Category: RECIPES

BEEF STROGANOFF

WHY THIS RECIPES WORKS – This recipe is full of simple, but comfort oriented ingredients that makes for a quick week night dinner that is completely satisfying.  Just add a green salad or vegetable and you’re ready!

BEEF STROGANOFF

1 1⁄2 lbs beef, sliced thin or chopped small
2 tablespoons baking soda
1⁄4 cup room temperature water
3 tablespoons avocado oil
3 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped small
3-4 garlic cloves, crushed
1⁄2 lb mushrooms, sliced thin
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup beef broth
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 bay leaf
1 cup dry white wine
LARGE pinch sea salt
1⁄2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1⁄4 teaspoon white pepper
1 1⁄2 cups sour cream
cooked wide egg noodles

  • Slice beef very thinly across the grain, or cut into bite size pieces and place in ceramic or glass bowl.
  • Whisk together the baking soda and 1/4 cup water. Pour it over the beef. Stir well and let sit for 15 minutes.
  • Melt butter into oil and sauté onions on low heat for about 10 minutes until golden. Add garlic and mushrooms and cook another 10 minutes (add a little wine for moisture if needed).
  • Remove the beef from the bowl and rinse well under running cold water in a colander; let drain.
  • Add well-drained beef to the cooked mushroom mixture and sauté another 10 minutes. When you add the beef it will make the sauce foam – DON’T PANIC — this is to be expected and will subside.
  • Sprinkle flour in and stir until everything is coated.
  • Add the broth plus the Worcestershire, bay leaf, wine, paprika, and white pepper to the meat mixture.
  • Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, tasting it periodically until any “floury” taste is gone.
  • When you are close to serving, take it off the heat and add the sour cream, careful not to curdle, and stir well.
  • Remove the bay leaf.
  • Serve over cooked buttered noodles.NOTE: The BIG “secret” in this recipe that makes it PERFECT is soaking the meat with the baking soda mixture. It ensures a wonderfully tender and velvety beef.

PAN SEARED COD with SOUR CREAM SAUCE

WHY IT WORKS: The crushed red pepper in the crust gives you a bit of a bite while the sour cream sauce tempers it smoothly.

PAN SEARED COD with SOUR CREAM SAUCE
1 cod fillet per person
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 small shallot, finely minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2-4 tablespoons rice flour
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons Avocado oil

  • Whisk together the sour cream, shallots and salt and pepper to taste. Add lemon juice as desired.
  • Heat oil over medium high heat.
  • Add flour, salt and pepper to a plate.
  • Pat dry the cod fillets.
  • Dredge cod fillets in flour and add to sizzling oil.
  • Cook 4 minutes on the first side and then flip for another 2 minutes until lightly browned and cooked through.
  • Serve over rice or with potatoes.

 

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FONTINA STUFFED CHICKEN

WHY IT WORKS: This recipe is light and refreshing while ALSO being crisp and savory. This makes a great “company” meal.

FONTINA STUFFED CHICKEN
1 tablespoon avocado oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to even 1/4 inch thin pieces
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded Fontina cheese
5 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 bunch green onions, sliced
1/4 cup FRESH chopped Italian Parsley
1/4 cup julienne cut sun dried tomatoes in oil, drained, dried and chopped
2 large eggs
FRESH ground Himalayan pink salt and black pepper
1 1/2 cups Panko crumbs
1 teaspoon paprika

  • Preheat oven to 375°.
  • In a medium mixing bowl combine the cream cheese, fontina cheese, bacon pieces, green onions, parsley and sun dried tomatoes until well blended.
  • Season cheese mixture with salt and pepper.
  • Whisk egg with salt and pepper.
  • Spread cheese mixture over chicken breasts.
  • Roll chicken up from the shortest side and secure with toothpicks.
  • Add paprika to Panko crumbs.
  • Dip chicken in egg mixture and then in Panko crumbs.
  • Place chicken rolls seam side down in a greased baking dish.
  • Drizzle tops with the oil.
  • Bake 30-35 minutes until golden brown and chicken is cooked through.
  • Remove toothpicks and serve.

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BBQ BACON CHEESEBURGER MEATBALLS

This is one of those fun facebook recipes that actually worked the way it was supposed to! See the how to video here. I did make a couple changes that we like better.

BBQ BACON CHEESEBURGER MEATBALLS – makes 12 metballs

1 pound ground beef
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup bread crumbs
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ onion, minced
⅓ VERY loosely packed cup minced parsley
1 egg
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon honey
4-6 small/medium-sized onions
4 ounces cheddar cheese (small block), cubed
16-24 pieces of bacon
1 bottle BBQ sauce (King”s Hawaiian Original)

  • Preheat oven to 425˚.
  • Cut onions in half root to tip.
  • Save onion shells suitable to wrap meatballs. Use smaller inside pieces for the minced onion inside the meat mixture.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef with garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, salt, bread crumbs, garlic, onion, parsley, egg, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and honey until evenly combined. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
  • Remove meatball mixture from refrigerator.
  • Stuff each meatball with a cube of cheddar cheese and form into golf ball-sized meatballs around it.
  • Wrap each meatball in two onion shells and then wrap each meatball with 2 pieces of bacon until meatball is completely covered. Secure with toothpicks.
  • Submerge each meatball into the BBQ sauce before transferring it to a parchment-lined baking tray.
  • Bake for 45 minutes, brushing again with BBQ sauce every 15 minutes.
  • Enjoy!

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TAIWANESE CHICKEN

WHY IT WORKS: This recipe is savory and spicy with a chile sauce and tempered by fluffy Jasmine rice. The crispy shallots add a crisp bite to meld all the textures together and tempt your palette.

TAWAINESE CHICKEN
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 pound red cabbage, sliced thin
2 tablespoons rice flour
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 shallot
2 tablespoons Bragg’s Amino Acids
1 dried chile de árbol
2 + 1 tablespoons Avocado oil
1/2 cup Jasmin rice
1 + 1/2 cup water
Cilantro , for garnish

  • In a small saucepan heat 1 cup water with a BIG pinch of salt and the rice to boiling.
  • Once it boils, cover and reduce heat to low.
  • Cook 12-14 minutes until rice is tender and all the water has been absorbed.
  • Remove from heat and fluff rice with a fork.
  • Drizzle with avocado oil and set aside.

 

  • While the rice is cooking, prepare the sauce.
  • In a saucepan combine the Bragg’s amino acids, sugar, water and as much of the chile as you desire and bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently until sugar is dissolved and the sauce has reduced by half.
  • Remove the chile.
  • Pour sauce into a large mixing bowl.

 

  • Heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat.
  • Pat chicken dry, season with salt and pepper on both sides.
  • Add chicken and cook 5 minutes and then flip to second side and cook 5 minutes more until both sides are browned well.
  • Remove chicken to cutting board for shredding.
  • Shred chicken pieces and add to bowl with sauce.

 

  • Add a scant 1/2 cup water to pan and warm.
  • Add cabbage to the pan, seasoning with salt and pepper.
  • Stir occasionally and cook until wilted and water has been absorbed.

 

  • Slice shallot into thing rings.
  • In a mixing bowl toss the shallot rings with the rice flour, separating the rings into individual pieces.
  • Season with salt and pepper.
  • Heat oil over medium high heat.
  • Add shallots in a single layer to sizzling oil.
  • Stir frequently until browned and crispy, 2-4 minutes.

 

  • Divide the rice between 2 plates.
  • Top with cabbage.
  • Top with shredded chicken.
  • Top with shallots and cilantro.

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BUFFALO CHICKEN & POTATOES

WHY IT WORKS: This recipe works because it is simple, week night friendly, flavor packed and PURE comfort food. It also makes a great addition to a backyard BBQ or church pot luck supper.

BUFFALO CHICKEN & POTATOES
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast or tenders, cut into 1 inch strips
1/3 cup Frank’s Original Hot Sauce
6 cups diced hash brown potatoes, thawed*
1 cup ranch dressing
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 can cream of celery soup
1/2 cup seasoned Panko crumbs**
2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1 bunch green onions, sliced

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Spray 13×9 baking dish with non-stick spray.
  • In a mixing bowl combine the chicken strips and hot sauce, tossing to coat well.
  • In a LARGE mixing bowl whisk together the undiluted soup and ranch dressing.
  • Fold potatoes into the soup mixture.
  • Spoon potato mixture into baking dish.
  • Arrange chicken pieces in a single layer on top of potatoes, drizzling any excess sauce evenly over top.
  • Evenly top with grated cheese.
  • In a small bowl combine Panko Crumbs and butter until a coarse mixture.
  • Sprinkle Panko crumbs mixture over chicken pieces.
  • Cover and bake 30 minutes.
  • Uncover and bake 20 minutes more or until potatoes are tender and chicken is cooked through.
  • Top with green onions.
  • Cool slightly and serve warm.

NOTE 1: * The original recipe called for a southwestern style hash browns.  Tater tots in a single layer work in a pinch also, but make sure everything is COMPLETELY thawed and drained of all moisture.

NOTE 2: ** The original recipe called for corn flakes crumbs.

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CRAB AND CORN CAKES WITH LIME SOUR CREAM

WHY IT WORKS: Classic crab cakes, but with a TEX-MEX flair by adding the corn, hot sauce, red pepper and cilantro with the lime sour cream to the mix.

CRAB AND CORN CAKES WITH LIME OUR CREAM
1 pound crab meat, picked and cleaned
1 1/3 cups Panko bread crumbs
3/4 cup fresh corn kernels (about 2 cobs)**
2 large eggs PLUS 1 egg yolk
1/4 cup FRESH chopped cilantro
FRESH ground salt and pepper
1 large lime, juiced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon Frank’s Original hot sauce
Shredded lettuce
Shredded carrots

  • In a large mixing bowl combine the crab, Panko crumbs, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
  • Gently add the eggs.
  • With gloved hands mix and form 8 tight patties about 3/4 inch thick.
  • Place patties on plate – place in freezer for 5 minutes.
  • Toss together the lettuce, shredded carrots and cilantro. Divide between plates.
  • In a small mixing bowl, juice the lime and fold in the cilantro and sour cream.
  • Add hot sauce, whisking until you have a pourable sauce.
  • Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat.
  • Add 4 crab cakes at a time, flipping once until both sides are golden brown.
  • Serve over shredded lettuce mixture with sauce and lime wedge.

NOTE: If you like, canned corn works, but I prefer the small white shoepeg corn. It is a much more tender corn.

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PINEAPPLE CHERRY PIE

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: This recipe works for so many reasons, but most importantly because it’s Pineapple Cherry Pie! You end up with a tart, thick gooey tasty goodness sandwiched between two layers of flaky, crispy crust.

PINEAPPLE CHERRY PIE

4 1/2 cups fresh tart cherries
1/4 cup Pineapple Brandy
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
5 tablespoons cornstarch
Your favorite pie crust or pie dough recipe for 2 crust pie
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon sanding sugar

  • Place butter in freezer.*
  • Pit cherries and place in a saucepan over medium heat.
  • Stir in Pineapple Brandy.
  • Cover and simmer until cherries begin to soften and lose their juice.
  • In a mixing bowl combine the granulated sugar and cornstarch.
  • Pour the cherries into the sugar and stir to blend until sugar is dissolved.
  • Return cherries to pan and simmer over low heat until thickened, stirring frequently.
  • Remove cherries from heat and allow to cool to lukewarm.
  • Preheat oven to 400°.
  • Prepare your dough and divide into 2 sections.
  • Place 1 section in your pie pan. **
  • Pour cooled cherries into pie pan.
  • Grate butter evenly on top of the cherries.
  • Place top pie crust on top, fluting the edges.
  • Slit top in several places for steam to escape.
  • Sprinkle with sanding sugar.
  • Bake 35-45 minutes until crust is golden and flaky.
  • Cool on cooling rack.

NOTE 1: * Putting the butter in the freezer makes it solid enough to grate.
NOTE 2: ** I love my air cool perforated pan. I just wrap the bottom with foil in case any juice gets out.

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CREAMED CHICKEN & MARINATED CARROTS

I’ve been making these recipes for years.  I originally found them in AMISH & MENNONITE KITCHEN (1995).

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS and what doesn’t:

The Creamed chicken works as a comfort food that is satisfying and rib sticking too. I made a few “small” changes over the years to add some additional flavor. It can be made quickly and easily on a week night.

The marinated carrots add tons of color and a bit of acidic tang too. You just have to plan ahead on the carrots since this recipe requires marinating and chilling overnight. I’ve included my next best marinated carrot salad recipe (given to me by a very sweet old lady) that I’ve been using since the 80’s. Both recipes keep well in the fridge and taste better several days later.

The cookbook called for the creamed chicken to be served over “FLOATING ISLANDS”. I tried making them twice, but they were VERY bland and terribly horribly full of fat and cholesterol.

CREAMED CHICKEN

2 tablespoons GHEE or butter
1 shallot, sliced or diced thin
3 tablespoons Wondra flour
1/2 teaspoon FRESH ground pink Himalayan salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped celery leaves
1 cup WHOLE milk
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups diced, cooked chicken*

  • In a large skillet melt ghee.
  • Saute’ shallot until translucent.
  • Add flour, salt, pepper and celery leaves, stirring until smooth.
  • Add milk and chicken broth, stirring to blend.
  • Bring to a SLOW boil and and boil slowly for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
  • Add chicken pieces and heat through.
  • Serve over toast, wide egg noodles or mashed potatoes.

NOTE: *I use rotisserie chicken quite often, but usually just brown and shred 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts.

MARINATED CARROTS (COLD)

1 pound baby carrots
1 small onion, sliced into rings
1/2 green pepper, sliced
1/2 cup tomato juice
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup avocado oil
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

  • Bring a pot of water to boiling.
  • Add carrots cooking JUST until softened. DRAIN.
  • In a large mixing bowl toss together the carrots, onion rings and bell pepper slices.
  • In another mixing bowl whisk together remaining ingredients and pour over vegetables.
  • Chill and marinate overnight.
  • Serve chilled.

An alternate recipe for this type of marinated carrot salad is:

CARROT COINS
40 ounces +/- canned sliced carrots, drained
14 ounces +/- canned baby peas, drained
1 medium red onion, chopped small
1 can Campbell’s tomato soup**
3/4 cup vinegar (I sometimes use apple cider and it is just as good)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup salad oil
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

  • Whisk together soup, salad oil, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, salt and pepper.
  • Add carrots, peas and onions.
  • Chill overnight so flavors blend.
  • Serve cold.

**I replaced the canned soup with the following recipe:

CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup pureed tomatoes
1 1/2 cups milk
dash each of garlic salt, onion salt, basil, and oregano.
  • Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
  • Whisk in flour and seasonings and cook until bubbly.
  • Add tomato puree’ and blend well.
  • Remove from heat and gradually whisk in liquid.
  • Return to heat and cook, stirring, until smooth and thickened to desired consistency.

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HUMPTY DUMPTY HAM & STUFFING

This is another recipe originally found in COLD WEATHER COOKING (1990) by Sarah Leah Chase. I have manipulated this recipe several times over the years to a whole new recipe, but loved the name so have always kept it.

The original recipe called for a bone-in ham. I have by passed that for convenience, BUT I always keep a Honey Baked Ham bone in the freezer for recipes like this and Split Pea Soup. I usually make them back to back for that reason so nothing is wasted also.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: It is sweet and savory ALL at the same time, makes enough for the perfect family Sunday dinner with plenty of leftovers too.  The extra dressing freezes well too.

HUMPTY DUMPTY HAM
4-5 pound ham
1 cup coarsely chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup Marsala wine (original recipe called for Madeira, but I use what I ALWAYS have on hand)
3/4 cup salted butter
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 large shallot, chopped
1/2 cup golden raisins
6 large mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
4 ribs celery, chopped
4 cups stuffing (I usually make my own out of stale sourdough), but the original recipe called for Pepperidge Farm corn bread stuffing
2 cups chopped pecans (original recipe called for 2 1/2 cups)
1 large can crushed pineapple (NOT the one in heavy syrup and DO NOT DRAIN)
1 tablespoon creamy horseradish**
2 tablespoons sour cream**
1 large egg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons ground coriander
Zest of 1 large Orange
1/2 cup Fresh Orange Juice
1/2 cup ham broth
1 cup cream Sherry
1 cup pineapple juice
3/4 cup honey
Honey Baked Ham bone

  • In a large dutch oven cover ham bone with water, season with salt and pepper and simmer over a medium heat for 2 hours until ham is falling off the bone.
  • Strain broth into a large bowl to cool.
  • Pick through ham pieces saving the best for your Split Pea Soup and save for later.

  • Make a crater in the center of each half of ham and set aside.***
  • In a small sauce pan bring the wine, raisins, apricots and mushrooms to a SLOW boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat to cool.
  • Over medium high heat, melt the butter in a LARGE skillet.
  • Add onions, shallots and celery, sautéing until they soften.
  • Transfer onion mixture to a LARGE mixing bowl.
  • Add stuffing, pecans and pineapple blended loosely.
  • Stir in apricots and any residual wine.
  • Whisk together the horseradish, sour cream and egg. Then blend in cloves, coriander and orange zest. Fold into stuffing until well blended.
  • Preheat oven to 400°.
  • Stuff each side of ham with the stuffing mixture and then either tie the ham pieces together with kitchen string or us baking bands.
  • Bake any leftover stuffing in a baking dish at the same time.
  • Place ham in roasting pan.
  • Whisk together the pineapple juice, orange juice, ham broth and cream sherry. Pour around the ham.
  • Cover with foil and bake 1 hour.
  • Reduce heat to 325° and uncover the ham.
  • Whisk together 1 cup of the pan juices with the honey.
  • Spoon half of the honey mixture over the ham ad bake another hour, basting often with the glaze.
  • Let ham rest 10 minutes before slicing.
  • Slice serve and enjoy!

**Original recipe called for 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard, but I am deathly allergic and have had to make substitutions.

***I often just halve the ham and make a thick layer of stuffing between the two halves and close with baking bands.

NOTE: If you are FORTUNATE enough to have a really cool butcher, they will USUALLY bone a bone in ham for you. Be sure and save the bone for soup at a later time.

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HUNGARIAN CHICKEN ala TAMY

I originally found this recipe when we were living in the mountains and needed some hearty rib sticking meals in the long cold winters.  I found it in an old (1990) cook book called in Sarah Leah Chase’s Cold Weather Cooking. She called this chapter Stormy Weather and Magic Mountains. The recipes were all from the New England area, but really spoke to me as all around cold weather YUM!

According to Ms. Chase the original recipe was one her grandmother concocted for her grandfather to be able to make hearty food on hunting and fishing trips. While her family debated whose version was the best, I have adapted it to my family’s likes.

HUNGARIAN CHICKEN ala TAMY
Serves 4

4 slices bacon, diced
1 small Vidalia onion, halved root to tip and sliced thin
1 shallot, sliced thin
1 Portabella mushroom, cleaned and sliced thin
1/2 cup thinly sliced celery hearts and leaves
2-3 tablespoons SWEET Hungarian Paprika
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup homemade chicken broth
4 boneless, skinless chicken pieces**
1/4 cup Wondra flour
1 cup sour cream
Fresh ground salt and pepper, to taste
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Prepared egg noodles***

  • In a large skillet over medium-high heat brown bacon until crisp and crumbly.
  • With a slotted spoon remove bacon pieces to drain on paper towels.
  • Add onions and shallot to hot bacon grease and saute’  JUST until soft and beginning to brown.
  • Add mushrooms to pan and saute’ JUST until mushrooms are cooked through.
  • With a slotted spoon remove onions and mushrooms to paper towels also to drain.
  • Generously season chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
  • Add chicken breasts to bacon grease and sear well on both sides.
  • Remove chicken (it will not be cooked through yet and that is okay!)
  • Whisk together the chicken broth, paprika and tomato paste until well blended.
  • Add tomato mixture to pan along with celery pieces.
  • Return chicken, onions and mushrooms to the pan making sure to spoon sauce over top of everything.
  • Reduce heat, cover and SLOW simmer, basting frequently, until chicken is tender and cooked through 30-45 minutes or more depending on breast thickness.
  • Remove chicken pieces and keep warm.
  • Whisk sour cream and flour together until smooth.
  • SLOWLY (so as not to curdle your sour cream) add the sour cream mixture to the tomato mixture until well blended.
  • Heat though, stirring constantly, but DO NOT BOIL!
  • Return chicken to pan and coat well with sauce.
  • Serve over wide egg noodles.

**NOTE: I have also cut the chicken into chunks to make more of a stew with great success. Doing it this way will reduce your simmer time considerably.

***NOTE: Also quite good over mashed potatoes for a more rib sticking comfort feel.

PIONEER BEAN DINNER

PIONEER BEAN DINNER
1/2 pound ground chuck, browned and drained
1/2 pound bacon, crisply fried and crumbled
1 small onion, chopped small
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/8 cup Country Bob’s All Purpose Sauce*
1 tablespoon molasses
16 ounces pork and beans
16 ounces black beans

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Combine everything into a greased 9×9 baking dish.
  • Bake for 45-60 minutes.

NOTE 1: *A-1 works also

NOTE 2: This recipe works really well in a slow cooker all day also.