So… the Farmer’s Market in Davenport had a farmer there from a small town called Princeton.  They make good cows.  Good cows make good beef.  Good beef = expensive price tag.  So – I bought the cheapest thing they were selling – two pounds of their ground beef.  Now, the beef looks marbley and fatty and yummy.  So – what do you do with great ground beef?  Oh, I don’t know… wrap it around some cheese and throw it on the grill?  Sounds like an excellent idea.

I should preface this by stating that the original “Jucy Lucy” comes from Minneapolis, Minnesota.  (Matt’s Bar to be exact and if you believe the tasters from “Food Wars” on the Travel Channel)  I took the technique for making them from Serious Eats.  However, we got really good sharp cheddar cheese instead of the original American processed stuff.  To be fair, the Jucy Lucys we made were not so juicy because the cheddar, at that high of heat, broke (the fat separated from the creamy cheese) and the cheese grease disappeared into the meat.  Regardless, the Jucy Lucy will probably be repeated several times this summer with different combinations of stuffings – different cheeses, maybe some veg?

Okay – so we used one pound of ground beef and split it into six even portions.

Then, as you can see – we rolled them into balls and covered them on one side with plastic wrap (I wish there was a way around the plastic wrap – so much waste… I think if I had a silpat, that would have worked).  Then we took our heaviest sautee pan and SMASHED the balls into 1/4 inch thin patties!  Then, we put a piece of cheese on half of them.

Then, with a spatula I flipped a cheeseless patty onto the cheesed up patty.  Then – push together the edges!  Seal them good or the cheese will explode out of the Jucy Lucy before it’s done!  Then I kind of pushed the edges back into the center so that you couldn’t see any kind of seam or anything and the patties looked perfect and round:

I feel like the Jucy Lucy is a bit of a magic trick.  Now you see the cheese and now you don’t.  Then, after patiently grilling you will see it again!  Anyway – here they are perfect looking.  Salt/pepper and onto the grill.

Also on the grill – corn on the cob (WAY early for good seasonal corn, I know – but I will take what I can get) and two packets of sliced potatoes with garlic, salt, pepper, and onion… and BUTTER.  Anyway – I forgot to take a finished picture… we were after all, STARVING and the burgers were juicy and yummy!  Husband happened to have loved this meal so it will be happening again.  I will keep you posted whether I can make them any juicier.  I will leave you with a picture of my half eaten Jucy Lucy:

Looks good anyway right?  Yeah – it was good.  Eat.  Enjoy.

Okay – so the title is super cheesy today.  Oh well – the food is actually cheese-less (I know – I made something WITHOUT cheese!).  Anyway – so recently the theme of my grocery shopping has been “Spring is here – let’s get GREAT produce!”  Well, I went to the Farmer’s Market in Davenport, Iowa (I was home for a weekend) and bought some beautiful looking asparagus… yes, I was going to do asparagus *again.*  I was, however, FOILED, by my father-in-law who managed to eat the whole bundle before I got out of bed the next day… at 8:00 am.  So – regardless, I went to the local supermarket and picked up artichokes (on sale – 99 cents a head!).

Now, I love artichoke hearts just as much as the next person (probably more so).  But if you have ever cooked an artichoke at home, you know that artichokes = TONS OF WASTE.  Sooooo in my family, we always steam them and eat all the leaves.  YES!  You can eat the leaves!  Carefully… I will teach you.  When you pluck a leaf out of a cooked artichoke you take the end that was attached the plant (not the end that had the prickly thing on it) and put it in your mouth (about half the leaf in your mouth).  Bite down GENTLY – and then scrape the leaf with your teeth.  Seriously – the stuff inside that leaf is just artichoke heart!  (THEN you can throw the leaf away)  Yum!  Now… if you are good like me, you make a buttery/lemony/garlicky dip to dip those leaves in and YUM – eating every bit of artichoke!

So… here’s my method:

Cut the artichokes in half:

See all that purple stuff?  The purple (and the fuzzy stuff JUST underneath it) is not good for eating.  I generally take a knife and carefully pry that nastiness out (as well as the smallest of the leaves on the inside… they are not strong enough for the whole scraping ordeal and will just fall apart when you try).  Also – I keep my stems on… the heart of the artichoke reaches all the way down the center of the stem.

Quickly, after they are cut in half rub them with lemon (they are turning brown!).  Then, start the water – lemons + water = good tasting artichokes (a little salt never hurt anyone either).  I only put about an inch of water in and one sliced lemon – although you could just have easily halved the lemon and thrown it in.

While the water is getting all steamy warm for the artichoke sauna – I did some cosmetic work to the artichokes.  As you can tell, pretty quickly – the leaves have like on prickly needly thing at the end of each leaf.  Pretty annoying when you are scarfing down artichokes to get poked every time you want a leaf.  So – I clip them off.  That’s right, every leaf.  With a pair of kitchen shears.  It doesn’t take long, I promise, and it will help you eat the artichokes like I do… like a total pig.

See?  Just the part with the prickly on it.  Then – into the steam:

Pop the lid on – and keep simmering on low to medium low heat.  It should take 30-40 minutes to get everything where it’s supposed to be.  How do you know if it’s done?  Try pulling out a leaf (not from the very outside but 2-3 layers in).  If it gives you any resistance… I would give it some more time.  If it is almost falling out on its own – then you are good to go.

While those are bubbling away, I made a buttery dip.  My father likes mayo (which I don’t completely detest… but I think we can do better).  I did a little lemon juice, butter, and some seriously fresh garlic.  And… the microwave.  I just melted it all together and the whisked the be-jesus out of it.

Although runny – I like that better than actually “dippy” because I want to TASTE the artichoke under it.  Anyway – when the artichokes are perfectly tender, remove VERY carefully from water.  Eat.  Enjoy.  (Oh, and of course, don’t forget to eat the heart once all the leaves have been plucked and enjoyed!)

Soooo… yeah… that trip to Whole Foods…. was awesome.  And, in case you are a bear and have not crawled out of your cave yet, Spring is officially here!  You know how I know?  It’s the asparagus.  And the tulips I suppose.  But mostly the asparagus.  You see, Spring is a great season for produce.  It is also the shortest.  Most things that grow in the Spring, much like tulips, have a short shelf life.  For instance, asparagus.  Right now, the asparagus is the perfect size around (about the size of a pencil).  The stalks are tender and juicy.  In just a couple short weeks, the asparagus will be as big around as your thumb.  Not that they aren’t still good for eating… they just won’t be that perfect Spring crisp.

You know, the Whole Foods trip started out as a search for the Holy Grail of Spring-time produce.  The elusive… sweet pea.  First, if you’ve read the blog at all, you know I LOVE peas.  In fact, I love them so much I eat them raw (when I can find them).  This is a habit I got from when I was a kid and my parents had a HUGE garden where we grew EVERYTHING.  Including the garden variety pea… the kind you have to shuck to eat.  I used to pick them (which is misery) and then shuck them (not so much misery… because easily half of them ended up in my belly before they made it to the kitchen).  Ever since then, loved raw peas.  And I’ll be darned, even Whole Foods didn’t have any.  Now, by May… they will be almost out of season.  That figures huh?

Either way, the asparagus was CALLING OUT TO ME!  And of course, what else are you going to do but ROAST those beautiful stalks and then DRENCH them in eggs?  Seriously.  Hollandaise and asparagus were practically invented for each other (if vegetables can be invented… Monsanto?).  By the way – asparagus, another vegetable that is totally capable of being eaten raw (next time you feel the Sunday morning hangover, make yourself a Bloody Mary and stick a raw asparagus in it… seriously refreshing).

Okay – let’s cook.

Here’s all you need for the perfect brunch side dish (or… entire meal… like I eat it) asparagus and Hollandaise.  (See how slim those asparagus are?  Perfection)  In the little bowl is about 4 tablespoons of melted butter (one of the only times I use the microwave).

Coat the asparagus in olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Lay on a baking sheet in a single layer (in an effort to save the world, do NOT line the baking sheet with tin foil!  This is a huge waste!  All you need to do is WASH your baking sheet when you are done – which you should do anyway!  If you feel the absolute NEED to line it with something, invest in a Silpat).  Roast that asparagus at 400 degrees until tender and kind of charred looking (took me about 1/2 hour).

Sorry about the picture – oily hands… almost dropped the camera.  But these are done.  And looking delicious by themselves.  While those were in the oven, I was busy… whisking… with a fork.  If only I had a whisk.  (The ONE whisk I had got ruined by a dishwasher… no, I don’t want to talk about it… yes, I really just should go out and replace it… no, I’m not *that* poor I’m just lazy… and forgetful).

Anyway – you are going to separate the whites and the yolks of the eggs.  Keep the yolks for Hollandaise.  Save the whites for an omelet or something tomorrow.  In a big bowl (I used the same one that would double for the “double boiler”) I whisked the four egg yolks until REALLY frothy.  They kind of turn color – from a bright vibrant yellow to a paler version of itself.  At this point, I season with salt and pepper.  Then, in a double boiler (I also do not own one of these… but a bowl on top of simmering water will do – just make sure the bowl is big enough that it is not TOUCHING the water and the water is NOT BOILING but “simmering” – like it looks like it might boil… but it’s not) I continue to whisk the eggs (over the heat… carefully – if the bowl on top is too hot it will SCRAMBLE your eggs and then you have to start again!).  While whisking, I added the juice of half a lemon and drizzled in the butter (KEEP WHISKING!).    I cook until the Hollandaise is the right texture:

This is about right for me.  It should just coat the back of the spoon (or fork in this picture).  The thing about Hollandaise is you want to cook the yolks (gently people, gently… no scrambles in this sauce!) but the yolks are done “cooking” when the sauce is the right texture… not when the yolks are “done.”  Does that make sense?  Don’t worry – the sauce is hot.  And my rule of thumb is that if it’s hot enough that you should blow on it – it’s probably cooked enough.  If you are SERIOUSLY worried about salmonella or whatever, buy pasteurized eggs (available almost anywhere).

Drizzle the Hollandaise GENEROUSLY now over the hot asparagus.  *Generously!!*  No one wants to scrape around for the sauce!

That looks… yummy.  I’m hungry again just thinking about it.  Husband had no opinion on this meal.  Even if he had wanted some, he wouldn’t have stood a chance.  Eat.  Enjoy.

*Note:  Before I start this blog – I want to PLEAD with you – please be patient with the links.  I’m working on a way to make this site more… user-friendly!  I want to post JUST recipes that you can follow and I want to post what’s in my pantry and what things to avoid buying in the store (like what’s sustainable and what’s not and what’s full of bad stuff for you, etc.).  Right now, as you might have guessed… there’s a lot of construction.  Please keep reading!  It will all be fixed soon and will be magnifico when it’s done.  Promise!  Thanks!*

O.M.G.  I have encountered the BEST lunch e.v.e.r.  Actually, it’s good for just about any meal (maybe not breakfast… although breakfast food does rank among my favorite things to eat.  Split.  Pea.  Soup.  Who knew something that sounded disgusting when we were kids and that will perpetually remind us of demonic projectile vomit would actually TASTE GOOD???  Not me.  Obviously.  But I saw a recipe for split pea soup with crisped leeks and I just couldn’t resist.  I did put my own spin on it (because… while I like to do other people’s recipes… I rarely find myself with all the necessary ingredients or budget to follow it exactly).

I should mention that these split peas are ORGANIC!  I bought them at Whole Foods (yay for Whole Foods!  I call it my “grocery vacation” because it’s not something I can afford to do that often).  They were a wallet friendly $1.29 per pound.  I did NOT go to the trouble of finding out how much they were at my usual grocery store (much less the trouble of FINDING them at my local supermarket).  And (my favorite part) they were yellow.  I feel like yellow split pea soup is less… “exorcist.”  Also – I used REAL chicken stock made from the last roasted chicken I did (*hint:  I use the rest of the carcass after we eat and pick off all the yummy meats… so I throw all the skin that we didn’t eat and the bones and stuff in a freezer bag and into the freezer until I’m ready to make a big batch of stock).

So… it begins.

The peas are dried and in the bulk section of Whole Foods (or whatever store you are buying them in… you could probably find them by the dried beans).  They need a DESPERATE washing!  They are kinda dusty/dirty and rinsing them perks them up and it’s a good excuse to LOOK at the peas.  If you find anything like this:

in your peas… it’s not good for eating.  Yes… that’s a little pebble that is round… and kinda white… hanging out in my peas.  Again… this is why we wash.

Then I did a little prep.  I sliced my leek (I had some leftover from the leek and pea pasta – gimme a break okay?  I’ve been busy!  And like I said before I cooked a TON in one day… the leek was maybe a couple hours old!) into 1/4-1/2 inch rounds.

Pretty, huh?  I later took my fingers and *carefully* separated the rings.  Now… a non-lazy person (or a person who wasn’t already using the oven to bake stuffed pasta shells) would throw a little olive oil, salt and pepper on these bad boys and toss them in a hot (400 degree) oven until golden and crispy.  I, however, heated up some olive oil and pan fried them.  Still good… but not as crisp.

Back the leeks in a minute.  We have peas to cook.  I got some onions and olive oil into a pan for a good sweat.

I threw a little garlic in at the end for good measure.  Then – everything in all at once.  Rinsed peas, about 3 and 1/2 cups of stock, about 2 cups of water, and lots of salt and pepper.

I let this boil for… well a good long time.  Let’s just leave it at that.  It boiled… and it boiled… and I knew that you just have to stir occasionally and let those peas get good and tender.  Who am I kidding?  You know me!  I didn’t have the patience for that… so I kept stirring… and stirring… and checking on it!  But it was WORTH THE WAIT.  When the peas were nice and tender I ran them through my food processor.  This is not… I repeat, NOT the best method… but as you might remember, my blender is broken.  And I am poor – so I am sans immersion blender (or “stick blender”).  Regardless, run through processor, top with crispy leeks which I pan fried while trying to be patient… and TA-DA!

The pea soup you wish was the one your mom had made when you were a kid.  (The leeks kinda sank for the picture… I’m working on my photo skills and the bubbles are because it just came freshly out of the food processor).

I have to say, Husband would NOT eat this.  It is of course, his least favorite vegetable cooked in chicken stock and water.  I LOVED it (that’s typical isn’t it?).  I loved it so much that I took it for lunch everyday to work until it was all gone.  If you love it… but not as much as I do… it is a recipe that I know will freeze well (I freeze chicken stock… and water… all the time) and it is REALLY microwaveable.  I suggest freezing it in individual servings (if you have good reusable containers… don’t waste all those plastic bags) and then taking it to work like a frozen meal (way better than those “Smart Ones” or whatever they are).  Either way – this is AWESOME and I’ll admit, was better the next day when everything had a chance to meet and say hello.  Super yum.  Eat.  Enjoy.  (And keep reading!  Thanks for all the hits last week!  Made me HAPPY!)

Okay – it’s been a while.  Admittedly, I feel like I say this every time I blog.  I promise to work harder to get the blogs out in a more timely fashion (in fact, like all good Superheroes, I have a plan!  More on that later).

Regardless, let’s go back to Sunday… yummy Sunday.  It’s always yummy Sunday because, Sunday is the laziest day of the week.  I rarely get dressed… PJs and cooking all day.  It’s my absolute fav.  And what did I do on Sunday?  I cooked my ARSE OFF!  (This is the plan… so… listen up!)  What I did this Sunday was cooked a crap ton (basically like 3 or 4 meals worth of food) all at once!  So that I would have blog material (and leftover LUNCH!) all week long!  Great idea right?!  Needless to say… it was A.W.E.S.O.M.E.

So… for Sunday dinner… what did I do?  I’m sure you’re thinking it must be something wonderful because I spent all damn day doing it!  Well you would be totally right!  I made this:

Now, you know it was good because clearly – some of this picture has already been dug into!  I realize now, that this picture does not do my cheesy, leeky, peas-y pasta any justice (hey, I’m a cook!  Not a photographer!  I’m still working on that part!  One thing at a time people… One thing at a time!).  But it was good.

So… peas.  Leeks.  Ricotta.  Bechamel.  Big pasta.  Need I say more?

Of course I do – I’m a blogger and I”m long winded (it’s the lawyer in me).  So I boiled big shells (really!  big shells) until they were about half way done – think edible but really toothy in the middle.  While they were boiling I was busy multi-tasking.  First – the SAUCE!

I always start my bechamel this way… four tablespoons of butter and four tablespoons of flour.  Cook until the flour isn’t raw tasting anymore (I always thought this was a stupid instruction… who’s going to reach in there and taste this PASTE?  Not me – I just cook until it looks kinda doughy and golden).  Then add the liquid – I like 2% milk.  Partially because it’s always around and partially because it’s easier to control the viscosity (ha!  love that word).  I used about 3 to 3 and 1/2 cups.  Add more or less depending on how thick you want your sauce… and you want enough to cover the shells.  Reduce.  Easy-peasy.

Speaking of peas…

I sauteed some leeks in a SMALL amount of butter and minced garlic (seriously – this is NOT diet food!).  Once the leeks were tender I threw in some frozen peas (what I had left – about 1/4 of a bag… which was probably too much).  Heated them through before adding the ricotta (I turn the heat off but add the ricotta to the warm pan to make sure it’s soft and blendable without “cooking” it).  I should add that I had some fresh mozzarella left over in the fridge… so I added that too (use what you got, right?).

Looks yummy right?  Well then you can CAREFULLY stuff this yummy stuffing into the shells (which you have to shock!  Off the heat and into cool running water right away!).  Once stuffed and packed into a baking dish, cover with bechamel, and then into the oven at 350 for about 30 minutes (or until everything looks bubbly and hot).  Then cover with shredded cheese of choice (asiago for me) and then back into the oven until the cheese is melty and toasty.

This recipe gets props on the tasty scale for me – not terribly “green” but it was meatless, so that’s a plus.  Also, the Husband was not a fan.  Mostly because he doesn’t like peas.  Or leeks.  Basically I will be eating this whole pan of pasta by myself all week.  He agrees that the inside is tasty but would like a veggie substitution.  So… I guess feel free to substitute veggies.  I should also point out that this was a REALLY cheap meal!  It tastes pretty luxurious because of all the cheese, but really that’s the most expensive part!  Check out the Superhero Sanctuary for pantry information (general food prices and stuff I like to keep in my pantry).  Anyway – this is rather time consuming – good for cooking together but do it on a weekend when you definitely got the time!  Eat.  Enjoy!

Recipe