Blue Food

George Hirsch January 28, 2019

With just 80 delicious calories per cup and virtually no fat, blueberries offer us many important nutritional health benefits.

Blueberries are an excellent source of dietary fiber, and possess antioxidant properties as well. These important antioxidants help neutralize free radicals can prevent cancer, cardiovascular disease and other age-related conditions such as Alzheimer's.

Blueberries are also high in Vitamin C. In fact, a serving contains about 14 mg or almost 25% of daily requirement for Vitamin C. Vitamin C is needed for the formation of collagen and to maintain healthy gums and capillaries. It also aids in the absorption of iron and promotes a healthy immune system.

There are many ways to incorporate blueberries into your diet with a healthy breakfast including a parfait of blueberries, yogurt and granola.

Blueberries are also an excellent way to add sweet and tart flavor to pork, poultry or fish with sauces, salsas and chutneys. Simply simmer blueberries with balsamic vinegar, sweet onion, garlic and peppers.

Create desserts with blueberry toppings with cinnamon, vanilla, ginger, and mint. Garnish desserts topping off with fresh blueberries like a Creamy Rice Pudding from George Hirsch Lifestyle TV series.

And a few fun facts:

The blueberry is the official state fruit of New Jersey.

There are only three fruits native to North America; blueberries, cranberries and Concord grapes.

The blueberry muffin is the most popular muffin in the U.S.

Deep Dish Dinner

George Hirsch January 16, 2019

Change things up on the menu. It might be time to make a warm and comforting Chicken Pot Pie. This recipe is perfect for leftovers as well. The great thing about this recipe is you can assemble all the ingredients the day before, refrigerate and bake it in less than an hour before dinner. Make individual pies for fun or for serving up practical portions.

For a fancier serving suggestion assemble the potpies in individual ovenproof size dishes.

Chicken Pot Pie

Makes 6 servings

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

*1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cubed

1 cup carrots, diced

1/2 cup celery, peeled & chopped

1/2 cup fennel, chopped

1 cup Yukon potatoes, peeled and diced

1 bay leaf

1/3 cup butter

1/3 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon each thyme, hot sauce

1/4 teaspoon each sea salt, fresh ground black pepper

pinch fresh grated nutmeg

1 3/4 cups chicken broth

2/3 cup milk

1 cup frozen green peas

*2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts, or 1 Puff Pastry Sheet

1 egg, with teaspoon milk, beaten for egg wash

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a saucepan, combine chicken, carrots, fennel, celery and bay leaf. Add just enough of broth to cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, cool and set aside. Remove bay leaf and discard.

In the saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, thyme and hot sauce. Slowly stir in remaining chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat, cool, add peas and potatoes and set aside.

Place the chicken mixture in bottom of a lightly pre-baked (see note) pie crust. Pour cool chicken mixture over. Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough. Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Brush top lightly with egg wash. Do not puddle egg wash on top of dough or top will burn.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, lower temperature to 325 degrees or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cover edges with foil if it becomes too dark. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Note: A wet sauce added to a bottom crust pie shell requires the pie dough to be slightly pre-baked to avoid it becoming soggy and raw. Place your bottom pie crust in the bottom of the pie pan or serving dish. Cover lightly with aluminum foil outlining the crust so it will bake blind (no color). Bake for 5 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Remove and proceed with recipe as directed.

Optional serving suggestions:

*You may use boneless dark meat or 2 cups leftover pre-cooked chicken.

- Serve in individual crocks. Pour chicken mixture into crocks and place dough over each one.

*George’s Favorite Pie Crust

Makes 1 pie or 2 bottom crusts

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup cold milk

Chill the butter and milk before you begin. Chilling keeps the pie crust flaky and prevents the fat pieces from melting into the flour and becoming tough.

Next, mix the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder. Cut the chilled butter into the dry mixture using a pastry cutter or by pinching the fat into the mixture with your hands. The mixture should have fat lumps no larger than the size of raisins. If making pie crust in the summer time cool off the flour by measuring your flour and refrigerate one hour before making dough.

Pour in the chilled liquid just until the milk is absorbed, mixing gently with a fork. You should be able to gently press the dough into a ball. Mix the dough as little as possible: you don't want to cream the lumps of butter into the flour. A crust without lumps of butter will be dense, not flaky. Note that humidity will affect how much liquid the flour will absorb.

Split the dough into two parts; 2/3 and 1/3 (2/3 for the bottom and 1/3 for the top). Pat them into balls, flattening them slightly, and wrap them in plastic wrap. The dough needs to rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Overnight is preferred. Chilling lets the flour absorb all of the liquid, lets the dough relax and become more elastic, and keeps the fat in separate pieces which will give the crust a lighter texture when it is baked.

Sold out

13 EPISODES on 4 HD-DVD Disk Set, season one

$19.95

AS SEEN ON PUBLIC TELEVISION & CREATE TV- SEASON ONE
FEATURING CHEF GEORGE HIRSCH DEMONSTRATING HIS SAVORY COOKING, BAKING AND GRILLING RECIPES; WITH HIS EXPERT CULINARY TIPS & TECHNIQUES, ALONG WITH VISITS TO HIS INSPIRING HAMPTON LOCATIONS.

Grilled Fillet of Beef with Red Wine Sauce

George Hirsch December 21, 2018

Join me + Tune-in George Hirsch Lifestyle CreateTV Sat Dec 29th 6AM/6PM + Sun Dec 30th 12:30PM

The ultimate prized piece of beef is the fillet mignon, the center of the beef tenderloin. Because this cut of beef has no fat on the surface, it should be brushed with oil before cooking. The cooking times for beef will vary according to the temperature of the fire as well as the temperature of the meat and the air. A beef fillet, or beef tenderloin, is the most tender of all beef cuts. It contains no bone or fat. Although the fillet is fork-tender, it lacks a real beefy flavor so it is often seasoned before roasting and served with a sauce

Grilled Fillet of Beef with Red Wine Sauce

chefgeorgehirsch.com | adapted from Know Your Fire Cookbook

2 pound beef tenderloin roast, trimmed

2 teaspoons hot sauce

1/4 cup prepared mustard

2 Tablespoons coarsely crushed peppercorns

1 teaspoon Italian parsley, coarsely chopped

2 Tablespoons olive oil

For the Shitake Mushrooms & Red Wine Sauce

2 Tablespoons sweet butter

1 cup sliced shitake mushrooms

2 shallots, finely chopped or 2 Tablespoons chopped onions

1/4 cup dry red wine

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 Tablespoon sherry, optional

Preheat the grill or grill pan to high.

Rub the meat with the hot sauce and spread evenly with the mustard on all sides. Mix the peppercorns and parsley together and pat onto the meat. Brush beef with olive oil.

Sear the meat on the grill until it is brown on all sides. Lower the heat to medium and finish cooking to desired doneness. For rare, the approximate time is 7-8 minutes per pound, 8-10 minutes for medium rare, 10-12 minutes for medium. Cool the meat slightly for five minutes and slice thin.

Meanwhile, in a saute pan melt the butter over medium heat and add the shitake mushrooms and shallots. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms begin to get a little color. Add the wine and thyme and cook 1 minute. If inclined, add the sherry.

To serve, garnish the steaks with the mushrooms and red wine sauce.

to purchase George Hirsch Signature ALL PURPOSE OFFSET KNIFE, CLICK HERE.

Sold out

13 EPISODES on 4 HD-DVD Disk Set, season one

$19.95

George Hirsch Living it UP! cooking & lifestyle book

$24.95

This easy to live with lifestyle plan; with more than 165 of George's easy-to-prepare gourmet recipes, you can lose weight, maintain energy, look better, and enjoy a longer active life, by eating great food!
M.Evans and Company, Inc.

George Starts your year off right!

George Hirsch Living it UP
Recipes for a Healthy Active Life
Product Details
Hardcover: 240 pages; $24.95
Publisher: M. Evans and Company, Inc.; 2000
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0871319241
ISBN-13: 978-0871319241
Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches

Creative Cooking tips
Fast Easy recipes that allow for an active lifestyle
A 30-Day Menu Plan you can adapt throughout the year
Support and motivation for staying on a healthy eating & exercise routine
Tips for easy food shopping & eating healthy on the run

Each book is personally autographed by George Hirsch.

On the First Day of Christmas

georgehirsch December 12, 2018

On the first day of Christmas my true love sent me a Partridge in a Pear Tree.

Making homemade desserts can be intimidating if you are not a trained pastry chef. Solution, my Apple Pear Tartelette. When the apples and pears are ripe it’s time to pick & prepare. This tart is also a great last minute “I’m entertaining tonight dessert.” And, once you’ve made this a couple times you’ll want to strut your pastry 101 skills and whip it up in front of your guests. Enjoy!

Warm Apple Pear Tartlette
Makes six servings
chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle
1/4 cup unsalted sweet butter
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons water + 2 Tablespoons white pure cane sugar
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 medium size Granny Smith apples; peeled, cored and sliced + 2 medium size gala or a sweeter apple; peeled, cored and sliced + 2 Bartlett pears, peeled, cored and sliced
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
pinch ground nutmeg
1 store bought frozen puff pastry shells, baked

Preheat sauté pan to medium temperature.
Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water, white sugar and brown sugar, and bring to a simmer. Reduce temperature and let simmer two minutes. Cool and mix with sliced apples.
Optional:
Add 2 Tablespoons cranberries or toasted walnuts to apple filling.
In center of baked puff pastry, top with warm apple and pear filling. Serve with freshly whipped cream or ice cream.

Sold out

13 EPISODES on 4 HD-DVD Disk Set, season one

$19.95

George Hirsch Living it UP! cooking & lifestyle book

$24.95

Top Soup

George Hirsch November 20, 2018

Tune-in + Join me Create TV GHL Sat 11/25 9AM 9PM + Sun 11/25 3PM

The University of Illinois published a study based on matching personalities with soup preferences a few years back in the Journal of Database Marketing Lifestyle and Personality Clusters. The four most popular soups were chicken noodle, tomato, minestrone and vegetable. These four top soups were cross-tabulated with personality and lifestyle traits. What's your soup say about you?

click to enjoy Potato Leek Soup recipe — ***click*** **to enjoy Potato Leek Soup recipe**

The Findings:

Chicken noodle soup; you score high on the church-going scale, are fond of pets, are more likely to be stubborn and less likely to be outdoorsy.

Minestrone; you were more likely to be physically fit, nutritionally conscious, family spirited, unlikely to own a pet and also on a restricted diet.

Vegetable soup; was a homebody at heart, less likely to be a world traveler, less likely to be spontaneous and more likely to read family and home magazines.

Tomato soup; by contrast, seeks more adventure, were more likely to be social and also tended to enjoy books and pets.

Soup, especially this chilly time of year, is comforting to the body and soul. Delighted that my Tomato Soup falls into the top four!

reference; Journal of Database Marketing Lifestyle and Personality Clusters

Sold out

13 EPISODES on 4 HD-DVD Disk Set, season one

$19.95