Category: RECIPES

CASHEW CHICKEN STIR FRY

CASHEW CHICKEN STIR FRY
3/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into thin strips
1 tablespoon corn starch
1 JUMBO egg white
2 bunches green onions, sliced thin
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced thin
1 cup bean sprouts (optional)*
1 cup honey roasted cashews, whole or chopped
1/4 cup sweet cooking rice wine
1/8 cup bead molasses
1/8 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Peanut Oil

  • Whisk together the cornstarch and egg white. Coat the chicken strips and chill 1 hour before preparing the meal.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon peanut oil.
  • Quickly stir fry the mushrooms, onions and bean sprouts.
  • Lift out veggies with a slotted spoon and set aside.
  • Add another tablespoon +/- of peanut oil and heat.
  • Add chicken pieces and stir fry until white and tender.
  • Whisk together the rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, bead molasses, salt and sugar. Add to pan and coat chicken well and continue stir frying until most of the liquid is absorbed and chicken is glazed.
  • Add veggies back in as well as the cashews. Mix well and heat through.
  • Serve over rice or with noodles.

*You just can’t always get fresh and I don’t care for the canned.

SOUR CREAM DUTCH APPLE PIE

I love apples – all apples. There I said it. Who can resist a slice of hot apple pie? Hubby want dutch apple, FIL wanted a turnover and I just wanted apples. So I dug into my files and found 3 recipes from grams, a vintage magazine and an old friend. I had never made any of these. Mainly because alone they weren’t all that interesting. They needed some UMPF! so I combined the parts I liked best from all three and came up with my version of Sour Cream Dutch Apple Pie. Together they were awesome.



SOUR CREAM DUTCH APPLE PIE
PIE
3+ cups apples, cored, peeled and chopped
lemon juice
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon maple extract
1 small egg, beaten
1/2 cup sour cream (not light)
9 inch pastry shell, pre-baked and cooled
TOPPING
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 tablespoons butter, sliced extremely thin

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  • Chop the apples and combine with just enough lemon juice to coat and prevent browning in large bowl.
  • In a small bowl sift together the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt.
  • Fold in the sour cream, egg, vanilla and maple extract until well blended.
  • Fold the sour cream mixture into the apples until well coated.
  • Carefully pour into the pie shell, mounding towards the center.
  • Toss together the topping ingredients until well blended.
  • Sprinkle topping evenly over the apple mound.
  • Lay the pieces of butter all over the top.
  • Bake 30 minutes or until apples are tender.
  • Best served with ice cream or fresh whipped cream. If you want to be really decadent try it with Caramel Sauce.

DECADENT CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

DECADENT CHOCOLATE BROWNIES (make 4 ramekins)
2 Tablespoons butter + 1 Tablespoon butter
1 ounce Baker’s Bittersweet Chocolate
1 ounce Baker’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate
1 1/4 ounce Baker’s sweet German chocolate
1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon flour
1/8 scant teaspoon baking powder
1/8 scant teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/4 cup sugar

  • Melt 2 tablespoons butter in microwave safe ramekin for 30 seconds, add the bittersweet & semi-sweet chocolate and microwave in 30 second increments until you can stir it smooth.
  • Set aside to cool slightly.
  • Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder.
  • Mix together the egg and sugar and beat on high with a hand mixer until slightly thick and turns a dull yellow.
  • Lower speed and add chocolate mixture to egg mixture.
  • By hand stir in the flour mixture until consistent in color.
  • Spoon into ramekins and bake on cookie sheet for 25 minutes or until centers are set.
  • Just after you put these in, prepare the topping.
  • Melt the other tablespoon of butter and then add the German sweet chocolate and melt until you can stir smooth.
  • Just after the brownies come out of the oven, pour the topping over.

BBQ BAKED BEANS ~ OLD FASHIONED BOSTON BAKED BEANS

Not too long ago I researched Navy beans for my Navy Bean & Ham soup. During that research I also found that navy beans, named that for the bean of choice of the U.S. Navy, are the main bean used in Boston Baked Beans. I have been making my BBQ Bean dinner for years using canned BUSH beans, but decided it was time to make true Boston Baked Beans my way. I found that most versions used salt pork, but I like the bacon too so I chose to use both. You could substitute if your prefer though. I also eliminated all mustard due to an allergy, but also because I prefer the sweeter version.

Here is my version:

BOSTON BAKED BEAN DINNER
2 pounds ground beef
1/2 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 pound salt pork, cubed & browned
2 large Vidalia or Maui onion, chopped small
4 tablespoons liquid smoke
1 cup ketchup
1 cup molasses
3 cups packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cup vinegar
1 pound navy beans

  • Soak beans overnight.
  • Brown hamburger, drain and layer into the bottom of your slow cooker.
  • Cube and brown the salt pork. Add to slow cooker.
  • Fry bacon until crisp. Crumble bacon into pieces. Add to slow cooker.
  • Chop onion into small pieces and scatter over the meat.
  • Add the beans to the slow cooker.
  • Scatter the brown sugar over top evenly.
  • Stir together the molasses, ketchup, vinegar, liquid smoke and Worcestershire sauce. Pour evenly over everything in the slow cooker slow cooker.
  • Cook on low for 4-6 hours.
  • Serve with Beer Bread or Cheddar Cheese Biscuits.
  • Great dish for a church pot luck.

OLD FASHIONED BOSTON BAKED BEANS
1 pound Navy beans, washed and sorted
1/2 pound salt pork, diced small
1 medium Vidalia onion, chopped
1/4 cup ketchup
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/8 cup PURE maple syrup
1/4 cup molasses

  • Dice salt pork and layer on bottom of slow cooker.
  • Chop onion and scatter over salt pork pieces.
  • Wash and sort beans.
  • Place beans in slow cooker on top of salt pork.
  • Cover with 5 cups water.
  • Cook on low overnight for 12 hours.
  • Drain beans, reserving liquid.
  • Return beans to slow cooker.
  • Add vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, maple syrup and molasses and blend well.
  • Add in 1/2 cup of bean water as desired for consistency.
  • Heat through for an hour or so.

Homemade Chocolate Covered Cherries

I wanted to make something special to take to my nieces house for Superbowl Sunday so thought I’d try Chocolate Covered Cherries. I found the recipe in an old Taste of Home magazine. This recipe is sooooooooooooooooo simple, but messy! Have fun making them. They are quite rich though – be forewarned!

1 cup butter, melted
1 can sweetened condensed milk
3 pounds confectioners sugar (about 8 cups)
3-10 ounce jars maraschino cherries(about 120 cherries), really well drained
1-2 pounds milk chocolate candy coating, chopped (I used almond bark)

  • Combine butter and milk until smooth.
  • Gradually add in confectioner’s sugar until a soft dough forms.
  • Roll into 1 inch balls and flatten into 2 inch circles.
  • Place a cherry in the center of each one.
  • Wrap sides around cherry until cherry is completely covered and roll into a smooth ball.
  • Melt chocolate until smooth and dip each ball into the chocolate.
  • Place on wax paper until cool and sprinkle with sprinkles.
  • Cool well.

BREAD – And YOU can make That Loaf ala Year on the Grill

Greetings! Here’s another YOU Can Cook That post when it should be I can Cook that. BTW, hi again, Dave here from MY YEAR ON THE GRILL. The resident cook in training. Today, I am addressing only one blogger out there (but I suspect there are other bloggers who have not baked a loaf of bread on their own). So this post is directed at Lea Ann of MANGOS CHILI and Z. However it is dedicated to all those “want to be” bread bakers out there.

Now, on my own site, I joke that I am a master baker. Truth is, I have about a dozen loafs of bread under my belt, several trays of rolls and I regularly make hamburger buns, but I am far from a master baker. But, as I have said before, whenever I tackle a project, I do a great deal of research. So what I lack in actual experience, I make up for in book learnin’. I think I can help Lea Ann with her bread baking issues.

Her first issue is that her loafs were chunk hard. In her words, a brick.

You see, she recently was gifted a Kitchenaid mixer. WHOO WHOO! what a great gift! HOWEVER, it has a flaw. The flaw is that Lea Ann believed it’s hype. While it is great for mixing, and with the “dough hook”, it advertises itself as doing the kneading for you; in my opinion, I am going to guess that the kitchenaid over kneaded the dough. Too much kneading will cause the bread to be too hard. So, one suggestion, let the dough mix in the kitchenaid, but do the kneading by hand.

Next, she suggests that the dough does not rise.

OK, a couple of solutions. First, are you premixing the yeast in water. Just a little so that it is dissolved does the trick. And, if you are (as you should), be sure that the water is only luke warm. Just a shade above skin temperature, but not uncomfortably warm. Pee warm if you will (but don’t ask me how I know how warm pee is). If the water is too warm, the yeast will die and nothing will rise. Book says about 105 degrees, but no more than 110.

But yeast dough does rise best in a warm area. I keep the heat turned down in the house while my wife is away at her inconvenient day job. So, I need to find the warmest spot in the house to set my dough in while it is rising. Especially on cold days, I like to preheat my oven while my bread rises, and I set the rising dough on top of the stove. With the dough covered, this is by far the warmest spot, and I always get a great rise out of the dough. OR, you can just let the dough rise longer. Dough will rise in a refrigerator if you leave it long enough. Just because the recipe says to let it rise an hour does not mean it will hurt to let it rise three hours.

Another suggestion for Lea Ann is to do a second rise. That is, to do the initial rise, take the dough and hit it hard with a fist. the dough will partially collapse again. then, form the dough into the final product (a dome, a loaf or rope… or whatever). Place the dough on the baking surface, and return to that warm spot and allow to rise again. This second rise will be the one that adds bubbles and tenderness inside the loaf (making it soft).

And finally, to get a more crisp crust, that seals in moisture, take a cup of ice and dump that into the bottom of your stove as the bread is baking (at the beginning of the bake only). The steam will help to seal the crust faster and keep the moisture inside the loaf.

OK, as I promised Lea Ann, I have a wonderful no fail recipe for bread. When hunting for a “standard” bread recipe, I asked for a bit of advice from my favorite blog buddy, Mary from ONE PERFECT BITE. I was a bit surprised when she explained that she does not have a recipe of her own, but uses one from another blogger. Surprised until I found the site of said blogger. These are the famous Moomie’s Buns (I dream of having someone name buns after me one day, but I digress). If you google “Moomie Buns”, you will find about 212,000 links. I initially blogged this on my own site when I made Hamburger buns. Now that I am posting here, you can count at least 212,002. Click HERE to get to my post on hamburger buns.


So, Here’s my Moomie recipe…

� 1 c water
� 2 tbsp butter or margarine
� 1 egg
� 3 1/4 c. flour
� 1/4 c. sugar
� 1 tsp salt
� 3 tsp instant yeast

� Place all ingredients in your bread machine. Select dough. Allow to run cycle.

Now, I have heard that Lea Ann does not have a bread machine. when I learned that, I had already made my loafs for this post. But, it is easy to do what a bread machine does on the “dough cycle”. Just add all the ingredients together in you kitchenaid bowl. Mix until it just forms a ball. Do not over mix.

Then, knead the dough into a ball shape, coat with a bit of oil and allow to rise for at least an hour, until it has doubled in size.

Punch the ball and allow it to collapse a bit (this is all a bread machine does on “dough cycle”).

� Dump out onto lightly floured surface. form into bread shape, or cut and form into bun shape. Place on greased cookie sheets or your bun pans, cover; rise about 30 to 40 minutes. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes til golden. Cool on wire racks.
I cut them into two loaf size, a little on the flat size, I was going to make Cajun Po’Boy sandwiches, so wanted that size.

OK, in the spirit of the original recipe, i made a few additions…

I added…

1 teaspoon of Garlic Powder
1 teaspoon of onion powder
and for an extra kick,
1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes!

This recipe is wonderfully adaptable. Add fresh herbs, a little cheese or what have you, and it should work fine. I never make the same loaf twice.

I also brushed the bread with some melted butter prior to baking and sprinkled some onion and garlic flakes on top of the loafs.

I bake bread on a cookie sheet, on parchment paper. Works great for me.

I wanted to include a picture of the ice cubes in the bottom of my oven as the bread was first going into the preheated oven.

It sounds so odd, but it does work to have some steam in the oven.

Lea Ann… You can do this, this recipe, this process has never failed me. There is something primal in making your own bread, knowing what you want to do with it and shaping it accordingly. Once you have some success, you will go crazy as a baker. ALMOST as satisfying as cooking over live fire… but just almost.


And look what I CAN COOK…

Shrimp Po’Boys, and plantain fries…

Come take a look at my site today for the Plantain recipe. and I will post the Po’Boy recipe tomorrow on my site…

See you all next Thursday!

Dave here from MY YEAR ON THE GRILL.

And if anyone else has any suggestions for Lea Ann, drop her a comment here!

CHOCOLATE PINEAPPLE CREAM CHEESE PASTRIES

CHOCOLATE PINEAPPLE CREAM CHEESE PASTRIES
1 package Puff Pastry Sheets (2 sheets)
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1 egg, beaten
4 ounces Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1-8 ounce can crushed pineapple, well drained
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons hot water

  • Thaw the pastry sheets at room temperature until they’re easy to handle (about 45 minutes).
  • Pre-heat the oven to 375°.
  • Line baking sheet with silicone mat or parchment paper.
  • Beat together the softened cream cheese, sugar and pineapple.
  • Unfold pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry sheet into a 10-inch square. Cut the pastry sheet into 4 (5-inch) squares. Repeat with the remaining pastry sheet.
  • Spread 1 tablespoon of cream cheese mixture in the center of each pastry square.
  • Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of chocolate chips on top of cream cheese mixture.
  • Brush the edges of the pastry squares with the egg.
  • Fold each pastry in half over the cream cheese mixture and chocolate chips and press the edges to seal.
  • Place the filled pastries onto the baking sheets.
  • Brush the tops of the pastries with the egg.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the pastries are golden. Let cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes. Remove the pastries to a wire rack and let cool.
  • Place the remaining chocolate chips and the butter into a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH for 30 seconds or until the chocolate is starting to melt. Stir until the chocolate mixture is smooth. Stir in the confectioners’ sugar. Stir in the water, adding additional water, if necessary, until the icing is the desired consistency.
  • Drizzle the icing over the pastries.

Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

CHICKEN SAUSAGE GUMBO
6-8 cups chicken broth
2 stalks celery, diced
2 large carrots, diced
1 large bunch green onions, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes with chipotle peppers
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoons hot shot black & red pepper blend by McCormick
2 teaspoons Frank’s Red Hot Pepper Sauce
8 ounces smoked sausage, diced
3 chicken tenders, diced
½ cup long grain rice
½ cup medium pasta shells
Combine all ingredients except for the pasta and rice. Cook on high 1 hour. Add pasta and rice. Cook 1 additional hour. Serve with cornbread or biscuits.

CARNE ASADA




What you have left after the marinating.

CARNE ASADA
2-3 pounds flank or skirt steak, sliced THIN
1 medium Vidalia onion, sliced thin
2 lemons, 1 sliced thin, 1 wedged for squeezing
1 lime, sliced thin
1 orange, sliced thin
1/3 cup champagne vinegar
2 teaspoons minced garlic, jar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon FRESH ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon Hungarian paprika

  • Soak the meat in the vinegar for an hour or so.
  • Remove meat from vinegar and dry on paper towels.
  • Sift together all the seasonings and rub into the meat on both sides.
  • Layer the meat into a container alternating with the slices of lemon, limes, oranges and onions squeezing lemon juice on each layer as you go.
  • Let marinate for overnight or a day or so.
  • Grill on a VERY hot grill to desired doneness.
  • Serve with warm tortillas, Fresh Guacamole and Garden Tomato Salsa.

Meatloaf with a Kick




Meatloaf with a Kick

2 pounds hamburger
4 ounces Gorgonzola Cheese Crumbles
1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
2 teaspoons minced garlic (jar)
1 jumbo egg
1/4 cup chili sauce
1 tablespoon Better than Bouillon Beef Base
1 Tablespoon creamy horseradish
1 sleeve Townhouse crackers, crushed
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper

  • Mix all ingredients together thoroughly
  • Use a tall loaf pan
  • Bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees or until edges are browned and crisp
  • Immediately pour off excess grease
  • Enjoy

REFRIED BEANS

REFRIED BEANS
2 1/2 cups pinto beans
1 small onion, chopped fine
4 tablespoons bacon grease
4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1cup sour cream
1 cup cheddar/ Monterey Jack grated cheese

  • Rinse beans and pick out any bad ones.
  • In a small stock pot cover the beans with about 3 inches of water. If there are still any bad beans in there they will float to the top.
  • Bring them to a boil, lower heat and simmer 2 hours or until skins break.
  • Drain.
  • In a heavy skillet (cast iron works best), melt the bacon grease and butter.
  • Saute’ onion until translucent.
  • Add beans and stir well.
  • Smash beans continuously until desired texture is reached.
  • Transfer beans into a large mixing bowl.
  • Use hand mixer and beat smooth.
  • Add sour cream, salt, pepper and red pepper.
  • Beat smooth again.
  • Transfer into a 9×9 casserole and top with cheese.
  • Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

SPAGHETTI BOLEGNESE

SPAGHETTI BOLEGNESE

2 large cans Contadina crushed tomatoes
1 can Contadina tomato sauce
11/2 pounds ground beef
3 teaspoons crushed garlic
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 small white onion, chopped
1 can chicken consomme or 2 cups warm water and 2 teaspoons Wyler’s beef granules
2 carrots, cut into really small pieces
3 tablespoons Classico tomato pesto

  • Brown the ground beef, onions, carrots and garlic in cast iron skillet.
  • Mash carrots to a mush.
  • Add the salt and pepper.
  • Drain fat.
  • In a large stock pot whisk together the tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato pesto, seasonings and consomme.
  • Add hamburger mix.
  • Bring to a simmer for several hours stirring frequently.
  • Pour over prepared pasta and toss well.
  • Store remaining sauce is quart size or gallon size ziploc bags depending on your family size. The bags will freeze in a flat shape so you can store more in the freezer.
MEATBALLS

2 pounds hamburger
1/4 cup powdered parmesan cheese
1/4 cup garlic salt
4 slices white bread
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon white pepper
2 eggs

  • Beat eggs and soak bread in eggs.
  • Sprinkle seasonings and cheese over hamburger meat.
  • By hand mix together the bread and egg mixture with the hamburger mixture until it is all blended together evenly.
  • Roll into 3/4 inch balls and place in storage containers not quite touching. I store them in Tupperware deli keepers.

In the future all you need to do is pull out however many meatballs you need and toss them in the sauce after it comes to a simmer. They’ll be ready when the sauce is done.