Category: RECIPE REVIEWS

SWEET CORN TOMALITOS ~ BLOG 366.166

SWEET CORN TOMALITOS

Sweet Corn Tomalitos, a Chevy’s copycat recipe tastes just like the scoop of corn bread cake served along with their entrees.
  
6 tablespoons butter, softened)
1/2 cup masa harina (Mexican corn flour)
1/4 cup water
14 ounces QUALITY canned cream style corn
1/3 cup corn meal
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons WHOLE milk
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon QUALITY baking powder

  • Preheat oven to 350°.

  • In a medium bowl beat butter until creamy.
  • Add the corn flour and water, beating JUST until well mixed.
  • Add corn mixture into the butter mixture.

  • Add corn meal, sugar, milk, salt and baking powder, stirring to combine well.

  • Pour batter into an ungreased 8×8-inch baking pan.
  • Smooth batter and cover with aluminum foil.
  • Place pan in a 9×13 inch baking dish that is filled 1/3 of the way with water. Pretend you’re baking a cheesecake 🙂
  • Bake for 50 to 60 minutes until JUST set.
  • Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
  • Use an ice cream scoop or dough scoop for easy removal from pan.


GREAT GRANS CHICKEN & GRAVY ~ BLOG 366.165

GREAT GRANS CHICKEN & GRAVY

1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium Vidalia onion, FINELY chopped
1 box grape tomatoes, halved
1 1/2 – 2 cups of carrots, small diced
1-2 tablespoon FRESH lemon thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika (see note)
FRESH ground sea salt and pepper, to taste
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 cups homemade chicken broth
1-2 pounds chicken breasts or tenders, cut into small bite size chunks

  • In a large skillet melt oil and butter together.
  • Add onions, tomatoes and carrots, cooking for 2-3 minutes until onions are translucent. 
  • Add in the garlic, thyme, paprika, salt and pepper.
  • Add chicken pieces and 1 cup of chicken broth.
  • Turn the heat to medium and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Keep checking to make sure nothing is sticking to the pan, adding broth as necessary to keep it moist and make the gravy.
  • When chicken is cooked through check to make sure thicken gravy as necessary with corn starch.
  • In a small bowl whisk together a few tablespoons of the pan gravy with a tablespoon or 2 of cornstarch.
  • Mix well, then pour slowly into the pan, stirring constantly until the gravy thickens up and heats through.

NOTES:

  • Paprika comes sweet or smokey. Choose accordingly as it will alter your flavor a bit.
  • If I have some in the fridge I’ll add about 1/2 cup chopped marinated artichokes.
  • You can substitute rotisserie chicken pieces, but if you do, don’t add the chicken pieces until after the veggies have simmered 10-15 minutes and are crisp tender.

Great gran served this over homemade noodles and never used rotisserie chicken. Her chicken was farm fresh and simmered to make the broth fresh. Grams amped up the carbs by serving it with noodles in it and serving it over homemade mashed potatoes, but it’s great without either of those.

SWEET & SOUR GREEN BEANS ~ BLOG 366.163

SWEET & SOUR GREEN BEANS
2 pounds green beans, trimmed
3/4 pound bacon, diced
2 LARGE shallots, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 heaping tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup chicken bone broth
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper

  • Blanch the beans in boiling water for 5-7 minutes until crisp tender.
  • Drain and rinse in cold water. Set aside to drain.
  • In a large skillet add bacon pieces, sauteing until crisp tender. Using slotted spoon remove bacon to drain on paper toweling. Drain off all but 1 tablespoon of bacon grease.
  • Add shallots and garlic, sauteing 3-5 minutes until tender.
  • Whisk together broth, vinegar, brown sugar, cornstarch, salt and pepper until smooth.
  • Add green beans to skillet.
  • Add bacon pieces
  • Pour sauce over beans and stir to coat well.
  • Heat through and serve hot.

PAN FRIED PORK CHOPS with BACON SOUR CREAM SAUCE ~ BLOG 366.159

PAN FRIED PORK CHOPS with BACON SOUR CREAM SAUCE
4 slices bacon, diced
4 boneless pork tenderloin chops
1/2 cup AP flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon paprika
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
1 shallot, diced
2 green onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 tablespoon butter

  • Saute bacon until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to drain on paper toweling.
  • Season flour and cornstarch with paprika, FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
  • Add butter and avocado oil to the skillet.
  • Add onions, sauteing 2-3 minutes.
  • Add garlic, sauteing another minute.
  • Arrange onions and garlic around the edge of the pan.
  • Dredge pork chops in flour mixture, shaking off excess.
  • Add pork chops to pan, frying on each side 4-5 minutes (based on chop thickness) until cooked through.

SAUCE
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup chicken bone broth
1 teaspoon FRESH lemon thyme leaves

  • Plate chops and keep warm.
  • Add broth and thyme leaves to skillet, heating through.
  • Whisk in cornstarch, simmering until sauce begins to thicken.
  • Turn off heat and whisk in sour cream.
  • Fold in bacon pieces.
  • Serve cream over chops.

EARTHQUAKE CAKE ~ BLOG 366.158

I found this recipe on Facebook originally and it looked so intriguing I just HAD to try it and am so glad I did! You won’t be disappointed either. The original recipe called for strawberries, but we LOVE it with peaches too. The picture on facebook is quite deceptive also – they evidently added a great looking glaze that isn’t included in their recipe. I will be adding the glaze below from now on.

EARTHQUAKE CAKE

1 white cake mix prepared per box directions
1 cup fruit pieces, chopped
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla extract
1/2 cup sweetened and toasted coconut flakes
1/2 cup white chocolate chips, chopped

  • Preheat your oven to 350°
  • Grease a 9 X 13 baking dish.
  • Fold the chopped strawberries into the prepared cake mix.
  • Pour batter into the greased baking dish.
  • In another medium bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese, melted butter, powdered sugar and vanilla extract until smooth.
  • Drop spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture over the cake batter in the baking dish.
  • Sprinkle coconut flakes and white chocolate pieces evenly over the top of the batter.
  • Bake 40-45 minutes until the cake is set and the edges have turned golden brown.
  • Allow the cake to cool COMPLETELY before serving. As it cools you’ll notice a beautiful cracked, earthquake cracked effect on the top, with delicious pockets of cream cheese and strawberry throughout. Top with additional chopped fruit if desired.

NOTE: Change up the fruit flavor as desired, peaches, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries or cherries work well also.

GLAZE (optional)
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon PURE vanilla extract

  • Whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice and vanilla.
  • Drizzle over cooled cake and let glaze harden 10 minutes or so before serving.
  • Transfer to serving platter and serve with FRESH blueberries or berry of choice 😀

This is what it looked like on facebook.

MYRA’S GRILLED FLANK STEAK ~ BLOG 366.130

MYRA’S GRILLED FLANK STEAK adapted from Mary Berg’s mother

MARINADE
1/3 cup Bragg’s liquid aminos
1/3 cup dry red wine
1/3 cup QUALITY honey
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons ground ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
1/2 cup avocado oil, plus more for the grill
4 green onions, chopped
2-3 pounds Flank Steak

  • Whisk together the liquid aminos, red wine, honey, Worcestershire, ground ginger, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
  • Whisk in the oil.
  • Fold in green onions.
  • Add flank steak to large container or ziplock bag.
  • If using a ziplock bag remove as much air as possible.
  • Place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.

 

  • Remove steak from the refrigerator 30 minutes before you are ready to grill so it can come up to room temperature.
  • Heat your grill to medium-high.
  • Remove the steak from the marinade and dry off the outside with some paper towel.
  • Lightly oil the grill.
  • Season the steak with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
  • Grill 6 to 8 minutes per side for medium rare or until cooked to your liking.
  • Set the steak aside, tented with aluminum foil, to rest for 10 minutes while you prepare the serving sauce.

SAUCE
2 green onions
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger. plus more as needed
1 teaspoon Montreal steak spice. plus more as needed
Juice of 1 LARGE lemon

  • Add the green onions to the grill and cook, turning frequently, until charred, 3 to 5 minutes.
  • Finely chop the grilled green onions and add to a bowl along with the mayonnaise, finely grated ginger, Montreal steak spice and lemon juice.
  • Stir well to combine and adjust seasoning, adding a bit more of the lemon juice, ginger or steak spice, to taste.
  • Slice the steak against the grain into 1/2-inch-thick slices.
  • Serve with the sauce on the side.

LOOSEMEAT PHILLY CHEESESTEAKS ~ BLOG 366.128

I needed to make Philly Cheese Steak sandwiches for a crowd and didn’t want to be a short order cook ALL night. So this version came to mind using ground beef and a sheet pan.

LOOSEMEAT PHILLY CHEESESTEAKS ~ serves 6, but easily doubles or triples adapted from FACEBOOK

1 1/2 pounds QUALITY ground beef
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons Montreal hamburger seasoning
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons avocado oil
8 ounces white button mushrooms, sliced
3 LARGE bell peppers (green, red, or yellow), sliced *SEE NOTES
1 cup diced onion
8 ounces sliced or shredded Provolone cheese
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Sandwich rolls
butter and garlic salt for rolls
Mayonnaise for rolls
Creamed Horseradish, to taste

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • In a small bowl whisk together mayonnaise and creamed horseradish with a little salt to taste. Set aside for dressing rolls before serving.
  • Spray a deep jelly roll sheet pan with non-stick cooking spray or line with foil.
  • In a large skillet, cook the beef over medium-high heat until browned. Drain.
  • Add the cream cheese, steak seasoning and Worcestershire sauce, cooking over medium heat or until cream cheese is melted and combined. Add a little milk or cream if you want the sauce thinner.
  • Add FRESH ground salt and pepper to taste.
  • Spread beef mixture on sheet pan.

  • Wipe out skillet, or use a second pan while the beef is cooking and heat oil over medium high heat.
  • Add the mushrooms, bell peppers, and onion cooking until veggies are soft.
  • Season to taste with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
  • Spread veggies on top of beef mixture.
  • Top veggies mixture with Provolone cheese and bake in the oven for about 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
  • Serve immediately on sliced grilled rolls that have been buttered and toasted with prepared mayonnaise.


NOTES:

  • I omit green bell peppers because I just can’t tolerate them and really prefer the sweetness that a red bell pepper adds to the mix.
  • Adding a little salt and creamed horseradish to the mayonnaise for the bread really OOMPHS up the flavor, but can easily be omitted.

CROCK POT CHICKEN & STUFFING ~ BLOG 366.123

CROCK POT CHICKEN & STUFFING 

3-4 LARGE (Dolly Parton size) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced in half horizontally if really thick
1 tablespoon FRESH chopped parsley
1 can of Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup (see notes)
8 ounces sour cream – I use Mexican sour cream, but not sure if it’s available everywhere
6 ounce box Stove Top stuffing mix
1/4 + 3/4 cup homemade chicken bone broth
1 LARGE shallot, chopped
1 1/2 cups FRESH Green Beans (frozen works in a pinch – see notes)
1 1/2+ cups baby carrots (1 small bag)
2 stalks celery, chopped

  • Whisk together the soup and ¾ cup broth mixture together with the stuffing mixture.
  • Add the onions and celery.
  • Generously season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
  • Pour 1/4 cup broth on the bottom of your slow cooker and lay chicken breasts in a single layer, if possible.
  • Add stuffing mixture on top of chicken.
  • Add green beans and carrots last on top of the stuffing.
  • Cook on low for 6-8.

NOTES:

  • You can use any condensed cream soup you have on hand. I often use cream of broccoli or potato if that’s what I have on hand and you get an enhanced flavor profile.
  • You can use any vegetable combination you like. If I’m out of green beans, I use peas or peas and carrots.
  • You could cook this on high for 3-4 hours, but I find the chicken stays MUCH moister when cooked on low.
  • If you slice your chicken breasts horizontally, layer chicken, stuffing, chicken, stuffing before adding the veggies. You can even chicken the chicken pieces for more of a stew consistency.

 

MAGIC KINGDOM COOKIES ~ BLOG 366.86

I collect old recipe boxes full of old recipes. One of my more recent boxes had a recipe in it for “Disneyland 40th Anniversary Cookies”. Disneyland’s 40th anniversary would have been July 17, 1995. The recipe card had so many notations on it that it was really difficult to decipher. I did a bit of research, but didn’t find a specific recipe for a 40th anniversary cookie. I did the best I could, but ultimately made my own recipe out of the notes, hence the new name. These cookies have become our new family favorites!

MAGIC KINGDOM COOKIES makes 5 dozen
2 1/2 cups AP flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 LARGE eggs
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla extract
1 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup quick oats
1 cup ground walnuts
1 cup shredded coconut
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup raisins *see note*

  • Sift together the flour and baking soda. Set aside.
  • Cream together the butter, peanut butter, sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla until creamy.
  • Add walnuts, coconut and flour mixture alternately until all incorporated.
  • Fold in chocolate chips and Craisins until well blended.
  • Chill mixture 30 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 350.
  • Scoop cookies with 1 inch scoop onto parchment lined cookie sheets.
  • Bake 15 minutes.
  • Cool on cookie sheets 10 minutes before moving to wax paper to cool completely.

NOTE: I was out out regular raisin so I used Craisins the first time and then golden raisin the next time. The golden raisins are my favorite.

SWEET CORN TAMALE CAKES ~ BLOG 366.65

This is a CHEESECAKE FACTORY copy cat recipe that makes a WONDERFULLY delicious appetizer OR a main dish that no one can resist!

SWEET CORN TAMALE CAKES
SALSA VERDE
2 RIPE tomatillos, roughly chopped
4 ounce can chopped green chiles, drained REALLY well
2 green onions sliced thin
2 tablespoons FRESH cilantro, roughly chopped
1 ½ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste

  • Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until combined, but still a little chunky.
  • Transfer to a small bowl, cover, and chill for AT LEAST 1 hour.

PICO DE GALLO
1 LARGE Roma tomato, diced
2 tablespoons minced red onion
1 tablespoon FRESH minced cilantro
½ teaspoon lime juice
FRESH ground sea salt and ground pepper, to taste

  • Place all ingredients in a small bowl and toss.
  • Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.

SOUTHWESTERN SAUCE
½ cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon water
½ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon paprika
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon onion powder
⅛ teaspoon garlic powder

  • Add all ingredients to a small bowl and mix until well combined.
  • Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.

CORN CAKES
1 ½ cup frozen sweet corn
½ cup butter softened to room temperature
3 tablespoons sugar
⅛ teaspoon salt
½ cup corn masa harina flour or corn meal
2 tablespoons AP flour
1 ½ tablespoon avocado oil

  • Add 1 cup of the frozen corn to a food processor until it’s coarsely pureed.
  • Add the pureed corn, softened butter, sugar, and salt to a medium bowl, mixing until combined.

  • Add masa and flour and mix until no flour streaks remain.
  • Add the remaining ½ cup of frozen corn kernels, and mix until corn is evenly distributed.
  • 
Measure ½ cup portions of the mixture and use your hands to form them into 3-inch wide patties.

  • Add the avocado oil to a large skillet and preheat over medium-low heat.
  • Add the patties to the skillet and cook 5-7 minutes until golden brown.
  • Flip and cook the other side 5-7 minutes more until golden brown.


GARNISHES
Sour cream
Avocado, diced
Fresh cilantro, chopped

ASSEMBLY

  • Add the salsa verde to your platter and spread it evenly.
  • Heat the platter in the microwave for 1 minute.
  • Place the corn cakes on the warmed salsa verde.
  • Distribute the Pico De Gallo and Southwestern Sauce evenly over the top.
  • Dollop with sour cream, and garnish with chopped avocado and cilantro.
  • Serve immediately.


GREAT GRANS CHICKEN & NOODLES ~ BLOG 366.46

This is an old family recipe that was extremely common in the midwest amongst many a farmer’s wife back in the day. My great grans even made her own noodles and would drape them all over the dining room to dry. She also started with a chicken from the yard as well as veggies from her garden.This was a family favorite long before supermarkets.

I never thought to ask, just accepted that it was that way, but this dish was always served in our house over fluffy mashed potatoes with homemade butter, which is A LOT of carbs! But, I can’t think of serving it any other way! I admit I buy packaged noodles and butter, but the rest is all scratch made.

GREAT GRANS CHICKEN & NOODLES
1 whole chicken, cut into pieces
2 carrots, rustic chopped
2 stalks celery, rustic chopped
1 LARGE Vidalia onion, quartered
3-4 cloves garlic, rough chopped
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
1/4 + 1/4 cup FRESH chopped flat leaf Italian parsley
1 pound wide egg noodles
1/4 cup WONDRA flour
2 carrots, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 LARGE shallot, chopped
Fluffy mashed potatoes

  • Place chicken pieces, 2 rustic chopped carrots, 2 rustic chopped celery stalks, 1/4 cup parsley and onion pieces into 4 quarts of salted water and bring to a boil.
  • Reduce to a simmer for 45 minutes.
  • Strain through a colander and reserve broth.
  • Pick the chicken pieces, discarding the debris.
  • In the reserved broth add the sliced carrots and celery with the diced shallot and remaining parsley. Simmer covered for 30 minutes until veggies are tender.
  • Increase heat slightly and add noodles and chicken pieces, simmer 10 minutes until noodles are done.
  • Whisk the flour into 1/2 cup water until well blended. Add to simmering broth, stirring to combine and simmer 5-10 minutes until broth thickens.
  • Season to taste and serve over fluffy mashed potatoes.

GREAT GRANS BEEF & NOODLES

Substitute chuck roast for chicken.

“MOCK” KENTUCKY HOT BROWN SLIDERS ~ BLOG 366.37

This sandwich was created in 1926 in Louisville Kentucky by Fred Schmidt of the Brown hotel as an alternative to ham and egg sandwiches for late night diners. It became their second signature sandwich. I’ve only ever heard it called as a Kentucky Hot Brown, but I have read that it is also known as a Louisville Hot Brown.

Traditionally this is served hot and open faced on a thick white bread toast and has turkey breast, bacon and creamy mornay sauce and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. Originally it was not served with the bacon, but added soon after. Variations can include ham, pimientos and tomatoes. It is then broiled a few minutes until the toast is crisp and sauce is bubbly and browning.

The Kentucky Hot Brown became a favorite choice of 95% of the Brown Hotel’s restaurant customers. It became a Louisville area specialty favorite sandwich and is popular throughout Kentucky as a whole long after the hotel shut its doors in 1971. The hotel reopened in 1985.

This sandwich was featured on a 2013 episode of Throwdown with Bobby Flay where he actually lost, but barely. 😀 Bobby competed against Joe and John Castro, brother chefs at the Brown Hotel.

There are also a few “oddball” variations out there. For a while there was a “cold brown” that was either sliced chicken or turkey with hard boiled egg, lettuce and tomato served open face on rye bread covered in thousand island dressing.

There are 2 other versions one being the Prosperity sandwich with origins in St. Louis at the Mayfair hotel also in the 1920’s and still served in the area today as well as the Turkey Devonshire served in the Pittsburg Pennsylvania area in the 1930’s.

I started making Kentucky Hot Brown sandwiches about 20 years ago, but had no idea of the extensive history at that time. Now fast forward to a magazine I found recently trying to update this to a slider version using King’s Hawaiian rolls. I have to admit I wasn’t sure about this recipe, but decided to try it anyway.

The recipe I found was okay, but I have to agree to disagree on these being a version of the original Hot Brown because the recipe used the sweet brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and butter topping that just didn’t taste anywhere close to what this sandwich is about.

I have renamed this recipe AND adjusted the ingredients to try and keep them more traditional, ut yet an actual sandwich. The author used a “slice of cheese” to replace the Mornay sauce and there just isn’t any comparison to me.

“MOCK” KENTUCKY HOT BROWN SLIDERS
1 tray King’s Hawaiian sweet rolls
2-3 tablespoons mayonnaise
6-8 slices thick sliced deli turkey
8 slices bacon, cooked crisp
2 heirloom tomatoes, sliced
6-8 slices Gruyere or Baby Swiss cheese, optional
1/4 cup FINELY grated Parmesan cheese

  • Preheat oven to broil.
  • Slice entire package of rolls in half horizontally. Do not individually slice rolls.
  • Arrange bottom half in a baking dish LIGHTY sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Spread mayonnaise on roll bottoms.
  • Arrange turkey on top evenly.
  • Arrange bacon slices on top of the turkey evenly.
  • Arrange a single layer of thick cut tomatoes on top of the bacon.
  • Arrange cheese slices next OR a layer of Mornay sauce.
  • Broil 2-3 minutes until toasted and cheese is bubbly.
  • Top if desired with sweet roll tops and eat as a messy sandwich or eat as intended with a knife and fork.

MORNAY SAUCE
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 ½ cups WHOLE milk
pinch FRESH ground nutmeg
FRESH ground salt and black pepper, to taste
2 ounces of a hard cheese, grated (Gruyère, Swiss, Cheddar, Parmesan)

  • Heat a medium sized saucepan over medium-high heat.
  • Melt butter.
  • Whisk in flour until golden.
  • Slowly add the milk while constantly whisking.
  • Bring the sauce to a SLOW boil and immediately reduce the heat to a simmer and continue cooking for 3 to 4 minutes, being careful not to let the sauce burn by whisking frequently.
  • Remove the pan from the heat and add the nutmeg, salt and pepper, stirring well. At this point you have a Bechamel sauce. Once you add the cheese it becomes your Mornay sauce.
  • Still off heat, add the grated cheese, whisking until all the cheese melts into the sauce making it thick and smooth.
  • Adjust seasoning to taste.

After all of this my favorite version is the casserole version I adapted from Damaris Phillips a few years ago.