Last week I got a couple dozen potatoes my from CSA.  I love potatoes and farm fresh ones are absolutely the best.  Since I had so many fresh potatoes lying around, I wanted to make some nice hashbrowns for breakfast.  Hashbrowns are hard to make as fresh potatoes have so much starch in them that the potatoes seem to stick together.  I always used to end up with a sticky mess of potatoes.  However, I have figured out the secret and I have listed all of the steps below to make crispy and amazing hashbrowns.

Hashbrowns – (serves 4)

• 6-8 potatoes
• 3 tbs vegetable oil
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly cracked pepper

The key to perfect hashbrowns is perfectly cut potatoes.  I have found that using a food processor with the shredding attachment is the way to go.  If you don’t have one, try a box grater.  It is a bit of work, but the results are fantastic.  Once you have the potatoes shredded let them soak in a bowl of water for 20 minutes.

Make sure to change the water twice.  Soaking the potatoes will help remove the excess starch from the potatoes.  If you skip this step the potatoes will stick together and create clumps.

Next drain the water and wring out the potatoes.  To do this, I layer up a couple of paper towels and then use them to filter out the water.  Squeeze hard to get all of the water out.  The dryer you can get the potatoes the better.  Dry potatoes make crispy hashbrowns.

I have found that cooking hashbrowns on an electric griddle or fry pan creates the best results.  Set your pan to 350, and add the oil.   You can use a fry pan, but try to get the pan to a constant temperature around 350 degrees.  I find that this is usually around medium/high on most stove tops.

Once the oil is hot add the potatoes and then season with the salt, pepper and paprika.  If you don’t have smoked paprika, regular can be substituted.  Smoked paprika will give you a nice smokey flavor and just a tad bit of heat.

Stir the potatoes on the griddle and let the cook for 8-10 minutes or until the potatoes soften.  Then arrange the potatoes into a single uniform layer.  Cook for 3-5 minutes.

When golden brown, flip the potatoes and cook until the other side is golden brown.  This will be another 3-5 minutes.

This will give you the perfect hashbrowns.  Crispy edges with a nice soft center.

My CSA comes with unlimited basil each week.  Therefore, I have been making a ton of pesto.  I love the fresh taste of pesto.  After a few tries, I found that the best pasta for pesto is Cellantani.  It is a spiral macaroni pasta with rigati grooves in the outside.  The spiral along with the grooves helps the pesto stick to the pasta.  Top this off with some grilled chicken and you have a great meal.

Grilled Chicken over Cellantani Pesto

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 lb Cellantani Pasta
• 2 cups fresh basil
• 1/2 toasted pine nuts
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/2-2/3 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• Kosher salt and Freshly cracked Pepper for seasoning

Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.  Place directly on a preheated medium/high grill.  Grill for roughly 6 minutes per side.

When the chicken is fully cooked and the juices run clear, remove and let rest.

Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Cook the Cellantani according to the box instructions.  Usually it takes 8-10 minutes to cook.  Drain and return to the pasta to the pot.

Make sure to rinse your basil.  Especially if it is farm fresh.  Need to make sure to get all of the dust off the leaves.

In a food processor combine the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add 1/2 cup of the oil and process until fully incorporated and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.  If you like your pesto a little on the runnier side you can add a tad more oil, or even a little water if you want it to be a tad bit healthier.

Pour the pesto over the pasta in the pot and add the cheese.  Mix until combined.

Plate the Cellantani Pesto and then top with the chicken sliced thinly.

This dish is awesome.  It is quick  and easy.  A great way to get rid of some extra basil.

Last week I bought a bottom round roast and had no idea what to do with it.  Then I decided to go through my cabinets to see what I had lying around.  I had some tomato paste and a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.  Then it hit me.  How about making some spicy shredded beef tacos.  It was gonna be perfect.  I could make it in my old crock pot and it would be ready just in time for dinner.

Spicy Shredded Beef Tacos

• 10 flour tortillas
• 4 oz Queso Fresca
• 1/2 head shredded cabbage
• Spicy Beef
  • 2-1/2 pounds beef roast
  • 1 can tomato paste
  • 1 can chipotles in adobo, diced
  • 1 small onion chopped, or 4 tbs dried onion flakes
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1 tbs garlic powder
  • 1 tbs chili powder
  • 1 tbs honey
  • 3 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp ground cumin

Trim the beef and place it in your crock pot.  I know this sounds obvious, but make sure to buy a roast that will fit in your crock pot.

Then add the tomato paste, chipotle peppers with adobo sauce, beef broth, onion, garlic, chili powder, honey, salt and cumin.

Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.

Remove the beef from the crock pot and shred it with 2 forks.  Just like you would shred pulled pork.  At this time remove any remaining fat.  Then place the shredded meat back into the crock pot.  Let the meat simmer in the juices.

Serve the shredded beef on a corn tortilla with the fresh cabbage and a little queso fresco.

One of the best meals of the week.  You have to try this one.

I can’t believe that I forgot about restaurant week.  I look forward to this week every year.  However, I have been super busy.  Anyways you still have time to check out restaurant week.  There are great restaurants that have reservations available.  Besides that it is gonna be a great weekend.  Sunny and hot.  A great weekend to head over to the beach and relax.  Enjoy! – Rex

• DC Restaurant Week — You still have time.  Restaurant Week starts Monday!!!  DC Winter Restaurant Week is upon us.  Here is the gist of it.  Restaurant Week consists of the best DC area restaurants offering a 3 course prix fixe meal for $20.10 for lunch and $30.10 for dinner.  Restaurant week is from August 16-22, 2010.  So making a reservation at your favorite restaurants is a must as they fill up quickly.  It may be a little late to reserve a table at the hottest restaurants, but you can still find a table at one of the other awesome restaurants.

Here are my tips for a great restaurant week

• Pick a restaurant that has the full menu for restaurant week
• Stay away from the Steak Houses – They are usually lame
• If the restaurant has a Restaurant Week menu look at it on their website before reserving a spot.
• Try a new restaurant – Restaurant Week gives you the opportunity to try new and interesting cuisines.
• Have fun! – Order a glass of wine with dinner.

• Montgomery County Fair — Aug 13, 2010 9:00am – Aug 21, 2010 10:00pm
  Yet another fair.  I love carnival food so I always post about fairs.  Cotton Candy, Candied Apples, Elephant Ears and the most delicious of them all “The Corn Dog”.  Friday includes honey bee demonstrations and pig races.  Saturday includes honey bee demonstrations and a 4H bake sale.  Sunday includes the honey bee demonstration and a 4H cake auction. If you don’t get a chance to go this weekend the fair is running through the 22nd.

  Location – 16 Chestnut St, Gaithersburg, MD 20877

• Prince William County Fair — Aug 13, 2010 9:05am – Aug 21, 2010 10:05am
  It is a weekend of fairs.  Friday is Half-Price day.  Sunday includes the Hershey Cocoa Classic.  1.) One entry per person 2.) Entry must be a baked dessert made from “scratch” in a non-returnable baking dish/tray. 3.) A minimum of 1/4 cup of cocoa must be used. 4.) Dessert entry must be submitted on cardboard for judging (no doily required). 5.) Two copies of recipe(s) listing the ingredients, preparation instructions, and recipe author must be submitted with the entry, printed on one side of the page.  It is open to everyone.  Entries need to be submitted between 1:30 and 2:30 pm on Sunday.

  Location – 10624 Dumfries Road, Manassas, VA 20112

  Hours of Operation – Gates open at 3pm on Friday and noon on Saturday and Sunday

  Tickets are $5 and rides and food are extra.

• “BAKE BETHESDA A PIE” CONTEST — Sep 5, 2010 11:00am – Sep 5, 2010 11:30am
  To enter, contestants must be amateur bakers. All applications include a $5 fee  that will benefit Manna Food Bank. For an application, go to www.bethesdafarmmarket.com and enter before August 31, 2010. A separate entry form is required for each pie entered; bakers may submit up to two pies. Entries may be e-mailed to moserdebra@aol.com or turned in at the information tent at the Sunday market. For complete details and contest rules, click on www.bethesdacentralfarmmarket.com

  The contest will be judged on Sunday, September 5 at 11 a.m. at the market by some of Washington’s top food professionals: Bonnie Benwick, Assistant Food Editor, Washington Post; Carole Sugarman, Food Editor, Bethesda Magazine; Nancy Hickman, Manager, Buzz Bakery Arlington, and Deann O’Brien, Gazette Newspapers. Prizes will be awarded for both fruit and savory pies. First place is $100 gift certificate, second place wins $50 gift certificate and third place is a $25 gift certificate. All prizes can be redeemed at participating local restaurants, shops and at the Bethesda Central Farm Market.

  Bethesda Central Farm Market, located at the Elm Street parking lot between Wisconsin and Woodmont Avenues on Sundays from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. and at Bethesda Row on Thursday afternoons from 3-7 p.m.

This last weekend my buddy Mark came out to visit Dana and I.  Mark was my roommate and co-worker while I was in college.  We bartended together at a college bar for 5 years.  It was a blast.  Mark still bartends and makes a mean bloody mary.  His secret is a spice concentrate that together makes one mean bloody mary.  We made a triple batch for the weekend.  As you can see, in Wisconsin they add everything but the kitchen sink to the bloody mary.  We topped ours with a pickle, celery, dash of celery salt and a beef stick.  Yep, a freaking beef stick.  It was amazing!!

Mark’s Bloody Mary Mix - (makes 20-25  Bloody Mary’s)

• 1 cup honey
• 1 1/3 tbs garlic powder
• 1 tbs onion powder
• 1 1/3 tbs pepper
• 2 tbs celery salt
• 1 tbs cayenne pepper
• 2 2/3 tbs horseradish
• 1/2 cup  Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbs Tabasco sauce
• 1 1/3 cup Franks Red Hot

Mix together and keep refrigerated for up to a week.

To make a Bloody Mary, add 1-3oz of the mix to a glass and top with tomato juice.  The more mix you add the spicier the Bloody Mary.

We made a ton of these over the weekend and they are great.  Hands down one of the best Bloody Mary’s I have ever had.

The ingredient list looks like a lot, but it is killer.  Plus, it makes a ton of bloodies.

The other night Dana wanted some steak.  So I went to the store and discovered top sirloin steaks were on sale.  They are a rather inexpensive steak, but they grill up beautifully.  The sirloin is a cut from the rear of the animal.  There is a bottom sirloin steak and a top sirloin.  The top sirloin is the more tender steak as it wedged near the tenderloin.  The bottom sirloin is much larger, but is a tougher cut of meat.  Either way, both are rather inexpensive and grill up beautifully on a budget.

Beef Kabobs

• 2 lbs sirloin steak, cut 1 inch cubes
  
• zest 1 lemon
• lemon juiced
• 1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbs soy
• 1 tbs Rex’s steak rub
• 3 tbs oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• dash salt and pepper
• 2 bell peppers, cut into 1 inch pieces
  
• 1 red onion, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 8 oz cherry tomatoes

Cut up the steak into 1 inch cubes.

Combine the lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Rex’s Steak rub and vegetable oil in a 1 gallon plastic zip top bag.  Add the steak and marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Skewer meat rotating with onion, bell pepper and tomatoes.  I use extra wide skewers.  They prevent the meat and veggies from rotating on the skewer when you are grilling.  I found mine at Lowes.  They were rather inexpensive, $8.

Preheat the grill to medium/high.  Once hot, grill kabobs about 6-8 minutes to desired degree of doneness.  I usually cook them for 2 minutes on each of the 4 sides.

Once cooked, let the skewers rest for 5 minutes before serving.  Remember that the skewers are hot so either remove the meat for your guests or give them something to hold onto the skewer with.  Overall these were magnificent kabobs.  The fresh lemon zest made the marinade pop.  Next time I might add some mushrooms or even zucchini.  The best part about kabobs is that you can skewer just about anything.

Enjoy!

• Howard County Fair — Aug 7, 2010 8:00am – Aug 14, 2010 11:00pm
  It is fair season.  The Howard County Fair is a great traditional county fair.  Food, rides and livestock.

  Admission is $5.

• Montgomery County Fair — Aug 13, 2010 9:00am – Aug 21, 2010 10:00pm
  Yet another fair.  I love carnival food so I always post about fairs.  Cotton Candy, Candied Apples, Elephant Ears and the most delicious of them all “The Corn Dog”.  Friday includes honey bee demonstrations and pig races.  Saturday includes honey bee demonstrations and a 4H bake sale.  Sunday includes the honey bee demonstration and a 4H cake auction. If you don’t get a chance to go this weekend the fair is running through the 22nd.

  Location – 16 Chestnut St, Gaithersburg, MD 20877

• Prince William County Fair — Aug 13, 2010 9:05am – Aug 21, 2010 10:05am
  It is a weekend of fairs.  Friday is Half-Price day.  Sunday includes the Hershey Cocoa Classic.  1.) One entry per person 2.) Entry must be a baked dessert made from “scratch” in a non-returnable baking dish/tray. 3.) A minimum of 1/4 cup of cocoa must be used. 4.) Dessert entry must be submitted on cardboard for judging (no doily required). 5.) Two copies of recipe(s) listing the ingredients, preparation instructions, and recipe author must be submitted with the entry, printed on one side of the page.  It is open to everyone.  Entries need to be submitted between 1:30 and 2:30 pm on Sunday.

  Location – 10624 Dumfries Road, Manassas, VA 20112

  Hours of Operation – Gates open at 3pm on Friday and noon on Saturday and Sunday

  Tickets are $5 and rides and food are extra.

• Spike’d Sundays — Aug 15, 2010 12:01pm – Aug 15, 2010 10:00pm
  Every Sunday this summer from noon to six, you can relax poolside with refreshing beverages and a perfectly grilled Spike burger.  There will be a live DJ spinning the newest beats poolside.  Make sure to stay till dusk as that is when Spike’d Cinema starts.  They will be showing one comedy each week poolside.

  Cover charge: $15, which includes a juicy, freshly grilled burger with all the toppings (cheese, tomato, lettuce, onions, etc.) plus chips and a pickle.

  Food/Drink specials: Besides those Spike burgers, there’s grilled chicken and other sandwiches. Drink specials include $5 cocktails like Spike’d Lemonade (vodka, pomegranate juice, fresh lemonade) and $4 Miller Lites.

• Caribbean Food and Wine Festival — Aug 15, 2010 1:00pm – Aug 15, 2010 10:00pm
  The Anne Arundel County Fairground is strategically place to serve as host to the large concentration of Caribbean residents of the Washington D.C. Metro Area. The Fairground Capacity is over ten thousand people and is frequently utilized by Caribbean nationals from Baltimore, Washington D.C., Virginia, New Jersey and Philadelphia.

  Caribbean Entertainment Network will be staging the Caribbean Food and Wine Festival
  On August 15, 2010 at the Anne Arundel Fairground. We intend to Display for the first time the wide variety of wines from the Caribbean. These wines are brewed and manufactured in Caribbean and are worthy to be highlighted. The palate of our Patrons will be magnetically glued to our world renowned Caribbean cuisine. Musical entertainment will be provided by the local bands within the United States of America.
  The vendors will display their national colors and our innate cultural hospitality.

  The many years of experience we posses in producing festivals successfully are predicated on the following: Advance strategic planning, penetrating marketing strategies, Community business inclusion, therapeutic and family friendly entertainment, Superior Patron service and excellent crowd control.

• “BAKE BETHESDA A PIE” CONTEST — Sep 5, 2010 11:00am – Sep 5, 2010 11:30am
  To enter, contestants must be amateur bakers. All applications include a $5 fee  that will benefit Manna Food Bank. For an application, go to www.bethesdafarmmarket.com and enter before August 31, 2010. A separate entry form is required for each pie entered; bakers may submit up to two pies. Entries may be e-mailed to moserdebra@aol.com or turned in at the information tent at the Sunday market. For complete details and contest rules, click on www.bethesdacentralfarmmarket.com

  The contest will be judged on Sunday, September 5 at 11 a.m. at the market by some of Washington’s top food professionals: Bonnie Benwick, Assistant Food Editor, Washington Post; Carole Sugarman, Food Editor, Bethesda Magazine; Nancy Hickman, Manager, Buzz Bakery Arlington, and Deann O’Brien, Gazette Newspapers. Prizes will be awarded for both fruit and savory pies. First place is $100 gift certificate, second place wins $50 gift certificate and third place is a $25 gift certificate. All prizes can be redeemed at participating local restaurants, shops and at the Bethesda Central Farm Market.

  Bethesda Central Farm Market, located at the Elm Street parking lot between Wisconsin and Woodmont Avenues on Sundays from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. and at Bethesda Row on Thursday afternoons from 3-7 p.m.

Without owning a hamburger bun pan, I have been unable to make perfectly round hamburger buns.  The other day I accidentally figured out how to make perfect buns.  Not only did they have perfectly round bottoms but they have perfect tops too.  The process will work with almost any bread dough, but it worked great with these quick and easy hamburger buns.  All you need is a rolling pin and a round cookie cutter.  Could not be easier.

Quick and Easy Hamburger Buns – (Adapted From Allrecipes.com)

• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tbs butter, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 3 3/4 cups bread flour
• 1 1/14 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 tbs melted butter for brushing the top

In the bowl of your mixer add the milk, sugar and yeast and let sit until foamy, roughly 5 minutes.

Next add the egg, butter, salt and bread flour to the mixture.  Combine the ingredients with a dough hook.  This dough will be a little stickier that normal.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it for a couple minutes.  Then place the dough in a greased bowl and let double in size, roughly 1 hour.

This is where I screwed up.  I was going to roll the dough out to about 3/4 of an inch thick but instead rolled it out too thin.  However, this ended up making the perfect buns.

Turn the dough back out onto a floured surface.  Roll the dough out until it is a little thicker than 1/3 inch.  Using a 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter or cookie cutter cut the dough into rounds.

Place the round on a greased cookie sheet.  Then top each of the rounds with another of the rounds.

Brush the tops with the melted butter.  You could also brush the tops with a little egg wash and then top with sesame seeds.  I tried using sesame seeds with the melted butter and they failed to stick.

Cover with a towel and let rise for 45-60 minutes.  During this time preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place the buns in the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes or until they are golden brown.

As you can see stacking the rounds ended up giving me the perfect hamburger bun.  You get the perfect round bottom and a nice domed top. They also had a defined line where you could cut them in half.  Overall these were some of the easiest and best hamburger buns that I have ever made.

I am a huge fan of grilling.  The only problem is that most sides are not grilled.  This salad solves that problem.  The corn is fire roasted on the grill so you can make it right along with your steak or barbecue dishes.  In addition the grilled corn adds a bit of smokiness to the salad to make a complimentary flavor to your barbecues.  This is a great side dish for your summer picnic or barbecue.

Roasted Corn and Black Bean Salad – (adapted from MyRecipes)

• 2  cups  fresh corn kernels (about 3 ears)*
• 1  (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1  cup  chopped tomato
• 1/3  cup  lime juice
• 1/4  cup  red onion, finely chopped
• 1/2  jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2  tablespoons  chopped fresh cilantro
• 2  teaspoons  hot sauce
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground cumin
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground coriander
• 1/2  teaspoon  pepper

Shuck the corn and place it directly on the grill over high heat.

Turn the corn every once in a while until the corn is blackened in sections and fully cooked.

Cut the corn off the ears by placing a small bowl upside down in a larger bowl.  That way you can cut the whole ear without your knife touching the bowl while still catching all of the kernels.  There is nothing worse than doing a kernel hunt in your kitchen.  Those little buggers go everywhere.

Combine corn and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

This is a great salad.

This is a must have at any picnic or barbecue.

Life is extremely busy for me lately.  I know that it seems as if I have been slacking lately, but I am going to have to cut back on my posts.  I am gonna cut back to 3-4 recipes a week.  I know it sucks!  Until things start to slow down around here, I am going to have to cut back.  However, I will still keep up with the current things to do in DC.  Did you know that you can check the current events all of the time by clicking on the events link above?  I am going to continue posting them on Fridays don’t worry.  In addition I am going to start linking to a few other blogs that have awesome posts.  A little added bonus for my awesome readers.

Awesome Posts this Week

Chocolate S’mores Muffins – Yeah, chocolate and marshmallows together in a muffin.  Elle totally outdid herself with this one.

Homemade Chili Powder – Chris from Nibble Me This made some awesome homemade chili powder.  Not only did he make chili powder, he cold smoked the peppers first using a tin can and soldering iron.  This is a must read if you have extra chili peppers lying around.

The Perfect Martini – SippitySup breaks down a list of the best martini’s.  I am with greg when it comes to the perfect martini.  I like his twist on the classic with a dash of orange bitters.  Check it out for a list of great martinis.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus – Dana and I are on a hummus kick.  The stuff is super tasty.  This recipe from Evil Shenanigans is right up my alley.  Who doesn’t love garlic and smokey roasted peppers.

What to do in DC

• Howard County Fair — Aug 7, 2010 8:00am – Aug 14, 2010 11:00pm
  It is fair season.  The Howard County Fair is a great traditional county fair.  Food, rides and livestock.

  Admission is $5.

• Spike’d Sundays — Aug 8, 2010 12:01pm – Aug 8, 2010 10:00pm
  Every Sunday this summer from noon to six, you can relax poolside with refreshing beverages and a perfectly grilled Spike burger.  There will be a live DJ spinning the newest beats poolside.  Make sure to stay till dusk as that is when Spike’d Cinema starts.  They will be showing one comedy each week poolside.

  Cover charge: $15, which includes a juicy, freshly grilled burger with all the toppings (cheese, tomato, lettuce, onions, etc.) plus chips and a pickle.

  Food/Drink specials: Besides those Spike burgers, there’s grilled chicken and other sandwiches. Drink specials include $5 cocktails like Spike’d Lemonade (vodka, pomegranate juice, fresh lemonade) and $4 Miller Lites.