Mayonnaise
Instructions
Cook the Bacon
  1. Place bacon in a single layer on a sheet pan and put into a cold oven
  2. Turn the oven on to 375° and cook for 20 – 30 minutes, or until desired crispness is achieved. Note: This length of time is for thick cut bacon only, regular bacon will take much less time to cook.
  3. Drain bacon on paper towels

Assemble the Sandwich
  1. Each sandwich requires 2 slices of bread, 1 Tbs mayonnaise, approximately ½ of a cucumber, and 2 ½ slices of bacon.
  2. Mayonnaise up both slices of bread
  3. Layer thusly: bread, cucumber, bacon, bread

Tips and TricksTips and Tricks

Don’t be shy with the cucumber or bacon. They’re the stars of this show.

Feed the FreezerFeed the Freezer

No freezing allowed for this tasty summer time sandwich!  Leftover bread and bacon, however, can be frozen.

Fun FactsFun Facts

Cucumbers can provide a similar pick-me-up as caffeine due to them being a great source of Vitamin B and Carbohydrates.

Categories
Back to Basics Featured Sauces

Quick and Easy Marinara Sauce

TemperatureN/ATime25 mins

sauces_marinara_062614

BackgroundBackground

What’s the difference between marinara and red sauce?  Generally speaking marinara is a quick sauce that only has a few ingredients in it and red sauce or tomato sauce can be a lot more complex and stews for a long time.

Homemade marinara is a perfect sauce for a quick weeknight pasta dinner, the perfect sauce for chicken parmesan, or a great base sauce for pizza and it’s super easy to make!

sauces_marinaraveg_062614
All there is to marinara!

For those of you who like to get the basics and do your own thing, all you do is sauté garlic and onions in olive oil, add canned diced tomatoes (and the juice) and bring to a quick boil and then add in tons of basil and parsley at the last minute.  See?  It’s super easy to make and way better than store bought stuff!

The RecipeRecipe
Quick and Easy Marinara Sauce
 
Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
This quick and easy marinara sauce is a great addition to your kitchen arsenal.
Author:
Recipe type: Sauce
Ingredients
  • 1 - 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 Onion, diced
  • 3 Cloves Garlic, minced
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 2 28 oz Cans Diced Tomatoes
  • ½ Cup Fresh Parsley, Chopped
  • ½ Cup Fresh Basil, Chopped
Instructions
  1. Heat enough olive oil to cover the bottom of a medium pot on medium (plus a bit) heat
  2. Once the oil has heated up, add the onions and garlic, season with salt and pepper and sauté them until they are translucent (about 5 minutes).
  3. Add the two cans of diced tomatoes and bring to a boil.
  4. After everything is boiling toss in the fresh herbs and let cook for about 5 minutes.
  5. Remove from heat and serve with your favorite pasta!
Notes
If the sauce is too chunky for you, you can pulse it a few times with an immersion blender (or use a potato masher in a pinch).
Tips and TricksTips and Tricks

Canned tomatoes?  Yessir!  Canned (and frozen) vegetables are picked at their peak and – most of the time – are canned (or frozen) in the same day.  Grocery store produce is picked before it’s fully ripe so that it can last for the trip from the farm to your house.  There’s nothing wrong with canned tomatoes (as long as tomatoes are the only ingredient in the can).

Feed the FreezerFeed the Freezer

Marinara freezes great for up to 6 months so make a bunch and freeze them in 1 – 2 cup bags.

Fun FactsFun Facts

Many people don’t know the difference between marinara sauce and spaghetti sauce.

Categories
Back to Basics Featured Main Dishes

Steak in a Cast Iron Skillet

TemperatureN/ATime9 mins

mains_062314_steakcut

BackgroundBackground

My plan for this post was Tips for Grilling Steak but my grill decided that it wanted a break from all of the hard work it’s been doing over the last few months and ran out of gas.  I discovered this fact 10 minutes before the potatoes and popovers were supposed to come out of the oven so I didn’t have time to get more gas before dinner.

Part of being a good cook is being able to improvise when you’re missing something or something doesn’t go your way so instead of a Tips for Grilling Steak post, this is a Steak in a Cast Iron Skillet post!  The two cooking methods are pretty much the same but instead of “putting the steak on the grill,” we’re going to “put the steak in the pan.”

Tips and TricksTips for Cooking a Steak in a Cast Iron Skillet
  • Take your steak out of the refrigerator at least 1 hour before you plan to cook it.  This brings the meat to room temperature and helps it to cook more evenly.
  • A good cut of meat that is properly cooked only needs a liberal seasoning with salt and pepper.  Marinades, steak sauce, and spice mixes just hide the flavor of the meat.
  • A well done steak = a tough steak.  I like a medium rare steak so I cook mine for 4 minutes per side.  A ¾ to 1 inch medium steak should take about 4.5 minutes/side on high heat (8 – 10) and a medium-well steak will cook for 5 minutes on each side.
  • When cooking steak inside, turn on your vent hood!
The RecipeRecipe
Steak in a Cast Iron Skillet
 
Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Recipe type: Main
Ingredients
  • Steak, ¾ - 1 Inch Thick (I used a strip steak)
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Vegetable Oil for the Pan
Instructions
  1. Season steak liberally with salt and pepper on both sides.
  2. Let the meat come to room temperature.
  3. Put about a tablespoon of oil in the cast iron skillet and spread it all over the bottom of the pan with a paper towel.
  4. Heat the cast iron skillet on medium-high to high heat.
  5. When the skillet is hot, put the steak in the pan and cook for 4 minutes/side for medium-rare, 4.5 minutes/side for medium and 5 minutes/side for medium well. Walk away from the cooking meat and only flip the steak one time!
  6. Let steak rest on a cutting board for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting. If you were just put into a skillet, you'd want a rest too when you got out.
Feed the FreezerFeed the Freezer

Freeze raw steak in a vacuum-seal bag for up to 6 months.  When ready to cook, thaw in the refrigerator over night or under cold water for about an hour, season and let it come to room temperature.

Fun FactsFun Facts
  • The average cow is about 40% steak.
  • Beef is the third highest source of iron behind fortified cereal and grains.
Categories
Back to Basics Featured Side Dishes

Baked Potatoes

Temperature400°Time1 hour 35 mins

sides_062314_potatoloaded

BackgroundBackground

Sometimes I find that it can be pretty difficult to find a “time and temperature” recipe for something that is rather basic – like oven baked potatoes.  Baked potatoes are a stick-it-in-the-oven-and-walk-away side dish that are amazingly delicious when done right – light and fluffy on the inside and crispy and salty on the outside.

Everyone knows the main purpose of baked potatoes, however, is to be a vehicle for butter, sour cream, cheese, and bacon!

sides_062314_potatoesinoven
Look ma! No pan!

The process here is pretty simple so here are some tips:

  • Salt the potatoes while they’re still wet from washing instead of using oil on the outside.
  • For a crispier skin, place the potatoes directly on the oven rack – no need for a pan.
The RecipeRecipe
Baked Potatoes
 
Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Deliciously light and fluffy potatoes with a crispy skin.
Author:
Recipe type: Side
Ingredients
  • Large Baking Potatoes (buy them loose and not in bags/already wrapped)
  • Sea Salt or Kosher Salt
  • Butter, Sour Cream, Bacon, Shredded Cheese, Green Onions for topping
Instructions
  1. Preheat Oven to 400° or Convection Oven to 375°
  2. Wash potatoes under cool tap water
  3. While still wet, sprinkle liberally with salt
  4. Poke holes in the potatoes with a fork
  5. Place directly on the rack of the oven
  6. Cook for 1.5 hours
Tips and TricksTips and Tricks

If potatoes aren’t your thing, try scooping out the innards and enjoy the seasoned, crispy skins with your favorite toppings!

Feed the FreezerFeed the Freezer

I haven’t really had much luck with freezing potatoes but since there’s not really much prep work involved, I generally buy them fresh when I do my weekly shopping trip.

Fun FactsFun Facts
  • Potatoes and lettuce are the two most popular fresh vegetables in the U.S.
  • The average American eats approximately 126 pounds of potatoes each year.