In my last post, I mentioned that Food Revolution Lasagne is always a contender for Christmas dinner. Well, here is the other one…Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution Spanish-Style Grilled Steak. I originally made this for Valentine’s Day during my Food Revolution challenge. Later that year, I made it for my family for Christmas dinner and it became another family favorite for the holiday meal. My grandfather used to cook steaks on the grill for Christmas dinner when my mom was little and my dad took over the tradition when I was young. The first time I made this recipe for Christmas dinner it was definitely a nod to that family Christmas tradition. Jamie’s recipe for Spanish-Style Grilled Steak is simple and unique with a few awesome tricks that you won’t believe!

Happy Cooking,

Amy

Jamie Oliver’s Spanish-Style Grilled Steak

Food Revolution, pg. 235

Serves 2

2 fresh red chiles

1 red bell pepper

2 x 8-ounce beef top loin steaks

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

A good sprinkling of normal or smoked paprika

Olive oil

1 large clove of garlic

Extra virgin olive oil

1 lemon

1 cup crème fraiche or sour cream

To prepare your steaks:

Put a grill pan on a high heat and let it get screaming hot.  Halve and seed your chiles and bell pepper, then cut both bell pepper halves in two. Season your steaks really well with salt, pepper, and paprika. Drizzle with a good lug of olive oil and give the steaks a rub on both sides, making sure they are well coated in the seasoning.

To cook your steaks:

Lay the steaks in your hot pan with the chiles and bell peppers.  Cut the tip off the garlic clove and discard.  Your steaks should take 5—8 minutes in total to cook, depending on how you like them — every minute, turn them over, rub the hot, charred side of the meat with the garlic, and press down again.  Don’t forget to flip your bell peppers and chiles over too.  Remove the steaks from the grill to a plate to rest for about 5 minutes.  Cook the bell peppers and chiles for another 2 minutes, or until slightly charred, then remove to another plate and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.  Halve your lemon and squeeze the juice from one half over the steaks.

To serve your steaks:

You can either leave the steaks whole or cut them into strips and serve them with the bell peppers and chiles piled on top.  Lovely with a dollop of crème fraiche or sour cream.  Drizzle with the amazing meat juices, sprinkle with a pinch of paprika, and finish with a nice drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and the juice from the other lemon half.

 This week we are counting down to Christmas with three of my favorite holiday recipes.

Today’s recipe is one that my family begs me to make for Christmas dinner, Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution Lasagne. I first made it when I was doing my Food Revolution Challenge in 2010. My family talks about this every year and each year it is one of the contenders for our Christmas dinner. The best part about this is that you can make the sauce the day before, assemble the layers on Christmas afternoon and stick it in the oven. Have other family members bring a salad, bread and dessert and you are good to go! This is a real crowd pleaser!

Happy Cooking!

Amy

Jamie Oliver’s Lasagne – Food Revolution, pg. 169

Serves 4-6

For the bolognese sauce:

– 2 slices of smoked bacon, preferably free-range or organic

– 2 medium onions

– 2 cloves of garlic

– 2 carrots

– 2 celery stalks

– olive oil

– 2 heaping teaspoons of dried oregano

– 1 pound of high quality ground beef or pork or mixture of two

– 2 14 oz. cans of diced tomatoes

– sea salt and pepper

– fresh basil

– 2 oz of parmesan cheese

For the lasagne:

– 8 oz dried egg lasagne sheets (I usually use 365 brand No Boil sheets, and they worked great)

– 2 cups of creme fraiche or thick sour cream

– 4 oz of parmesan cheese

– 1 large ripe tomato, sliced

– 4-6 basil leaves

To make the bolognese sauce:

Finely slice the bacon and chop up the onions, garlic, carrots, and celery into small dice.  Place a large casserole-type pan on medium to high heat and add 2 lugs of olive oil, bacon and dried oregano – cook until bacon is lightly golden.

Add veggies to the pan and stir every 30 seconds for around 7 minutes or until softened and lightly colored. Stir in the ground meat and canned tomatoes.

Fill one of the tomato cans with water and add to pan

Stir in a good pinch of salt and pepper. Pick the basil leaves off and put in fridge for later.  Finely chop the basil stalks and stir into pan.  Bring to boil.  Turn the heat down and simmer with lid on for 45 mins, stirring a couple times.

To finish the sauce:

Preheat oven to 375. Remove the bolognese sauce from heat. Finely grate 2 oz of parmesan into the sauce.

Tear and stir in any larger basil leaves, keeping smaller ones aside for top.  Taste sauce and add more salt and pepper if needed.

To make the lasagne:

Grate 4 oz of parmesan. If you don’t use No Boil sheets, boil some water in a pan, then add the lasagne sheets with a drizzle of olive oil and blanch (slightly soften) for 3-4 minutes.  Drain sheets and carefully pat dry with paper towel to absorb excess water.  Spoon a third of the bolognese sauce into the bottom of a overproof dish.

Follow with a layer of lasagne sheets.  Dollop a third of the creme fraiche and smooth over the lasagne sheets. Sprinkle one third of the parmesan cheese.

Add another layer of sauce and repeat with sheets and cheese, ending with creme fraiche and parmesan on top layer.

Top the creme and parmesan with sliced tomatoes and small basil leaves, drizzle with olive oil.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.  After that, remove the foil and bake for 35 more minutes until the lasagne is bubbling and golden.

**Lasagna vs. Lasagne

You will noticed that I use the “with an e not an a” spelling in my posts. Lasagna is a flat, wide pasta noodle. For the dish made from this pasta, North American English speakers use the lasagna spelling and English speakers from outside North America usually use the lasagne spelling. The word is Italian, of course, and in Italian, lasagna is the singular noun for a single noodle and lasagne is the plural noun that is used for the dish, since it is made using many lasagna noodles. Jamie uses the correct Italian spelling in his cookbook and I choose to use it as well.

 My third and final Fall Favorite recipe is a chili recipe that I have been using forever. I’m not sure where I got it or even what it originally looked like since I’ve tweaked it several times. What I love about this recipe is that the ingredients are simple and few. It makes for an easy and quick fall dish that tastes like comfort food without a lot of effort.

Happy Cooking!

Amy

Simple Chili

serves 8

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup diced onion

2 cloves of minced garlic (I recommend using a garlic press if you have one)

1 pound lean ground beef (can also substitute ground turkey for turkey chili)

1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes

2 (15 oz) cans of kidney beans

2 tablespoons of chili powder (more or less depending on your preference)

1 tablespoon of white vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a large pot, sauté garlic and onion in olive oil until soft.

2. Add the ground beef and brown. Pour off excess fat.

3. Stir in crushed tomatoes, beans, chili powder and white vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Heat to a boil. Reduce heat and cover.

5. Simmer 30 minutes.

 This is the second post in my series of Fall Favorites where I’m introducing you to my family’s favorite fall recipes. Today’s pick is Pot-Roast Meatloaf and it is also from Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution cookbook (page 161). This is another long standing favorite in my house and it is perfect for a cold, rainy Sunday. Pot-Roast Meatloaf requires a bit more time and attention then my first pick but I guarantee your family will definitely appreciate the effort and love that goes into making this recipe. I love the story that Jamie tells in his cookbook. This was one of his favorites to make for staff dinners at his restaurant and it is kind of fun to think about that when I’m making it. It is also a recipe that I’ve taught in my cooking classes. I hope you enjoy it…let me know what you think!

Happy Cooking!

Amy

If you missed my first pick, Sweet Potato and Chorizo Soup, check it out here. 

From page 161 of Jamie’s Food Revolution

pot-roast meatloaf 

serves 4-6 

ingredients

• 2 medium onions

• Olive oil

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1 level teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 heaped teaspoon ground coriander

• 12 cream or plain crackers, such as Jacob’s

• 2 teaspoons dried oregano

• 2 heaped teaspoons Dijon mustard

• 1 pound good-quality ground beef

• 1 large egg, preferably free-range or organic

• 2 cloves of garlic

• ½ – 1 fresh chile, to your taste

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, such as Lea & Perrins

• 1 x 15-ounce can of garbanzo beans, drained

• 2 x14-ounce cans of diced tomatoes

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary

• 12 slices of smoked bacon, preferably free range or organic

• 1 lemon

To make your meatloaf

Preheat the oven to full whack (475 degrees). Peel and finely chop one of the onions—don’t worry about technique, just chop away until fine. Place in a large frying pan on a medium high heat with 2 lugs of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the ground cumin and coriander. Fry and stir ever 30 seconds for around 7 minutes or until softened and lightly golden, then put into a large bowl to cool. Wrap the crackers in a kitchen towel and smash until fine, breaking up any big bits with your hands. Add to the other bowl of cooled onions with oregano, mustard and ground beef. Crack in the egg, and add another good pinch of salt and pepper. With clean hands, scrunch and mix up well. Move the meat mixture to a board, then pat and mold into a large football shape. Rub it with a little oil. You can either cook it straight away or put it on a plate, cover and place in the refrigerator until needed. Place the meatloaf in a Dutch oven-type pan or baking dish, put into the preheated oven, and turn down the temperature immediately to 400 degrees. Bake for a half an hour.

To make your meatloaf sauce

Peel the other onion and chop into 1/4-inch pieces. Peel and slice the garlic. Finely slice the red chile. Place the onion, garlic and chile in a large pan on a medium high heat with 2 lugs of olive oil, the paprika, and a pinch of the salt and pepper. Cook for around 7 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until softened and lightly golden. Add the Worcestershire sauce, garbanzo beans, tomatoes and balsamic vinegar. Bring to a boil then turn the heat down and let it slowly simmer for 10 minutes. Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper if needed.

To finish off and serve your meatloaf

Pick the rosemary leaves off the woody stalks and put them into a little bowl. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and pour all the fat from the pan over the rosemary leaves and mix up well. Spoon your sauce around the meatloaf. Lay the slices of bacon over the top of the meatloaf and sauce. Scatter over the rosemary leaves. Put the pan back in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until the bacon turns golden and the sauce is bubbling and delicious. Serve with a mixed leaf salad and some wedges of lemon for squeezing over—this will add a nice sharp twang.

Today is the first post in my series of “Fall Favorites” where I’ll introduce you to my family’s favorite fall recipes. Today’s recipe is my absolute favorite Food Revolution recipe by Jamie Oliver, Sweet Potato and Chorizo Soup. You know it is a hit when it keeps coming to mind when you sit down to write. I think this is the third time I’ve written about this recipe, more than any others. It is simple, delicious and it showcases my favorite food in the world…sweet potatoes! This yummy soup is a fall staple in our house and I get asked about it all the time. It has even been included in some of my cooking classes. When blended, the soup becomes thick and creamy but without using any dairy products. It is loaded with veggies but the small bit of sausage brings a bit of spice and meaty flavor to it.

Happy Cooking!

Sweet Potato and Chorizo Soup

From Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution

Ingredients

1 3/4 quarts chicken stock

olive oil

2 large carrots, peeled

2 celery stalks, sliced evenly

2 medium onions, peeled and rough chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

1 3/4 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and rough chopped

7 ounces chorizo sausage, sliced

small bunch fresh parsley, fine chopped

1 heaped teaspoon Madras curry powder

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 fresh red chile, fine diced (This is just for garnish at the end, I bought very spicy sausage so I actually topped mine with either plain yogurt or grated cheddar and also some nutmeg)

Bring the stock to boil in a saucepan. Let it simmer on the back burner.

Bring a large pot to medium-high heat. Pour in the olive oil. Put all the chopped and sliced foods (all the veggies and the chorizo) into the hot oil. Add the curry powder and mix it all up.

Cook until the carrots have softened but are not falling apart and the onions have turned a little golden, about 10 minutes.

Pour in the hot stock. Give the soup a stir and let it come to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the soup until the sweet potato is cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Season the soup with salt and pepper. Stir. Taste. Season it to your taste.

Blend the soup with an immersion blender (easiest) or by pouring it into a large blender or food processor. This part is very important and totally “makes” the soup!

Jamie says top with diced chile and serve but I used some plain yogurt and nutmeg.

 Well, this is awkward, isn’t it? I didn’t mean to leave you in a lurch for so long. I guess, as you can probably tell by the LOOKS of things, I’ve been quite busy behind-the-scenes.

When I started my blog in 2010, it was a very short term kind of thing. I didn’t think anyone would read it and I thought once I was done my little adventure that I would…well…actually I didn’t really think about what would happen after that. Seriously. I wrote the blog to hold myself accountable for the challenge I had taken on, to make all of the recipes in Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution cookbook in 365 days. That was five years ago. Back then, while I was cooking and blogging and blogging and cooking I learned that people were actually reading my blog. The craziest part was that I didn’t know all of them. Strangers were reading my blog and  they were reading because I was a lot like them. I was the girl that didn’t really help out in the kitchen and then grew up and found herself standing in her own kitchen having no idea what to do. I needed to get food on the table for my family and I wanted it to be good food. I realize that I could have just taken a cooking class or done something else a little less dramatic but, I guess I decided to go big. The problem was that once I was done my Food Revolution challenge, I wasn’t really sure what to write about next. I quickly learned though that people wanted to keep reading. I still get notes and emails from people asking if I’m still writing. So, in a strange turn of events, I went from writing great stuff about not knowing how to cook TO knowing how to cook but not having great stuff to write about. This past March, when my five year blog-iversary hit, I realized that this little blog had been puttering along for five whole years and I needed to think about what was in store for it next. Did I keep it up? Quietly go off into the sunset?

What I realized is that a Food Revolution was still happening in my kitchen. I know how to cook now but I still have challenges that I am constantly working on. Better yet, I have things to say about those challenges. I also knew that there were moms (and dads) out there who are just like me five years ago and, it turns out, they still want to hear what I have to say. Also, since I’m one of Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution Ambassadors now, I am completing new assigned challenges each month that I want to share. I really hope that I can inspire people to start a Food Revolution in their own kitchen.

So, this blog is getting a reboot. As you can see (since I don’t do anything tiny) a reboot comes with a whole new look. I have to give a big shout out to my new friend, Emily, at Designer Blogs who helped me create the look that I was envisioning but had no idea how to get on my own. Thank you, Emily!

I hope you’ll keep reading along and I hope you’ll get involved and tell me what you think. Don’t forget to click those cute little buttons up there and visit me on social media, it’s the best way to see what I’m up to and get a heads up when new blog posts come along.

Happy Cooking,

Amy

• started this blog
• taught cooking classes
• became a Food Revolution Hero 
• and then a Food Revolution Ambassador
• visited the White House