CHICKEN CORDON "BUCCO"

YOUR PROBABLY WONDERING WHAT THE NAME "CORDON BUCCO" MEANS, LET ME EXPLAIN.  THERE WAS CHARACTER ON "THE SOPRANOS" NAMED ARTIE BUCCO AND HE WAS A CHEF, MY NAME ALSO HAPPENS TO BE ARTIE ALTHOUGH MANY KNOW ME AS AJ.  A FRIEND OF MINE NICKNAMED ME "BUCCO" WHEN HE FOUND OUT I LIKED TO COOK, AND LIKE THEY SAY THE REST IS HISTORY.  THIS DISH IS MY TAKE ON CHICKEN CORDON BLE.  I PUT MY ITALIAN TWIST ON IT AND MADE IT A LITTLE HEALTHIER AT THE SAME TIME BY USING COCONUT MILK INSTEAD OF CREAM OR FLOUR AND BUTTER FOR THE SAUCE.

Serves 3-4
4 THIN SLICED CHICKEN CUTLETS
2 EGGS AND FLOUR FOR DREDGING
PANKO BREADCRUMBS
1/4 LB PROSCIUTTO
SMALL BALL OF SMOKED MOZZARELLA, OR SHREDDED MOZZARELLA
SMALL CAN OF COCONUT MILK
3 TBS HONEY MUSTARD 
SMALL PACKAGE MUSHROOMS, SLICED
SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE

Heat olive oil in a large skillet or pan over medium heat

Season chicken with salt and pepper.  Dredge cutlets in seasoned flour, then eggs and finally in panko.  Brown cutlets, in batches if necessary, remove and set aside.  Top the cutlets with the prosciutto and then the cheese.

Add a little more olive oil to the pan and add the mushrooms.  Saute for a minute or two and add coconut milk.  Scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen up any brown bits.  Add the honey mustard and bring the sauce to a simmer. Salt and pepper to taste. 

Add the chicken to the pan and continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through, 10-15 minutes.  Finish under the broiler if possible to brown the cheese.  
 

ENGINE 2 DIET'S "MIGAS ESPECIALES"

MIGAS IS A WORD DERIVED FROM THE SPANISH WORD FOR CRUMBLES.  IT IS A DISH TRADITIONALLY MADE USING EGGS, SAUSAGE, CHEESE, SALSA AND TORTILLAS.  TRY THIS PLANT-STRONG VERSION FROM OUR FRIENDS AT ENGINE 2 DIET TO SPICE UP YOUR MORNING BREAKFAST!

Serves 3

1 ONION, CHOPPED
8 OZ. MUSHROOM, SLICED
2 TOMATOES, CHOPPED
1 LB. FIRM TOFU, DRAINED, PRESSED WITH A CLOTH, AND MASHED
1 TSP. TURMERIC
3 CORN TORTILLAS, CUT INTO 1 INCH SQUARES
1 CAN FAT-FREE VEGETARIAN REFRIED BEANS, WARMED IN NON-STICK SKILLET
SALSA
CORN TORTILLAS (USE AS TOAST OR A TACO)

Sauté onion in non-stick skillet on medium heat with a little water or low sodium vegetable broth for 3 minutes or until translucent.

Add mushrooms and tomatoes. Cook for 7 minutes or until most of their juices have been cooked away.

Add tofu, turmeric, and tortillas squares. Cook for a few minutes, or until mixture is warmed through.

Place a generous spoonful of migas on a plate and top with salsa. Or, serve in corn tortillas for breakfast tacos!

ROPA VIEJA

ROPA VIEJA LITERALLY TRANSLATES TO "OLD CLOTHES" IN SPANISH.  IT IS A SHREDDED BEEF DISH THAT IS USUALLY MADE WITH A SOFRITO, WHICH IS A TOMATO BASE SAUCE IN SPANISH AND LATIN COOKING.  IT IS TYPICALLY MADE UP OF PEPPERS, ONIONS, GARLIC AND CILANTRO.  THERE ARE STORE BOUGHT VARIETIES THAT WOULD BE JUST FINE FOR THIS RECIPE, BUT I PREFER TO MAKE MY OWN.  THIS IS A STOVE-TOP VERSION BUT CAN EASILY BE DONE IN A SLOW COOKER.

Serves 3-4

1 FLANK STEAK CUT UP INTO THIRDS
1 ONION, PEELED AND SLICED
2 GARLIC CLOVES, CHOPPED
3 BELL PEPPERS, STEMMED,SEEDED AND SLICED
BUNCH OF CILANTRO
RED WINE VINEGAR
LARGE CAN OF TOMATO SAUCE 
SMALL CAN OF LOW SODIUM BEEF BROTH
CUMIN
SALT 
PEPPER
OLIVE OIL
RICE, COOKED ACCORDING TO PACKAGE
 

Season steak with salt and pepper

In a large dutch oven or pot, heat a few "glugs" of olive oil over medium-high heat

When the oil just starts to smoke, brown the steak in batches on all sides and set aside on a plate. Add the onions to the pot, season with a pinch of salt.  When onions are translucent add the peppers and garlic to the pot.  When garlic just starts to brown, pour in a few splashes of red wine vinegar to deglaze the bottom of the pan.  Scraping any brown bits stuck to the bottom. 
Add the tomato sauce to the pan and season with salt, pepper and cumin to taste. 

Return the steak to the pan and just enough beef broth to cover.  Cover the pot and simmer for 2-3 hours or until the steak is fork tender.  
When the steak is done, remove to a bowl and shred.  Return the steak back to the pot and simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes to thicken the sauce up a little. 

Serve over rice and garnish with cilantro
 

PENNE WITH ROASTED BROCCOLI AND GARLIC

To say I ate well on my honeymoon in Italy would be an understatement.  The flavors, smells and sights of the country where my ancestors came from will always be ingrained in my memory.  Every meal had one thing in common, simplicity, both with the ingredients and technique.  This pasta dish exemplifies that in the roasting of the fresh broccoli, which caramelizes the vegetables natural sugars, adding another dimension of flavor.  The slightly sweet crispy brown bits of broccoli, the salty sharpness of the cheese and the heat of the pepper all come together with the help from some good extra virgin olive oil.  Buon appetito!

Serves 3-4
3 SMALL HEADS OF BROCCOLI, CUT INTO FLORETS AND STEMS SLICED 
6 GARLIC CLOVES, PEELED AND SMASHED
1 1/2 LBS PENNE, YOU CAN SUBSTITUTE WHOLE WHEAT PASTA
EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
CHILI FLAKES
PARMESAN CHEESE

Preheat oven to 450*

Toss broccoli in a bowl with some olive oil and a touch of salt and pepper.  Spread the florets out in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes until just tender and edges have started to brown.  

As the broccoli roasts, heat a few big "glugs" of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.  Add the garlic, being careful not to burn.  When the garlic is a golden brown remove and add as much chili flakes to the pan as you desire.

While broccoli is roasting and the garlic is browning , cook the pasta for 1 -2 minutes less than what the package says in salted water.  Al dente is best!

When the pasta is done, drain, while reserving the pasta water in the pot.  Add the pasta to the pan with olive oil and chili flakes, toss in the broccoli and a couple spoonfuls of pasta water.  Stir and continue to cook over medium heat for a minute or two until pasta is cooked to al dente.  Remove the pan from the heat and sprinkle in some parmesan cheese and a couple swirls of olive oil.  The parmesan cheese and pasta water will combine, creating a light sauce that will coat the pasta.  Serve with extra chili flakes for those who like the heat!

We eat with our eyes first...

so the saying goes.  Fork and Hose Co. receives so many great meal pics every day from our followers and for that we cannot thank all of you enough.  We try to post as many as possible but unfortunately some we just can't post because of either poor photo quality, half-eaten or not being the finished product.  We get it though, we are firefighters not photographers!  Heck, many times it's hard to get a pic because the crew is ravenous and dives right into the plate.  So we here at F&H Co. thought we might give you guys some pointers on food photography that we learned from Food Network star The Pioneer Woman.  A better photo means a better chance at being featured on our soon to be new RECIPE and TIPS section on the website! Ooops, did I just let the cat out of the bag!?

Don't get so close to the food that your not sure what your even looking at

Try and keep the photos light and bright

Avoid using the flash, try to capture natural light such as near a window

White dishes make the best backdrops for food photos

Fill up most of the frame with food, try to avoid dead space

And finally, just keep taking pictures!  It's the only way to get better!

Here is some Penne with Broccoli, Garlic and Oil that I made

Firehouse Kitchen: Behind the Scenes

Fork and Hose Co. just filmed another two episodes of Firehouse Kitchen !  This time around it was with our good friends at 555 Fitness , so not only will there be healthy cooking but great firehouse friendly fitness tips as well.  To say we had fun filming at the Bayport Fire Department, Home of the Red Devils, would be an understatement.  These episodes will air sometime around July, but here are some behind the scene pics of the shoot!  

We are our own worst enemy!

Many of you know what Fork and Hose Co. is all about, providing inspiration to firefighters and civilians in the kitchen by sharing meals, recipes and workouts from our friends at 555 Fitness .  We put a strong emphasis on healthier dishes as often as possible because we know the problem facing firefighters in America, LODD's (line-of-duty-death) due to cardiac related events.  This article that was put out by Firehouse magazine back in January of 2012 is more relevant today than ever.  Please take the time to read it and see the realities of obesity in the fire service and the impact it has, only WE can change this disturbing trend.  Let's all try to eat better and exercise more so we can change the statistics! Find the article here !

Throwdown Thursday - PROTEIN EGG "CUPCAKES"

Every Thursday we feature a recipe or tip for our friends at  The Firefighter Throwdown  .  This week we have a recipe that is perfect for those who don't have time to make a breakfast every morning.  These are Protein Cupcakes from Ewa of 555 Fitness , another good friend of ours!

Pre-heat oven to 350*

Grease a muffin pan with coconut oil, butter or ghee

Mix together egg whites or whole scrambled eggs

Add anything you would like such as spinach, mushroom, bacon, sausage, sweet potato, tomato, etc. to the egg mixture.

Fill the muffin tin with the egg mix and bake for 20-25 minutes till the eggs have set

And there you go! An easy breakfast you can re-heat right in the microwave!

Also, if you are going to the Throwdown be on the lookout for the 555 Fitness crew!

Interview with Engine 2 Diet !

Here at Fork and Hose Co. we strive to provide recipes and meals that will inspire firefighters and non-firefighters alike to be more conscious of what goes on their plate.  Our friends at Engine 2 Diet have added another dimension to how we can improve firefighter health and fitness by showing us what it means to be plant-strong !  They just started a new series on their blog The Daily Beet about real men who it eat plants entitled "What's on Your PL8" and they chose us to be the first interview! Head over to their blog to read the full story! 

Time for our Engine 2 Diet "Meatless Monday" feature!

Every first Monday of the month we feature recipes that are both firefighter approved and "Plant-Strong" !  These recipes come from our friends at The Engine 2 Diet and firefighters from all over !

The first recipe is for the Engine 2 Diet "Raise the Roof Sweet Potato Lasagne" 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 small head of garlic, all cloves chopped or pressed
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 1 head broccoli, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1 can corn, rinsed and drained
• 1 package Silken Lite tofu
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 teaspoon rosemary
• 2 jars Engine 2 approved pasta sauce
• 2 boxes whole grain lasagna noodles
• 16 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 2 sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed
• 6 roma tomatoes, sliced thin
• 1 cup raw cashews, ground

PREPARATION:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
Sauté the onion and garlic on high heat for 3 minutes in a wok or nonstick pan.
Add the mushrooms and cook until the onions are limp and the mushrooms give up their liquid.
Remove them to a large bowl with a slotted spoon.
Reserve the mushroom liquid in the pan.
Sauté the broccoli and carrots for 5 minutes and add to the mushroom bowl.
Sauté the peppers and corn until just beginning to soften. Add them to the vegetable bowl.
Drain the silken tofu by wrapping in paper towels. Break it up directly in the towel and mix into the vegetable bowl.
Add spices to the vegetable bowl and combine.
To assemble the vegetable lasagna :
Cover the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch casserole with a layer of sauce.
Add a layer of noodles.
Cover the noodles with sauce. This way the noodles cook in the oven, saving time and energy.
Spread the vegetable mixture over the sauced noodles.
Cover with a layer of noodles and another dressing of sauce.
Add the spinach to the second layer of sauced noodles.
Cover the spinach with the mashed sweet potatoes.
Add another layer of sauce, the final layer of noodles, and a last topping of sauce. Cover the lasagna with thinly sliced roma tomatoes.
Cover with foil and bake in the oven for 45 minutes.
Remove the foil, sprinkle with the cashews, and return to the oven for 15 minutes. Let lasagna sit for 15 minutes before serving.

Fork and Hose Co. goes to the big screen......well sorta

This week I will be filming an episode of the Firehouse Kitchen TV show !  Ray Cooney, the host and a retired FDNY firefighter, loves what we are doing here at F&H Co. and after speaking with him invited us to be on an episode.  At first I had a dish planned out, but after having to reschedule the shoot I came up with the idea to get everyone who has supported us involved.  On our Instagram and Facebook page I gave three dish options and whichever gets the most votes by Wednesday will be the dish that I cook on the show !  So if you haven't done so yet, go and VOTE!

Go to www.firehousekitchenshow.com for more details about the show

The Fork and Hose Co. crew....

We here at Fork and Hose Co. believe in teamwork , whether it's on the fireground or in the kitchen and so we have teamed up with like-minded people to "make the push" possible !

Every Monday, our friends at 555 Fitness feature a healthy firehouse meal ! To get your healthy recipe considered tag us @forkandhoseco 

We "back-up" our friends at 555 Fitness by featuring one of their effective workouts every Friday, these WOD's (workout of the day) require very little equipment and time !

F&H Co. also teamed up with the Engine 2 Diet !  Every first Monday of the month we feature all plant-based recipes and meals to show how delicious and beneficial veggies can be! 

Just recently we started working with the FirefighterThrowdown, a rigorous fitness competition for firefighters ! Every Thursday from now until the games at the end of January we will have "Throwdown Thursdays" where we will feature meals and tips that will help fuel you through your workouts ! 

Fork and Hose Co. teams up with Firefighter Throwdown

The @forkandhoseco family continues to grow! Thanks to @555fitness we have teamed up with Firefighter Throwdown, a grueling fitness competition for firefighters. Starting this week leading up to the games on the January 27th and 28th we will have "Throwdown Thursdays". We will be featuring healthy meals that will fuel you through your workouts as well as tips on how to create healthier recipes. If you are competing and eating let us know by tagging us@forkandhoseco !

Are you working at the firehouse on Christmas?

While Christmas tree shopping I had a thought. I started wondering who in the Fork and Hose Co. family is working these holidays. So if you are, leave your name in the comments and send us an email forkandhoseco@gmail.com with your address if we don't have it already so F&H Co can send you a little yummy goodie bag!