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Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Making Shwan's
Steak Bites Edible

The first time I cooked these in the microwave,
very salty but chewable and tasted good.
The second try I decided to bake them,
they turned out chewy and inedible.
Couldn't eat them at all so
I gave them to the dog!
The third time was the charm,
very tender and tasty good.
I slow cooked them into
a very good tasting beef stew.

Ingredients:
1 package Shwan's Frozen,
seasoned steak bites
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 onion, peeled and sliced
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
1 celery stalk, sliced
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms
3 russet potatoes, washed and quartered
4 cups water
2 tablespoons corn starch

Directions:
In a large soup pot, place Steak bites,
onion, mushrooms and water.
Bring to a simmer, do not boil!
Simmer covered 1 hour.
Add potatoes, carrots, celery
and canned tomatoes.
Cover and simmer another hour.
Remove 1 cup of the liquid, let cool.
Add corn starch to 1 cup liquid and
stir to desolve corn starch.
Add back to soup pot, stir, cover
and again simmer for 1 hour.

How to Thicken Soup or
Stew with Corn Starch

To thicken soup or stew using corn stach,
remove 1 cup soup or stew liquid and
place in a measuring cup, let cool.
Add 2 tablespoons corn starch and
stir with a fork to desolve starch.
Add 1 drop of a browning sauce,
here we use Gravy Master.
Stir to combine and add back to
soup or stew pot, stir well.

Tender and Tasty
Baked Pork Ribs

This is a recipe I've had for over
thirty years and always get good reviews.
You bake the ribs in the oven in foil,
refrigerate them overnight and then
throw them on a barbecue grill to
sauce season and heat them through.

Ingredients:
Two racks of baby back ribs,
cut into six-rib sections.
Dry Rub (see below)

Dry Rub:
1/3 cup ground black pepper
1/4 cup paprika
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1-1/2 teaspoons onion powder
(This makes enough rub for
two or three batches of ribs.
Store the rub in an airtight container.)

Directions:
The day before you want to grill the ribs:
Rub the ribs liberally with the dry rub mixture.
Wrap them tightly in two layers of foil
and bake at 300 degrees F. for 2-1/2 hours.
Cool the ribs, opening the foil
to speed the process.
Re-wrap the ribs in the foil
and refrigerate them until next day.
Let ribs sit at room temperature
for 30 minutes prior to grilling.
Grill uncovered over medium-low heat
until desired tenderness
(approximately 20 minutes or so).
Brush with sauce of your choice
during the last 5-10 minutes.

Burgundy Beef Stew

This is a crock pot or slow cooker recipe.
Burgundy Beef Stew is a delicious dish
that is very simple to prepare.
You can easily make it using a slow cooker.

Ingredients:
2 pounds boneless beef chuck pot roast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons cooking oil (optional)
2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
6 medium carrots, cut into 1" pieces
9-ounce package frozen cut green beans
2 cups frozen small whole onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
14-ounce can reduced-sodium beef broth
1 cup Burgundy wine
slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Directions:
Cut meat into 1-inch pieces.
Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper.
Place meat in a 3-1/2 quart slow cooker.
Sprinkle with tapioca. Stir in carrots,
green beans, onions, and garlic.
Pour broth and Burgundy over
meat mixture in cooker.
Cover and cook on low-heat setting
for 10 to 12 hours. And at last,
Sprinkle each serving with crumbled bacon.

Best Ever Beef Stew

Easy to make and tastes like you
cooked it all day in minutes.
Not a tastier beef stew anywhere!

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 pound beef chuck steak, cubed 1"
20 oz. beef broth
1 cup Steak Sauce
3 medium potatoes, cubed 1"
3 large carrots, thinly sliced
1 large sweet onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced

Directions:
Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat.
Add beef and sautee until browned,
using salt and pepper to taste.
In medium stock pot, add vegetables
to broth and bring to a boil
until vegetables are tender.
Reduce heat. Add beef and Steak Sauce
to stock pot and simmer for 15 minutes,
uncovered. Remove from heat and serve.

Fresh Peach Mayonnaise

I had a lot of fresh peaches around
and was trying to use them in any
way that I could and came up with this.
Makes for great tasting summer salads.

Ingredients:
4 fresh peaches, pitted, and skinned
1/2 cup Real Mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. Lemon Juice
1/8 tsp. Salt or to taste
1/8 tsp. Cayenne Pepper

Directions::
Cut peaches in small pieces,
Place in food processor and pulse
until pureed.
Add peach puree to a small bowl.
Add mayonnaise and lemon juice.
Mix well to combine.
Season with salt and cayenne pepper.
Keep refrigerated until needed.

Diabetic Apple Salad

Diabetic salad made with apples,
celery, raisins, and low-calorie
mayonnaise is really delicious
enough for the whole family.

Ingredients:
2 apples, diced and unpared
1/2 cup diced celery
1/4 cup golden raisins
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon reduced-calorie mayonnaise
1 dash of prepared tomato ketchup
Lettuce leaves

Directions:
In a small bowl mix mayonnaise and ketchup.
Combine apples, celery, raisins,
lemon juice with mayonnaise.
Mix well. Refrigerate until served.
Serve apple salad on lettuce leaves.

Eggless Chocolate Cake

A great recipe for making a chocolate cake.
When I want to make a chocolate cake,
nine times out of ten, this is what I make.
Wonderfully moist tastes good and flavorful,
you'd never know this was egg free.

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups cold water

Directions:
Sift flour, sugar, salt, soda,
and cocoa together into a
9 x 13 inch greased cake pan.
Make three wells.
Pour oil into one well,
vinegar into second, and
vanilla into third well.
Pour cold water over all,
and stir well with fork.
Bake at 350 degrees F.
for 30 to 40 minutes,
or until pick inserted comes out clean.
Frost with your favorite icing.

Crazy Hot Chicken Wings

Make these as hot as you dare to,
make sure you have plenty of celery
and bleu cheese dipping sauce,
and don't forget the knapkins!

Ingredients:
2 lbs. party wings
2 tablespoons achiote chili powder
24 chiles de arbol, stemmed
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 cup water
1 clove garlic
2 teaspoons onion powder
6 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon kosher or sea salt
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Directions:
In a small saucepan with the water
and 1 cup of the vinegar,
simmer the chiles de arbol,
garlic and achiote chili powder
for about 20 minutes.
In a blender or with a stick blender,
purée the liquid, garlic and chilis.
Strain the liquid; add remaining
vinegar and onion powder.
Replace on stove at low heat
and whisk in the butter until melted.
Thaw wings and toss in salt and pepper.
Place in a deep fryer or large pot
with about 4 inches of vegetable
or canola oil; heat to 325°F;
gently place wings in oil
and cook for about 10 minutes.
You should do this in 2 or 3 batches.
Remove wings to a bowl until all cooked;
then pour the hot sauce
and toss to coat evenly.
Arrange on a plate with celery sticks.

Watermelon, Arugula
and Pine Nut Salad

This is a refreshing salad to make.
You can use any nuts you wish and
add a few fresh mint leaves to boot!

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon table salt, or to taste
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups cubed seedless watermelon
6 cups baby arugula
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
Coarsely ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
Whisk together lemon juice, vinegar,
and salt in a large bowl,
then add oil in a slow stream,
whisking until emulsified.
Add watermelon, arugula, pine nuts
and toss to coat,
then sprinkle with cheese,
pepper, and salt to taste.

Parsley Dumplings

These dumplings go great in soup,
I like them in chicken and mushroom.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup cottage cheese
6 tablespoons butter, divided
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup all purpose flour, divided
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

Directions:

Puree cottage cheese until smooth.
Using electric mixer, beat 3 tablespoons
butter and eggs in medium bowl.
Add cottage cheese, 1/2 cup flour,
1 teaspoon sea salt, and nutmeg;
beat on low speed just to blend.
Stir in 1/2 cup flour, cheese, and parsley.
Bring large pot of salted water to boil.
Using teaspoon, scoop piece
of dough about size of cherry.
Holding spoon just above boiling water,
use second spoon to push dough into water.
Working quickly, repeat about 10 more times.
When dumplings rise to surface,
simmer until cooked through,
2 1/2 to 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon,
transfer dumplings to large plate.

Monday, August 30, 2010

Essential and Unlimited
Book of Internet Recipes

This is a place to find
the best tried and true
recipes on the Internet.
All are free and delicious.

Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
Red, Yellow or Orange

When you have been tired of cooking
the cherry tomatoes from your garden,
salads just don't use them up enough.
Make these roasted cherry tomatoes
in the oven, they're so good they're,
I just drooled on my keyboard good!

Ingredients:
Preheat oven to 225 degrees F.
In a bowl toss the ripe cherry tomatoes
and peeled garlic with the olive oil,
sprinkling lightly with salt to taste.
Arrange tomatoes and garlic in a
single layer on a baking sheet,
cut side of the tomatoes facing up.
Bake in the oven for about 90 minutes
or until very softened and smaller in size.
Use in salads, pasta dishes or just use em.

The Best of
Rock's Recipes

This is the place to search for
the best recipes on the Internet!
New, old or long lost there all here!

Crock Pot Meatballs
in Chili Grape Sauce

This recipe calls for only three ingredients.
I'd advise making a double recipe,
because after one taste they'll go FAST.
The sweet-spicy flavor is addictive.

Ingredients:
One bag of frozen Italian-style meatballs
12 ounces of grape jelly (cheap is fine)
10-ounces bottled chili sauce

Directions:
In a crock pot or slow cooker,
combine jelly with chili sauce
Add meatballs and cook on low stirring
occasionally until the jelly is melted
and combined with the chili sauce.
Feel free to make the recipe sound
much more complex than it is
when you tell your guests about it.

Easy Chimichurri Sauce

This is easy to make using store-bought
prepared cilantro-lime pesto sauce.
I use this sauce on grilled skirt steaks.

Ingredients:
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
6 ounces prepared cilantro lime pesto
Salt to taste

Directions:
In a bowl combine ground cumin and
black pepper into the cilantro pesto.
Add salt to taste.

Stewed Fresh Peaches

Our peaches all fell tothe ground,
most were still good to eat but
not for making fresh peach pies.
I cooked them up nice and sweet.

Ingredients:
20 fresh peaches
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
water

Directions:
In a large pot bring enough water
to a boil to cover fresh peaches.
Simmer five minutes and drain.
Fill pot of peaches with cold water.
Drain and fill again with cold water.
Peel skins off peaches and remove pits.
Place in sauce pot with sugar and spices.
Bring to a boil, then shut off heat.
Let peaches poach in there own liquid.
Serve over ice cream, cereal or oatmeal.

Flour Tortilla
Elephant Ears

These are real good to make and
serve with spicy mexican dinners.
Almost like the fried elephant ears
that are sold at county fairs.
Those are made with raised bread dough,
these are simple to make with tortillas.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Canola oil for frying
10 (7 inch) flour tortillas

Directions:
In a shallow bowl combine sugar and cinnamon.
in a skillet, heat 1/2 inch of canola oil.
Place one tortilla at a time in skillet,
Cook for 5 seconds; turn and cook
10 seconds longer or until browned.
careful not to burn them too dark.
Place in sugar mixture and turn to coat.
Serve immediately.

Carrot Casserole

This recipe might not look like much
but the dish looks and tastes fantastic!
Yes you use one whole cup butter in this!

Ingredients:
1 pound peeled carrots
1 small onion [1 medium]
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, divided
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 tube Ritz crackers

Directions:
Peel and cut the carrots into 1-inch pieces
place in a sauce pan and boil till tender.
Drain and process in blender or
food processor for a few seconds.
Chop onion and saute in half
the butter until softened.
Try not to brown the onions.
Whisk in flour, then milk,
and continue cooking until
the sauce is thickened.
Add carrots and stir to combine.
Transfer to a buttered 9x13 baking dish.
Make topping by crushing crackers
and mix with remaining butter, melted.
Sprinkle topping on carrots.
Bake in preheated 350 degree F. oven
for 20-30 minutes or until heated through.

Easy to Make
Cola Pork Ribs

A simple recipe with only a few
ingredients that come together great.
You can also do this with chicken.

Ingredients:
1 cut-up chicken
1 can of Coca-Cola
1 cup tomato ketchup
salt to taste
pepper to taste

Directions:
Place pork ribs in a baking pan.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Combine Coca-Cola and ketchup
and pour over meat.
Cook at 350 degrees F.
for 1 hour or until done.

Coca-Cola Meatloaf

This is a good recipe and the meatloaf
will be moist and tender, just don't
over-mix the ingredients to much.

Ingredients:
About 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs
1/4 cup minced onion
2 tablespoons finely cut parsley
1 egg
1/2 cup Coca-Cola
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 1/2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon basil leaves
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions:
In a bowl, break up ground beef with a fork;
add crumbs, onion and parsley, mixing well.
Beat egg, mix with remaining ingredients.
Pour over meat. With fork, toss lightly
to combine and blend thoroughly.
Mixture will be soft.
Turn into a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan.
Bake in a 350 degree F. oven for 1 hour.
Let set about 10 minutes before slicing.

Onions and Cola
Hot Dog Sauce

I like onions on my hot dogs and
decided to come up with a thick
and differant tasting hot dog sauce.
Here's what I came up with for making
a thick spicy sauce to use on hot dogs.
Made with onions and cola soda.

Ingredients:
2 medium onions
3/4 cup Cola soda
3/4 cup tomato ketchup
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt or to tase

Directions:
Peel and chop onions.
Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan,
bring to a boil; cover pan and reduce heat
and simmer about 45 minutes until
sauce is very thick. Stir occasionally.
Makes about 2 cups. Use or refrigerate.

Cola Roast Beef
and Mushroom Gravy

This is a recipe for making one of the
easiest and tastiest roast beef dishes.
The mushroom gravy is just fantastic!
You might want to double up on the
gravy ingredients, it's that good!

Ingredients:
l Beef Roast
12 ounces of Cola soda
2 cans of Cream of Mushroom Soup
l package of Dry Onion Soup Mix

Directions:
Place roast in pan.
Mix all other ingredients together
and pour over roast. Cover tightly
with foil and bake at 325 degrees F.
for about 3-4 hours.

Coca-Cola Ham
with Pineapple

This simple baked ham with pineapple
and cola is a great recipe and keeps
the ham very moist and tender good.

Ingredients:
1/2 ham (5-6 lb.)
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups Coca-Cola
1 cup crushed pineapple

Directions:
Wash ham thoroughly and pat dry.
Place in a baking pan,
rub fat side with brown sugar.
Pour Coca-Cola over ham.
Pour crushed pineapple over ham.
Bake at 450 degrees F. for 3 hours.

Pepsi Barbecue Sauce

This is a sauce I made using reduced
down pepsi-cola as the liquid base,
adding herbs and spices along the way.
This is a good barbecue sauce to use
on grilled chicken, it's not too sweet.

Ingredients:
12 ounces Pepsi-cola soda
1/4 cup light brown sugar
6 ounces canned tomato paste
1 tablespoon cheap bourbon
1 tablespoon prepared brown mustard
1 tablespoon of worcestershire sauce
3 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons of your favorite BBQ rub
1/4 tsp liquid smoke

Directions:
In a medium sized sauce pan simmer
the 12 ounces of Pepsi until its
volume is reduced to 4 ounces.
Stir in the other ingredients
and remove from heat.
Let cool and use or refrigerate.

How to Peel Peaches

This is the only way I do it,
it's the easiest and best way to
peel a large amount of peaches.
This works for removing the
skins off of tomatoes too!

Directions:
Place a large pot of water on stove
and bring water to a rolling boil.
Place peaches in pot of water and
let sit for about 5 minutes.
Drain hot water from pot and
fill pot with cold water.
The water will get warm,
drain again and add cold water.
After about ten minutes or so,
you'll be able to remove
peach skins very easily.

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Fresh Tomato Sorbet

After having great luck with making some
tasty good mint chocolate chip ice cream
and then some pistachio nut ice cream,
I decided to try and make this tomato sorbet.
Came out much better than I expected it would.

Ingredients:
2 cups chilled tap water
1 cup tomato water
2 tablespoons superfine sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
fresh basil for garnish

Directions:
In a bowl whisk together 2 cups chilled tap water,
1 cup tomato water, 2 tablespoons superfine sugar
and 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
until sugar is dissolved.
Transfer mixture to an ice cream machine
and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Spoon into bowls and garnish with fresh basil.

Homemade Gyro Meat

Homemade gyro meat is the best!
Here is a recipe for you to make
your own and have great gyros.

Ingredients:
1 pound ground hamburger
1 pound ground lamb
1 cup onion chopped fine
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon marjoram
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a mixer bowl.
Mix all ingredients into the meat.
Blend mixture in food processor
for 1 full minute (thin with water if needed).
Shape meat mixture into a compressed
oval shape and refrigerate overnight.
Next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
and bake for 50-60 minutes.
Let set and cool to just above
room temperature before slicing very thin.
Brown and warm slices by pan frying
at medium heat with a small
amount of extra virgin olive oil.
Makes about 1 1/2 pounds gyro meat.

Butterbeer

I would describe the taste of this butterbeer
as a kind of shortbread and butterscotch.

Ingredients:
1 cup light or dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons water
6 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar
3/4 cup heavy cream, divided
1/2 teaspoon rum extract
Four 12-ounce bottles cream soda

Directions:
In a small saucepan over medium heat,
combine the brown sugar and water.
Bring to a gentle boil and cook,
stirring often, until the mixture
reads 240 degrees F. on candy thermometer.
Stir in the butter, salt, vinegar
and 1/4 heavy cream.
Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Once the mixture has cooled,
stir in the rum extract.
In a medium bowl, combine 2 tablespoons
of the brown sugar mixture and the
remaining 1/2 cup of heavy cream.
Use an electric mixer to beat
until just thickened, but not
completely whipped, about 2 to 3 minutes.
To serve, divide the brown sugar mixture
between 4 tall glasses.
Add 1/4 cup of cream soda to each glass,
then stir to combine.
Fill each glass nearly to the top
with additional cream soda,
then spoon on the whipped topping.

Baked Ham and
Scalloped Potatoes

This is an easy recipe for scalloped potatoes,
with it’s layers of thinly sliced russet potato,
onion and leftover diced baked ham all baked
in light cream sauce, it's sinfully delicious!

Ingredients:
3 medium russet potatoes,
peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup or so cubed leftover ham
1/2 cup plus light cream
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
Salt and pepper to taste
•Chives for garnish (optional)


Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Slice the potatoes rather thinly.
Add a first layer of potatoes
to an ungreased casserole dish.
On top of the first layer of sliced potato,
sprinkle some diced ham and thin slices of onion
and a sprinkle of all-purpose flour, salt and pepper.
Add another layer of potatoes and some more
onion and ham and black pepper on that.
Dot with little cubes of butter
and add just enough light cream
to see some around the edges.
As the potatoes slowly cook,
the potatoes will absorb the cream.
Cover with tin foil or a casserole cover
and put into the oven for about an hour.
Uncover and turn the oven on broil.
Broil for just a few minutes,
then allow the potatoes to stand
for five minutes to set, and serve.

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Easy Homemade
Pistachio Ice Cream

One of the best things I ever did
was to get me an ice cream maker
for my Kitchen-aide mixer.
This only took 20 minutes to make
soft serve ice cream and some more
time in the freezer for hard pack.
Really good and not fattening at all!

Ingredients:
1 pint heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup pistachio nuts, chopped fine
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 or two drops green food coloring

Directions:
Storing your ice cream maker bowl
in the freezer makes this a fast
a very enjoyable thing to make.
Place ice cream maker bowl in
your machine and turn it on.
Pour in cream, milk, sugar,
almond extract and green food coloring.
Let run for 20 minutes, turn machine off
and remove soft serve ice cream to a
covered container and place in freezer
to harden up for about 1 hour.

Pioneer Restaurant
Fried Chicken

This is as close as I can come to
making the fried chicken that used
to be sold at Pioneer restaurants.
This makes a very crispy battered
chicken just like back in the day.

Ingredients:
2 chicken breast pieces
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup pancake mix
1 egg
1/8 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold water

Directions:
Wash and pat dry chicken breast halves.
In a bowl combine all other ingredients
to make a thin pancake-like batter.
Dip chicken in batter then lay on a plate
and place in freezer for 30 minutes.
Remove from freezer,
dip chicken in batter again.
Deep fry in peanut oil.
Place on paper towels to drain.

Frankenmuth's
Chicken Seasoning

Use this home-made seasoning for chicken
or other meat and vegetable dishes.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup Betty Crocker instant-
potato buds, no substitute
3 T. chicken bouillon powder
1 t. poultry seasoning
1 t. rubbed sage
1 t. black pepper
1 small packet Ranch dressing mix

Directions:
Place above ingredients in a blender
and pulse til finely powdered.
Store at room temperature,
tightly capped, for several months.
(makes 1/2 cup)

Orange Juice Balls

These are like Holiday rum balls,
made with crushed vanilla wafers.
Interesting orange coconut combination.
I can imagine how good this would be
using Triple Sec in place of orange juice.

Ingredients:
3/4 box powdered sugar
1 stick of butter, melted
1 pound box vanilla wafers
1 6-ounce can frozen orange juice
1 cup chopped nuts
1 7-ounce bag coconut

Directions:
Crush vanilla wafers in a food processor
or blender to make fine crumbs.
Add all other ingredients
and mix with your hands.
Form into walnut sized balls,
roll balls in powdered sugar,
or nuts or coconut.
Refrigerate to set.
Store covered in refrigerator.

Baked Cheesy Good
Angel Hair Spaghetti

A baked spaghetti dish with a layer
of creamy white cheeses inside.
If you like cheese you'll love this!

Ingredients:
12 ounces angel hair pasta
1 pound ground beef
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
salt to taste
black pepper, to taste
26 ounces spaghetti sauce
8 ounces sour cream
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
12 ounces cottage cheese

Directions:
Cook spaghetti according to
package instructions (al dente).
Drain and rinse with cool water.
Brown meat with onions and garlic.
Drain excess grease and add salt
and pepper to taste.
Add spaghetti sauce and mix well.
In a mixing bowl, combine cottage cheese,
cream cheese, and sour cream.
Mix until well-combined.
Put half of the pasta in the bottom
of a 9x13-inch casserole dish.
Layer half of the cheese mixture
and half of the meat mixture.
Add remaining mixtures in the same order,
with meat-sauce mixture ending on top.
Bake uncovered at 375 degrees F.
for about 30-45 minutes or
until bubbling and heated through.
Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Potato and Leek Soup

This is a simple soup that tastes great.
I like to add some grated parmesan cheese
at the end of cooking for serving.

Ingredients:
3 leeks, chopped into 1/2" cubes
3 or 4 potatos chopped into 1/2" cubes
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
salt to taste
black pepper to taste
1 1/2 pints chicken broth

Directions:
Slowly cook the leeks in the butter
for 10 mins without browning them.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add the potatoes and chicken broth.
Bring to the boil and then lower
heat to a simmer for 20 minutes.
Put half of the soup in a blender
and blend till nice and smooth.
Put it back in the pan and
stir for a few minutes. Serve.

Microwaved Butter
Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti squash and pasta can be
served almost interchangeably,
but most people find plain
spaghetti squash a bit bland.
This microwave cooking method
is an easy way to steam the squash.
I serve this with melted butter.

Ingredients:
1 whole spaghetti squash
unsalted butter, melted

Directions:
With a long, sharp knife, pierce squash
three or four times along the perimeter,
making sure the holes extend all the way
to the center of the squash.
This creates steam vents in the squash
and prevents a microwave explosion.
Microwave squash for 20 minutes.
Steam should be coming out of the
holes at the end of this time.
Let squash sit in the microwave
for about 10 minutes after cooking.
Cut off stem end of squash.
Cut remaining squash lengthwise.
You will see light yellow squash
and darker, almost amber areas.
The darker areas will contain seeds.
Remove seeds and retain the yellow strands.
In a bowl with melted butter.

Avgolemono Soup

This is a Greek soup recipe made with
eggs and lemon juice mixed with chicken
broth and heated until they thicken but
before they boil and curdle.
The lemon juice and yogurt give this
soup a deliciously fresh taste.

Ingredients:
3 quarts chicken stock
1 cup plain yogurt
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 cup cooked rice
2 tablespoons finely minced parsley
1/2 cup minced cooked chicken meat

Directions:
Bring chicken stock to boiling.
Add 2 cups of the boiling stock to the
yogurt, eggs, and lemon juice, and mix well.
Then combine and heat all the ingredients
together in the soup pot, being careful
not to boil the mixture. Serve hot.

Rosemary Orange
Salt Seasoning

Rosemary-Orange Salt uses basic
ingredients with stellar results.
Warmed salt, fennel and peppercorns
are infused with orange zest.
Simply rubbed on a pork loin
or to flavored roasted vegetables.

Ingredients:
1 cup coarse sea salt
2 T. fresh rosemary leaves
1 t. black peppercorns
1 t. fennel seeds
Zest of 6 oranges

Directions:
In a saute pan, combine the salt,
rosemary, peppercorns and fennel seeds
over medium-high heat and cook,
shaking the pan gently, for 2-3 minutes,
or until the pan gets hot and the salt
and fennel seeds begin to crackle.
Remove the pan from the heat,
add the orange zest, and toss with the
salt or until the pan begins to cool.
Spread the salt over a dry baking sheet
and set aside to cool completely.
Grind the salt mixture in a spice grinder
or a coffee mill reserved for spices.
Store the salt in an airtight container,
in a cool place for up to 4 months.

Smoked Paprika
Potato Salad

I use smoked paprika in this dish,
turns potatoes into a special treat.
It's best to serve this dish ice
cold or at room temperature.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds baby Yukon gold potatoes
1/4 cup Real mayonaise
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon tumeric
1/2 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
pinch of cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup spring onions, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
salt to taste
black pepper to taste

Directions:
Place potatoes in a soup pot,
cover with cold water,
bring water to a boil, lower to simmer
and cook for about 10-15 minutes,
until they can be barely pierced with knife.
Strain and cover with a towel to allow
them to steam for another 15-20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl whisk together
the mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, tumeric,
pimenton, cayenne pepper and parsley.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle,
halve or quarter them depending on their size.
Place in a mixing bowl and cover them
with the dressing to keep them moist.
Then, add the spring onion and celery.
Toss and check seasoning (salt and pepper).
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour
to allow the ingredients to blend together.
Serve on a bed of green lettuce,
cold or at room temperature.

Piccadilly Sauced Beef

The piccadilly sauce makes this dish,
spicy, salty and just sweet enough it's
fantastic tasting and the beef is tender.
This makes for a great beef sandwich.

Ingredients:
1 (3 pound) London broil steak
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 red onion, peeled, finely chopped
1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
4 roma tomatoes, chopped
16 ounces low-sodium beef broth
8 ounces chicken broth
1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup chardonney wine
1 tablespoon arrowroot
1 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

Directions:
Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan.
Add onions and mushrooms, saute until
tender soft. stirring frequently.
Add the tomatoes, Beef Stock, chicken stock,
parsley, wine, and pepper. Bring to a boil,
reduce heat, add London broil and simmer,
uncovered, for 1 hour. Remove London broil.
Dissolve the corn starch in cold water.
Add to the sauce in pan and cook over
medium heat, stirring constantly,
until the sauce thickens.
Add salt and pepper to taste.

Friday, August 27, 2010

Poached Beets and
Red Arborio Rice

I've been on a color kick lately and
have been trying out differant recipes.
In this one I simply cooked up some
arborio rice in some water that had
two peeled fresh beets in it.
The rice turned out nice and red.
while the beets poached very tender.
The next day the rice almost melted
into creamy and earthy tasting gems.
I'm going to remember this recipe
to use on Valentine's day.

Ingredients:
2 cups water
3/4 cup arborio rice
2 small beets, peeled

Directions:
In a saucepan place water,
bring to a boil and add beets.
Add rice, cover and lower heat
to a slow simmer for 10 minutes.
Uncover and turn beets over while
stirring rice to make sure it's
not stuck to the bottom of the pan.
Cover and cook another 10 minutes.
Remove beets and cut in small cubes.
Drain rice and place in a serving bowl
along with the cubed beet on top.
Garnish with fresh mint leaves.

Fresh Eggplant
Tomato Casserole

A good recipe to cook eggplant,
warm from the oven and topped
with some tasty bread crumbs.

Ingredients:
1 medium eggplant, 1-1/2 cubes
1 medium onion chopped fine
1 garlic clove minced
1 green pepper diced
4 medium tomatoes
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. salt or to taste
1 tsp. sugar
1/3 cup cooking oil

Directions:
Cook onion, garlic, pepper in hot oil
until onion is tender.
Add cubed eggplant,
chopped tomatoes, and sugar.
Pour into buttered casserole.
Bake for 40 minutes at 375 degrees F.
May be topped with buttered bread
or cracker crumbs.

Horseradish Beets

If you like beets you must try this.
The flavor combination of the beets
and the spicy horseradish is great.

Ingredients:
2 pounds beets
5 sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
Freshly-ground black pepper
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup grated horseradish
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Directions:
Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
In a large bowl, toss the beets
with the thyme, olive oil,
one-half teaspoon salt
and one-eighth teaspoon pepper.
Transfer the beets to a
roasting pan and cover with foil.
Roast the beets until they are tender
and can easily be pierced with a knife.
Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
Rub the cooled beets with a towel
to remove the skins, then dice them
into half-inch pieces and place in a large bowl.
Stir in the vinegar, horseradish and mustard
and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Chipotle Peppers Adobo
Macaroni and Cheese

Not your Mother's mac and cheese.
This is nothing like a normal
boring macaroni and cheese,
every mouthful is an adventure
in spiciness flavor and texture.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons pureed canned chipotle,
peppers in adobo sauce, pureed
1 pound grated medium cheddar cheese
(about 5 cups), divided
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound macaroni

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water
to a boil to cook the macaroni.
Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan,
melt the butter over medium heat.
Stir in the flour and cook
until it makes a smooth paste.
Whisk in the milk and cream,
making sure there are no lumps,
then whisk in the chipotle and adobo sauce.
Stir in all but one-half cup grated cheese,
a little at a time, until all the cheese
is melted and incorporated.
Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
and one-fourth teaspoon pepper.
Remove from heat and set aside.
Cook the macaroni according to
the manufacturer's instructions.
Drain the cooked macaroni and stir
the noodles in with the cheese mixture.
Place the macaroni and cheese
into a greased 8-inch square baking dish
and sprinkle over the remaining grated cheese.
Place the baking dish in the oven
and cook until the top is golden brown
and the cheese is melted through,
about 20 minutes. Remove from heat
and cool slightly before serving.

Bacon Potato Salad

This bacon potato salad is richly flavored
with deep notes of bacon and smoked salt
with bright herbs and chopped green onion.
Tossed with a creamy dressing with a light tang,
each bite is a balance of flavor and texture.

Ingredients:
1 pound Yukon gold potatoes
3 strips bacon, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 heaping tablespoon cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon smoked salt
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, add the potatoes
and enough water to cover by 1 inch.
Bring the pan to a simmer and cook
until the potatoes are tender
about 25 minutes. Remove from the heat,
drain the potatoes and set aside until
cool enough to handle.
While potatoes are cooking,
fry the bacon in a medium skillet
over medium heat until crisp,
8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
In a small bowl, whisk together the
mayonnaise, mustard, cider vinegar,
smoked salt, kosher salt and pepper.
Taste and adjust the dressing as desired.
Dice the potatoes into half-inch cubes
and place in a large bowl.
Stir in the warm bacon fat until combined.
Fold in the dressing, bacon, green onions,
thyme and parsley. Taste the salad and
adjust the seasoning if desired.
Cover and chill before serving.

Curried Chickpea Salad

Curried chickpeas make a wonderful tasting salad.
What I like about this recipe is that you
use canned chickpeas not dried and soaked.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup diced onions
4 teaspoons best-quality olive oil
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon lemon juice, or to taste
Salt to taste

Directions:
In a large saute pan heated over
medium-high heat, saute the onion
in the olive oil until deep golden
and crispy, about 6 to 8 minutes,
stirring frequently.
Add the turmeric, cumin, coriander
and cayenne pepper and cook,
stirring constantly, until
lightly toasted, about 3 minutes.
Add the chickpeas, cilantro and
lemon juice and continue to stir
to develop the flavors, about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and season with
one-fourth teaspoon salt, or to taste.
Cool the salad, then transfer
it to a container, cover and
refrigerate until chilled before
serving, at least 30 minutes.
Taste and adjust seasoning
and lemon juice as desired.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Rustic Looking
Fresh Peach Pie

Made with fresh peaches that had fallen
to the ground from my peach tree,
this simple rustic looking pie
is a great warm comfort food.
Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients:
1 prepared 9" pie crust,
store-bought is fine
4 cups fresh sliced peaches
4 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons corn starch
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Place sliced peaches in a large bowl,
use your hands to combine with flour,
sugar, corn starch and salt.
Line a glass cake dish with pie crust.
Fill with peach mixture taking care
to arrange the slices evenly.
Sprinkle all around the edge of
pie crust with cinnamon sugar.
Bakefor about 40 minutes,
pie might leak some liquid at this point
so I put a baking sheet on lower rack.
Turn off oven and let pie cool in oven
until ready to serve warm by the spoonful.
Along with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Grilled Zucchini Salad

Made with sliced cherry tomatoes
and creamy crumbled feta cheese,
adding some pitted black olives,
this grilled zucchini salad is
good enough to serve to company.

Ingredients:
1 fresh zucchini squash
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup kalimata olives, pitted
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
8 ounces Italian salad dressing

Directions:
Cut ends off of zucchini squash,
cut in 1/2" slices, remove seeds.
Preheat a grill to high heat.
Place zucchini and salad dressing
in a baking sheet to coat all over.
Place zucchini on hot grill and cook
for about five minutes on one side,
turn and cook another few minutes on
other side, remove from grill and
cut into 1/2 inch cubes or pieces.
Place zucchini in a bowl large enough
to hold all remaining ingredients.
Toss with a little more dressing.

Grilled Huge Zucchini

Every gardener has found a Huge zucchini
hiding under the big green leaves.
And I'm sure you have an old bottle of
Italian salad dressing in your refrigerator.
Here is what I did with this huge zucchini,
I gave it a bath in Italian salad dressing
and grilled it on a hot grill nice and tender.

Ingredients:
1 Huge fresh zucchini
1 bottle of Italian salad dressing
1/4 cup yellow corn meal

Directions:
In a mixing bowl whisk to combine
Italian salad dressing and cornmeal.
Cut ends off of zucchini and cut
into 1" thick slices.
Take a cookie cutter and cut a hole
in center of each slice of zucchini
to remove all of the seeds.
Place zucchini rings on a baking sheet.
Pour salad dressing mixture over it
and light your grill to high heat.
Place zucchini rings on grill,
cover grill and cook for 5 minutes.
Turn zucchini and cook another few
minutes until grill marked and tender.
Some of the sugar from the salad dressing
will make it stick to the grill a little.
Remove with tongs and serve warm
in a little of the salad dressing.

Homemade Sweet Pickles

Make your own homemade sweet pickles.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup non-iodized salt
Ice water to cover (about 2 quarts)
3 lbs. sliced Kirby (pickling) cucumbers
1 lb. sliced white onions
3 cups apple cider vinegar
4 cups granulated sugar
2 tbsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. turmeric
2 cups water

Directions:
First, make a brine by adding the
non-iodized salt to the ice water.
Then, chill the cucumbers and onions
in the brine for 1 hour.
In a large pan, heat the vinegar,
sugar, mustard seeds, turmeric
and water until boiling.
Add the cucumbers and the onions
and then cook for approximately 5 minutes,
or until pickles start to lose their color.
Remove from the heat and
let them cool in the liquid.
Refrigerate in any nonmetallic container.

Austrian Cabbage

What could be better than
spicy cabbage and bacon?
An old recipe and a goodie!

Ingredients:
1 large green cabbage, chopped
1/3 pound diced bacon
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 green pepper, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt or to taste
dash of black pepper
several dashes Tabasco
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 scant cup caraway seeds
1 can tomatoes, chopped

Directions:
Saute bacon and onion in skillet.
Add green pepper and celery
and saute until crisp tender.
Add sugar, salt, pepper,
Tabasco, cider vinegar,
caraway seeds and chopped tomatoes.
Add cabbage to mixture.
Cover and cook nice and
gently until cabbage is tender.

Florentine Lace Cookies

Light and crispy cookies that
everyone will fight over the
last crunchy chocolate drizzled
cookie on the serving plate.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter 1 Tbsp flour
1/2 cup sugar 1 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup ground almonds

For chocolate coating:
4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
8 oz. cocoa butter, solid

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease and flour cookie sheets.
Place butter, flour, sugar,
heavy cream and milk in a saucepan.
Heat slowly until butter is melted.
Stir in almonds. Spoon out by
heaping teaspoons, five well-spaced
cookies per sheet; cookies will spread.
Bake 8 to 9 minutes. Remove from oven;
cool for one minute then set cookies
on paper towels, top side down.
Cool for one hour. Melt chocolate chips
and cocoa butter in a double boiler;
drizzle over cooled cookies.

Ahi Tuna Nachos

This is a very good tasting appetizer.

Ingredients:
Won-ton wrappers
Fresh Ahi tuna
Salt to tase
White pepper to taste
Wasabi mayonnaise
Sesame oil
Pickled ginger
Minced scallions

Directions:
Cut wonton skins into quarters.
Deep fry or pan fry just make them crispy.
Take an Ahi tuna steak.
Pan sear with salt and white pepper.
Make sure it's rare.
Cut into slices that almost
cover the wonton skins with
each piece having a fair
amount of seared exterior.
Put a small dollop of wasabi
mayonnaise on each skin.
Place piece of tuna on top of that.
Drizzle with the tiniest amount
of sesame oil you can manage.
Add one sliver of pickled ginger.
Top with a few pieces of
super finely minced scallion.
Arrange on tray, this is finger-food.

Ginger Chicken

This chicken recipe is simply amazing.
Make this when you want to impress someone.

Ingredients:
7 pounds chicken pieces
1 cup honey
3/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup minced garlic (8 to 12 cloves)
1/2 cup peeled and grated fresh ginger root

Directions:
Cook the honey, soy sauce, garlic,
and ginger root in a small saucepan
over low heat until honey is melted.
Arrange the chicken in a large,
shallow baking pan, skin side down,
and pour on the sauce.
Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil.
Marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the baking pan in the oven
and bake for 1/2 hour.
Uncover the pan, turn the chicken
skin side up, and raise
the temperature to 375 degrees F.
Continue baking for 30 minutes,
or until the juices run clear
when you cut between the leg and the
thigh and the sauce is a rich dark brown.
Serve with cooked white rice.

Sour Cream Apple Pie

I've made this one crust apple pie several
times and the cinnamon sugar on top is a
nice topping for this apple pie.

Ingredients:
1 9″ prepared pie crust
3 cup chopped apples
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup white sugar
3 Tablespoons flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 Tablespoon sugar,
plus 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:
Combine flour, sugar, and salt.
Add sour cream. Beat until smooth.
Stir in apples, put in pie crust.
Mix sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle on top.
Bake at 425 degrees F. for 15 minutes,
then 350 degrees F. for 35 minutes.

Shrimp Scampi with Breadcrumbs

Years ago I bought this in a frozen
tv dinner called "Le-Menu" and have been
trying to duplicate this recipe ever since.
Garlic and shrimp swimming in a buttery
olive oil based breaded garlic sauce!

Ingredients:
1 lb. frozen uncooked shrimp,
peeled, deveined and thawed
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon white sugar
Lemon wedges for garnish

Directions:
Place butter, olive oil, wine, parsley
and garlic powder in a casserole dish.
Cover and microwave 3 minutes.
Stir in bread crumbs and shrimp.
Combine and toss to coat all well.
Microwave on high 4 to 6 minutes or
just until shrimp turn pink.
Stir twice during cooking.
Garnish with lemon wedges.

Rice Krispies
Chicken Nuggets

These are easy to make and much better
than any chicken nuggets I've ever had.
Even those nuggets served at restaurants.

Ingredients:
7 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper to season chicken
1 1/2 cups Rice Krispies
2 tbsp finely grated sharp Cheddar cheese
1 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan
1/2 tsp paprika (optional)
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup flour
3 to 4 tbsp canola oil, for frying

Directions
Cut the chicken breasts into
1/2 inch cubes, season and put in a bowl.
Put the Rice Krispies in a food processor
and pulse for 1 to 2 minutes,
until reduced to fine crumbs.
Mix with the parmesan, cheddar cheese,
and paprika (if using).
Transfer to a large plate.
Whisk the egg in a small bowl
with the tablespoon of milk.
Mix the flour with a little salt and pepper,
and spread out on a separate large plate.
Toss chicken in the seasoned flour,
then dip in the egg mixture,
then roll in the Rice Krispies coating.
Put the oil in a large non-stick
pan over medium heat.
Fry the nuggets for 2 to 3
minutes on each side,
until golden and crisp.
Drain on paper towels and
let cool slightly before serving.

Margarita Chicken

This fresh and light chicken dish,
flavored with limes, chile and tequila,
is perfect for summer entertaining.
The chicken is wonderful served
hot off the grill, but it also
tastes great cold or at room temperature,
sliced and tossed into a garden salad.

Ingredients:
Zest from one lime
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons tequila, optional
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 cloves of garlic, smashed
1 teaspoon of chile powder
Pinch of salt and pepper
6 to8 boneless, chicken breast halves

Directions:
Place all ingredients, except for the chicken,
in a gallon-sized zip top plastic bag.
Squish to combine. Add chicken,
seal bag, and turn to coat.
Refrigerate for one hour or overnight.
Coat grill pan (or grill) with cooking spray.
Heat pan (or grill) to medium-high.
Cook chicken for 4-5 minutes on each side,
turning breast a quarter turn after
two minutes if cross hatch marks are desired.
Serve immediately.

Easy Grilled in a
Foil Packet Chicken

Foil packet grilling is simple and delicious.
This chicken version is something we
all like and is versatile as well.

Ingredients:
4 squares of heavy-duty aluminum foil,
12 inches by 12 inches
4 chicken breasts, pounded evenly thick
8 Tablespoons Italian salad dressing
4 medium potatoes, sliced thinly
20 black Kalamata olives pitted and halved
2 cups long cut frozen green beans, thawed

Directions:
Place one tablespoon of dressing on a
foil square and top with a chicken breast.
Top chicken with another tablespoon of dressing.
Arrange potatoes around chicken and top with
10 olive halves and green beans.
Fold foil over and seal well.
Place over a medium-hot grill and cover.
Cook for 20-25 minutes until chicken
is no longer pink and potatoes are tender.

Cowboy Cookies

Bursting with oats and chocolate chips,
these flavor-packed cookies are an
irresistible treat for kids,
whether you customize them with
special ingredients or stick
to the delicious cookie basics.

Ingredients:
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:
In a large bowl, stir together the oats, flour,
baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
In a separate bowl, blend the butter and sugars
with an electric mixer until smooth, about 2 minutes.
Add the eggs and continue to beat until fluffy,
about 1-1/2 minutes. Blend in the vanilla extract.
Using a wooden spoon, stir the dry mixture
into the butter mixture one half at a time.
Mix in the chocolate chips and walnuts.
Refrigerate the dough for 1 to 2 hours.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Line a large baking sheet with
aluminum foil, then grease the foil.
Using a scant 1/4 cup per cookie,
shape the dough into balls and place
them on the sheet about 2 inches apart.
Flatten each ball to 1/3 inch thick.
Bake the cookies on the center
oven rack for 13 to 14 minutes.
When they're done, the cookies should be
very lightly browned and still look moist.
Don't overbake them.
Cool the cookies on the baking sheet
for 2 to 3 minutes,
then transfer them to a wire rack.

Spicy Orange
Flavored Sauce

This is a sauce to make spicy orange
flavored chicken just like the ones
at the Chinese restaurant.
All you have to do is add some
cooked chicken to this and that's it.

Ingredients:
1 cup orange juice
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 large clove garlic - minced
2 Tablespoons mirin
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoon hot chili sauce
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 Tablespoon sesame seeds
sliced green onion tops


Directions:
Stir together orange juice, soy, ginger,
garlic, mirin, brown sugar, chili sauce
and cornstarch until smooth.
Pour into a small sauce pan and heat,
stirring constantly, until thick and opaque.
Add some chicken and serve.

Slow Cooker Italian
Sausage Soup

This is a recipe that lets you make
a good Italin sausage soup using
your slow cooker or crock pot.

Ingredients:
Sausage Meatballs:
1 pound mild Italian sausage, casings removed
1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup milk
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

Soup:
4 cups hot chicken broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup mini pasta shells*
bag (10 ounces) baby spinach leaves
Grated Parmesan cheese
salt to taste

Directions:
Combine all meatball ingredients.
Form into marble-size meatballs.
Combine broth, tomato paste, garlic
and red pepper flakes in 4 1/2-quart
slow cooker. Add meatballs. Cover;
cook on LOW 5 to 6 hours.
Thirty minutes before serving, add pasta.
When pasta is tender, stir in spinach leaves.
Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese
and serve immediately.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Chocolate Mayonnaise

I can hear my arteries shouting no, No, NO!
While my taste buds are screaming yes, Yes, YES!
Imagine a BLT made with chocolate mayonnaise.
Or a simple fresh red ripe tomato swimming in it.
You must use this once made for it doesn't
keep very well in the refrigerator at all.
But it never lasts more than one meal anyway.
This is the stuff sweet dreams are made of!

Ingredients:
6 large egg yolks
1/4 pound unsweetened chocolate, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
pinch of salt and pepper

Directions:
Place yolks in a stainless steel mixing bowl.
Combine unsweetened chocolate and olive oil
in double boiler and heat mixture to 115 degrees F.
Begin beating egg yolks on medium speed for 1 minute,
then increase speed to high and
whip until about doubled in volume.
Reduce speed to medium and add the chocolate
mixture to the yolks carefully, in a fine stream.
The yolks will start to emulsify and thicken.
If mixture becomes too thick you may add a
small amount of oil to loosen the mixture.
Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Fresh Apple Crisp

Really good warm out of the oven
served with some vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients:
6 large cooking apples, washed and cored
1/2 cup orange juice
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Topping:
3/4 cup fl our
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup margarine

Directions:
Slice apples and arrange in an 8 x 8-inch pan
sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
Combine juice, sugar, and cinnamon
and pour over apples.
Combine flour and sugar and cut
in margarine until mixture
is crumbly. Sprinkle over apples.
Bake at 350 degrees F. for about 45
to 60 minutes or until golden brown.

Brussel Sprouts
with Maple Syrup

This is a good recipe fo making
some young, tender and sweet tasting
fresh from the garden brussel sprouts.

Ingredients:
4 cups brussel sprouts
1/3 cup maple syrup
Pepper to taste

Directions:
Remove and discard tougher outer
leaves from larger sprouts.
Wash well, drain, cut in half,
and place in a large frying pan with
a small amount of cold water.
Cover the pan and steam at a
medium temperature until sprouts are tender
when pierced (about 5 minutes). Drain any
remaining water off the sprouts.
Add maple syrup and toss to coat.
Add ground black pepper to taste.

How to Make
Hard Cooked Eggs

This is how to cook hard boiled eggs
and have perfect no-green yolks.

Ingredients:
4 eggs
Cold water

Directions:
Place eggs in a single layer
in a medium saucepan.
Add enough cold water to just cover the eggs.
Bring to a rapid boil over high heat.
Remove from heat, cover,
and let stand for 15 minutes. Drain.
Run cold water over the eggs
or place them in ice water
until cool enough to handle. Drain.
To peel eggs, gently tap egg on countertop.
Roll the egg between the palms of your
hands. Peel off the eggshell,
starting at the large end.

Cowboy Ranch Beans

Any type of canned beans can be
substituted for kidney beans in
this easy to make and very tasty dish.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup onion, diced
1/4 cup green pepper, chopped
1 (16 oz.) can vegetarian beans, partially drained
1 (15 oz.) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons catsup
2 tablespoons brown sugar or molasses
1 tablespoon mustard
1 cup ham, chopped

Directions:
Brown onion and green pepper in
nonstick cooking spray or
in a very small amount of
oil in a saucepan.
Add remaining ingredients.
Heat thoroughly for about 10 minutes.

Salmon Fillets in a
Spicy Mustard Sauce

Make this a hot as you dare to,
use brown or yellow mustard
they both work good and mix in
the mayonnaise to make a sauce.

Ingredients:
1 lb. salmon fillets
2 tablespoons low fat mayonnaise
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cayene pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Arrange fish fillets in a baking pan
that has been sprayed with nonstick
vegetable oil cooking spray.
Mix sauce ingredients and spread on fillets.
Bake, uncovered, for 4-6 minutes
per 1/2 inch thickness of salmon fillet.

Easy Beef Stew

This is a really easy to make
and good tasting beef stew.
You could put all the ingredients
into a slow cooker and heat it
up on low setting for 6 hours.

Ingredients:
1 (10 1/2 oz.) can condensed beef broth,
plus one can of water
1/4 cup fl our
1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
1 1/2 lb. beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 1/2 cups carrots, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup onion, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups canned potatoes, drained

Directions:
Mix 1/2 cup broth with the flour, stir well.
In a large casserole dish, combine the
rest of the broth, water, and breadcrumbs.
Add the broth and flour mixture.
Mix until smooth. Add remaining ingredients
except potatoes and stir to combine.
Cover and bake at 350 degrees F.
for 1 1/2 hours or until beef is tender.
Stir mixture half way through cooking time.
Add canned potatoes during
the last 30 minutes of cooking.

Tuna Fish Pitas

Pitas are great to use in making
a quick to put together sandwich.
Canned tuna fish is good in this.

Ingredients:
1 (5 oz) can water packed tuna, drained
1/3 cup green onions, chopped
1/3 cup salsa, ready-prepared
4 pita bread halves
2 cups dark green lettuce, shredded
1 cup garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup tomatoes, chopped
Shredded low-fat cheese, optional
Sliced ripe olives, optional

Directions:
Toss together tuna, onions
and salsa until combined.
If time permits, refrigerate filling
to allow flavors to blend together.
Fill each bread half with one quarter
of the filling, lettuce, garbanzo
beans, and tomatoes.
Add a small amount of cheese
and olives, if desired

Broiled Stromboli

Some deep fry stromboli and it is
soaked up in grease and lacks taste.
Here I broil it and like it this way.

Ingredients:
1 loaf French bread, cut in half lengthwise
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
2 tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup prepared spaghetti sauce
2 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions:
Brown onion, garlic, and pepper
in nonstick cooking spray.
Stir in spaghetti sauce.
Heat until bubbly.
Spread sauce mixture over both halves
of the French bread and top
with sliced tomatoes and cheese.
Broil 6 inches under broiler
until cheese is melted and
slightly brown. Slice and serve.

No-Cilantro Salsa

Either you like cilantro or not,
I make this salsa without using it.
You can add some in if you wish to
or even a teaspoon or so of parsley.

Ingredients:
2 (14 1/2 oz.) cans tomatoes, chopped and drained
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon hot pepper, chopped
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together.
Allow to stand several hours or
overnight in the refrigerator
for flavors to blend together.

Oven-Baked French Fries

Made in the oven these use less oil
to cook and they dry up and brown good.

Ingredients:
Nonstick cooking spray
4 medium size potatoes
1 tablespoon olive or canola oil
Salt to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Scrub potatoes well. Do not peel!
Cut into 1/2 inch strips.
Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
Drizzle the potatoes with 1 tablespoon oil
and toss to coat. Arrange potatoes in a
single layer on the baking sheet.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until
golden brown and cooked through.
Sprinkle with salt and serve.

Herb-Roasted
Yukon Gold Potatoes

You can use any of your favorite herbs
to make this good tasting potato dish.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled and
scrubbed, cut into 1 inch chunks
Nonstick cooking spray or small amount of oil
1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
In 13 x 9 inch metal baking pan,
arrange potatoes in single layer.
Spray potatoes with cooking spray to coat:
toss with salt, thyme and pepper.
Roast potatoes in oven for 20 to 25 minutes,
turning once with spatula, until golden and tender.

Tuscan Tuna and
Two Bean Salad

Canned beans and canned tuna fish
together in a simple Tuscany salad.

Salad ingredients:
1 (5-oz) can water packed tuna, drained
1 (16-oz) can white beans, drained and rinsed
1 (16-oz) can green beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons onion, chopped
1/4 cup ripe olives, chopped,

Directions:
Combine salad ingredients
and chill for at least one hour.

Dressing ingredients:
2 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Put salad dressing ingredients
in a small jar, cover tightly and shake.
Add to chilled salad and serve.

Ramen Noodle
Tuna Fish Salad

Easy to make and easy on your wallet,
this recipe is a snap to throw together.

Ingredients:
1 package (3 oz.) Ramen noodle soup mix
1 (5 oz.) can water packed tuna,
drained and flaked
1 cup cucumber, julienned (cut in sticks)
1 cup green or red pepper, julienned
1/2 cup sliced water chestnuts, optional

Directions:
Cook ramen noodles according to package directions.
Drain broth and allow noodles to cool.
Toss noodles with tuna, cucumber,
bell pepper and water chestnuts, if using.

Apple Cole Slaw
with Lemon Yogurt

Fresh cabbage and apples are put
together in a good tasting slaw.

Ingredients:
2 cups cabbage, finely shredded
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup lemon yogurt
2 unpeeled apples, cored
and coarsely shredded or chopped

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl.
Toss gently to combine,
chill and serve.

Salmon Chowder

Using canned salmon, corn and potatoes
this is a quick and good for you soup.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup onions, diced
1/2 cup carrots, sliced
1/2 cup celery, diced
2 cups canned potatoes, drained
1 (10 oz.) package frozen corn,
or 8 oz. can corn, drained
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 (14 oz.) can salmon, drained,
flaked, skin and bones removed

Directions:
Spray large saucepan with nonstick
cooking spray; add onions,
carrots and celery and cook
over medium heat for 3 to
4 minutes or until tender.
Add corn and chicken broth; heat
to boiling. Reduce heat;
simmer for 10 minutes. Add salmon
and canned potatoes; cook for 5 minutes.

Mexican Minestrone

Another easy to make and hearty soup.
Made using canned beans and corn.

Ingredients:
2 (15 oz.) cans chicken or vegetable broth
1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 cup prepared chunky salsa
1 cup canned corn kernels
1 cup green or red pepper, diced, optional
1 cup cabbage, sliced
1/2 cup macaroni, uncooked

Ingredients:
Combine all ingredients in a large pan.
Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer
and cook until macaroni is tender.
Stir occasionally to prevent macaroni
from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Easy Bean Soup

A soup to make and serve on
a cold winter day with some
nice warm and fresh bread.

Ingredients:
1 (14 1/2 oz.) can tomatoes, undrained and chopped
1 (15 oz.) can corn, drained
2-3 cups cooked white beans
3 oz. cooked ham, chopped
Chili powder
Ground cumin powder

Directions:
Pour the can of tomatoes into
a pot and cut up with a spoon.
Add corn, beans, and ham.
Mix to combine well.
Cook until all the ingredients are heated.
Season with chili powder and cumin to taste.

Corn Potato Chowder

here is a good corn chowder that you
can make using simple ingredients
that you probably have readily at hand.

Ingredients:
1 medium onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
2 cups canned Mexicorn or frozen corn
1 large baking potato, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/2 cups milk
Salt and pepper to taste
Small amount of cooking spray oil

Directions:
Spray a heavy saucepan with
vegetable oil cooking spray, add
onion and celery and brown for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add broth,
cumin, thyme and bay leaf and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low and simmer,
uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Add corn and potatoes,
return to a simmer and cook
until all vegetables are
tender, 5 to 10 minutes.
Place cornstarch in a small covered container.
Slowly add milk and shake until
cornstarch is dissolved.
Stir into the soup and return to a simmer.
Cook, stirring, until thickened.
Season with salt and pepper.

Baked Ziti with
Italian Sausage

A chunky marinara sauce, Italian sausage
and mushrooms make the perfect combination
with pasta and fennel seeds.

Ingredients:
8 ounces dry ziti pasta, cooked, drained and kept warm
2 teaspoons olive oil
12 ounces mild Italian sausage links, casings removed
6 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1/4 teaspoon fennel seed, (optional)
2 (15-ounce) packages BUITONI® Marinara Sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, (6 ounces)
2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Grease 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
Heat olive oil in large saucepan.
Add sausage; cook, stirring frequently,
until no longer pink. Drain.
Add mushrooms and fennel; cook,
stirring frequently, until tender.
Add sauce; cook, stirring occasionally,
until heated through. Remove from heat.
Add pasta to sauce mixture;
tossing well to coat.
Spoon into prepared baking dish;
sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until
cheese is bubbly.
Cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Tuna Melt Sandwiches

This is a recipe that takes canned tuna fish
and transforms it into a tasty sandwich.
With plenty of texture and good flavor.

Ingredients:
2 (5-ounce) cans solid white tuna, drained
1/2 cup chopped kalamata olives
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/8 cup finely chopped red onion
1/8 cup celery, chopped fine
1 tablespoon capers, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 slices white or wheat bread
3 tomatoes sliced (16 slices)
8 slices of provolone cheese
Grated black pepper to taste

Directions:
Mix together the tuna, olives,
mayonnaise, celery, onion, capers,
lemon juice, black pepper and salt.
Stir until well incorporated.
Arrange the bread slices on a sheet pan.
Divide the tuna evenly among the 8 slices of bread.
Top with the tomato slices and sprinkle
lightly with salt and pepper, and add the provolone.
Broil the sandwiches until the
cheese is golden and bubbly, about 5 minutes.

Zucchini Parmesan

This is a good recipe using zucchini
in place of eggplant in baked parmesan.
You'll notice that by sauteing the zucchini
instead of boiling it that it stays
crispy and won't turn out watery at all.

Ingredients:
1 zucchini, sliced 1/8" thick
Olive oil for frying
1 large onion, peeled and diced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
8 slices deli provelone cheese
6 tomatoes, sliced
8 ounces spaghetti sauce
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried oregano

Directions:
In one plate place flour,
in second plate place eggs,
in third plate place bread crumbs.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
In a medium frying pan heat the olive oil
over medium heat and saute the onion
and garlic until the onion is tender.
Remove from pan, adding more oil if needed.
Dip each slice of zucchini in flour,
then in egg and then in bread crumbs.
Place in hot olive oil and brown both sides.
Layer the fried zucchini slices, onion
and garlic in a 9x12 inch casserole dish.
Arrange provelone cheese slices on top.
Place another layer of zucchini and
then a layer of tomato slices.
Pour the spaghetti sauce over top.
Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese
and dried oregano.
Bake in preheated oven for about 40 minutes,
or until heated through and cheese is bubbly.

Jello-O Cheese Cake

This is a quick and easy recipe to make,
always great tasting and a crowd pleaser.

Ingredients:
1 8 oz pk of Lime Jell-O
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 pt whipping cream
1 8 oz pkg Philadelphia Cream Cheese
2 Graham Cracker Crusts

Directions:
Make Jell-O per directions on package and
chill while preparing the rest of ingredients.
Do NOT allow the Jell-O to set.
Cream together cream cheese and sugar,
add whipping cream. Add chilled Jell-O,
whip together until smooth and pour
into graham cracker crust. Chill until set.

Asparagus Au-Gratin

Fresh asperagus is great when in season,
in this recipe I used canned asparagus.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cups fresh bread crumbs
1/4 tsp sage, crushed
2 tbsp sliced green onion
1 can (10 1/2 oz) Asparagus, drained
1/4 cup of shredded Swiss Cheese

Directions:
In an 8x8 inch ovenproof dish, melt butter.
Stir in crumbs and sage, mix well.
Bake at 400 degress F. for 6 minutes.
Remove from oven. Stir in onion,
remove from dish. Arrange asparagus
in buttered 1-quart baking dish.
Sprinkle cheese over asparagus.
Top with crumb mixture.
Bake for 400 degrees F.
for 10 minutes or until cheese melts.

Italian Chicken
and Thin Spaghetti

This is a good Italian recipe using
chicken breast and olive oil.
It may seem like a lot of garlic,
it really makes this dish great!

Ingredients:
3 lbs chicken breasts, cut up
3-6 tbsp olive oil
12 garlic cloves
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tsp salt or to taste
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp dried rosemary leaves
1 medium-sized onion, sliced
4 medium-sized tomatoes, cut into wedges
8 ounces thin spaghetti

Directions:
In 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat,
in hot olive oil, cook chicken and garlic
until golden brown on all sides,
about 20-25 minutes. When done,
add wine, salt, pepper, rosemary,
onion and half the tomato wedges;
over high heat, heat to boiling.
Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer
15 minutes or until chicken is fork-tender.
Skim fat from liquid in skillet.
Add remaining tomatoes; heat through.
While this is simmering,
prepare spaghetti as label direct.
Drain spaghetti; place on large platter.
Spoon chicken mixture on top of spaghetti.

My Shrimp Salad

This is a good recipe for making
a really tasty good shrimp salad.
I cook the shrimp and then pat them dry
and cool them down in the refrigerator
before mixing the shrimp salad together.
This makes great shrimp salad sandwiches.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup peeled and minced celery
1 green onion, snipped
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, chopped
A dash of ground black pepper
Juice from one fresh lemon
1/2 cup Real mayonnaise

Directions:
Cook shrimp in boiling water,
drain and pat dry with paper towels.
Refrigerate to cool shrimp,
in a bowl combine other ingredients,
add in the shrimp. Mix well. Serve.

Spam Salad

This makes a good sandwich on wheat bread.
It's easy to make and tastes very good.

Ingredients:
1 can Spam (low sodium is best to use for this)
chopped onion and celery
pickle relish (sweet or dill)
salt to taste
pepper to taste
Mayonnaise

Directions:
Using a cheese grater, shred Spam
into a medium mixing bowl.
Add the remaing ingredients, mix well.
Refrigerate salad spread mixture for
several hours or overnight for best results.

Serve salad spread/filling between two pices of your favorite bread.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Bleu Cheese
Baked Potatoes

Bleu cheese stuffed baked potatoes,
it doesn't get much better than this.

Ingredients:
4 medium baking potatoes
1/2 Cup sour cream
1 oz (1/4 cup) crumbled bleu cheese
1/4 Cup milk or buttermilk
4 Tbs real butter, cut into chunks
3/4 tsp salt or to taste
Dash pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
8 pieces bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
Grated cheddar cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Wash and dry potatoes.
Rub them lightly with a bit of olive oil
and place directly on oven rack.
Bake for one hour or until potatoes are done.
Remove potatoes and let cool just a bit.
Cut an opening on the top and
hollow out each potato,to make 8 servings.
You may want to hold them with a potholder
as they will still be hot!
Scoop out the insides and place in a bowl.
Mash, and add butter, sour cream,
bleu cheese, milk, salt, pepper, and garlic.
Beat with a hand mixer until fluffy.
Carefully spoon mixture back into potato shells.
Place in a baking dish and return to hot oven
and bake for 12-15 minutes.
Remove and sprinkle bacon and cheddar cheese
over each potato bake an additional 3-5 minutes
or until cheese is melted and bubbly good.

Slow Cooker / Crock Pot
Russian Dressed Chicken

Such an easy recipe and the chicken
comes out tasting fantastic.
This recipe can also be made in the oven,
follow steps exactly except place chicken
in a covered casserole dish and bake
at 350 degree F. for one hour or so.

Ingredients:
1 (16 ounce) Bottle of Russian Dressing
1 Envelope dry onion soup mix
1 (10 Ounce) Jar apricot preserves
1 chicken, cut up in pieces
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Combine First three ingredients in a bowl.
Season Chicken with salt and pepper
and place in the bottom of slow cooker.
Pour mixture over Chicken.
Cook on Low for 6-8 Hours
(or on High for 3-4 hours)
Serve over rice

Russian Pickled Tomatoes

With the garden over flowing in cherry tomatoes
I decided to make these Russian Pickled tomatoes.

In sterlized jars put garlic and dill.
Wash ripe Cherry tomatoes.
Fill jars with hot juice
(1 Tablespoon salt to 1 quart of water)
Cover with sterlized lids.
Place in pot with hot water,
sterlize for 5 to 7 minutes.
(counting from when the water boils.)
Put jars upside down,
cover with a towel and leave till cool.

German Butter Balls

I got this recipe from my German
Grandmother many years ago.
These are delicious in chicken soup.

Ingredients:
4 cups crumbled dry bread,
1/2 tsp. allspice
2 eggs
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup cream or half-and-half

Directions:
Mix, shape into balls the size of a walnut.
Chill. Try one in boiling water
to see if it will stick together.
If not you will need to add another egg.
Add to chicken noodle soup.
Butter balls freeze nicely.

Chicken Paprihash

This is a German-Russian dish,
very good tasting and easy to make.
I use sweet smoked paprika and it
really adds a depth of flavor.

Ingredients:
1 cut-up chicken
1-1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1 cup chopped green peppers
12 oz. can tomato sauce
2-1/2 cups water
salt to taste
pepper to taste

Directions:
Brown meat in oil,
then add all other ingredients.
Simmer slowly until meat is done.
Make glace per above recipe.
After glace are boiled,
either add to meat and sauce,
or serve separate and put sauce
mixture on top of glace.

Slow Cooker
Beef Stroganoff

Amazingly easy and good tasting.
makes the entire house smell like
your walking in a Russian Cookbook.

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp. paprika
1-3/4 lb. boneless beef round steak
10-3/4 oz. can reduced-sodium,
98% fat-free cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup water
1 envelope dried onion soup mix
9-0z. jar sliced mushrooms, drained
1 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley

Directions:
Combine flour, garlic powder,
pepper and paprika in slow cooker.
Cut meat into 1-1/2 x 1/2-in strips.
Place in flour mixture and toss
until meat is well coated.
Add mushroom soup,
water and soup mix.
Stir until well blended.
Cover. Cook on High 3 to 3-1/2 hours,
or Low 6 to 7 hours.
Stir in mushrooms,
sour cream and parsley.
Cover and cook on High 10-15 minutes
or until heated through.
Serve with rice.

Chicken Chow Mein
Chili with Beans

What to do with left over chow mein
when you feel like making some chili?
Chicken Chow Mein Chili with beans.
This recipe came out tasting very good,
I added some pinto beans and cabbage
for a really substantial meal.

Ingredients:
2 cups leftover chicken chow mein
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 cup cooked ground beef
1 cup cooked yellow onions
1 cup cooked roast pork, shredded
1 cup pinto beans, soaked
2 cups cabbage, chopped
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:
In a large soup pot add all
ingredients and bring to a boil.
Lower heat to simmer 1 hour or
until beans and cabbage are soft.

Fresh New Recipes

This is a place to search for
fresh and new recipes by ingredient
or by the name of the recipe.

Mexican Salsa

Here is a simple recipe for making
a Mexican flavored salsa dish.
Great served with corn tortillas.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup finely chopped, unpeeled tomatoes
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
3 chiles serranos, finely chopped
1/4 cup loosely packed chopped cilantro
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin powder
Salt to taste
Approximately 3 tablespoons water

Directions:
Mix all of the above ingredients;
(add more water if you are using plum tomatoes).
Allow to rest at room temperature
for 30 minutes before serving.

Microwaved Fresh Beets

Fresh beets are easy to cook
using a microwave oven.
They get soft and tasty good.
Use a glass dish or your going
to turn a plastic dish bright red.

Ingredients:
Fresh beets, peeled
water

Directions:
Place the beets in a glass bowl,
cover and cook the beets on high
with a little water for 8 to 15 minutes.

Fresh Beet Chili

I could have called this recipe
Borscht chili with beans.
It's got all of the ingredients
for making a great tasting borscht.
With the addition of a cup of beans.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon rendered bacon fat
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 large stalk celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups water
2 cups diced beets
1 cup diced white potato, peeled
15-ounce can stewed tomatoes
2 to 3 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup pinto beans, soaked overnight
2 tablespoons tomato paste

Directions:
Heat bacon fat in large saucepan.
Add onion, celery and garlic; saute 5 minutes.
Stir in water, beets, potato, stewed tomatoes,
chili powder, oregano, basil, pepper and salt;
bring to a simmer. Cook uncovered
over medium heat, stirring occasionally,
until beets and potatoes are tender,
about 30 minutes.
Stir in beans and tomato paste.
Cook 10 to 15 minutes more
over low heat. Remove from heat;
let stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Green Tomato
Hot Dog Relish

I don't know, mabe it the colder weather
today I feel like eating a couple hot dogs.
With some freshly made green tomato relish.

Ingredients:
8 cups finely chopped green tomatoes
2 cups finely chopped peeled onions
4 bell peppers, part red, finely chopped
1/3 cup pickling salt
2 tablespoons mixed pickling spices
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 1/4 cups white vinegar
1 2/3 cups packed light brown sugar

Directions:
Combine the chopped vegetables
and salt in a large stainless steel pan.
Cover and let stand in a cool place
for 10 to 12 hours, or overnight.
Pour the vegetables in a colander
over the sink and let drain.
Rinse with cool water and use your
hands to squeeze out any excess liquids.
Tie the pickling spices and celery
seeds in a cheesecloth spice bag.
In a large stainless steel or enamel-lined pan,
combine the vinegar, the spice bag,
chopped garlic, and the vinegar.
Put the vinegar mixture over high heat
and bring to a boil, stirring
until sugar is dissolved.
Add the drained green tomato mixture
and bring the mixture to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium-low and boil
gently, stirring often, for 1 hour.
While the mixture is cooking,
prepare the work area,
canner, jars, and lids.

Homemade
Hotdog Relish

Why not make it yourself? It's fresher
and less sweet than store-bought relish,
and it's delicious with many things other
than hot dogs (try it with pork chops).
Makes about 3/4 cup.

Ingredients:
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
1 green bell pepper, finely diced
juice of 2 lemons
4 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 small red onions, finely diced
1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground white pepper

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan
with 1/2 cup of water.
Bring to boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
Let cool.

Simply the Best
Hot Dog Relish

This is an old recipe for making a
really good and tasty hot dog relish.

Ingredients:
4 Cups Sweet Yellow Onions
4 Cups Cabbage, chopped
4 Cups Green Tomatoes
12 Green Bell Peppers
6 Sweet Red Bell Peppers
1/2 Cup Plain Salt
6 Cups Sugar
1 Tbsp Celery Seed
2 Tbsp Yellow Mustard Seed
1-1/2 Tsp Turmeric
4 Cups Cider Vinegar or lemon juice
4 Cups Water

Directions:
Grind all vegetables.
Mix in the salt.
Let stand overnight.
Rinse and Drain.
Combine remaining ingredients.
Pour over vegetable mix.
Heat to boiling and simmer 3 minutes.
Put in sterilized jars and refrigerate.

Hot Dog Relish

Here's a first rate recipe for a
tasty hot dog sauce that puts a
new twist on the plain old hot dog.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped dill pickle
1/4 cup chopped pimento pepper
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup brown mustard
1/4 cup yellow mustard
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup prepared horseradish
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Directions:
In a medium bowl, mix together the onions,
bell pepper, dill pickle, pimento, celery,
sweet pickle, mustards, ketchup, horseradish
and Worcestershire sauce.
Store in the refrigerator in a
covered container for up to 5 days.

Texas Lunch
Hotdog Sauce

This is a recipe for making a
really tasty beef hot dog sauce.
Put this on top of a hot dog
that has casing for the real bite.

Ingredients:
3 lg. onions (fry alone)
1 1/2 lb ground beef
2 tbsps. allspice
2 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. celery seed
1 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
2 tsp. salt
6 tbsp. catsup
6 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. paprika
1 garlic onion
1 qt. water

Directions:
Fry onions, then add remaining ingredients
and simmer 1 hour. Makes 1 1/2 quarts.
Add more water if needed.

Tijuana Coleslaw

Cole slaw with a little kick to it.
Serves four and doubles easily.
This tastes best made a day ahead.

Ingredients:
1/4 to 1/3 cup cider vinegar
salt to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 red or green jalapeño chili,
seeded and thinly sliced
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 small to medium head green,
shredded (about 6 cups)
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves

Directions:
In a large bowl blend together vinegar,
salt and pepper to taste, onion, chili,
garlic and sugar. Let stand 20 minutes
and toss with cabbage and oil.
Refrigerate 4 hours to 2 days.
Just before serving taste for seasoning
and toss with the coriander leaves.

Black Olive Tapenade

Serve this along with some crusty
bread and you've got a great dish.
Take this to your next party,
it is sure to be a big hit!

Ingedients:
2 (6 oz.) cans large pitted black olives, drained
1 (6.5 oz.) jar sundried tomatoes
packed in olive oil and herbs,drained
1 (4 oz.) pkg. crumbled feta cheese
1 loaf toasted bread rounds,
OR 1 box wheat thin crackers

Directions:
Place olives and sundried tomatoes
in food processor.
Pulse until combined and coarsely chopped.
Stir in feta cheese.
Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Black Eyed Dirty Rice

This could be a meal in itself,
I serve it along with fried chicken.

Ingredients:
1 lb. sausage cut in 1" pieces
2 pounds ground chuck
2 cups diced seasoning
(onions, bell pepper, celery)
2 cans black eyed peas
(drain juice in measuring cup)
2 boxes Tony Chachere's dirty rice mix

Directions:
Add bacon/sausage to a
5-6 qt. pot (Dutch oven).
Cook until half done.
Add ground meat, mixing well.
Brown well, adding chopped seasonings,
browning more. Drain off grease if too much.
Then add drained peas, reserving the
liquid in a 4 cup measuring cup.
Add water to make a total of 4 cups,
including the liquid from the peas.
Add the water, along with the
rice mix to the pot;
stir well and bring to a fast boil,
then turn down to low and
cook covered for 25-30 minutes,
or until rice is done to your liking.

Southern Fried Catfish

Crispy corn crusted on the outside
with a creamy tender fish inside,
this fried catfish is a real treat.

Ingredients:
12 pieces of catfish steaks
1 gallon size zip lock bag
1 cup of yellow cornmeal
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Rinse catfish. Put cornmeal,
salt and pepper in zip lock bag.
Put catfish steaks in zip lock bag
and shake well untill all
steaks are well coated.
Cook catfish in a deep pan
of olive oil that has been heating
at medium hot setting on electic stove.
Cook catfish steaks until they float.

Mexican Lasagna

A differant taste in a lasagna,
using flour totillas for noodles.
This has beans, corn and taco sauce.

Ingredients:
Ground beef
Flour tortilla
Corn
Red kidney beans
Shredded cheese
Tomato sauce
Taco/cumin seasoning

Directions:
Cook the ground beef, drain well.
Add the corn, kidney beans,
tomato sauce, and seasoning, mix together.
Using a baking dish use for first layer.
Place tortilla on top.
Add cheese, then repeat as may layers as you would like.
Place in oven at 325 degrees F. for 10-15 minutes.

Superbowl Pizza Dip

Here is a recipe for making
a good pizza flavored dip.
I make this and serve it with
some fresh bread for dipping.

Ingredients:
8 oz. softened cream cheese
3/4 cup light mayonnaise
1 cup shredded mozzarella
8 oz. diced pepperoni
2 ripe plum tomatoes, chopped
10 large pitted black olives, chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix ingredients together in a large bowl,
then spoon into six-cup baking dish.
Bake for 30 minutes, until lightly browned.
Served with bread pieces.

German Oven Pancakes

Light and fluffy pancakes that you can fill or
top with fruit granola, yogurt, powdered sugar,
maple syrup, toasted almonds or fruit butters.
Drizzle with caramel, chocolate syrup, or honey.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup of all-purpose flour, sifted
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon of salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Lightly beat eggs in a large bowl.
Stir in the milk, melted butter,
salt and sugar.
Gradually add flour to egg mixture,
a spoonful at a time.
Make sure the flour is well incorporated
in the batter with no lumps,
but do not over-mix,
as you want to keep the pancake light.
Lightly spray a 9″-11″ oven-safe skillet
with cooking spray.
Pour batter in the skillet.
Bake 12-18 minutes,
just until the edges are golden.
Check your pancake at 12 minutes.

Superbowl Sausage Balls

Easy to make with Bisquick mix,
these cheesy sausage balls are
great to serve as a finger food.
Works well with ranch dressing,
barbecue sauce or dip of your choice.

Ingredients:
3 cup Bisquick mix
8 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
1 lb pork sausage, ground

Directions::
In a bowl mix sausage and cheese together.
Add Bisquick and mix thoroughly.
Form into 1 inch balls.
Place on baking pan so balls
are not touching and heat for
15-20 minutes at 375 degrees.

Fresh Corn Fritters

These delicate fritters are a
great way to shine the spotlight
on super sweet, summer corn.
Serve them as a main course
accompanied by a hearty salad
or as an appetizer on their own.

Ingredients:
canola oil for frying
1 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 large egg
2/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 cup fresh corn kernels

Directions:
Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
Heat oil to 375 degrees F. in a
medium pot or deep-fryer.
Sift flour, baking powder, salt,
and cayenne together in a medium bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk egg, milk,
and butter together and stir
into dry ingredients.
Fold in corn and let batter sit for 5 minutes.
Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of batter
into heated oil and fry until golden,
about 3 minutes (work in batches of 4 or 5).
Drain on a baking pan lined with paper towels.
Transfer to a second baking pan
and keep warm in oven.