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Guacamole

3 Haas avocados, halved, seeded and peeled
1 lime, juiced
½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp ground cumin
½ medium onion, diced
1-2 Serrano chilies, stems and seeds removed, minced
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 Tb chopped cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced

Need more heat?
Add 1/2 teaspoon cayenne

Directions
In a large bowl place the scooped avocado pulp and lime juice, toss to coat. Drain, and reserve the lime juice, after all of the avocados have been coated. Using a potato masher or fork, add the salt, cumin, and cayenne if using, and mash. Leave some large chunks. Then, fold in the onions, tomatoes, cilantro, and garlic. Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved lime juice. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour and then serve.

Published
Categorized as Appetizers

Clam Dip

I originally received this recipe from Jan Nelson in 1977 in Colusa California . The last time I saw Jan I taught her how to use tole brushes and she gave me a couple of her favorite recipes. Unfortunately not long after that short vacation together, her husband, a forest ranger, was run off a cliff in his jeep and killed by deer poachers. His best friend, a beautiful black Labrador Retriever named Jake, survived the mountain plunge. Jake was a cousin to my black lab, Mandy, both were above average dogs (really). I have since lost track of Jan as we do sometimes from years and distance, but every time I make this dip I remember our time together.

2 7 ½ ounce cans chopped clams, drain saving a couple of tablespoons of the juice
1 8 ounce pkg. cream cheese, room temperature
1 large tub of sour cream
1 medium red onion, chopped small
1-3 capfuls Worchester sauce, taste test after 1Tb, I like a lot, as much as a tablespoon or more, but not everyone does.
1 Tb ¼ tsp lemon juice
¼ tsp salt to taste

1/8 tsp Optional: crushed red pepper to taste, go easy here, just a pinch should do it.

Mix the cream cheese, 1 teaspoon of clam juice and 1 tsp. lemon juice together. Add the sour cream a little at a time until well blended. Mix in the rest of the ingredients. You may need to add another teaspoon of clam juice if the mixture is too stiff, but taste first to see if more Worchester sauce or lemon juice is desired. Let the dip set at least 2 hours, or overnight for best flavor. This is really good with fried and lightly salted, corn tortilla strips.

Adding any or all of the following adds a little more punch to the dip.

Garlic powder, Tabasco, parsley or finely chopped chives. Just go easy as you don’t want to overpower the clam flavor.

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Categorized as Appetizers

Guacamole For A Crowd (Restaurant Style)

Here is a tip that you probably won’t find anyone other than restaurants using, but it certainly is a thought when avocados are way too expensive and you have a crowd to feed. I tried it on a party of young adults, for my son Jeff’s 22nd birthday, and they had not a clue as to what was in the recipe. I got compliments even!.
The ingredients are kind of a secret, (and it probably should be, it’s so weird), so don’t spread it around too much. This recipe could conceivably raise the price of avocados further than they are, as the consumer would not need so many of them for a bowl of delicious guacamole. I should have named this tip “how to embarrass your avocados”, I know I am. I would never let a guest see me do this. Just remember if you do this right no one, not even your worst food critic, will know you cheated on the recipe. Try it! It works! I use 8-10 avocados for this dish. In a large bowl, using a fork, smash up 6-8 peeled and seeded avocados, leaving lots of good avocado lumps. Use as many large ripe avocados as you think you will need for a crowd. This will depend on whether or not you are using the mixture for guacamole or just as a garnish. Be sure to leave at least 2-3 avocados for the secret ingredient. Mash avocados with a fork so that there are lots of large lumps left.
Add:
Diced tomatoes, drain off any tomato liquid, 1 for every 5-6 avocados
Diced onions, 1 med for every 5 – 6 avocados
Serrano chile pepper, diced very small. Go easy on this if you don’t know anything about peppers. I suggest, 1 seeded chile with spines removed for every 5-6 avocados
Lemon or Lime juice, just a little, maybe 3 Tb per every 5-6 avocados
salt to taste
Make some mashed potatoes, yes this is not a misprint or tequila induced hallucination. Make a cup or two for a big batch of guacamole, about 1 cup for every 6-7 avocados to start with until you get this down to a science.
Try instant potatoes for this process, it is easier to gage the amount of potatoes and no lumps.
Use the mixer or blender to be certain all lumps are beaten out of the potatoes. The potatoes must be smooth, but use as little liquid as possible (I use a little hot sauce or salsa for the liquid).
REMEMBER SMOOTH, NOT RUNNY, is the key to this.
Restaurants use green food coloring, (yes really), to make it green. I haven’t had to go that far yet. I put the mashed potatoes into a blender and add pealed, seeded avocado halves, and blend until the mixture looks like guacamole. I keep adding avocados until I can taste the avocadoes not the potatoes. The color was fine without using food coloring. Add a little hot sauce if you need liquid.

Now for the tricky part!

By hand, start mixing the mashed potato mixture into the bowl of smashed up avocados. Mix gently but well, leaving lots of lumps. At the same time start adding all the other good things that go into your guacamole, such as onions, chilies, lemon and drained, chopped, tomatoes.
Remember not to do this in front of any of your guests or it may kill the whole guacamole thing for them.

OPTIONAL:
Mix in a little hot salsa to taste, be careful or your guacamole will be runny
Add a little cilantro, about 1 Tb for every 5-6 avocados
Crumble a little queso añejo (Mexican cheese) into the mix ( ¼ cup per 6 avocados) or just sprinkle it on top.

TIPS;
Placing a few of the avocado pits back into the guacamole after the dish is ready, is a time honored way of hopefully keeping the avocados from turning dark. I have much better luck using waxed paper or plastic wrap to cover the dish, and gently pressing it right onto the guacamole. This way there is no air between the guacamole and the wrap, and it doesn’t turn so fast. You can always fluff up the guacamole right before serving.

I know this recipe sounds a little on the bizarre side, but you really must try it
before you discount it. Believe me it is a good guacamole, and I think it is much better than most restaurant fare.

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Categorized as Appetizers

Amy’s Italian Chicken

This is the easiest chicken in the world to make, and one of the tastiest for a main dish, leftover cold chicken sandwiches, or sliced over salads or hot pasta dishes. Thanks for the tip Amy.

6 chicken breasts, boned or not
1 large bottle of Italian dressing

Place chicken in casserole baking dish and pour the dressing over all to coat. Try not to stack the chicken.
Bake in 375° oven until chicken is done. Try not to over bake it, and check to make sure there is enough liquid in baking dish so chicken does not burn. If needed add ¼ cup HOT water.
Remove chicken from oven when it is done, and leave in juice about 3-5 minutes.
Remove chicken from juice after 3-5 minutes, as chicken will soak up the dressing and is usually too vinegary after that time.
6 Servings

Benihana Sesame Chicken
From one of the knif weilding experts!

This is a single serving recipe that can be doubled or tripled or more as need.

1 tsp soybean oil, or sesame oil
5 ounces skinned, boneless chicken breast
2 mushrooms, sliced into 8 pieces
1 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp sesame seeds
Salt and pepper (optional)

Add oil to heated nonstick skillet (for electric skillet, set at 360 degrees F).

Cut chicken breast into bite-size pieces, sprinkling with salt and pepper if desired.
Cook for 8 minutes or more until chicken is white in appearance and firm to the touch.
Sprinkle with lemon juice and sesame seeds. Add mushroom slices, cooking 2-3 minutes more and serve hot.

Published
Categorized as Main Dish

Hearty Chicken & Noodle Casserole

serves:4 calories:361
Ingredients:
1 can (10.5 ounces) Campbell’s® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup or 98% Fat Free Cream of Mushroom
Soup
1/2 cup reduced fat (2%) milk
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, green beans, corn, peas)
2 cups cubed boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked
1 1/2 cups medium egg noodles, cooked and drained
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Directions: Stir the soup, milk, vegetables, chicken, noodles, Parmesan cheese and black pepper in a 1 1/2-quart casserole.
Bake at 400°F. for 25 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Stir the chicken mixture. Sprinkle with the Cheddar cheese.
Tips
Transforming leftovers is simple with easy casserole recipes like this one. Cooked chicken, turkey or ham
will all work in this recipe.
•
For Golden Onion Chicken & Noodle Casserole, substitute 1/2 cup crushed French fried onions for the
Cheddar cheese.
• For Hearty Chicken Casserole with a Twist, substitute 2 cups cooked rotini pasta for the egg noodles.
Make Ahead Freezer Meal: Assemble as directed (including topping with the cheese), wrap tightly (add a
layer of parchment on top under the foil so the cheese won’t stick) and freeze. From frozen, bake, covered,
at 400°F. for 55 minutes or until hot. Or, thaw in the refrigerator and bake, covered, for 35 minutes or until

New Mexican Bean-and-Cheese Turnovers with Green Chile

These chile-drenched turnovers bring the heat (along with the beans and cheese).
SERVES 8
TIME 3 hours, plus 30 minutes chilling
Why This Recipe Works
The golden, stuffed turnovers we ate at Mary & Tito’s Cafe in Albuquerque, New Mexico, came smothered in a lightly spicy green chile sauce that beautifully coated every bite. To re-create them, we made a quick recipe for refried beans enhanced with porky lard and onion. We then stuffed the beans and some cheddar cheese in a homemade flour tortilla dough. Sealing the dough with water and twisting the sealed edge kept the filling from oozing out while frying. Without access to New Mexican chiles, we approximated their flavor using Anaheim chiles and a jalapeño. Broiling the chiles added smokiness while intensifying their sweetness for a punchy chile sauce.

Ingredients:
Dough
2 ¾ cups (13¾ ounces) all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons table salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
6 tablespoons lard, cut into ½-inch pieces
Refried Beans
4 tablespoons lard
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans, drained
1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon table salt
Green Chile
2 pounds Anaheim chiles
1 jalapeño chile
2 tablespoons lard
1 cup finely chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon table salt
8 ounces mild cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups)
2 quarts peanut or vegetable oil, for frying
Use a Dutch oven that holds 6 quarts or more for this recipe. We developed this recipe using John Morrell Snow Cap Lard. You can substitute vegetable shortening for the lard, if desired.
Instructions
FOR THE DOUGH: Whisk flour, salt, and baking powder together in large bowl. Rub lard into flour mixture with your fingers until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons water until combined. Turn out dough onto clean counter and knead briefly to form cohesive ball, 6 to 8 turns. Divide dough into 8 equal portions, about 2¾ ounces each (scant ⅓ cup), then roll into balls. Transfer dough balls to plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days.
FOR THE REFRIED BEANS: Heat lard in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in beans, broth, and salt. Cook, mashing beans with potato masher, until finely mashed and mixture is thickened, about 8 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Set aside and let cool completely.
FOR THE GREEN CHILE: Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Arrange Anaheims and jalapeño in single layer on prepared sheet. Broil until chiles are soft and mostly blackened, about 5 minutes per side, rotating sheet halfway through broiling. Transfer chiles to bowl and cover with plastic; let cool for 10 minutes.
Remove skins from chiles with spoon. Stem and seed Anaheims, then chop into ¼-inch pieces. Stem (but do not seed) jalapeño; chop into ¼-inch pieces.
Heat lard in large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until, softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Stir in broth, salt, Anaheims, and jalapeño and bring to simmer. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 6 minutes. Season with salt to taste; cover and set aside.
Keeping other dough balls covered with damp dish towel, roll 1 dough ball into 7-inch circle on lightly floured counter. Lightly squeeze ¼ cup cheese in your palm to form ball. Place cheese in center of dough round, followed by ¼ cup refried beans. Moisten edges of dough round with water. Fold dough round in half, creating half-moon shape to enclose filling, and press to seal.
Moisten top of sealed edge with water. Starting at 1 end, fold, slightly twist, and pinch dough diagonally across sealed edge between your thumb and index finger. Continue pinching and twisting dough around seam to create decorative rope edge. Transfer to parchment paper–lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough balls, cheese, and refried beans (reserve any remaining beans for another use). Using paring knife, poke ½-inch hole in center of each turnover. (Filled turnovers can be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)
Line baking sheet with triple layer of paper towels. Add oil to large Dutch oven until it measures about 1½ inches deep and heat over medium-high heat to 375 degrees. Add 4 turnovers to oil and fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Adjust burner as needed to maintain oil temperature between 350 and 375 degrees. Transfer fried turnovers to prepared sheet. Return oil to 375 degrees and repeat with remaining 4 turnovers.
Reheat green chile sauce over medium-high heat until hot. Serve turnovers topped with chile sauce.

Published
Categorized as Mexican

Vanilla No-Churn Ice Cream

Ingredients:
2 cups heavy cream, chilled
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
¼ cup whole milk
¼ cup light corn syrup
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon table salt
The cream mixture freezes more quickly in a loaf pan than in a taller, narrower container. If you don’t have a loaf pan, use an 8-inch square baking pan.

Instructions
1.Process cream in blender until soft peaks form, 20 to 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of blender jar and continue to process until stiff peaks form, about 10 seconds longer. Using rubber spatula, stir in condensed milk, whole milk, corn syrup, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Process until thoroughly combined, about 20 seconds, scraping down sides of blender jar as needed.

2.Pour cream mixture into 8½ by 4½-inch loaf pan. Press plastic wrap flush against surface of cream mixture. Freeze until firm, at least 6 hours. Serve.

New York Cheesecakes for Two

Serves: 2

Why This Recipe Works
True New York–style cheesecake is a beautiful thing: the dense, velvety, tangy-sweet filling is supported by a crunchy graham-cracker crust. But with a dessert this rich, a full-size cake in a two-person household will mostly go to waste. We wanted to make foolproof individual cheesecakes for two. We started with a simple graham-cracker crust, prebaked to ensure it wouldn’t turn soggy once we added the filling. We thinned the cream cheese with just a little tangy sour cream. One whole egg plus an extra yolk gave the cakes a lush texture that was dense but not heavy. A pinch of salt, a small dose of vanilla, and a squeeze of lemon juice perfected the flavors. Finally, we baked the cheesecakes using the classic New York method—first at 500 degrees to get a nicely browned top, then at 200 degrees to cook through gently.
Ingredients:
CRUST
3 whole graham crackers, broken into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon sugar
FILLING
10 ounces cream cheese, softened
⅓ cup (2⅓ ounces) sugar
Pinch salt
4 teaspoons sour cream
½ teaspoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg plus 1 large yolk
Instructions:
FOR THE CRUST: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Process graham cracker pieces in food processor to fine, even crumbs, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons melted butter and sugar over crumbs and pulse to incorporate, about 5 pulses. Divide mixture evenly between two 4½-inch springform pans. Using bottom of spoon, press crumbs firmly into even layer on bottom of pans, keeping sides as clean as possible. Bake crusts until fragrant and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Let crusts cool in pans on wire rack while making filling.
FOR THE FILLING: Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees. Using hand-held mixer set at medium-low speed, beat cream cheese in large bowl until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add 1/4 cup sugar and salt and beat until combined, 30 to 60 seconds. Scrape down bowl, add remaining sugar, and beat until combined, 30 to 60 seconds. Scrape down bowl, add sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla and beat until combined, 15 to 30 seconds. Scrape down bowl, add egg and egg yolk and beat until combined, 30 to 60 seconds.
Being careful not to disturb baked crusts, brush inside of pans with remaining 1 tablespoon melted butter and place pans on rimmed baking sheet. Pour filling evenly into cooled crusts, smooth tops, and bake cheesecakes for 2 minutes. Without opening oven door, reduce temperature to 200 degrees and continue to bake until cakes register 150 degrees, 12 to 17 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking.
Let cheesecakes cool in pans on wire rack for 5 minutes, then run thin knife around edge of each cake. Let cakes continue to cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Wrap pans tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours or up to 4 days.
To unmold cheesecakes, wrap hot dish towel around pans and let sit for 1 minute. Remove sides of pans. Slide thin metal spatula between crusts and pan bottoms to loosen, then slide cakes onto individual serving plates. Let cakes sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. (Cheesecakes can be made up to 3 days in advance; however, crust will begin to lose its crispness after only 1 day.)

Mild Curry Powder

Put aside the usual preground powders and commercial blends. It’s time to get more out of your spice collection.
SERVES Makes about ⅓ cup
TIME 10 minutes
Mild, aromatic, and sweet, this curry powder has a unique flavor due to the combination of savory and sweet spices. Starting with whole coriander, cumin, and mustard seeds was the key to building a potent base. Turmeric added earthiness and a brilliant yellow color while ginger and cinnamon gave the mix a sweet finish.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 ½ tablespoons cumin seeds
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
1 ½ teaspoons black peppercorns
1 ½ tablespoons ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions:
Grind coriander, cumin, mustard seeds, and peppercorns in spice grinder until finely ground, about 30 seconds; transfer to small bowl. Stir in turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon.
HOW TO USE: Add to curries; mulligatawny soup; or egg, chicken, or tuna salad

Crème Brûlée for Two

SERVES 2
With a lot of testing, we discovered the keys to the perfect crème brûlée recipe: lots of yolks for richness, turbinado sugar for a crunchy crust, an instant-read thermometer for judging the custard’s doneness, and a final chill for the best texture.
Ingredients:
1 cup heavy cream, chilled
2 tablespoons granulated sugar plus 1 additional teaspoon
pinch table salt
3 large egg yolks
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 – 4 teaspoons turbinado sugar or Demerara sugar
Before You Begin
Separate the eggs and whisk the yolks after the cream has finished steeping; if left to sit, the surface of the yolks will dry and form a film. The best way to judge doneness is with a digital instant-read thermometer. The custards, especially if baked in shallow fluted dishes, will not be deep enough to provide an accurate reading with a dial-face thermometer. For the caramelized sugar crust, we recommend turbinado or Demerara sugar. Regular granulated sugar will work, too. The amount of sugar needed for the topping will depend on the shape of the ramekin. Sprinkle enough sugar over the the top to cover, and then shake off the excess (about 1 – 1 1/2 teaspoons for turbinado sugar or 1 teaspoon for regular granulated sugar).
Instructions:
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees.
Combine 1/2 cup cream, sugar, and salt in small saucepan; bring mixture to boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to ensure that sugar dissolves.
Meanwhile, place kitchen towel in bottom of baking dish or roasting pan and arrange two 4- to 5-ounce ramekins (or shallow fluted dishes) on towel. Bring kettle or saucepan of water to boil over high heat.
After cream has cooled slightly, stir in remaining 1/2 cup cream to cool down mixture further. Whisk yolks in medium bowl until broken up and combined. Whisk in vanilla extract and about 1/4 cup cream mixture into yolks until loosened and combined; repeat with another 1/4 cup cream. Add remaining cream and whisk until evenly colored and thoroughly combined. Strain through fine-mesh strainer into 2-cup measuring cup or pitcher (or clean medium bowl); discard solids in strainer. Pour or ladle mixture into ramekins, dividing it evenly among them.
Carefully place baking dish with ramekins on oven rack; pour boiling water into dish, taking care not to splash water into ramekins, until water reaches two-thirds height of ramekins. Bake until centers of custards are just barely set and are no longer sloshy and digital instant-read thermometer inserted in centers registers 170 to 175 degrees, 35 to 40 minutes (30 to 35 minutes for shallow fluted dishes). Begin checking temperature about 5 minutes before recommended time.
Transfer ramekins to wire rack; cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Set ramekins on rimmed baking sheet, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours or up to 4 days.
Uncover ramekins; if condensation has collected on custards, place paper towel on surface to soak up moisture. Sprinkle each with about 1 teaspoon turbinado sugar (1 1/2 teaspoons for shallow fluted dishes); tilt and tap ramekin for even coverage. Ignite torch and caramelize sugar. Refrigerate ramekins, uncovered, to re-chill, 30 to 45 minutes (but no longer); serve.

Coffee Mug Molten Chocolate Cake for Two

SERVES 2
TIME 20 minutes
Why This Recipe Works
These individual chocolate cakes are cooked in coffee mugs in the microwave for a nearly instant dessert. To keep our cakes from overflowing, we had to supplement bittersweet chocolate with cocoa powder; cocoa powder has less fat, which produces less steam, thus less chance of an overflow. Microwaving the cakes on 50 percent power was the key to cooking them gently, helping create a light, tender crumb, and stirring the batter halfway through ensured even cooking. Finally, a few chunks of bittersweet chocolate added to each cake created a gooey, molten center.
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 ounce (28 grams) bittersweet chocolate, chopped, plus 1 ounce (28 grams) broken into 4 equal pieces
¼ cup (1 3/4 ounce/50 grams) sugar
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup (1 1/4 ounces/35 grams) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
Before You Begin
We developed this recipe in a full-size, 1200-watt microwave. If you’re using a compact microwave with 800 watts or fewer, increase the cooking time to 90 seconds for each interval. For either size microwave, reset to 50 percent power at each stage of cooking. Use a mug that holds at least 11 ounces, or the batter will overflow. The bittersweet chocolate is added at two points.
Instructions:
Microwave butter and chopped chocolate in large bowl, stirring often, until melted, about 1 minute. Whisk sugar, eggs, cocoa, vanilla, and salt into chocolate mixture until smooth. In separate bowl, combine flour and baking powder. Whisk flour mixture into chocolate mixture until combined. Divide batter evenly between 2 (11-ounce) coffee mugs.
Place mugs on opposite sides of microwave turntable. Microwave at 50 percent power for 45 seconds. Stir batter and microwave at 50 percent power for 45 seconds (batter will rise to just below rim of mug). Press 2 chocolate pieces into center of each cake until chocolate is flush with top of cake. Microwave at 50 percent power for 35 seconds (cake should be slightly wet around edges of mug and somewhat drier toward center). Let cakes rest for 2 minutes. Serve.

Classic Macaroni and Cheese

SERVES 6 to 8, or 10 to 12 as a side
TIME 1 hour
For a macaroni and cheese recipe that would appeal to adults and kids alike, we kept things simple, staying away from pungent cheeses and overly rich eggs and cream. Instead, we tossed al dente pasta with a béchamel-based cheese sauce, using a combination of sharp cheddar for flavor and Monterey Jack for creaminess. To give our macaroni and cheese recipe a crunchy topping, we tossed homemade bread crumbs with melted butter, sprinkled them over the casserole, and browned the dish quickly under the broiler.
Ingredients:
3 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into quarters
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces and chilled, plus 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound elbow macaroni
Salt
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons dry mustard
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
5 cups whole milk
8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (2 cups)
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups)

Instructions
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat broiler. Pulse bread and chilled butter in food processor until coarsely ground, 7 to 10 pulses; set aside.
Bring 4 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven. Add macaroni and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until tender. Drain macaroni and set aside in colander.
Melt remaining 5 tablespoons butter in now-empty pot over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour, mustard, cayenne, and 1 teaspoon salt and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk until smooth. Bring mixture to boil, reduce heat to medium, and cook, whisking occasionally, until thickened to consistency of heavy cream, about 5 minutes. Off heat, whisk in cheeses until fully melted. Add macaroni and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until steaming and heated through, about 6 minutes.
Pour mixture into 13 by 9-inch broiler-safe baking dish. Top with bread-crumb mixture and broil until crumbs are deep golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes, rotating dish if necessary for even browning. Let rest for 5 minutes. Serve.

Breakfast Strata with Spinach and Gruyère

SERVES 6 (Makes one 8 x 8-inch strata)
TIME 2½ hours, plus 1 hour chilling and 20 minutes standing
Dry bread at 225degree about 4 hrs
Why This Recipe Works
When developing our breakfast strata recipe, we found that buttering whole, dried bread slices gave the dish good texture and richness. Carefully selecting and then sautéing just a few complementary ingredients for the filling removed excess moisture and prevented the casserole from becoming waterlogged. Our breakfast strata recipe calls for weighing the strata down overnight in the refrigerator before baking, which improves the strata’s texture and makes it the perfect make-ahead breakfast dish.
Ingredients:
8 – 10 slices supermarket French bread (1/2-inch thick) or Italian bread (6 – 7 ounces)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
4 medium shallots, minced (about 1/2 cup)
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 teaspoon Salt
½ cup medium-dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
6 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (about 1 1/2 cups)
6 large eggs
1 ¾ cups half-and-half
To weigh down the assembled strata, we found that two 1-pound boxes of brown or powdered sugar, laid side by side over the plastic-covered surface, make ideal weights. A gallon-sized zipper-lock bag filled with about 2 pounds of sugar or rice also works. This recipe doubles easily; use a 9 by 13-inch baking dish greased with only 1 1/2 tablespoons butter and increase the baking time as directed in step 4. Feel free to substitute any good melting cheese, such as Havarti, sharp cheddar, or colby.
Instructions:
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 225 degrees. Arrange bread in single layer on large baking sheet and bake until dry and crisp, about 40 minutes, turning slices over halfway through drying time. (Alternatively, leave slices out overnight to dry.) When cooled, butter slices on one side with 2 tablespoons butter; set aside.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Sauté shallots until fragrant and translucent, about 3 minutes; add spinach and salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring occasionally, until spinach and shallots are combined, about 2 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl; set aside. Add wine to skillet, increase heat to medium-high, and simmer until reduced to 1/4 cup, 2 to 3 minutes; set aside.
3. Butter 8-inch square baking dish with remaining 1 tablespoon butter; arrange half the buttered bread slices, buttered-side up, in single layer in dish. Sprinkle half of spinach mixture, then 1/2 cup grated cheese evenly over bread slices. Arrange remaining bread slices in single layer over cheese; sprinkle remaining spinach mixture and another 1/2 cup cheese evenly over bread. Whisk eggs in medium bowl until combined; whisk in reduced wine, half-and-half, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Pour egg mixture evenly over bread layers; cover surface flush with plastic wrap, weigh down (see note, above), and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
4. Remove dish from refrigerator and let stand at room temperature 20 minutes. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Uncover strata and sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese evenly over surface; bake until both edges and center are puffed and edges have pulled away slightly from sides of dish, 50 to 55 minutes (or about 60 minutes for doubled recipe). Cool on wire rack 5 minutes; serve.

I am planning on making this for a teacher’s event at my son’s school this week, so to make sure I knew what I was doing first, I made it this weekend to test it out. Knowing I would need to do it the night before this week, I made it on a Saturday night to bake off Sunday morning for my family. I LOVED the ease of just putting it in the oven in the morning, and WOW it delivered! I will note some changes I made in case it’s helpful to anyone else- – my grocery store didn’t have shallots, so I used 1/2 cup yellow onion instead, and it worked great – I omitted the wine reduction (serving it at a school and felt funny about putting wine on the ingredient list!)- it doesn’t seem lacking at all without it in my opinion – my husband and I loved the Gruyère, but I think for a crowd, the flavor is very pungent and might not be for everyone. For a crowd, I think I will replace it with cheddar or havarti This is a recipe I definitely plan on keeping! The Italian bread slices gave it such a nice thickness, and it is very impressive coming out of the oven!

Published
Categorized as Breakfast

Chicken Pot Pie for Two

SERVES 2
TIME 1½ hours
Why This Recipe Works
To simplify our Chicken Pot Pie for Two, we opted to make two individual pies inside of ramekins. A single boneless, skinless chicken breast was super easy to work with and substantial enough for two pies when combined with the rest of the ingredients. Cooking the chicken right in the sauce imparted layers of flavor and also saved time on cleanup. A little soy sauce added complex flavor that would normally require hours of simmering to achieve. For the crust, we turned to a store-bought option, which we parcooked on a baking sheet to ensure it didn’t collapse into the filling.
Ingredients”
1 Pillsbury Just Unroll! Pie Crust
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 small celery rib, sliced 1/4 inch thick
Salt and pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 ¾ cups low-sodium chicken broth
⅓ cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon soy sauce
1 (8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed
¼ cup frozen peas
2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
¼ teaspoon lemon juice
Before You Begin
We use two ovensafe 12-ounce ramekins or bowls to make this dish. If you don’t own any, you can use 14-ounce disposable mini loaf pans, cutting the crust to fit.
Instructions:
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Unroll dough on baking sheet. Use 12-ounce ovensafe ramekin as guide to cut out 2 rounds of dough about ½ inch larger than mouth of ramekin. Fold under and crimp outer ½ inch of dough, then cut 3 vents in center of each crust. Bake until crusts just begin to brown and no longer look raw, about 7 minutes; set aside.
Meanwhile, melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add carrots, onion, celery, and ½ teaspoon salt and cook until vegetables are softened and browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.
Slowly whisk in broth, cream, and soy sauce, scraping up any browned bits. Nestle chicken into sauce and bring to simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until chicken registers 160 degrees, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate; let cool slightly. Using 2 forks, shred chicken into bite-size pieces.

Meanwhile, return pan with sauce to medium heat and simmer until thickened and sauce measures 2 cups, about 5 minutes. Off heat, return shredded chicken and accumulated juice to pan. Stir in peas, parsley, and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Divide filling between ramekins and place parbaked crusts on top of filling. Place pot pies on baking sheet and bake until crusts are deep golden brown and filling is bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes. Let pot pies cool for 10 minutes before serving.

One-Pan Easy Baked Mac and Cheese

SERVES 4
TIME 1 hour
To make things totally simple, we wanted to be able to cook the pasta without having to heat up the water or toast the macaroni. Cooking the pasta at a relatively moderate temperature in a mixture of water and evaporated milk helped us do just that while also establishing a creamy base for the cheese sauce. Stirring in a meltable blend of shredded cheddar and American cheeses at the end of baking gave us perfectly and evenly cooked pasta in a lush, smooth sauce. And panko bread crumbs, browned in the microwave and sprinkled on before serving, provided irresistible crunch.
Ingredients:
12 ounces (3 cups) elbow macaroni
2½ cups water
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
½ teaspoon dry mustard
Salt and pepper
6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (1½ cups)
6 ounces American cheese, shredded (1½ cups)
½ cup panko bread crumbs, toasted
Instructions:
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 13 by 9-inch baking dish with vegetable oil spray. Spread macaroni into prepared dish. Whisk 2 cups water, evaporated milk, dry mustard, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper together in bowl. Pour into baking dish and stir gently to combine.
Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake, stirring occasionally, until macaroni is nearly tender and most liquid has been absorbed, about 30 minutes.
Remove dish from oven and stir macaroni thoroughly, scraping sides and bottom of dish. Stir in remaining ½ cup water, cheddar cheese, and American cheese. Cover dish with foil and return to oven to bake until macaroni is tender and cheese is melted, 5 to 8 minutes.
Remove dish from oven. Stir to coat pasta evenly in sauce, and let cool for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with toasted panko before serving.

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes for Two

SERVES 2
TIME 1 hour
Why This Recipe Works
Casserole-style scalloped potatoes can take as long as an hour to cook through. We not only wanted a version suitable for two, but we wanted it on the table as quickly as possible. We began by sautéing onion, garlic, and thyme in an 8-inch nonstick skillet before adding chicken broth, cream, and potatoes. To ensure quick cooking, we simmered the potatoes in the aromatic liquid until they were nearly tender (and well seasoned). Now it was time for the cheese. We knew we wanted assertive cheese flavor, but the more cheese we added, the greasier the dish became. Employing an old test kitchen trick, we tried tossing the cheese with cornstarch. Sure enough, the grease was held at bay even with a generous 1 cup of added cheese.
Ingredients:
2 ounces mild cheddar cheese, shredded (1/2 cup)
1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (1/2 cup)
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
½ cup finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
⅓ cup low-sodium chicken broth
⅓ cup heavy cream
12 ounces russet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Before You Begin
Don’t use preshredded cheese, which contains added starch to prevent caking. By adding cornstarch yourself, you can control the dish’s texture. You’ll need 2 small or 1 extra-large potato.

Instructions:
Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Toss cheddar and 1 teaspoon cornstarch together in bowl until well combined. Toss Parmesan and remaining 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch together in second bowl until well combined.
Heat oil in 8-inch nonstick, ovensafe skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add broth, cream, potatoes, salt, and pepper and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until potatoes are nearly tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
Off heat, stir in cheddar mixture and press potatoes into even layer

Peach Cobbler for Two

Biscuits are delicious. Peaches are delicious. So why, when you combine them, is the sum of the parts less than the whole?
SERVES 2
TIME 55 minutes, plus 20 minutes cooling
To prevent soggy biscuits and a runny filling in our peach cobbler, we cook the peaches to concentrate the juices into a syrup. Caramelizing them in butter and brown sugar adds flavor at the same time. We found that a little bit of thickener helped tighten up the peach juices exuded during baking, and flour is our go-to choice. Lemon juice and vanilla round out the filling, and for convenience, we bake our cobbler right in the skillet. For the topping, a traditional buttermilk biscuit is our favorite. Dropping the biscuits on top while the filling is hot jump-starts the cooking, and a final sprinkling of sugar before it goes in the oven creates a crispy, craggy, golden-brown top.
If you use frozen peaches, don’t thaw them, but do increase their cooking time in step 1 to about 7 minutes. A serrated peeler makes quick work of peeling fresh peaches. If you don’t have buttermilk, combine ¼ cup of milk with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and let the mixture sit for 10 minutes before proceeding with step 2 of the recipe.

Ingredients
FILLING
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
⅛ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 ¼ pounds (567 grams) fresh peaches 1 1/4 pounds (567 grams) fresh peach , peeled, halved, pitted, and cut into 1/2-inch wedges, or 1 pound (454 grams) frozen sliced peaches
1 tablespoon water
1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
TOPPING
½ cup (2 1/2 ounces/71 grams) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
⅛ teaspoon baking soda
⅛ teaspoon salt
¼ cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions:
FOR THE FILLING: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine sugar, butter, salt, and cinnamon in 8-inch ovensafe skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Add peaches and cook, covered, until peaches release their juice, about 5 minutes. Whisk water, lemon juice, and flour together in bowl and stir into peaches. Off heat, stir in vanilla. Cover and set aside.

FOR THE TOPPING: Whisk flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in bowl. Add buttermilk and butter and stir until dough forms.
Using spoon, drop 1-inch pieces of dough evenly over hot peach mixture in skillet. Sprinkle with remaining 1 teaspoon sugar and bake until topping is golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool on wire rack for 20 minutes. Serve.

Paella for Two

Serves 2
TIME 50 minutes
Paella, with its long list of ingredients, can be a production. But does it have to be?
This classic saffron-scented rice dish from Valencia, Spain, with its signature crispy bottom crust and a melange of proteins, often contains a laundry list of ingredients, requires special equipment (a traditional, shallow Paella pan), and is meant to serve a crowd. To make paella for two people, we found some shortcuts. First, we used a 12-inch nonstick skillet, which is wide enough yet shallow enough to get the proper crust. To season the paella, we turn to smoked paprika, garlic, tomato paste, and white wine. To pare down the ingredient list, we opted for chorizo, chicken, and shrimp and made the recipe work with traditional Valencia rice or the more widely available Arborio rice. We discovered that browning the chicken and shrimp wasn’t necessary and nestled the chicken in with the rice, adding the shrimp to the skillet for the last few minutes of cooking.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 small onion, chopped
¼ cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1 bay leaf
¾ cup Valencia or Arborio rice
8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt and pepper
2½౼2¾ cups chicken broth
3 ounces Spanish dry-cured chorizo sausage, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
Pinch saffron threads (optional)
6 ounces extra-large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled, deveined, and tails removed
2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
Lemon wedges
Before You Begin
Spanish varieties of rice, while traditional in paella, are sometimes difficult to find, which is why we offer the more widely available Arborio rice as a substitute. Each type of rice requires a slightly different amount of liquid, so note the difference in the recipe. Make sure to use cured Spanish chorizo, not the fresh Mexican sausage, here.
Instructions:
Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in wine, tomato paste, garlic, paprika, and bay leaf and cook until liquid evaporates and mixture looks oily, 2 to 4 minutes.
Stir in rice and cook until grains are well coated with tomato mixture, about 1 minute. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Stir in broth (2½ cups for Valencia rice, 2¾ cups for Arborio); chorizo; saffron, if using; chicken; and ⅛ teaspoon salt.
Bring to strong simmer and continue to cook, uncovered, over medium heat until liquid level falls just below surface of rice but paella still looks wet, 10 to 14 minutes. (After first 5 minutes of simmering, do not stir or paella will become starchy.)
Season shrimp with salt and pepper and nestle halfway into rice. Continue to cook until shrimp are mostly pink and all liquid has been absorbed, 4 to 7 minutes longer (paella will crackle and pop when liquid is absorbed).
To develop crust (socarrat) on bottom of paella, continue to cook until crackling and popping sounds become more pronounced, while occasionally rotating skillet over heat for even browning, 3 to 5 minutes. At this point, shrimp should be almost completely pink and paella should look dry on top.
Remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 3 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve with lemon wedges and drizzle with extra oil.

Published
Categorized as Just For 2

Baked Manicotti for Two

SERVES 2
TIME 1½ hours
Why This Recipe Works
When cooking for two, the hassle of putting a dish like this together hardly seems worth it. Could we find a simpler, better method for making manicotti? Stuffing and baking raw pasta tubes proved problematic, but soaking no-boil lasagna noodles until just pliable and rolling them up around the filling worked perfectly—and saved us the trouble of cooking the pasta separately. To ensure our filling was thick and creamy—not thin and runny—we mixed ricotta with a generous amount of mozzarella. Finally, just six ingredients whirred in the food processor gave us a fresh, bright tomato sauce in no time. As the manicotti baked, the tomato sauce reduced just enough that it didn’t taste raw and kept the manicotti moist and tender.
Ingredients:
Sauce
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
Filling and Pasta
8 ounces (1 cup) whole-milk or part-skim ricotta cheese
3 ounces whole-milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (¾ cup)
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper
6 no-boil lasagna noodles
Before You Begin
Do not substitute fat-free ricotta cheese here.
Instructions:
FOR THE SAUCE: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Process tomatoes and their juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper flakes, if using, in food processor until smooth, about 10 seconds. Transfer mixture to bowl and stir in basil.
FOR THE FILLING AND PASTA: Combine ricotta, mozzarella, ½ cup Parmesan, egg, basil, salt, and pepper in bowl.
Fill large bowl halfway with boiling water. Slip noodles into water, one at a time. Let noodles soak until pliable, about 5 minutes, separating noodles with tip of knife to prevent sticking. Remove noodles from water and place in single layer on clean dish towels.
Spread ½ cup sauce over bottom of 8½ by 4½-inch loaf pan. Transfer noodles to counter with short sides facing you. Spread ¼ cup ricotta mixture evenly over bottom three-quarters of each noodle. Roll noodles up around filling and lay them, seam side down, in pan. Spoon remaining sauce over top to cover noodles completely. Sprinkle with remaining ½ cup Parmesan.
Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil and bake until bubbling, about 25 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until cheese is browned in spots, about 10 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Published
Categorized as Just For 2

Sausage Strata for Two

SERVES 2
TIME 1 hour
Why This Recipe Works
We were after a hearty one-pan breakfast strata for two that combined elements of both sweet and savory breakfasts. We used an 8-inch nonstick skillet to brown hot breakfast sausage with some fresh sage and then tossed it with shredded cheddar and torn brioche soaked in a custard made of eggs, milk, and just a tablespoon of maple syrup. We favored brioche for its eggy richness and maple syrup for the welcome sweetness it brought to the savory mix. We piled everything back into the skillet and baked it until beautifully puffed and golden.
Ingredients:
¾ cup whole milk
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon maple syrup
¼ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
4 ounces brioche, torn into 1-inch pieces (3 cups)
4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup)
6 ounces hot bulk pork breakfast sausage
1 teaspoon minced fresh sage
Before You Begin
Two small brioche rolls should yield the 4 ounces needed for this recipe. For a less spicy dish, substitute regular pork sausage for the hot. We like the sweetness that maple syrup adds here, but you can omit it for a more savory strata. If you don’t have an 8-inch ovensafe nonstick skillet, cook the sausage in a 10-inch skillet and assemble and bake the strata in a greased 9-inch pie plate.
Instructions:
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk milk, eggs, maple syrup, salt, and pepper together in large bowl. Add brioche and cheddar and stir to combine; set aside.
Cook sausage in 8-inch ovensafe nonstick skillet over medium heat until browned, about 8 minutes, breaking meat into small pieces with spoon. Add sage and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer to bowl with brioche mixture and stir to combine.
Transfer strata mixture to now-empty skillet and smooth into even layer. Bake until puffed and lightly browned, about 30 minutes (strata will puff above rim of skillet). Let rest for 10 minutes. Serve.
TO MAKE AHEAD: At end of step 2, strata mixture can be transferred to greased 9-inch pie plate, covered with plastic wrap, and refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Bake in pie plate.

Published
Categorized as Just For 2

Pimiento Cheese Spread

If you are from the south, this little bit of heaven shows up as often as potato salad at picnic or party. I first tasted it in El Centro Ca. at a downtown drug store. They made me a pimento cheese and liverwurst sandwich, which hooked me for life on pimiento cheese spread. I showed up every Wednesday just to be able to watch them make the spread in a huge meat grinder looking thing, out by the soda fountain. The drug store had a very small kitchen and 12 seat counter set up, and yes they made malts too. I was trying to figure out the proportions as I really didn’t need a gallon of the stuff, and it gave me a good reason to have a sandwich with the cheese spread slathered on it once a week. I would have gone to work there if I thought I could squeeze the recipe out of the southern lady who made it. She was keeping her recipe a well-guarded secret, I think she used sandwich spread instead of mayo, but I’m not sure. I tried it once and found it very sweet, so maybe it was not sandwich spread after all. There are as many versions of this spread as there are grandmothers it seems. Here is mine

.See Original Version below before making

8 oz. grated extra-sharp cheese
8 oz. Colby or mild American cheese, grated
4 oz. Cream cheese or Nonfactual cheese
2-3 Tb Green onion use both green and white parts. You could use a white onion chopped into very small pieces as a substitute
½ tsp Garlic powder
¼ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp celery salt, or use ½ tsp celery flakes ground fine
¼ to 1 Tb Worcestershire sauce, taste test this as you go to suit your personal taste. I use ½ Tb.
4 oz. jar diced pimientos, undrained
½ tsp prepared mustard or ½ tsp vinegar, red wine vinegar is nice
½ – 1 C Dukes Mayonnaise to taste, this depends on how spreadable you want the cheese to be. If you like use Miracle Whip many people like it better, maybe it is less salty.
1-2 tsp sweet pickle relish
1/2 tsp. salt (you can omit this if using mayo, as it is salty in itself)
1/8 tsp ground pepper
Option:
Try one or more of these options for a little change
1-2 Tb Sugar
¼ tsp cracked red pepper
½ tsp paprika
1 tsp green olives chopped fine
½ cup diced Velveeta Cheese

Place everything but the cheese into a food processor, pulse until mixed.
Add all the grated cheese, and blend.
Taste Test and adjust to your taste if needed.
Chill. Flavor is even better if you make it a day ahead of serving. You can taste test and add more ingredients if you like before serving, but I find I rarely need to add anything.
I’ve been known to use Monterey Jack Cheese instead of Colby, cracked red pepper, or finely chopped jalapeño chili pepper.
Spread on sandwiches or serve with crackers or celery sticks.

Original IngredientVersion:

In Food Processor blend:

8 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 – 4 ounce jar chopped pimentos, drained
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
salt to taste

Published
Categorized as Sides

Easy Morning Breakfast Caserole

Make mixture before you go to bed and pop breakfast into the oven in the morning. What could be more time effective?

4                 eggs
2 C               milk
1 tsp.            Dijon Mustard
3 C               cubed French bread
1 pkg. (8 oz.)   Shredded Mild Cheddar Cheese
1 C               chopped mushrooms
1                 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies, drained
1C                chopped red or yellow peppers  (green are a little bitter)
½ C               chopped green onions
¼ C               chopped ham or sausage crumbled into small chunks and lightly browned on the outside.
Optional:

Pinch of red pepper flakes if you think the green chilies are not spicy enough

¼ C                Bacon Bits

Beat eggs, milk and mustard in large bowl with wire whisk until well blended. Add remaining ingredients; stir gently to mix well.

Pour into lightly greased 12×8-inch baking dish; cover. Refrigerate several hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 325°F. Uncover baking dish. Bake 45 to 50 min. or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.                       Serves 8

Breakfast Brule’s

Flaky biscuits surround a creamy custard-like filling in these breakfast treats.

2                   eggs
¼ C                 heavy whipping cream
1/8 tsp             ground nutmeg
2                   (6-oz.) containers French Vanilla Yogurt
1                   (16.3-oz.) can Refrigerated Biscuits (Pillsbury® Grands are good)
1/3 C               sugar
3 Tb                butter or margarine, melted

 

Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 8 (6-oz.) ramekins or custard cups with cooking spray; place on cookie sheet with sides. In medium bowl, beat eggs, cream, nutmeg and yogurt with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.

Separate dough into 8 biscuits; separate each evenly into 2 layers, making 16 dough rounds. Place sugar in shallow dish. Brush both sides of each dough round with melted butter; coat both sides with sugar. Place 1 dough round in bottom of each sprayed ramekin.

Spoon 1/4 cup yogurt mixture over dough round in each ramekin. Top with remaining dough rounds. 4.   Bake at 375°F. for 20 to 26 minutes or until tops are deep golden brown. Cool 15 minutes before serving.         8 servings

Published
Categorized as Breakfast

Pork Posole

I received  the recipe from my sister Linda some years ago. Linda served it with rice and tortillas. Simple yet full of flavor. Around our house it has become a favorite. Over time I have added a few more ingredients to the basic recipe as we like lots of heat in our stew.

Posole or Po-sol is a brothy, hearty stew from Mexico that features pork (or chicken), onions, chilies, and hominy. If you can’t find canned hominy, substitute 1 ½ cup frozen corn kernels.

Makes 6 servings

1 ½ lbs            boneless pork loin, trimmed and cut into (1/2-inch) pieces

½  tsp              salt

1 tsp                olive oil

2 C                  chicken broth

1 lg                  onion, chopped

3                      garlic cloves, minced

1                      chipotle en adobo, minced

1 Tb                 chili powder

1 tsp                dried oregano

1 tsp                ground cumin

2 lg                  tomatoes, diced

1 (15 oz) can   yellow or white hominy, drained and rinsed

Sprinkle the pork with salt. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add half the pork and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes

Transfer the pork to a 6 quart port or slow cooker. Repeat cooking the remaining pork. Add the broth , onion, garlic, chipotle, chili powder, oregano and cumin: mix well. Top with the tomatoes and then the hominy in even layers. Cover and cook until the pork is fork tender in crock pot 4-5 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low.

Serve the Posole in soup bowls with lattice, radishes, cilantro and lime wedges on the side.

 

 

Published
Categorized as Soup

Brining

Since we brined our first turkey several years ago, we have been captivated by the benefits of brining. Brines are featured in many of our recipes, which, given the particular time constraints and the nature of the food being brined, recommend a rather wide variety of formulas. We decided to get scientific and come up with a single, all-purpose formula. To start, we reviewed all of our brining recipes and calculated an average ratio of water to salt to sugar as well as an average brining time per pound of meat. Using this new standard formula, we cooked our way through various cuts of poultry and pork and several types of seafood, and it worked in all but a few situations. High roasting (roasting at 450 to 500 degrees), broiling, and high-heat grilling all require a brine with less sugar to ensure the skin or exterior won’t burn. (After brining a turkey or fresh ham, rinse well to remove any remaining sugar.) To keep the flavors of the high-heat brine balanced, we also reduced the amount of salt.

Stir the salt and water in a non-reactive container until dissolved. Make enough brine to submerge the meat completely. There is generally no need to rinse the meat after using either brine listed above, just pat dry with paper towels.

Basic Brine:

  • 4 cups cold water
  • Salt (6 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal kosher salt OR 4 and 1/2 Tbsp. Morton’s kosher salt OR 3 Tbsp. table salt)

4 tablespoons of kosher salt per 1 quart (4 cups) of water.
If you are using fine table salt, reduce the amount to 3 tablespoons.

Combine 1/2 cup table salt with 1 gallon water to brine

Combine 1 cup Kosher salt with 1 gallon water to brine

Stir the salt and water in a non-reactive container until dissolved. Make enough brine to submerge the meat completely. There is generally no need to rinse the meat after using either brine listed above, just pat dry with paper towels.

Kosher Salt Measures Differently Than Table Salt

Table Salt 1 cup
Morton Kosher Salt 1-1/2 cups
Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt 2 cups

How Long To Brine

Whole Chicken 1/2-1 hour
Chicken Pieces 1/2-1 hour
Whole Turkey 6-12 hours or overnight
Turkey Breast – Bone-In 3-6 hours
Cornish Game Hens 1/2-1 hour
Pork Chops 1/2-1 hour
Pork Tenderloin 1/2-1 hour
Whole Pork Loin 2-3 hours
  • Roasts: Figure 1 1/2 to 2 hours per inch of thickness.

Freezing Brined Meat

Meat can be brined and frozen for later use. As with any meat that is frozen and thawed, some texture and moisture is sacrificed because ice crystals damage the meat cells in the freezing process. The issues of freezer burn and changes in color and taste with prolonged freezing also apply.

Brining “Tips & Tricks” 

Tip:  Because water is a heat conductor you will typically find that a brined item will cook faster than an non-brined item 

Tip:  If you want your poultry to have a golden and crispy skin it needs to sit in the refrigerator for several hours after you remove it from the brine so that the meat can absorb the moisture from the skin. Whole poultry is the exception however. To get a crispy, brown skin whole birds should be removed from the brine, wrapped in foil or plastic and put in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 12 hours.

Tip:  The saltier the brine, the shorter time is required. And the brine will penetrate a chicken breast or pork chop much faster than a large thick muscle like a whole pork loin or turkey.

Tip:  Water is optional. Any liquid will do for brining; just keep in mind my discussion about being too acid. You can substitute some or all of the water with whatever you heart desires. Wine, beer, fruit juices (especially good is apple), or vinegars all make a good liquid base for your brine. Just remember our discussion about making the brine to acidic. If you add more acid to your mixture, I would decrease the brining time.

Tip:  Any herb, spice, sweetener, fruit, vegetable will work; let your imaginations run wild. Think of a brine as a soup, there can be a lot of complexity in soup or just simple ones.

Tip:  You need enough brine to completely submerge the meat without any part being out of the liquid. Some items might need to be weighted down to stay under.

Tip:  How much liquid will you need? Take the meat you plan to brine and place it in the container. Cover with liquid. Now you know! Measure the amount and you’ll know how much brine to make.

Tip:  Almost any container will work as long as it’s non-reactive to salt.

Tip:  You don’t want the brine cooking the meat, always add your meat to a cold brine, not a hot one.

Tip:  You don’t need to boil the entire gallon of liquid to create your brine. Start with a quart, add your salts and sugars and create a super saturated solution. After boiling, mix your remaining liquid, thoroughly; this way you don’t have to use a really big pot to boil with. If you need to cool this super solution down quickly, mix with ice water.

Tip:  Lighter more tender meats needs less brining time.

Tip:  Denser meats like pork, need longer times.

Tip:  Remember that the longer you brine the stronger the flavor will be.

Tip:  You do not need to rinse unless you were using a high salt concentration in the brine.

Tip:  Want to preserve the color of the meat?  Add 1 tablespoon of Cure (Saltpeter, Tenderquick, Prague Powder) per gallon of liquid  This will help. Another trick used by chefs is to add 1 tablespoon of Saltpeter per gallon of liquid.  If the color is important to you, consider the cure.

 

Olive Garden Style, Chicken Vino Bianco

This is defiantly one of my favorites. I sometimes add 2 cans of chicken stock to make more liquid while cooking. I then add two tablespoons of cornstarch to ¼ cup of water, mix well and add to the chicken mixture for a thickening, the last 5 minutes of cooking. I like a gravy sauce for the pasta.

2  Tb                 olive oil
2 Tb                  butter
4                       boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced into 1 ½ inch to 2” wide strips. If breasts are partially frozen they will slice better.
3 Tb                  flour
½ cup               red onion, finely chopped
4-6                    sliced and separated red onion slices
¼ cup               julienne cut, gold or red bell pepper
3                       cloves  garlic, minced
½                     sliced mushrooms
¾ cup              white wine
1                      14 oz can of chicken broth
¼ cup              tomato sauce
2 Tb                 celery, chopped
1 small can      about ¼ to ½ cup, whole, pitted black olives
pinch of crushed red pepper
salt and pepper to taste

Pasta of your choice prepared according to package directions

Heat oil in non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.

Toss chicken strips in flour and season with a little salt and pepper. Quickly brown strips in hot oil, be sure to not cook chicken all the way through, just lightly brown the chicken strips and remove from hot oil.

Stir in butter, chopped onions and garlic into the skillet, and cook until just tender, not browned.

Stir in white wine, tomato sauce, and 14 oz can of chicken broth. Add chicken strips, celery, and bell pepper. Cook for about 12-15 minutes or until the chicken is almost, but not completely done.

Add more chicken stock or a little water if necessary. You will want at least 1 cup of sauce when cooking is done.

Add mushrooms, sliced red onion, olives to skillet mixture, and cook for 5 minutes or until mushrooms are just tender, be sure to not over cook. Turn off skillet heat.

Add a pinch of crushed red pepper and stir well.

Test taste for salt and pepper, add if needed.

Cover and let chicken set for 5 minutes.

Serve warm over pasta of your choice.

 

Published
Categorized as Main Dish

My Chili Verde (‘Caldillo’)

Tried, True, and simply great. This is one simple recipe that can’t fail unless you burn it. Chile Verde is one meal that is a life saver if you are entertaining a large group (just double the recipe). While the Chili Verde simmers, you can be working on the side dishes, and not feel you have been run through the wringer just to get a great meal ready.

2-3 lbs  pork, any cut will do, I use inexpensive pork shoulder or butt. A little fat in the meat is preferable. Cut up meat into bite size pieces.

2 or 3 medium onions, chopped into large chunks

4-6    garlic cloves, chopped. I like a lot of garlic, but the amount you use is up to you, just as long as you use at least 2-3 cloves.

¼ cup  chopped cilantro

10-12  tomatillos, husk removed and chopped into fourths and ready for the blender

1      fresh, long green chili, stem, seeds and spines removed chopped

1      fresh Serrano chili, stem, seeds and spines removed and chopped very fine

2 (14 oz) cans chicken stock

1 tsp     cumin

1         bay leaf

2 Tbs     flour to dredge the meat in

2 Tbs      Oil

Optional: 

2-4 potatoes – diced potatoes are widely used in New Mexico where they  call this dish ‘Caldillo’  

½ to 1 whole  small can salsa Verde, if you find you want more heat in the  dish after you have cooked the ChiliVerde for an hour or so, just chop up another Serrano or jalapeño chili into the mix. Cook the raw chilies for another 10-20 minutes (till tender) in the stew.  

Directions:

Add a ¼ to ½ cup of the chicken broth to blender and blend tomatillos until smooth.

Toss or dredge meat chunks in flour. Lightly brown the meat chunks in a little oil in a large pot.

In the same pot, mix in the bay leaf and garlic. Pour the blended tomatillos in with the rest of the chicken stock. Bring the whole thing to a boil.

When the mixture comes to a boil, turn heat down to a simmer. Add about half the chopped onion, the cilantro, and half the chilis and stir.

Simmer for a least 1 hour. You may need to add more liquid, but I really don’t think so. Only about half the liquid should be boiled down by now. Just don’t let the stew run out of broth and scorch.

After simmering for about an hour, the chilis and onions will loose color and cook down to almost nothing, so now is the time to add the other half of the chilis and onions. If you are adding potatoes, add them now. Check the stew every 10 minutes or so for liquid, and stir. Simmer for about ½ hour and taste. If stew is not spicy enough for your taste, add canned salsa verde or more chopped hot pepper and simmer another half hour. Remove bay leaf. Salt to taste and if you used potatoes, you will need to add a little black pepper to taste.

Serve this delicious dish with beans, rice and tortillas with a salad on the side. I also like to serve a little corn or corn on the cob with this dish.

 

 

 

Published
Categorized as Mexican

Hummingbird Nectar

This formula is appropriate for both hummingbird and oriole feeders. Experts believe that it closely approximates the sweetness and consistency of the nectar found in flowers. Make sure to thoroughly clean the feeder and all of its parts each time you refill it.

1 part sugar
4 parts water

Boil 1-2 Minutes

After you have turned off heat, add 4-6  drops of red food color and mix thoroughly.

Cool & Store In Refrigerator until you need it.

 

Published
Categorized as Kids & Pets

Cat Crackers

Cat Crackers

6 ounces of un-drained tuna
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/3 cup water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Measure all of the ingredients into a bowl and mix thoroughly with your hands. Roll out to 1/4 inch thickness and cut into treat sized pieces. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden. Let cool. Give to your cat and watch them gobble it up.

Cat Cheese Please

1/2 cup grated cheese
2 Tb plain yogurt or sour cream
A little oatmeal
2 Tb margarine or low-fat spread

Mash all of the ingredients together, adding them in the order indicated above, and serve cold. No cooking is required for this dish. Some cats will not take to this dish as it is not meat based: others will love it.

Healthy Cookies For Cats

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp catnip
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup powdered milk
2 Tb butter or vegetable oil
1/4 cup Soy flour
1 egg
2  Tb Wheat germ
1 Tb Unsulfured molasses

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients together. Add molasses, egg, oil and milk. Roll out flat onto oiled cookie sheet and cut into small, cat bite-sized pieces. Bake for 20 minutes and let cool. Store the cookies in a sealed container.

Published
Categorized as Kids & Pets

Dog Biscuits

Dog bone cookie cutters are pretty easy to find, but you can also roll out dough and cut into squares or use any cookie cutter you have on hand. Refrigeration will prolong the life of more fragile dog treats. Make sure to store in a tightly sealed container or zip lock bag.  You can also freeze most treats in zip lock freezer bags.  Allow to thaw completely before use, as some dogs, especially older dogs will be less likely to hurt their teeth if you do.

Bone Appétit My Doggie Friend!!!

 Peanut Butter Dog Biscuit

1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cups safflower oil (or canola oil)
2 medium eggs
3 tablespoons peanut butter (sugar free, creamy)
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cups unbleached white flour
1/2 cups cornmeal
1/2 cups rolled oats
Additional flour for rolling

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 F.
Mix water, oil, eggs, peanut butter, and vanilla with a wire whisk. Add flours, cornmeal, and oats. Combine with a mixer.
Take one-third of the dough and place on a floured surface. Flour top of dough. Gently knead, adding more flour as necessary to form a pliable dough (This will require
a substantial amount of flour). Roll out to 1/2 – 3/4 inch thickness and cut shapes using cookie cutters. Repeat until all dough is used.
Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 400 F, 20-25 minutes, depending on thickness of biscuits . Leave in oven 20 minutes after turning oven off to crisp. Store in an airtight container.

Basic Dog Biscuit Treats

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup corn meal
1 teaspoon iodized salt
2 teaspoons bone meal (optional)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
2 large eggs mixed with a 1/4 cup beef broth beef broth

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Grease cookie sheets.
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add oil, peanut butter and egg mixture and stir to combine.  Knead the dough for 2 -3 minutes until it holds together well adding additional broth if the dough is too stiff. Allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes.
Roll dough out to about 1/2″ thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut into shapes with a knife or your favorite cookie cutter.
Place 1 inch apart on greased cookie sheets. Bake for approximately 30 minutes until golden brown. Turn off the oven and allow the biscuits to dry in the over for 2 hours or overnight.  Once cooled they can be stored in zip lock bags.

Flea Hater’s Dog Biscuits

Brewers yeast is a natural anti-flea remedy.

Makes about 5 dozen bone biscuits
1 cup flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup brewer’s yeast (available at health-food stores)
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil
1 clove garlic, chopped medium, or 1 teaspoon powdered garlic (optional**)
1/2 cup chicken stock plus 3 tablespoons for basting

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Mix flour, wheat germ, brewer’s yeast, and salt together in a medium bowl. In a mixing bowl, combine oil and garlic. Alternately add 1/2 cup chicken stock and flour mixture in 3 parts; mix until well combined. Knead about 2 minutes by hand on floured surface; dough will be sticky.

2. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out about 3/8 inch thick. Cut out bone shapes; place on prepared baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes, rotate baking sheet, and baste with remaining 3 tablespoons chicken stock. Bake 10 minutes longer. Turn off oven, leaving oven door closed. Leave pan in oven for 1 1/2 hours longer

**Garlic and Onions can be toxic to dogs. Typically the problem is with large quantities not “seasoning portions”.  You should seek the advice of your veterinarian to find out if any garlic use is appropriate for your pet.  If in doubt, leave the ingredient out.

marthastewart.com archives

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Somethin’ Fishy Doggie Treats
Canned salmon or tuna make flavorful and healthy dog treats.

I N G R E D I E N T S
1 can tuna or salmon
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
3 eggs
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup sunflower or pumpkin seeds
2 cups (or more as needed) whole wheat flour

I N S T R U C T I O N S
Preheat oven to 375°F
Spray Cookie Sheet with cooking spray oil

Put all ingredients, except flour,  into a food processor and process till well combined.  Add flour through processor tube until blended and the mixture forms into a stiff dough using extra flour as needed.

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface and kneed for about 1 minute.  Roll out to a thickness of about 1/4″.  Cut into shapes using a cookie cutter dipped in flour.  Place on greased cookie sheets. Bake treats for about 30 minutes or until firm and nicely browned. Cool treats on a wire rack.

Storing Dog Treats
In general you should store dog treats the same way you would homemade people cookies.  That being said, there are two main variables that determine storage time – the amount and type of fat in the recipe and your local weather conditions.  If your recipe uses fats such as butter, or meat bits or juices then it will be more prone to rancidity than a recipe that uses some vegetable oil or shortening.  Your treats may mold or spoil much faster in humid or very hot climates.

Refrigeration and Freezing –  Refrigeration will prolong the life of more fragile dog treats. Make sure to store in a tightly sealed container or zip lock bag.  You can also freeze most treats in zip lock freezer bags.  Allow to thaw completely before use.

 

Oatmeal Cheese Dog Biscuit Treats

1 cup uncooked oatmeal

1 1/2 cup hot water or meat juices

4 oz (1 cup) grated cheese

1 egg, beaten

1 cup wheat germ

1/4 cup margarine

1/2 cup powdered milk

1/4 tablespoon salt

1 cups cornmeal

3 cups whole wheat flour

 

 

I N S T R U C T I O N S

Preheat oven to 300 F.

 

In large bowl pour hot water over oatmeal and margarine: let stand for 5   minutes. Stir in powdered milk, grated cheese, salt and egg. Add cornmeal and wheat germ. Mix well. Add flour, 1/3 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.

 

Knead 3 or 4 minutes, adding more flour if necessary to make a very stiff dough. Pat or roll dough to 1/2 inch thickness.

 

Cut into bone-shaped biscuits and place on a greased baking sheet.

 

Bake for 1 hour at 300 degrees. Turn off heat and leave in oven for 1 1/2 hours or longer.

 

Makes approximately 2 1/4  pounds. Store in an airtight container

Published
Categorized as Kids & Pets

Fruit Cocktail Cake

15 servings from Taste of Home

Ingredients: 

1-1/2 cups sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 can (16 ounces) fruit cocktail with syrup

TOPPING:

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup flaked coconut

SAUCE:

1/4 cup evaporated milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, combine all cake ingredients; mix well. Pour into a 13-in. x 9-in. pan and sprinkle with topping ingredients. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes. Meanwhile, combine all sauce ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. When cake is done and still warm, pour sauce over cake. Cool to room temperature. Yield: 15 servings.

Nutritional Facts:  1 serving (1 piece) equals 353 calories,
12 g fat (6 g saturated fat), 46 mg cholesterol, 382 mg sodium, 60 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 4 g protein.

Fruit Cocktail Cake in a Loaf Pan Recipe

Ingredients

8 ounces softened cream cheese
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 cup butter
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
one 16 ounce can Fruit Cocktail or mixed fruit, well drained

Directions

Blend cheese and butter. Blend in sugar and vanilla and then add eggs one at a time, beating well. Mix baking powder and flour and gradually add to the mix. Fold in well drained fruit cocktail and nuts. Grease 2 loaf pans and bake in a 325 degree oven for 70 minutes (check for doneness with toothpick). Cool in pan for 10 minutes.

Published
Categorized as Desserts

Ambrosia Fruit Salad

“Shredded coconut and fruit and nuts are folded into whipped topping and chilled.

1 (8 ounce) container frozen
1 container whipped topping, thawed
1-2 oranges, peeled and cut small (no seeds please)
1-2 apples, cored, peeled and cut into small chunks
1-2 bananas sliced into chunks
2 ½ C shredded coconut
½ C chopped walnuts
1 (8 ounce) can fruit cocktail, drained(retain juice)
1 (8 ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained
(retain juice)
1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
3 C miniature marshmallows
1 (10 ounce) jar maraschino
Optional:
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 jar Maraschino Cherries, drained with cherries
patted dry with a paper towel right before serving

Drain the pineapple chunks, and fruit cocktail saving the juice to place the apples and bananas in so they don’t brown while you are making the salad.
Prepare the fruit and let soak in juice while combining the other ingredients.
In a large bowl, combine the whipped topping, coconut, chopped nuts, drained fruit cocktail & pineapple, mandarin oranges, marshmallows, nutmeg and cinnamon. Mix together well. Drain cut fruit and add. Mix well and refrigerate for 30 to 45 minutes. Top with cherries right before serving.

Yields: 12 servings

Published
Categorized as Salad

Cranberry Orange Bread

Pro Tips for Making This Recipe

Don’t use an electric mixer, or you could over-mix the batter, resulting in a dense loaf or large holes in the crumb. Just use a spatula and mix until everything is just combined.
It is much easier to zest the orange before juicing.
Bring your eggs and milk to room temperature so they incorporate fully into the batter.
Measure your flour correctly! Adding too much flour will lead to the cranberry bread ending up dense. The best and easiest way to measure flour is by using a scale. If you don’t have one, then fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off.
For a smooth glaze, sift the powdered sugar before whisking it together.
If the top of the loaf is browning too quickly, cover the pan with some tin foil.
To get more juice out of an orange, roll it under your palm on the countertop to loosen the juices. Use 9×5 inch loaf pan

Cranberry Orange Bread
Servings 8 AuthorJohn Kanell

Ingredients
For the Cranberry-Orange Bread
2 cups all-purpose flour (240g)
1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
1¼ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup milk (120mL)
½ cup vegetable oil (120mL)
zest of 1 orange
2 tablespoons orange juice (about 1/2 orange)
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries

For the Orange Glaze
1½ cups powdered sugar sifted
3 to 4 tablespoons orange juice
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
orange zest
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter a 9×5-inch loaf pan or spray with baking spray.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl, whisk together milk, oil, orange zest and juice, egg, and vanilla until well combined.
3. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until combined. Fold in the cranberries. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
4. Bake for 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let the bread cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Carefully remove and let cool completely on the wire rack.
For the Glaze:
1. In a small bowl, whisk together sugar, orange juice, and vanilla until smooth and desired consistency. Drizzle over the cooled bread. Garnish with orange zest before slicing, if desired.

Nutrition
Calories: 452kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 229mg | Potassium: 100mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 49g | Vitamin A: 94IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 2mg
*Nutrition Disclaimer
Have you Tried this

Published
Categorized as Breads

Favorite Bakery Bread

This is my go to bread recipe now.

1Cp tepid water
3 tsp yeast
3 TB Sugar
3TB oil
1½ tsp Salt
3 Cups Flour
Mix tepid water and yeast and let it proof.
Mix salt and flour in mixer very well.
Mix in the sugar and oil.
Mix in the yeast and water.

Mix for about 3 minutes or more before testing the texture.
Mix time will be a total of 7-10 minutes.
Only add water a tablespoon at a time if you feel it is too dry,
the same with flour if you feel dough is to wet. Mix for another
3 min. before you add anything more. If all looks good, mix for
another 7min. or less if you have had to add ingredients, or a
total of no more that 10 minutes all together.

Meanwhile boil water and place into a pan inside unheated oven when dough
is almost ready. For safty sake, please place you hot water pan in oven then add the
water.
Place dough in a greased bowl and cover with cotton towel or
cheese cloth. Place bowl in unheated oven on top rack, to rise.
About 1 hour should be enough for the first rise.

Empty out the water and put more water on to boil.
Form and fold dough into you well-greased bread pan.
Place the water into the pan again.
Place dough onto the top rack in the unheated oven to rise
Until it is about 2 knuckles higher than the pan. Takes about 20-30
minutes.
With the water still in the oven, preheat oven to 350 °.
Bake bread 30-40 minutes until bread reaches 198°-200°.
Check the bottom of the bread loaf to see if it is browned enough, if so
Turn it out on towel or rack and let cool.

Published
Categorized as Breads

Granny’s Black Stir-Fry

Grandma Mary Eblen used to make this dish. I loved it so much, I asked her to make it for my birthday one year. I wasn’t sure what kind of stir fry it was, so I called it the black oriental stuff. She likes walnuts instead of peanuts in the stir-fry, and they tend to turn the whole thing kind of a black color. It tastes absolutely wonderful no matter what kind of nuts are used.

 

¼ cup              canola oil
1 Tb                 toasted sesame oil
1                      garlic clove, minced
1 Tb                 grated ginger root
¾ cup              Kikkoman soy sauce
¼ cup              water
1 Tb                 cornstarch
½ lb                 boneless pork, cut in bite sized pieces
3                      celery stalks, copped in bite size pieces
1                      green bell pepper, copped in bite size pieces
1                      onion, copped
¾ cup              mushrooms, sliced
¾ cup              raw bean sprouts
¾ cup              walnuts, pecans or unsalted peanuts.

(walnuts cause the black color. If this grosses you out, substitute pecans                           or unsalted peanuts.)
 

Heat both oils in wok or large skillet. Add pork, ginger root and garlic. Stir and cook till pork is done. (I set this mixture aside until the celery and bell pepper are almost done then add the meat mixture back to the skillet). If the meat overcooks, it will usually get tough.

Add water and celery: stir and cook for a few minutes. Repeat with each of the other ingredients.

Do not overcook! (Vegetables should be somewhat crunchy, not mushy.)

Mix soy sauce and cornstarch and add to stir-fry. Stir and cook till sauce is thickened. Serve with rice.

All quantities are approximate: use you judgment!

Published
Categorized as Asian

Party Pleaser Meatballs

I use (partially thawed) frozen readymade meat balls, sautéed in hot skillet with a small amount of oil till browned, toss meatballs along with pre-simmered sauce into a Crockpot, cook on low until meatballs are done inside, and your good to go. Easy way to make 40 – 50 appetizers. Need them cooked faster? Simmer meatballs in the sauce on top of the stove until done in the middle, then keep warm  in a Crockpot. Little Smokies links are great with any of these sauces. I prefer a less sweet sauce so I use the least sugar flavored jelly I can find. I have replaced some of the jelly with a teaspoon of jalapeño apple jelly and loved it. If you decide to use jalapeño jelly start with 1/4 teaspoon and taste test. It may be a little too hot for your taste if you don’t use it sparingly.

 Easy & Delicious Sauce:

1 cup Heinz Chili Sauce
1/2 cup grape jelly
1/2 cup currant jelly
per lb meat balls

Jeff’s Favorite Sauce:

1 cup ketchup
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup grape jelly
12 ounces bottle (mild) chili or seafood sauce (Crosse & Blackwell is good)
10 ounces grape, apple, or other jelly ( ¼ to ½ tsp Hot Jalapeno jelly added to any of these, or a very small pinch of cracked red pepper added at the end of the cooking.)
Cranberry Sauce:

1 (16-ounce) can cranberry sauce
1 (12-ounce) can chili sauce
1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Spicy Cranberry Sauce:

2 (1-pound) bags frozen cocktail-size meatballs (about 64 meatballs)
1 (16-ounce) can Ocean Spray® Jellied Cranberry Sauce
1 (12-ounce) bottle chili sauce
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Sweet and Sour Sauce:

4 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/4 cups pineapple juice
1 (20-ounce) can pineapple chunks
1 onion, peeled and sliced
2 green bell peppers, seeded and sliced

Heat oil in a skillet and brown the meatballs evenly. Set aside on paper towels to drain.

In a large saucepan, combine 4 tablespoons cornstarch, soy sauce, rice vinegar, water, brown sugar and pineapple juice. Cook until thickened, stirring constantly.

Add the meatballs, pineapple chunks, sliced onion and green peppers. Cook

for 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated

TO COOK IN A CROCKPOT:

Place prepared and sautéed meatballs in Crockpot. Heat and stir sauce on top of stove, pour over meatballs and cook on low setting for 2-4 hours or until meatballs are done in the middle. Cooking time depends on how  many meatballs are in the Crockpot; and how frozen they were when placed in Crockpot.

TO COOK IN A SKILLET:

Heat 1 Tb salad oil in a large skillet, cook the meatballs over medium heat until brown, about 20 minutes. Drain off excess fat.

TO COOK IN THE OVEN:

Place the meatballs in a lightly greased baking pan or cookie sheet. Bake, uncovered, in a 400 degree F. oven until light brown, about 20 minutes. Drain off the excess fat.

FOR THE SAUCE:

In a large pot, heat the sauce ingredients to boiling. Simmer uncovered, until the sauce thickens.

Add the meatballs, cover and simmer a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until meatballs are glazed. Your sauce should be thick and meatballs coated with the sauce.

Keep hot in a crock pot!

Published
Categorized as Appetizers