Fresh Salsa

Ingredients

2 large tomatoes

1 medium white onion

2 teaspoons chopped jalapenos

3 garlic gloves

4 tablespoons lime juice

1/4 cup cilantro

salt

Put everything in a food processor and puree until everything is mixed.  

I got this recipe by looking at a few different ones and making my own.  It has a bit of a kick but is not a spicy salsa.  I had forgotten how good fresh salsa tastes!  I have a ninja food processor and this was super easy to make.  The recipe makes a lot of salsa.  

Jesse-4

Megan-4.5

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup margarine/butter

3 very ripe bananas mashed

2 eggs well beaten

1 1/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup chocolate chips

Cream sugar and margarine.  Add bananas and eggs.  Combine flour, salt and baking soda.  Blend flour mixture into banana mixture.  Do not over mix.  Add chocolate chips.  Put batter in greased loaf pan or muffin tins.  Preheat oven to 350.  Bake bread for 50 minutes or muffins for 25 minutes.

This recipe is one I got from my mom.  I use unsalted butter.  I also use about an extra 1/4 cup of chocolate chips.  The recipe made 17 muffins.  You can see 12 of them in the picture above.  Let me know if you make it and what your thoughts are!

Jesse-4.5/5

Megan-4.5/5

Pictures of Food

I have received feedback that people would like to see pictures of the food.  I will do my best in the future to include a picture along with the recipe and review.  Keep the feedback coming!

"Watermelon" Sherbet

Ingredients

1 quart of lime sherbet

2 quarts of raspberry sherbet

1 pint of lemon sherbet

Half a bag of chocolate chips

Freeze a large metal bowl.  Soften the lime sherbet and line the entire inside of the metal bowl with it.  You are making the 'watermelon rind'. Freeze the bowl for 15 minutes.  Let the lemon sherbet soften a bit.  Line the green layer in the bowl and then freeze for another 15 minutes.  Soften the raspberry sherbet and mix in the chocolate chips.  Fill the remaining part of the bowl with the raspberry sherbet and chocolate chip mixture.  Freeze for about one hour.  Cut pieces to serve like a watermelon slice.

This recipe I got from my mom growing up.  This a summer favorite.  Every one who has eaten it raves about it.  Lemon sherbet can be hard to find and expensive.  I have found it at Aldi recently for a reasonable price.  This is one of Jesse's favorite things I make.  

Jesse-5/5

Megan- 5/5   

Slow Cooker Carner Guisada

Active Time: 15 min

Total Time: 6.25 hours

2 1/2 pounds beef chuck roast or bottom round, cut into 1-inch pieces

• coarse salt and ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium white onion, diced medium
• 1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and diced medium
• 1 large jalapeno, seeded and diced small
• 5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes
• 2 bay leaves
• Flour tortillas, warmed, grated cheddar, and cilantro, for serving

Directions

1. Season beef with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil over high. In two batches, cook beef until browned on all sides, 5 minutes per batch (add 2 teaspoons more oil for second batch). Transfer to a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker.
2. In same skillet, cook 2 teaspoons oil, onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, and garlic over medium, stirring and scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon, until vegetables are tender, 5 minutes. Add cumin, chili powder, oregano, and flour and cook 1 minute. Slowly pour broth into skillet, stirring until liquid is smooth. Simmer 2 minutes, then transfer mixture to slow cooker, along with tomatoes and bay leaves. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Cover and cook on high 6 hours. Serve in tortillas with cheese and cilantro.

I got this recipe from a Martha Stewart magazine.  I did not cut the beef chuck into 1 inch pieces.  I let it cook whole and then 10 minutes before serving shred it using a fork and knife.  The beef was very tender.   I asked the butcher and he recommended using beef chuck roast over bottom round but I do not know if it would make that big of a difference.  I also used minced garlic instead of fresh and already diced jalapeno instead of fresh.  The grocery store was out of green peppers so I bought a red one instead.  The dish smells very good when it cooks and makes a lot.  Jesse really enjoyed them.  I liked mine with a lot of cilantro on them.

Jesse- 4/5

Megan- 3/5

Fusilli with Gorgonzola & Mushroom Sauce

Serves 4
Prep Time 15 min
Cooking Time 20 min

Ingredients
 350 g/12 oz dried fusilli
3 tbsp olive oil
350 g/12 oz exotic mushrooms, sliced
1 garlic clove. chopped finely
400 ml/14 fl oz heavy cream
250g/9 oz Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaved parsley, to garnish

Method
Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil. Add the pasta, bring back to the boil and cook for 8-10 minutes, until tender, but still firm to the bite. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a heavy-based saucepan. Add the mushrooms and cook over a low heat, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add the cream, bring to the boil and cook for 1 minute, until slightly thickened. Stir in the cheese and cook over a low heat until it has melted. Do not allow the sauce to boil, once the cheese has been added. Season to taste with salt and pepper and remove the saucepan from the heat. Drain the pasta and tip it into the sauce. Toss well to coat, then serve immediately. Garnish with parsley.

This recipe came from a cook book from my husband's grandparents who are from Sicily called Perfect Italian.  I used bella mushrooms since exotic mushrooms are not in the budget.  I used rotini noodles instead of fusilli.  I did not garnish with parsley.  This was a very filling meal.  Jesse (my husband) loved it.  I am not a huge fan of moldy cheeses but this dish exceeded my expectations.

Jesse- 4/5
Megan-3/5

Let me know your thoughts if you make it!
 

Welcome To In The Genova Kitchen

The purpose of this blog is get new recipes and honest feedback about them. I will post at least one new recipe a week with a review. The recipes will be reviewed by my husband and me. We sometimes have different tastes. He tends to like hearty meaty meals and I lean towards more veggie dishes. I hope you enjoy and find the blog useful. Bon Appetite!