Where's the beef? In new businesses for Monticello Utah.

For the past three days I have been running a one woman letter writing campaign to retail stores and restaurant chains; I must have sent over 100 emails so far. Why? To bring business, and revenue, to Monticello Utah. Heck, I've even written to places in New York about opening up an authentic deli here

My email is simple and to the point: "Monticello Utah is located at the intersection of two major roads (191 and 491)that connect 4 states: Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. Our town desperately needs new businesses to open up to provide services for residents, and the thousands of tourists and truckers that come through here."

So folks, if you, or someone you know, is looking to open up a new business; why not consider Monticello Utah? It's a beautiful area, lots to see and do, and ripe for tourism.

Ok, advertisement done with, so lets get onto cooking, and as the title suggests, it concerns beef. This is a one baking dish and leave it alone type of meal; very simple and very comforting.

Roasted Beef and Potatoes with Onions

Ingredients:

4 large baking potatoes, washed, leave skin on
1 large onion, chopped
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
pinch of cayenne pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
3 lb chuck roast, trim off excess fat
1/2 tsp each salt, ground black pepper, onion powder and paprika

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350F.

Cut potatoes into 1" pieces and place into large bowl with onions, garlic, 1/2 tsp black pepper, pinch of cayenne and olive oil; mix together thoroughly.  Spread potato mixture onto bottom of a 2 qt rectangular baking dish.

Mix together the salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, onion powder and paprika; rub all sides of roast.  Place roast on top of potato mixture, centering it.  Roast in oven for 2 hours and leave it be for the 2 hours; roast will be medium when removed from oven.

Remove roast to cutting board to rest for 5 minutes before slicing; serve with potato mixture.

Makes 6-8 servings.

Mary Cokenour

Please open a real Italian deli here…I’m dying from withdrawal !!!!

So, I was watching “Real Housewives of New Jersey”, yes, I admit to watching the “Real Housewives” shows, all of them, so get over it now.  It was the episode where they were celebrating Thanksgiving, Caroline and Albert are at a real Italian deli.  Seeing all the meats and cheeses hanging from the ceiling; all the antipasti items behind the deli counter; the cans and boxes of Italian food items….the bread; that wonderfully crusty bread made from Semolina flour.  I couldn’t take it anymore; I broke down and cried…I miss it all so much.  Remembering the smells, tastes, textures; the absolute comfort; for good Italian food is a true comfort.

One restaurant review I did of a place in Colorado stated that they served real New York style Italian food….they didn’t have a clue!!!  They couldn’t make real New York pizza or calzone; their sandwiches were packed with hot sausage as if that is what makes a sandwich really Italian.  That’s like pouring salsa over a hamburger and saying, “Look, I can cook Mexican”.  Puh….lease!!!  Yes, making counterfeit New York Italian food puts my knickers into a fierce twist; especially when it is done so badly.

So, here’s just a short list of what you would find at a typical Italian deli: Mortadella, Prosciutto, Pancetta, fresh Mozzarella and Ricotta, Mascarpone, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Pecorino Romano, Boars Head brand cold cuts (the absolute best brand), dried sausage, fresh sausage, loaves of crusty bread made with Semolina, Antipasti (olives, mushrooms, peperoncini, artichoke hearts - all cured in olive oil; cured meats, cheeses), Torrone candy, Biscotti, cans of imported tomatoes, olive oils, boxes of pasta.  Remember, this is just a short list for a deli; if you wanted to talk about cakes, cookies and pastries, then we have to enter the world of the Italian bakery….that’s a whole other post.

Basically this is a twofold post; a minor rant, but most of all it is a plea; a hope that someone from New York, even New Jersey, will come out here to Monticello Utah and open up a real, pass the sausage please, Italian deli.

....and now for something Italian to feed the stomach and soul.

Baked Pasta Casserole

This recipe can be made with any type of shaped pasta such as ziti, rigatoni, shells, rotelle (spiral), farfalle (bow ties), etc.

Ingredients:

2 lb container ricotta cheese

2 cups shredded mozzarella, divided in half

½ cup grated parmesan cheese

2 eggs, beaten

2 Tbsp each garlic powder, dried basil, dried parsley

6 cups homemade pasta sauce

1 lb cooked pasta

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 F; spray a 2 qt baking dish with nonstick spray.

In a large bowl, mix together ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, parmesan, eggs, garlic powder, herbs and 2 cups sauce till well incorporated.  Add pasta, mix in gently so as to not break up the pasta.

In the baking dish, spread out evenly 2 cups sauce, the pasta/cheese mixture and top with final 2 cups of sauce.  Bake for 45 minutes, spread remaining cup of mozzarella over top, bake another 15 minutes to melt cheese.  Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Makes 8-10 servings.

Mary Cokenour

July 24, 1995 (creation date)

Kuniko’s Teriyaki Grill

Kuniko’s Teriyaki Grill

1133 Patterson Rd Ste 11
Grand Junction, CO 81506

(970) 241-9245

Website: http://kunikojap.com/index.html

Located in a small shopping center, almost indiscernible from all the other small stores nearby, Kuniko’s is a rare find for those who enjoy Japanese cuisine. Going in, one would think they are in a typical takeout joint, and they do a good amount of takeout business, but there are tables to sit at. So don’t let this little “hole in the wall” place fool you, the food out does the décor; as it should. Kuniko’s serves Japanese cuisine; none of the Fusion cuisine that has become a fad in many Asian influenced restaurants.

For the appetizer, we tried the Tempura Shrimp and Vegetables; very lightly battered, shrimp and vegetables cooked well, only slightly greasy; and a flavorful sauce for dipping.

We shared a main entrée of Salmon Teriyaki; a nicely cooked, large salmon filet upon a layer of slivered onions; the teriyaki sauce was delectable. It was served with rice and a small lettuce salad with ginger dressing.

Then came the sushi rolls; expertly rolled, cut perfectly and delicious. Tempura Shrimp roll – the tempura shrimp was cooked well, just as it had been with the appetizer. Samurai roll - crunchy breaded cutlet and cheese with a deliciously sweet and spicy miso paste. Tokyo roll -
crab meat and cucumber on the inside with avocado and tuna on the outside; a decadent pleasure for the mouth.

When it comes to Kuniko’s, don’t judge a book by its cover; judge it by the quality and flavor.

Mary Cokenour

Play with it and it will taste better.

Way back on January 20, 2011 I posted the recipe for a traditional Utah recipe, Funeral Potatoes. Not having the orange variety of Cheddar cheese, cornflakes or fresh potatoes available, and being too lazy to go to the store, I decided to try a few other ingredients and see what I could come up with. I must say, it was a very tasty experiment.

Now, at the same time the potatoes were cooking, I also had in the oven a tray of chicken legs and thighs baking in my Homemade Barbeque Sauce. I removed the skin from the chicken before coating it in the sauce, so the chicken meat itself absorbed the flavor of the sauce, and the baking process actually put a little char on it. Basically, once the chicken is in the oven, just leave it alone and let it do its own thing. I baked up 20 chicken legs and 12 thighs, so they started in the oven while the potatoes were warming up on the counter, and finished while the potatoes were resting. Perfect timing!

Saucy Shredded Potatoes

Ingredients:
6 Tbsp butter
6 Tbsp flour
1/4 tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp onion powder
2 Tbsp sour cream
½ cup heavy cream
2 (14.5 oz) cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup milk
1 cup each shredded white Cheddar cheese and Swiss cheese
1 (28 oz) bag frozen shredded potatoes

Preparation:
In a large saucepan, medium-high heat, melt butter and whisk in flour, salt, black pepper and onion powder. Stir in sour cream, heavy cream, soup, milk and cheeses; bring to a low boil; reduce heat to low and let cook for 5 minutes.

Put the potatoes into a large bowl, pour the cheese mixture in and mix thoroughly. Pour this mixture into a 2 qt baking dish (sprayed with nonstick cooking spray); cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Next day, remove from refrigerator and let it sit on counter for a half hour. Preheat oven to 350F; remove plastic wrap, sprinkle plain dried bread crumbs over top, cover with aluminum foil and bake for one hour. Remove foil, bake additional 15 minutes; let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

Mary Cokenour

Famous Dave's BBQ

Famous Dave’s BBQ

2440 Hwy 6 And 50
Grand Junction, CO 81505

(970) 245-8227

Website: www.legendarybbq.com

We have tried Famous Dave’s a few times and never walked away disappointed; wheeled away in a wheel barrow because we were very full though. Honestly, I have to say it is not the absolute best barbeque I have ever had, but it still deserves a high rating. The various meats and poultry have always been cooked in an excellent manner, are lean, and served in a plentiful way. There is a variety of sauces on each table and it’s enjoyable to try each one. I still haven’t made up my mind which I like the best, so a good excuse to keep trying them all out; and they are available for purchase.

The wait staff is very friendly and attentive; wearing t-shirts with sayings regarding barbeque. They don’t think twice about questions, and gladly make sure your food is done the way you want it to be. The décor and atmosphere of the restaurant is fun; that’s the best way to describe it; you enter and you know you’re going to have fun eating there.

Favorite appetizers are Sweetwater Catfish Fingers - tender strips lightly breaded with Cajun-seasoned cornmeal and flash-fried; served with rémoulade and Sweet Soul Jalapeño sauces. The catfish is perfectly cooked and are enjoyable with or without the sauces.

The BBQ Chicken Wings are meaty and sauced with Famous Dave’s Rich and Sassy sauce; they’re addicting.

It is just so hard to pick one item to eat at Famous Dave’s, so getting their All American Feast (4-5 people) or the Feast for Two (2-3 people) is the best bet. They contain a full slab of St. Louis-style spareribs, a whole chicken, 1/2 lb. of either Texas beef brisket or Georgia chopped pork, coleslaw, Famous Fries, Wilbur Beans, four corn-on-the-cob, and four corn bread muffins. The Feast for Two is the same, but only half in size. The brisket and pork are both excellent, so you might want to order one of those as an addition to either Feast to get the full effect of Famous Dave’s.

Of all the times we’ve been there, I’ve never seen anyone leave unhappy, or without a take away box; and never have heard anyone complain about the food. Yes, it’s in the genre of chain restaurants, but don’t knock it for that…try it.

Mary Cokenour

Comforting sighs for edible pillows.

They fit in the hand, soft, fluffy, perhaps a little crumbly. Splitting them open a waft of flavorful steam ascends to the nostrils. You breathe in and immediately the comforting feeling begins; an all over embrace and then you sigh.

Whether they are smeared with jams, jellies, flavored butters, sweet butter, gravy or just plain; the buttermilk biscuit is one of the ultimate comfort foods. They fill the mind with childhood memories that bring a smile to your face; a dreamy eyed look upon the face.

Stress melts off the shoulders just as the butter oozes down the sides of that little pillow you are munching upon. Problems don't go away, but at least they'll be easier to deal with later on. So help yourself to a buttermilk biscuit, relax and just enjoy the moment...or two...heck, three of those little beauties might be the answer.

Buttermilk Biscuits

Ingredients:

2 ¼ cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, cold, cut into ½” pieces
¾ to 1 cup cold buttermilk
¼ cup heavy cream
4 Tbsp butter, melted, used for brushing

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425F; oven rack should be in center of oven.

Sift into a large bowl flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; cut the cold butter into the flour until it resembles coarse cornmeal; small pieces of uncut butter should be visible. Using a fork, stir in ¾ cup buttermilk and heavy cream until the mixture forms a sticky ball; if still dry, gradually add in remaining ¼ cup buttermilk.

Place the dough on a floured board; work it between hands to smooth out the ball. Roll the dough out to 1 ½” thick; cut out 3” circles using a biscuit cutter or a glass. Place the circles on an ungreased baking sheet. Any dough left can be reformed and cut into circles.

Brush tops with melted butter; bake for 10-15 minutes; until biscuits rise and are golden brown. If desired, brush with additional melted butter before serving.

Makes 12-15 biscuits.

Mary Cokenour

Sign of Onset Insanity…the eye twitch.

Roy is usually home on Wednesday; seems there’s a lull at work on this day, so he doesn’t have to go in. More and more I have noticed that my mind turns to mush on Wednesday; coincidence? I think not!

Take, for example, this morning’s conversation:

Roy: Where are my lighters!?!
Me: How would I know?
Roy: You know where everything is.
Me: I know where it is if I saw where it was.
Roy: But you’re supposed to know where they are.
Me: Why?
Roy: Because.
Roy: When is my appointment for the car inspection? (Now I have already told him 3 times, and it is written on the calendars)
Me: It’s still at 10am, just like it was all the other times I told you.
Roy: I’m just making sure.
Me: It’s written on the calendars too.
Roy: I’m making sure the time on them was right.

….and the eye twitch begins. It doesn’t stop just because I am aware of it, in fact, I believe it gets worse. It’s as if it’s saying to me, “you married him, so deal.” I usually take a couple of Advil and get myself busy, hoping that I can ignore it and it will go away. So I begin to write today’s blog post and…..it’s gone.

Today will be another journey into the realm of Mexican cuisine; the Enchilada. I have chicken defrosted, but am not in the mood for Chicken Pot Pie or Stir Fry; I want a challenge, and Mexican cuisine is a challenge for me. I need this challenge, so I won’t have to deal with the issue of lost lighters again…well, at least for today.

Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:

8 (10 inch) flour tortillas
1 cup shredded white Cheddar cheese

Filling:

½ cup chicken broth
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
¼ tsp each salt, ground black pepper, paprika; mixed together
2 Tbsp canola oil
½ cup each diced onion, red bell pepper and tomato
½ cup sour cream
1 cup crumbled Queso fresco (cheese)
1 Tbsp minced cilantro

Sauce:

1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
½ cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp New Mexico chile powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp minced garlic

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350F. Pour chicken broth into an 8”x8” baking dish. Season chicken with seasoning mixture and place into baking dish; cover with aluminum foil and bake 20-30 minutes (internal temp should be at 160F). Remove chicken, let cool until can be handled and shred apart.
To prepare the filling, heat oil in large skillet on medium heat; sauté onion and red bell pepper until slightly softened. Add in shredded chicken, tomato, sour cream, Queso cheese and cilantro; cook until cheese just begins to melt.

To prepare the sauce, put all ingredients listed for sauce in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Once bubbles begin to appear, reduce heat to low and let simmer for 10 minutes.

To put it all together, preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9”x13” baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange even amounts of the filling in the center of each tortilla, roll closed and place in baking dish, seam side down. Pour sauce over all and spread shredded white Cheddar over top. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes; uncover, bake additional 10 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

Mary Cokenour