Category: SAUCES, SEASONINGS, DRESSINGS, DIPS, RELISHES, GRAVIES & RUBS

GRUMPY GUY SALAD & GARLIC CHEESE BREAD

GRUMPY GUY SALAD
1 head romaine salad, cut into bite sized pieces & washed

1 orange, peeled, sectioned and cut into pieces
1 kiwi, peeled and chopped.
1 small bunch scallions, sliced thin
1 ripe pear, chopped
1 small bunch asparagus, blanched and cut into bite sized pieces
1 cup snap peas, cleaned & halved
1/3 cup peanut oil
3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons sugar
salt & pepper to taste

  • Wash and prep fruit and veggies.
  • Place in a large salad bowl.
  • Whisk together the peanut oil, champagne vinegar, sugar, salt & pepper until well blended.
  • Pour over salad and toss well.
  • Serve with Garlic cheese bread

GARLIC CHEESE BREAD
1/2 cup salted butter
3 cloves garlic
dash of white pepper
3/4 cup grated aged cheddar cheese
sourdough bread

  • Melt butter in a small sauce pan.
  • Mash garlic cloves.
  • Add garlic and cook until golden.
  • Add cheese, salt and pepper whisking until well blended.
  • Spread on sourdough bread.
  • Broil until golden.

Pineapple Cider Brine Pork Chops w/ Root Beer Pineapple BBQ sauce for Magazine Monday

Magazine Mondays is hosted by Ivonne over at Cream Puffs in Venice. All 3 of these recipes are loosely based on recipes from magazines, but the main ingredients have been changed to protect my family. No seriously, the main ingredients were changed to make my family happy as the original recipes had ingredients that my family just won’t eat! Also Healthy Helpings is debuting over at ThE KraZy KitcHen tomorrow. Stop by and join in.
When I do ‘recipe experiment’ night I try to do EVERY part of the meal as a new recipe. Some times I get lucky and they ALL are worth sharing. I’m a ‘no measure’ cook, well at least a no exact measure cook so when I invent a new recipe, it sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t. But, today worked!

PINEAPPLE CIDER BRINE PORK CHOPS

1 1/2 cup water
8 ounce can crushed pineapple
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sea salt
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
2 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
4 thick pork chops

  • In a large sauce pan whisk together water, cider vinegar, sea salt and brown sugar together until salt and sugar are dissolved.
  • Bring to a boil.
  • Add seasonings and blend well.
  • Slow simmer 10 minutes.
  • Cool.
  • Immerse pork chops and soak 12-24 hours. I used my 8 cup pampered chef batter bowl so the chops had plenty of room to ‘swim’.
  • Drain chops.
  • Grill or broil 5-6 minutes on each side.
  • Heat enough Root Beer Pineapple BBQ sauce to cover the chops.
  • Brush each side of chops with BBQ sauce for the last few minutes.

ROOT BEER PINEAPPLE BBQ SAUCE

12 ounce MUG root beer
8 ounce can crushed pineapple
4 tablespoons butter
1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
4 teaspoons minced garlic, jar
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons sun dried tomato pesto
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
1 tablespoon Frank’s hot sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch

  • Melt butter in a large saucepan.
  • Add onions and garlic, Saute’ until tender.
  • Add other ingredients, except cornstarch, and bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.
  • Remove 1 cup of sauce and whisk cornstarch into it.
  • Return mixture to the sauce pan and simmer 15 minutes.
  • Cool 15 minutes.
  • Refrigerate,
  • Makes 4 cups.

CHICKEN SCALLOPINI IN BRANDY SAUCE

CHICKEN SCALLOPINI IN BRANDY SAUCE
For 4 People
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced in 1/2 horizontally**
 3+ tablespoons butter
½ cup brandy
Juice of 1 lemon
flour
salt and pepper

  • Wash and dry the slices after slicing them in half and removing any excess fat. 
  • Melt 2-3 tablespoons of butter in  large skillet.
  • Dredge the chicken slices and place in the pan.
  • Brown them, salt and peppering them generously.
  • Set aside, keeping warm. 
  • Add the remaining butter, brandy and juice of a lemon to the pan, scraping the bottom for any chicken pieces. Blend well. Let sauce start to thicken.
  • When sauce has just about reached desired thickness, return the chicken slices to the pan, covering well with the sauce.
  • Serve immediately.

** I used breast tenders this time and it was great! 

Recipe Rundown
Taste: Both savory and sweet, tangy and rich.
Texture: Tender caramelized onions on top and fork tender. 
Ease: Super easy and quick.
Appearance: Appetizing and visually appealing.
Pros: Addicting and wonderful for entertaining.
Cons: None!
Would I make this again? Yes.

OVEN BBQ CHICKEN

The key to REALLY GOOD BBQ Chicken is time and and a three step process.

OVEN BBQ CHICKEN
Whole chicken pieces cut up, washed and dried
BBQ Marinade (recipe below)
BBQ Seasoning (recipe below)
BBQ Sauce (recipe below)

  • Rinse Chicken well and pat dry.
  • Loosely layer chicken pieces in a large bowl and pour BBQ marinade over and sprinkling BBQ seasoning over each layer.
  • Refrigerate overnight.
  • Remove chicken from refrigerator 30 minutes before you plan to put it in the oven.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Spray a jelly roll pan with PURE.
  • Place chicken pieces on pan.
  • Generously brush with BBQ sauce.
  • Bake 45 minutes or until cooked through and crisp.
  • Brush with more BBQ sauce.

BBQ MARINADE
2 cloves roasted garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes, crushed
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika
1 tablespoon sugar
2-3 tablespoons BBQ seasoning
1/3 cup Champagne vinegar
1 cup vegetable oil (I prefer Canola)

  • Whisk all the dry ingredients together until well blended.
  • Add oil, whisking until dry ingredients are well incorporated.

BBQ SEASONING
1 1/2 cups paprika
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder

  • Blend ingredients together well.
  • Store in an airtight container.

BBQ SAUCE
2 cups Heinz ketchup
1 cup apple juice
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
5 packed tablespoons light brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, smashed
2 teaspoons fresh ground pepper
2 teaspoons onion powder
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

  • In a large saucepan combine all the ingredients, stirring to blend.
  • Bring the mixture to a boil.
  • Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for an hour, stirring frequently.

LUAU BENEDICTS, HOT HOLLANDAISE SAUCE and SWEET & SOUR BBQ PULLED PORK

LUAU BENEDICTS
1 English muffin per person
2 eggs per person
enough leftover sweet and sour pulled pork
Hollandaise sauce

  • Prepare Hollandaise sauce.
  • Toast English muffins.
  • Poach eggs.
  • Layer together starting with English muffin, pulled pork, poached egg and the hollandaise sauce.
  • Enjoy.

HOLLANDAISE SAUCE
1/2 cup butter
3 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
dash cayenne pepper or hot pepper sauce
2 tablespoons hot water
finely chopped fresh parsley, if desired

•    Heat butter in a heavy saucepan until hot and foamy, but not browned.
•    In a small bowl, whisk or beat egg yolks with lemon juice, salt, and  hot sauce.
•    Gradually beat in butter, then water.
•    Return mixture to saucepan and beat over very low heat until mixture is slightly thickened.
•    Serve immediately or let stand over warm water for up to 30 minutes.
•    If desired, sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley before serving.

Makes about 2/3 cup of Hollandaise sauce.

This is a relatively good for you, tasty slow cooker recipe that is great for the freezer and a favorite of the kids, especially when you put it on a roll like a sloppy Joe. This is another recipe that I like to make in large portions and then freeze in portions after the initial meal which is great for week nights. In this case I will freeze the remainder for the Christmas Holiday gang we’ll have.

Sweet & Sour BBQ Pork
6 pounds boneless pork sirloin roast
1/2 pound bacon, cut into pieces
1 large sweet Vidalia onion, sliced into rings
1 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 cup apricot pineapple jam
2 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 teaspoon minced garlic, jar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper

  • Cut the bacon into small pieces.
  • Cut all large portions of fat off the roasts.
  • Spray the crock pot with PURE and set for high.
  • Place bacon on bottom with the roasts arranged over it.
  • Slice onion into thin rings and layer over roasts.
  • Whisk together the vinegar, soy sauce, molasses and honey.
  • Add the brown sugar until dissolved.
  • Whisk in the seasonings, garlic and jam.
  • Bring to a SLOW BOIL.
  • Pour over meat and onions.
  • Cook on high for 4-6 hours.
  • Remove roast and shred meat. Return meat to slow cooker and cook another hour.
  • For a more adult meal I thicken the gravy and serve it over mashed potatoes.

SWEDISH PANCAKES with LINGONBERRY BUTTER and LINGONBERRIES

I don’t eat out much, especially for breakfast, but I do have a soft spot for IHOP’s Swedish Pancakes with Lingonberries and Lingonberry butter. It took me awhile, but I have finally created a recipe so similar most people would not be able to tell the difference. These are thin pancakes. I make them about 8 inches round and then fold over once or twice.

SWEDISH PANCAKES with LINGONBERRY BUTTER and LINGONBERRIES

1/2 cup sifted flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 JUMBO eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon maple extract
1 cup 4% small curd cottage cheese

  • Preheat griddle* or crepe pan
  • Sift flour and salt together. Set aside.
  • Beat the eggs, milk, vanilla and maple extracts together.
  • Add the oil and beat again until sooth.
  • Add cottage cheese and beat until completely smooth.**
  • Gradually add the flour until a smooth consistency.
  • Pour 1/4-1/3 cup of batter onto griddle or crepe pan.
  • Cook a minute or two on each side.
  • Top with Lingonberry butter and Lingonberries.

NOTE:
*I used a third cup measure and my large griddle. This made 5 at a time.
**I used my mini food chopper to grind the cottage cheese and it worked great and much faster.

LINGONBERRY BUTTER
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup lingonberries

  • Beat butter until creamy.
  • Add berries and beat again until well blended.
  • Chill.

    • PAN SEARED CHICKEN TENDERS & TRI-COLOR COUSCOUS with COCONUT LOBSTER SAUCE ~ MARX FOOD CHALLENGE

    I ran across a MARX foods Recipe challenge – what fun!  I signed up and they sent me a box full of yumminess.  My box included tri-color couscous, coconut sugar, dehydrated lobster mushrooms, DeArbol chilies and Pasilla Negro Chilies.

    The rules are that I had to use at least two ingredients from my box to create a new recipe.  I really wanted to try and use all five ingredients, but was only able to work in four of them.

    Now for full disclosure. hubby hates mushrooms, especially cooked mushrooms.  He goes out of his way to avoid mushrooms.  He declared he would hate this recipe before its inception.  Seeing a pattern here?  I HAD to use the mushrooms just to prove him wrong, plus I LOVE mushrooms even more than he hates them.  This recipe is proof that you can mount your dislikes and change them with the right combination of ingredients.

    PAN SEARED CHICKEN TENDERS & TRI-COLOR COUSCOUS with COCONUT LOBSTER SAUCE

    2 pound chicken tenders
    3/4 cup chardonnay
    1/2 cup chicken broth
    2 tablespoons MARX coconut sugar
    1 dried MARX Pasilla Negro Chilie, chopped
    safflower oil
    salt and pepper to taste
    4 tablespoons butter
    3 tablespoons flour
    5-7 tablespoons heavy cream

    • Whisk together the chardonnay and chicken broth until well blended.
    • In a medium bowl combine mushroom pieces and chile pieces.  Pour the chardonnay mixture over the mushroom mixture.  Allow to set for 2-3 hours to rehydrate the mushrooms and chilies.  Stir them around every now and then so all surfaces are able to absorb the liquid.
    • When ready, drain mushrooms and chiles through a sieve, reserving the liquid.
    • Whisk coconut sugar into reserved liquid.  Set aside.
    • In a small food processor pulse mushroom and chile pieces into a fine grind.
    • In a medium sauce pan, melt butter.
    • Add flour 1 tablespoon at a time until roux is a golden brown.
    • Gradually add the reserved liquid until well blended.
    • Add in the mushroom and chile pieces, stirring until well distributed.
    • Add cream 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency.
    • Simmer gently while preparing couscous and chicken.
    • Coat a large skillet with safflower oil.
    • While oil is heating, wash and pat dry chicken pieces.
    • Pan sear chicken pieces, salt and peppering as needed until golden outside and cooked through.
    • Pour 1 cup of couscous in a large bowl.  Pour 1 ¼ cups boiling water over top.  Cover the bowl and let it sit for five minutes, then fluff with a fork to separate the granules. 
    • Plate couscous in the in the center of serving platter.
    • Arrange chicken pieces around the couscous.
    • Spoon sauce over couscous and chicken.
    • Serve immediately.

    By the way, hubby who was so dead sure this recipe would suck gave it 2 thumbs up and then proceeded to eat it 2 nights in a row.

    POLYNESIAN CHICKEN & ITALIAN FARRO & GORGONZOLA GARLIC DIPPING SAUCE

    I also love to research foods we’ve never tried before as well as try old, old recipes or just plain make things up.  I also take requests if anyone would like me to test out a recipe for them.
    Today we’re making Polynesian chicken (the cheating way) and Italian Farro with Gorgonzola garlic dipping sauce.  I saw a package of Pedon Italian Farro  at the grocery store the other day and it looked interesting (reminded me of rich looking barley) – so the impulse buy won and here we are.
    Here’s the history lesson first:  Grano Farro has a long and glorious history: it is the original grain from which all others derive, and fed the Mediterranean and Near Eastern populations for thousands of years; somewhat more recently it was the standard ration of the Roman Legions that expanded throughout the Western World. Ground into a paste and cooked, it was also the primary ingredient in puls, the polenta eaten for centuries by the Roman poor. Important as it was, however, it was difficult to work and produced low yields. In the centuries following the fall of the Empire, higher-yielding grains were developed and farro’s cultivation dwindled: By the turn of the century in Italy there were a few hundreds of acres of fields scattered over the regions of Lazio, Umbria, the Marches and Tuscany.

    Farro would probably still be an extremely local specialty had the farmers of the French Haute Savoie not begun to supply it to elegant restaurants that used it in hearty vegetable soups and other dishes. Their success sparked renewed interest in farro among gastronomes, and now the grain is enjoying a resurgence in popularity in Italy as well, especially among trendy health-conscious cooks.  

    POLYNESIAN CHICKEN
    4 Boneless, Skinless chicken breasts
    1 stick butter, divided in half
    1 cup Frank’s Sweet Chili hot sauce
    1 package Knorr Vegetable Soup Mix
    1/4 cup flour
    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    • Using a small food processor,  grind the Knorr soup mix into a fine dust.
    • Add the vegetable soup dust to the flour in a large plastic bag and mix well.
    • Dredge chicken breasts in soup and flour mixture.
    • In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt one half of the butter.
    • While that is melting, melt the remaining butter in a 2 cup measuring cup in the microwave.
    • Add the hot sauce to the measuring cup and heat an additional 20 seconds. Mix well. Set aside to cool.
    • In the skillet brown the chicken breasts on both sides until almost done. 
    • Spray a small cookie sheet with PURE.
    • Coat each piece of chicken with hot sauce mixture and lay on cookie sheet.
    ITALIAN FARRO

    small bag PEDON farro

    2 tablespoons Frank’s Sweet Chili hot sauce
    • Bring a 2 quart pan of water to a boil.
    • Add the Farro and simmer, 10-12 minutes.
    • Drain thoroughly.
    • Add hot sauce and toss to coat.
    • Serve immediately.

    GORGONZOLA GARLIC DIPPING SAUCE
    1/4 cup gorgonzola crumbles
    1/3 cup mayonnaise
    3 cloves garlic
    2 tablespoons buttermilk
    salt and pepper to taste
    • In a small food processor, process the crumbles until finely ground.
    • Add garlic, mayonnaise, salt and pepper.  Mix until well blended.
    • Add buttermilk.  Add a bit more if you would like a thinner sauce.

    BAKED MEATBALLS w/ ONION GRAVY

    MEATBALLS
    1 pound hamburger
    1 pound ground pork
    2 bunches green onions, chopped
    1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
    1 cup Panko crumbs or crushed saltines
    2 eggs
    1/2 cup milk
    1 teaspoon oregano
    1 teaspoon basil
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    1 teaspoon sea salt
    1 teaspoon white pepper
    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    • Using your hands blend all the ingredients together.
    • Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
    • Roll meatballs into golf ball size meatballs.
    • Bake for 30-45.
    • Bake how ever many you need today and freeze the others for future meals. Thaw in refrigerator before baking.

    ONION GRAVY
    3 tablespoons butter
    1/2 cup finely chopped onion
    2 tablespoons self-rising flour
    1 tablespoons cream sherry
    2 cups hot water
    1 tablespoon better than bouillon beef base
    1 teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet
    salt and pepper to taste

    • In a large skillet melt the butter for the gravy. Saute the onions until browned.
    • Add the bouillon base, cream sherry and hot water. Bring to a boil.
    • Reduce heat, add flour and continue cooking to desired consistency.

    HOBO FOIL STEWS with BUTTER BBQ SAUCE

    HOBO FOIL STEWS with BUTTER BBQ SAUCE
    2 thick ground beef patties, I used Stater Brother’s bacon cheddar patties
    1 Yukon potato, chunked
    1 carrot, sliced
    1 Mexican onion sliced thin
    salt and pepper to taste
    1 tablespoon butter per patty

    • Layer 2 pieces of heavy duty foil on top of each other.
    • Place the hamburger patty in the center.
    • Top with 1 tablespoon butter.
    • Spread BBQ sauce around the butter.
    • Top with sliced onions.  
    • Spread onions and carrots evenly around the meat.
    • Fold the foil pieces up around the meat tightly.
    • Turn it over seam side down and then seal the 2nd piece of foil.
    • Turn them back over so they are meat side down.
    • Bring grill to a medium heat, around 225°.
    • Place foil packs on grill with lid shut for 10 minutes.
    • Turn packets over for 10 more minutes.
    • Serve in foil or slide out onto a plate.

    HOMEMADE BBQ SAUCE
    1 cup packed brown sugar
    1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
    1/4 cup molasses
    1/4 cup honey
    1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
    2 tablespoons dark rum
    1 tablespoon liquid smoke
    1 teaspoon white pepper
    2 teaspoons garlic powder
    2 1/2 cups Portland Ketchup

    • In a large saucepan combine all the ingredients except the ketchup. 
    • Cook uncovered until sugar is dissolved and all ingredient are well blended. 
    • Add ketchup and bring to a slow boil, stirring constantly. 
    • Reduce heat and simmer uncovered, stirring often (about 30 minutes) until dark and thick.

    SAUERBRATEN, POTATO PANCAKES & GINGERSNAP GRAVY

    SAUERBRATEN & GINGER SNAP GRAVY

    3 pound chuck roast
    2 cups vinegar
    2 cups beef broth
    1 medium onion, thinly sliced into rings, separated
    2 bay leaves
    1 teaspoon white pepper
    1/4 cup sugar
    1/4 cup lemon juice
    1 tablespoons ground cloves
    6-10 gingersnaps

    • In a medium saucepan blend all the ingredients together except the ginger snaps. Heat, but do not boil.
    • Pour over the roast in a tight sealed Tupperware marinader. Marinate 48-72 hours, turning twice daily.
    • On the 3rd day remove the roast from the marinade, drain well saving all marinade and brown* on both sides and all edges.
    • Put roast in roasting pan and pour marinade over top. Bake for 3 hours covered and undisturbed.
    • During the last 30 minutes add the gingersnaps to the liquid and allow them to soften. If you are going to want more gravy than there is liquid, add a can of beef consomme at this time.
    • Remove bay leaves. If you prefer you can use whole cloves (8-10) and tie those and the bay leaves into a cheesecloth bag that can be more easily removed.
    • Remove roast from pan and whisk in roux until desired gravy consistency is reached.

    *Browning will take longer because of the vinegar in the marinade.

    POTATO PANCAKES

    3+ cups peeled, grated & squeezed* potatoes
    1 large bunch green onions, minced or 1 small Vidalia onion, minced
    1/2 cup self rising flour
    1 teaspoon salt
    1/2 teaspoon pepper
    1 cup buttermilk
    1 egg, beaten
    4 tablespoons butter, melted

    • Sift together the flour, salt and pepper.
    • Whisk together the buttermilk, egg and butter until smooth.
    • Whisk in the flour mixture until well blended.
    • Fold in the potatoes and onions.
    • Drop onto hot griddle and make your pancakes.
    • Serve with applesauce and sour cream or with the Sauerbraten gravy.

    *I use a flour cloth towel as my base. I grate the potatoes on top of it and then bring all the corners together like a knapsack wrapping the potatoes inside. I continue to tighten the turns until I squeezed all the moisture from the potatoes.

    SWEET HONEY CATALINA DRESSING

    SWEET HONEY CATALINA DRESSING
    1 1/2 cups Heinz ketchup
    1/3 cup red wine vinegar
    1/3 cup honey
    2 tablespoons sugar
    1 dash Worcestershire sauce
    1 pinch ground cloves
    3 tablespoons finely grated green onion
    1 pinch salt
    2 teaspoons poppy seeds
    1 cup safflower oil

    • Whisk all ingredients together until well blended and sugar is dissolved.
    • Chill.
    • Enjoy.