This hearty soup is a great dinner on its own or with some sourdough toast. Took me a few times to perfect it, but this recipe is the one.
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 medium white onion
1-2 large carrot(s)
3 stalks celery
3 cloves garlic
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 14.5 oz can tomato sauce
1 14.5 oz can kidney beans
1 14.5 oz can white beans
1 14.5 oz can low sodium beef stock
1/2 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp. dried basil
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
1 dried bay leaf
4 oz. small pasta, such as ditali
salt & pepper to taste
Brown ground beef in a dutch oven or similar pan over medium-high heat. While beef cooks, finely dice the onion, peeled carrot, celery and garlic. Once beef is cooked add vegetables to the pan and cook for @12 minutes, until vegetables begin to soften. With lean ground beef there should just be enough grease from cooking the meat to saute the vegetables, but if there is too much drain it.
Add undrained cans of tomatoes and beans, and remaining ingredients except pasta. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for an hour.
When the soup has simmered for about 40 minutes, boil water and cook the noodles - don't cook them quite all the way, just get them al dente. Drain noodles and add to soup. Simmer for another 15 minutes or until noodles are cooked to preference.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Friday, October 2, 2009
Herbed pork tenderloin medallions
I'm falling in love with pork tenderloin. These are soooo good. They're kind of like...chicken nuggets, but tastier and softer and porkier. The portions with this came out perfect for two of us, and left me with half a pork tenderloin to make stew with.
1/2 pork tenderloin (about 1/2 - 3/4 lb)
1 egg
1/8 cup milk
1/4 cup garlic & herb fine bread crumbs
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp oregano
olive oil
Cut tenderloin into thin medallions, about 1/4 inch thick. You should get 10-12 from half a tenderloin. Mix egg and milk in a small flat bottomed bowl. Mix bread crumbs and seasonings in a similar bowl. Pour a thin layer of oil into a small skillet and heat over high heat.
Preheat oven to 350, the next step will take you long enough for the oven to warm up.
Coat meat in egg mix and let excess drip off. Dip in crumb mix and evenly coat meat, again allow excess to fall off but don't shake it hard. Quickly fry in heated oil for 20-30 seconds a side, just enough to give the crumbs a nice golden brown color and slight crunch. You do not want to allow the meat itself to start cooking, so be quick. Place fried meat in a baking dish and repeat with the rest of the meat. I had to add oil to the pan a couple of times because I was trying not to deep fry the meat, so be prepared to do so.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until cooked through.
To feed more than 2 people use the whole tenderloin and double the crumbs and spices. The egg mix in this should give enough for a whole tenderloin, I had a lot left over.
1/2 pork tenderloin (about 1/2 - 3/4 lb)
1 egg
1/8 cup milk
1/4 cup garlic & herb fine bread crumbs
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp oregano
olive oil
Cut tenderloin into thin medallions, about 1/4 inch thick. You should get 10-12 from half a tenderloin. Mix egg and milk in a small flat bottomed bowl. Mix bread crumbs and seasonings in a similar bowl. Pour a thin layer of oil into a small skillet and heat over high heat.
Preheat oven to 350, the next step will take you long enough for the oven to warm up.
Coat meat in egg mix and let excess drip off. Dip in crumb mix and evenly coat meat, again allow excess to fall off but don't shake it hard. Quickly fry in heated oil for 20-30 seconds a side, just enough to give the crumbs a nice golden brown color and slight crunch. You do not want to allow the meat itself to start cooking, so be quick. Place fried meat in a baking dish and repeat with the rest of the meat. I had to add oil to the pan a couple of times because I was trying not to deep fry the meat, so be prepared to do so.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until cooked through.
To feed more than 2 people use the whole tenderloin and double the crumbs and spices. The egg mix in this should give enough for a whole tenderloin, I had a lot left over.
Parmesan Roasted Potatoes
This is my take on a potato recipe I found at back to the cutting board - original recipe here.
1 1/2 lbs yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into bite size chunks
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 400. Prepare a cookie sheet with non-stick spray. Put potatoes in a medium bowl and toss with olive oil until evenly coated - use more oil if you need. Add salt, pepper and thyme and stir until potatoes are evenly coated. Arrange potatoes in a single layer on cookie sheet and top with cheese.
Bake for @ 45 minutes, until potatoes are soft and cheese is melted and golden brown.
1 1/2 lbs yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into bite size chunks
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 400. Prepare a cookie sheet with non-stick spray. Put potatoes in a medium bowl and toss with olive oil until evenly coated - use more oil if you need. Add salt, pepper and thyme and stir until potatoes are evenly coated. Arrange potatoes in a single layer on cookie sheet and top with cheese.
Bake for @ 45 minutes, until potatoes are soft and cheese is melted and golden brown.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Saucy three cheese lasagna
Lasagna, when you put in the time to make it good...is soooo good. This makes about a dozen servings.
13 whole wheat lasagna noodles
1 cup grated fresh parmesan cheese
Sauce:
1 lb sweet italian sausage
1 carrot, finely diced
3/4 cup red onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
1/2 cup red wine
30 oz. tomato sauce
15 oz. diced tomatoes
6 oz tomato paste
Cheese filling:
15 oz. ricotta cheese
12 oz. low moisture mozarella cheese, divided
1 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 egg
Sauce:
In a large skillet, brown sausage, making sure to break it up into small pieces. Once sausage is done remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon and set aside, reserving grease. Drain all but 2 tbsp. sausage grease from the skillet. Add carrots and saute over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add onions and garlic, saute another 4 minutes. Add herbs, saute for 2 more minutes, stirring frequently to avoid scorching. Vegetables should be soft at this point, and you should wind up with a sort of gooey mess when you add the herbs. After 2 minutes, or when vegetables are soft, add wine and stir immediately. Cook, stirring frequently, until liquid is mostly gone. Add tomato paste, sauce and tomatoes and stir thoroughly. Simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Cheese mixture:
Grate mozarella - you should have around 4 cups grated cheese. Mix three cups mozarella, ricotta, egg, basil and pepper in a medium bowl.
Assembly:
Cook noodles per package directions. Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9x12 baking dish with cooking spray. Place two noodles along the short edge of the dish so that they also go slightly up the side of the dish, then three noodles across the long edge. The purpose of the two short-edge noodles is to help keep the lasagna together when served. Top with half of the cheese mixture and one third of the sauce, spreading evenly. Top with four noodles, remaining cheese mixture and another third of the sauce. Top with four noodles and remaining sauce. Sprinkle remaining grated mozarella and parmesan cheese over the top.
Bake for 40-45 minutes until cheese is golden brown and pasta is bubbly around the edges.
13 whole wheat lasagna noodles
1 cup grated fresh parmesan cheese
Sauce:
1 lb sweet italian sausage
1 carrot, finely diced
3/4 cup red onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
1/2 cup red wine
30 oz. tomato sauce
15 oz. diced tomatoes
6 oz tomato paste
Cheese filling:
15 oz. ricotta cheese
12 oz. low moisture mozarella cheese, divided
1 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 egg
Sauce:
In a large skillet, brown sausage, making sure to break it up into small pieces. Once sausage is done remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon and set aside, reserving grease. Drain all but 2 tbsp. sausage grease from the skillet. Add carrots and saute over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add onions and garlic, saute another 4 minutes. Add herbs, saute for 2 more minutes, stirring frequently to avoid scorching. Vegetables should be soft at this point, and you should wind up with a sort of gooey mess when you add the herbs. After 2 minutes, or when vegetables are soft, add wine and stir immediately. Cook, stirring frequently, until liquid is mostly gone. Add tomato paste, sauce and tomatoes and stir thoroughly. Simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Cheese mixture:
Grate mozarella - you should have around 4 cups grated cheese. Mix three cups mozarella, ricotta, egg, basil and pepper in a medium bowl.
Assembly:
Cook noodles per package directions. Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9x12 baking dish with cooking spray. Place two noodles along the short edge of the dish so that they also go slightly up the side of the dish, then three noodles across the long edge. The purpose of the two short-edge noodles is to help keep the lasagna together when served. Top with half of the cheese mixture and one third of the sauce, spreading evenly. Top with four noodles, remaining cheese mixture and another third of the sauce. Top with four noodles and remaining sauce. Sprinkle remaining grated mozarella and parmesan cheese over the top.
Bake for 40-45 minutes until cheese is golden brown and pasta is bubbly around the edges.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Chicken Tortilla Soup
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 48 oz. can chicken stock
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 14. oz can yellow corn, drained
1 6 oz. can diced green chilies
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 zucchini, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1 fresh anaheim chili pepper, diced
3 tbsp. fresh cilantro, finely chopped
2 tsp. mexican style chili powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. olive oil
pepper, to taste
tortilla chips
shredded pepper jack cheese, to taste
Cook and cube chicken using your preferred method. I just slice it, throw the slices in a frying pan, cook it over medium heat, then dice the heck out of it after it's cooked. It's much easier to get smaller pieces once the chicken is cooked.
While your chicken cooks, dice the vegetables and chop the cilantro.
Heat the oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add garlic, let saute for 1 minute, stirring often. Add carrots and bell pepper, saute for 3 minutes, stirring often. Add zucchini and onion and saute for another 3 minutes, still stirring often.
Add oregano, chili power and cilantro to the pot, mix well so vegetables are coated with seasonings, and cook for an additional minute.
Add remaining ingredients, except chips and cheese to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for at least an hour.
Top individual bowls with chips and cheese just before serving.
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 48 oz. can chicken stock
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 14. oz can yellow corn, drained
1 6 oz. can diced green chilies
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 zucchini, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1 fresh anaheim chili pepper, diced
3 tbsp. fresh cilantro, finely chopped
2 tsp. mexican style chili powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. olive oil
pepper, to taste
tortilla chips
shredded pepper jack cheese, to taste
Cook and cube chicken using your preferred method. I just slice it, throw the slices in a frying pan, cook it over medium heat, then dice the heck out of it after it's cooked. It's much easier to get smaller pieces once the chicken is cooked.
While your chicken cooks, dice the vegetables and chop the cilantro.
Heat the oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add garlic, let saute for 1 minute, stirring often. Add carrots and bell pepper, saute for 3 minutes, stirring often. Add zucchini and onion and saute for another 3 minutes, still stirring often.
Add oregano, chili power and cilantro to the pot, mix well so vegetables are coated with seasonings, and cook for an additional minute.
Add remaining ingredients, except chips and cheese to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for at least an hour.
Top individual bowls with chips and cheese just before serving.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Potato Soup
I got this recipe from the wife of one of my old bosses. It's the best darn potato soup I've ever had.
8 potatoes, peeled and boiled
1 14.5 oz can chicken broth
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 lb. bacon
1 white onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1/2 pint half n' half
Green onions
In a stock pot, boil potatoes, drain and mash to your preferred consistency. Cook the bacon while the potatoes boil. Save the bacon grease and saute the onion and celery in it.
Add chicken stock and cream of mushroom to potatoes. Add all other ingredients and cook over medium-low heat until cheese is melted and soup is heated through.
8 potatoes, peeled and boiled
1 14.5 oz can chicken broth
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 lb. bacon
1 white onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1/2 pint half n' half
Green onions
In a stock pot, boil potatoes, drain and mash to your preferred consistency. Cook the bacon while the potatoes boil. Save the bacon grease and saute the onion and celery in it.
Add chicken stock and cream of mushroom to potatoes. Add all other ingredients and cook over medium-low heat until cheese is melted and soup is heated through.
Beef Stew
1.5 lbs beef chunks
6 yukon gold potatoes
1/2 bag baby carrots
1 small white onion
1 can diced tomatoes
1 carton + 2 cans low sodium beef stock
1 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 1/2 cups V-8
1 tsp. tabasco sauce
1 can corn, drained
1 tsp. parsley
1 tsp. black pepper
Marinade
3/4 cup worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
Mix marinade ingredients and marinate chunked meat at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Chop vegetables into bite sized pieces. Brown meat in the bottom of a stock pot for about 5 minutes - don't cook it all the way through. Add remaining ingredients, stir well. Let simmer for 3-4 hours until meat is cooked through and vegetables are tender. Alternatively, brown meat and mix everything in a large crock pot. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
6 yukon gold potatoes
1/2 bag baby carrots
1 small white onion
1 can diced tomatoes
1 carton + 2 cans low sodium beef stock
1 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 1/2 cups V-8
1 tsp. tabasco sauce
1 can corn, drained
1 tsp. parsley
1 tsp. black pepper
Marinade
3/4 cup worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
Mix marinade ingredients and marinate chunked meat at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Chop vegetables into bite sized pieces. Brown meat in the bottom of a stock pot for about 5 minutes - don't cook it all the way through. Add remaining ingredients, stir well. Let simmer for 3-4 hours until meat is cooked through and vegetables are tender. Alternatively, brown meat and mix everything in a large crock pot. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
Dump Cake
This is the easiest, bestest cake evar. The name is weird...but self-explanatory.
20 oz crushed pineapple, with juice
21 oz cherry pie filling
1 box white cake mix
1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
Preheat oven to 350.
Dump pineapple and pie filling into a 9x13 pan and stir together. Sprinkle cake mix evenly over the top. Slice butter thinly and place evenly over top of cake mix.
Top with nuts or shredded coconut if desired, but it's also great just as it is. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, until lightly browned.
20 oz crushed pineapple, with juice
21 oz cherry pie filling
1 box white cake mix
1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
Preheat oven to 350.
Dump pineapple and pie filling into a 9x13 pan and stir together. Sprinkle cake mix evenly over the top. Slice butter thinly and place evenly over top of cake mix.
Top with nuts or shredded coconut if desired, but it's also great just as it is. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, until lightly browned.
Fruity Cake
No, this is not fruit cake, don't panic...I haven't gone crazy. The fruit flavor in this light, easy cake comes from yogurt. I imagine any flavor yogurt will do, I've only used cherry though. I always use light cool whip and yogurt.
1 18 oz box white cake mix
1 1/4 cups water
1/3 cup canola oil
4 egg whites
12 oz. fruit yogurt
8 oz. cool whip
Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 baking dish.
In a large bowl, combine cake mix, water, oil and eggs and stir until moistened. Add 6 oz. yogurt and stir until smooth. Pour into prepared baking dish and bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool on a wire rack.
Combine remaining 6 oz. yogurt and cool whip and frost top of cooled cake.
1 18 oz box white cake mix
1 1/4 cups water
1/3 cup canola oil
4 egg whites
12 oz. fruit yogurt
8 oz. cool whip
Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 baking dish.
In a large bowl, combine cake mix, water, oil and eggs and stir until moistened. Add 6 oz. yogurt and stir until smooth. Pour into prepared baking dish and bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool on a wire rack.
Combine remaining 6 oz. yogurt and cool whip and frost top of cooled cake.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Veggie Slaw
If you've ever had the napa vegetables at Rainforest Cafe, this is just like those. It's a nice light and sweet side.
1 each red, yellow and green bell pepper
1 large jicama
5 carrots
1 cucumber
1/2 head red cabbage
2 cups yellow raisins
2/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
Julienne or dice the veggies as you prefer and put them all in a large bowl. Mix the vinegar, oil and sugar and toss well with veggies. You can eat this right away, but it's much better if you let the veggies soak up the liquid for a bit. You can also add red onion, corn, or just about any veggie that sounds good.
1 each red, yellow and green bell pepper
1 large jicama
5 carrots
1 cucumber
1/2 head red cabbage
2 cups yellow raisins
2/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
Julienne or dice the veggies as you prefer and put them all in a large bowl. Mix the vinegar, oil and sugar and toss well with veggies. You can eat this right away, but it's much better if you let the veggies soak up the liquid for a bit. You can also add red onion, corn, or just about any veggie that sounds good.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Corn and Black Bean Salsa
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 intact garlic bulb
1 small container fresh grape tomatoes
3 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 15 oz. can corn, drained
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained
2 7 oz. cans Herdez salsa casera
Juice of 1 lime
Preheat oven to 350. Line a medium sized baking pan with foil.
Cut tomatoes in half and place in a large bowl. Peel all but the last layer of skin off of the bulb of garlic, keeping the bulb intact. Add garlic to the tomato bowl, drizzle with olive oil and gently toss until evenly coated with oil. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes or until tomatoes begin to blacken. Be careful not to overly burn the tomatoes.
While tomatoes and garlic cook, place all other ingredients except corn and lime juice in a bowl, but do not stir. When tomatoes and garlic are done add tomatoes to this bowl, and squeeze roasted garlic into the bowl as well. Don't stir it yet!
Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Pour one layer of corn into the pan and dry roast for 3-5 minutes, tossing continuously, until smoky and dark. Repeat until all corn is roasted.
Add roasted corn to the bowl with other ingredients and squeeze the lime over the bowl. Now you can stir it! Serve with tortilla chips.
1 intact garlic bulb
1 small container fresh grape tomatoes
3 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 15 oz. can corn, drained
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained
2 7 oz. cans Herdez salsa casera
Juice of 1 lime
Preheat oven to 350. Line a medium sized baking pan with foil.
Cut tomatoes in half and place in a large bowl. Peel all but the last layer of skin off of the bulb of garlic, keeping the bulb intact. Add garlic to the tomato bowl, drizzle with olive oil and gently toss until evenly coated with oil. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes or until tomatoes begin to blacken. Be careful not to overly burn the tomatoes.
While tomatoes and garlic cook, place all other ingredients except corn and lime juice in a bowl, but do not stir. When tomatoes and garlic are done add tomatoes to this bowl, and squeeze roasted garlic into the bowl as well. Don't stir it yet!
Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Pour one layer of corn into the pan and dry roast for 3-5 minutes, tossing continuously, until smoky and dark. Repeat until all corn is roasted.
Add roasted corn to the bowl with other ingredients and squeeze the lime over the bowl. Now you can stir it! Serve with tortilla chips.
Karen's Seafood Spread
This creamy spread is so good most people won't guess it's got seafood in it. The last time I made it my sister ate a bunch of it, thought it was great, and then of course decided it was G-ross when I told her it had crab in it.
1 6.5 oz can crab
1 cup grated swiss cheese
1/2 cup mayonaisse
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. worchestershire sauce
Dash of paprika
Mix all ingredients well. This can be served cold or warm, with crackers. This can also be made with canned tuna or shrimp, but I've only had it with crab.
1 6.5 oz can crab
1 cup grated swiss cheese
1/2 cup mayonaisse
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. worchestershire sauce
Dash of paprika
Mix all ingredients well. This can be served cold or warm, with crackers. This can also be made with canned tuna or shrimp, but I've only had it with crab.
Sally's Shrimp Dip
My friend Sally used to make us this as a treat for those awfully boring work days. It's awesome.
1 lb. fresh baby shrimp
1 jar cocktail sauce
1 tomato, diced
1 small onion, diced
1-2 jalapeno peppers, diced
2 tbsp. chopped cilantro
Juice of one lemon
Mix all ingredients well. Serve with tortilla chips.
Yum, yum yum yum yum!
1 lb. fresh baby shrimp
1 jar cocktail sauce
1 tomato, diced
1 small onion, diced
1-2 jalapeno peppers, diced
2 tbsp. chopped cilantro
Juice of one lemon
Mix all ingredients well. Serve with tortilla chips.
Yum, yum yum yum yum!
Monday, June 15, 2009
Cinnamon Coffee Cake
This is my variation of a recipe I found in a magazine a couple years ago. It's a great breakfast treat, best served warm. Every time I've made it it's been a huge hit.
1/2 cup butter, softened
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar, divided
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3 tsp. cinnamon
Optional: 2 green apples, chopped into small cubes
Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a round springform pan and set aside.
In a large bowl beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add 1 1/2 cups sugar and vanilla and beat until mixed. Add eggs one a time, beating after each addition.
In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt and 2 tsp. cinnamon. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture slowly, until well mixed. The batter should be smooth. If using apples, add to the batter. Pour batter into springform pan.
Mix remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over top of cake.
Bake for 1 hour, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
1/2 cup butter, softened
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar, divided
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3 tsp. cinnamon
Optional: 2 green apples, chopped into small cubes
Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a round springform pan and set aside.
In a large bowl beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add 1 1/2 cups sugar and vanilla and beat until mixed. Add eggs one a time, beating after each addition.
In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt and 2 tsp. cinnamon. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture slowly, until well mixed. The batter should be smooth. If using apples, add to the batter. Pour batter into springform pan.
Mix remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over top of cake.
Bake for 1 hour, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Enchilada Bake
The first time I made this, Chris decided it was "really good but it feels like someone chewed my enchiladas for me". I know that probably turns you off, but trust me it's good. This is my slight variation on a recipe from my pal Karen.
2 8 oz cans cans El Pato tomato sauce*
6-8 taco size corn tortillas
1 4 oz. can diced green chilies
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 small onion, diced
1 4 oz. diced olives
Cube and cook chicken (or use shredded rotiserrie chicken or canned if you want to make it easier). Cut tortillas into slices about 1" thick.
Pour half of a can of tomato sauce into the bottom of an 11x7 baking dish. Top with tortillas, half of the chicken, olives and chilies, and one-third of the cheese and onions. Repeat layers, until your top layer is tomato sauce, cheese and onions.
Cover loosely with plastic wrap and microwave for 10 minutes. While it microwaves, preheat your oven to 400. After microwaving, replace plastic wrap with foil and bake for 10 minutes.
Serve topped with sour cream, salsa or whatever floats your boat.
*El Pato tomato sauce is spicy. For a less spicy dish, combine El Pato tomato sauce with plain tomato sauce. Don't just use plain tomato sauce however, El Pato is seasoned and the flavor would not work well with plain tomato sauce lacking that seasoning.
2 8 oz cans cans El Pato tomato sauce*
6-8 taco size corn tortillas
1 4 oz. can diced green chilies
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 small onion, diced
1 4 oz. diced olives
Cube and cook chicken (or use shredded rotiserrie chicken or canned if you want to make it easier). Cut tortillas into slices about 1" thick.
Pour half of a can of tomato sauce into the bottom of an 11x7 baking dish. Top with tortillas, half of the chicken, olives and chilies, and one-third of the cheese and onions. Repeat layers, until your top layer is tomato sauce, cheese and onions.
Cover loosely with plastic wrap and microwave for 10 minutes. While it microwaves, preheat your oven to 400. After microwaving, replace plastic wrap with foil and bake for 10 minutes.
Serve topped with sour cream, salsa or whatever floats your boat.
*El Pato tomato sauce is spicy. For a less spicy dish, combine El Pato tomato sauce with plain tomato sauce. Don't just use plain tomato sauce however, El Pato is seasoned and the flavor would not work well with plain tomato sauce lacking that seasoning.
Macaroni and Cheese
This is my slight variation of a recipe I found on the back of a can of condensed milk. It was staring at me from the shelf for months before I gave in...I wish I had done it sooner.
2.5 cups large elbow macaroni, uncooked
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 heaping cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 heaping cups shredded pepper-jack cheese
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 14 oz can evaporated milk
Bread crumbs
Salt
Pepper
1-2 cups fresh or frozen broccoli, optional
Preheat oven to 350. Cook noodles. If adding broccoli, add broccoli to the noodles during the last 3-4 minutes of cooking.
Cut chicken into cubes and generously season with salt and pepper. Cook seasoned chicken in a skillet over medium heat until done.
Mix chicken, noodles, broccoli, milk, cheeses (except 1/4 cup parmesan) and 1/2 tsp. pepper in a large bowl. Pour into a lightly greased 3 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil, bake for an additional 10 minutes.
2.5 cups large elbow macaroni, uncooked
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 heaping cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 heaping cups shredded pepper-jack cheese
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 14 oz can evaporated milk
Bread crumbs
Salt
Pepper
1-2 cups fresh or frozen broccoli, optional
Preheat oven to 350. Cook noodles. If adding broccoli, add broccoli to the noodles during the last 3-4 minutes of cooking.
Cut chicken into cubes and generously season with salt and pepper. Cook seasoned chicken in a skillet over medium heat until done.
Mix chicken, noodles, broccoli, milk, cheeses (except 1/4 cup parmesan) and 1/2 tsp. pepper in a large bowl. Pour into a lightly greased 3 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil, bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Lime Tequila Chicken Fajitas
I got this recipe off the box of a cooking set I was given as a gift a few years ago. It's very worth the wait.
Marinade
1 tsp. cocoa powder
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. tobasco sauce
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup tequila
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tbsp. sugar
4 tbsp. cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup water
Fajitas
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1.5 lbs chicken, cut into strips
2 limes, quartered
2 yellow squash, sliced
1 purple onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced
Mix all marinade ingredients and marinade chicken for at least 2-3 hours.
Heat oil in a frying pan or wok. I know it's goofy but I love cooking fajitas in my wok. It works perfectly! Remove chicken from marinade, reserving marinade. Cook chicken until done and remove from pan - place in a heated dish and cover with foil to keep warm. Add vegetables to pan and cook until tender. Remove vegetables and place with chicken. Add marinade to the pan and cook until heated through, to kill any bacteria from the raw chicken. Add chicken and vegetables back to the pan and mix with marinade.
Serve in tortillas with cheese, sour cream, salsa or whatever else floats your boat.
Marinade
1 tsp. cocoa powder
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. tobasco sauce
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup tequila
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tbsp. sugar
4 tbsp. cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup water
Fajitas
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1.5 lbs chicken, cut into strips
2 limes, quartered
2 yellow squash, sliced
1 purple onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced
Mix all marinade ingredients and marinade chicken for at least 2-3 hours.
Heat oil in a frying pan or wok. I know it's goofy but I love cooking fajitas in my wok. It works perfectly! Remove chicken from marinade, reserving marinade. Cook chicken until done and remove from pan - place in a heated dish and cover with foil to keep warm. Add vegetables to pan and cook until tender. Remove vegetables and place with chicken. Add marinade to the pan and cook until heated through, to kill any bacteria from the raw chicken. Add chicken and vegetables back to the pan and mix with marinade.
Serve in tortillas with cheese, sour cream, salsa or whatever else floats your boat.
Honey Orange Chicken
This is an awesome, easy weekday dinner meat.
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp. canola oil
1 very large orange
3 scallions, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp. soy sauce
Preheat oven to 350.
Cut orange in half and juice half the orange. You need 4 tbsp. orange juice. Chop the remaining half of the orange into bite size pieces.
Heat oil in a medium sauce pan, over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic for about 1 minute, until onion just starts to soften. Add the honey, soy sauce and orange juice. Stir until honey dissolves and let cook for about five minutes.
Place chicken in an oven proof dish. Pour sauce over chicken. Bake for 35 - 45 minutes, until chicken is done. Occasionally baste the top of the chicken with the sauce from the dish.
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp. canola oil
1 very large orange
3 scallions, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp. soy sauce
Preheat oven to 350.
Cut orange in half and juice half the orange. You need 4 tbsp. orange juice. Chop the remaining half of the orange into bite size pieces.
Heat oil in a medium sauce pan, over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic for about 1 minute, until onion just starts to soften. Add the honey, soy sauce and orange juice. Stir until honey dissolves and let cook for about five minutes.
Place chicken in an oven proof dish. Pour sauce over chicken. Bake for 35 - 45 minutes, until chicken is done. Occasionally baste the top of the chicken with the sauce from the dish.
Spanish Rice
This is another old family recipe I've been able to get my hands on. I've made some slight modifications to it based on what I usually have on hand in my kitchen. The original recipe is from Vallejo's restaurant in Sacramento, it was published in the newspaper and someone in the family was fortunate enough to grab it.
1 cup rice, uncooked
2 tbsp. canola oil
1/3 cup minced onion
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 cup tomato sauce*
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 tsp. salt
In a frying pan, heat oil over medium heat and add rice. Cook, stirring frequently, until rice is golden brown. Add onion and garlic and cook for another minute. Add remaining ingredients, stir, cover and cook for 10-15 minutes, until liquid has been absorbed and rice is tender.
*I like to use El Pato brand tomato sauce, which is spicy. Sometimes I'll also chop up a fresh jalapeno and toss it in with the onion and garlic.
The original Spanish rice recipe calls for lard instead of oil, and 2 chicken bullion cubes and 2 1/2 cups water rather than chicken stock.
1 cup rice, uncooked
2 tbsp. canola oil
1/3 cup minced onion
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 cup tomato sauce*
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 tsp. salt
In a frying pan, heat oil over medium heat and add rice. Cook, stirring frequently, until rice is golden brown. Add onion and garlic and cook for another minute. Add remaining ingredients, stir, cover and cook for 10-15 minutes, until liquid has been absorbed and rice is tender.
*I like to use El Pato brand tomato sauce, which is spicy. Sometimes I'll also chop up a fresh jalapeno and toss it in with the onion and garlic.
The original Spanish rice recipe calls for lard instead of oil, and 2 chicken bullion cubes and 2 1/2 cups water rather than chicken stock.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Swiss Bacon Dip
This is THE party dip. I take it everywhere I go and make it for everything I have at my house. I'd get in big trouble if I didn't.
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 cups grated swiss cheese
8 slices bacon
3 scallions, sliced
2 tsp. dijon mustard
Cook, drain and crumble bacon. Preheat oven to 400. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir well.
Pour mixture into an oven safe dish and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the edges are bubbly and begin to brown. If you like you can serve it topped with sliced almonds, personally I think it's got enough flavor without them.
Serve with crackers and be ware, I've had more than one person want to just eat the dip with a fork! Pepperidge Farm's entertainment quartet crackers go really well with it, or any dark multi-grain cracker. Don't use ritz or buttery crackers.
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 cups grated swiss cheese
8 slices bacon
3 scallions, sliced
2 tsp. dijon mustard
Cook, drain and crumble bacon. Preheat oven to 400. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir well.
Pour mixture into an oven safe dish and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the edges are bubbly and begin to brown. If you like you can serve it topped with sliced almonds, personally I think it's got enough flavor without them.
Serve with crackers and be ware, I've had more than one person want to just eat the dip with a fork! Pepperidge Farm's entertainment quartet crackers go really well with it, or any dark multi-grain cracker. Don't use ritz or buttery crackers.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Chicken Marinade
This is a dark, somewhat salty marinade that will give you some great chicken. Use low sodium soy sauce for less salt.
1 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tbsp. sherry
3 tbsp. brown sugar
3 cloves garlic, crushed
Mix all ingredients well. Marinate chicken for at least 2 hours. I prefer to let it sit 6-8 hours.
1 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tbsp. sherry
3 tbsp. brown sugar
3 cloves garlic, crushed
Mix all ingredients well. Marinate chicken for at least 2 hours. I prefer to let it sit 6-8 hours.
Chili Colorado
This is another family recipe that I've been lucky to get a hold of. It's a traditional Mexican dish. The meat is meant to be served wrapped up in tortillas with some of the sauce, but you can also use it in just about anything Mexican style - tacos, tostadas, burritos, etc.
2 lbs. boneless pork, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 tsp. salt
3 1/2 cups water
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/8 tsp. cumin seed
1/4 tsp. oregano
8 dried anahiem chilies (chilies de la tierra)
2 tbsp. peanut or safflower oil
2 tsp. flour
Put the meat, salt and 1/4 cup water into a heavy pan. Cover pan and cook over low heat, shaking from time to time to prevent sticking, until the meat is just tender and the fat is rendering out. This should take about 45 minutes. If the meat becomes too dry during cooking add a little more water.
Crush the garlic, cumin and oregano in a mortar. Remove stems from chilies (leave seeds and veins), place in a pot, cover with water and simmer for about 10 minutes until the skin is soft. Drain water and place chilies in a blender with garlic paste and 1 cup water. Blend until smooth and set aside.
Add oil as necessary to the fat in the meat pan to make about 3 tbsp. Heat the oil and fry the meat lightly, turning it from time to time. Sprinkle the flour over the meat and keep frying until it slightly browns. Pass the chili sauce through a strainer into the pan and fry for a few minutes longer, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan. Add the remaining 2 1/2 cups water (the sauce should be thin) and cook for 15-20 minutes longer.
2 lbs. boneless pork, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 tsp. salt
3 1/2 cups water
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/8 tsp. cumin seed
1/4 tsp. oregano
8 dried anahiem chilies (chilies de la tierra)
2 tbsp. peanut or safflower oil
2 tsp. flour
Put the meat, salt and 1/4 cup water into a heavy pan. Cover pan and cook over low heat, shaking from time to time to prevent sticking, until the meat is just tender and the fat is rendering out. This should take about 45 minutes. If the meat becomes too dry during cooking add a little more water.
Crush the garlic, cumin and oregano in a mortar. Remove stems from chilies (leave seeds and veins), place in a pot, cover with water and simmer for about 10 minutes until the skin is soft. Drain water and place chilies in a blender with garlic paste and 1 cup water. Blend until smooth and set aside.
Add oil as necessary to the fat in the meat pan to make about 3 tbsp. Heat the oil and fry the meat lightly, turning it from time to time. Sprinkle the flour over the meat and keep frying until it slightly browns. Pass the chili sauce through a strainer into the pan and fry for a few minutes longer, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan. Add the remaining 2 1/2 cups water (the sauce should be thin) and cook for 15-20 minutes longer.
Asian Flank Steak
This recipe came from a former co-worker of mine, Karen. As I get stuff up on here you'll see her name pop up often, she's very forthcoming with her recipes (except her pumpkin bread, sigh) - and they're all very good.
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup plum sauce
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup scallions, finely diced
3 tbsp. fresh cilantro, diced
2 tbsp. fresh ginger, minced
2 tbsp. fresh garlic, minced
2 flank steaks (about 2.5 pounds total)
Combine all ingredients except meat and mix well. Pour into a sealable bag or container and marinate meat for at least 3-6 hours, flipping occasionally.
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup plum sauce
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup scallions, finely diced
3 tbsp. fresh cilantro, diced
2 tbsp. fresh ginger, minced
2 tbsp. fresh garlic, minced
2 flank steaks (about 2.5 pounds total)
Combine all ingredients except meat and mix well. Pour into a sealable bag or container and marinate meat for at least 3-6 hours, flipping occasionally.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Vinha Dahlos (meat marinade)
This recipe is an old Portuguese recipe handed down from my dad's family. It's very versatile and can be used on red or white meat with only a modification of the type of wine you're using. The trick is in the time - you really have to let it sit for a couple days to get to it's best.
1 1/2 cups vinegar
1 cup wine - red for red meat, white for white meat
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/8 tsp. sage
1 tbsp. coriander seeds, cracked
2 tsp. salt
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp. olive oil
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1-2 tsp. red pepper flakes, to taste
Combine all ingredients and use a marinade for whatever meat you like. My aunt uses this on thinly sliced beef for sandwiches and it's phenomenal. Marinate at least over night, over two or three nights if you can wait that long.
1 1/2 cups vinegar
1 cup wine - red for red meat, white for white meat
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/8 tsp. sage
1 tbsp. coriander seeds, cracked
2 tsp. salt
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp. olive oil
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1-2 tsp. red pepper flakes, to taste
Combine all ingredients and use a marinade for whatever meat you like. My aunt uses this on thinly sliced beef for sandwiches and it's phenomenal. Marinate at least over night, over two or three nights if you can wait that long.
Southwestern Style Chili
Ok, so this one isn't a summer recipe at all. In fact, it'll probably be a few months before I make it again, at least if I have my way. The boys here absolutely love this stuff though, and I doubt they'll let me go that long without it. It's a great make ahead meal, you can prepare everything the night before and leave the crock pot on in the morning. You'll come home to a great hot meal and a wonderful smelling house.
2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 large onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 14.5 oz cans tomato sauce
1 15 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can white beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes, UNdrained
1 tbsp. yellow mustard
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. cumin
1-2 tsp. cayenne pepper, to taste
1-2 tbsp. red pepper flakes, to taste
Brown hamburger and drain grease. Create a well in the bottom of your pan and add onion, bell pepper and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, until onion and bell pepper begin to soften. Stir often to ensure nothing burns.
While the meat is cooking, throw everything else in your crock pot and turn it on low. The cayenne powder and pepper flakes can be omitted for mild chili. As written you'll get what I think of as a fairly hot chili - which to most of the world means a really hot chili. For medium halve the given amounts.
Add the meat mixture to your crockpot and stir well. Cover and let it cook on low for at least 4 hours. I usually let it cook for 6-8.
Edit: Lately I've been making this with turkey for a healthier meal. It comes out with a nicer consistency and tastes great. I use a standard 1.25 lb. package of turkey. For more detailed directions, check out my guide on Associated Content.
2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 large onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 14.5 oz cans tomato sauce
1 15 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can white beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes, UNdrained
1 tbsp. yellow mustard
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. cumin
1-2 tsp. cayenne pepper, to taste
1-2 tbsp. red pepper flakes, to taste
Brown hamburger and drain grease. Create a well in the bottom of your pan and add onion, bell pepper and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, until onion and bell pepper begin to soften. Stir often to ensure nothing burns.
While the meat is cooking, throw everything else in your crock pot and turn it on low. The cayenne powder and pepper flakes can be omitted for mild chili. As written you'll get what I think of as a fairly hot chili - which to most of the world means a really hot chili. For medium halve the given amounts.
Add the meat mixture to your crockpot and stir well. Cover and let it cook on low for at least 4 hours. I usually let it cook for 6-8.
Edit: Lately I've been making this with turkey for a healthier meal. It comes out with a nicer consistency and tastes great. I use a standard 1.25 lb. package of turkey. For more detailed directions, check out my guide on Associated Content.
Red Meat Marinade
Summer is here, and out comes the barbecue! Hooorrray! My favorite thing about the seasons changing is the food changing as well - a barbecue on a rainy day just doesn't seem nearly as awesome as it does when it's sweltering out and you can't cook without a beer to keep you cool.
I'm a marinade whore. That's right, a whore. I love to marinade. Ever since I was kid it's been my favorite. I usually use this on london broil, but really it'd work nicely on any red meat.
3 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp. canola oil
2 tbsp. ketchup
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. black pepper
Mix all ingredients well and pour into a bag with meat. I like to let the meat sit for at least four hours, but usually overnight.
I'm a marinade whore. That's right, a whore. I love to marinade. Ever since I was kid it's been my favorite. I usually use this on london broil, but really it'd work nicely on any red meat.
3 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp. canola oil
2 tbsp. ketchup
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. black pepper
Mix all ingredients well and pour into a bag with meat. I like to let the meat sit for at least four hours, but usually overnight.
Jack Daniel's Grilling Sauce
I absolutely love Todd Wilbur and his book series, Top Secret Restaurant Recipes. It's a goldmine of replicated restaurant recipes. To make it even better, he has some free recipes on his website.
Like many people, my friend Benny is madly in love with TGIFridays' Jack Daniels grilling sauce. The restaurant lets you put it on pretty much any meat you can think of, and boy is it good. So of course when I found the recipe on the Top Secret Recipes website I talked Benny into a great trade - he and my sister got me a new indoor grill for my birthday, and I made him Jack Daniels steak on it.
The sauce came out fantastic! I was a little surprised at the recipe - there's very little Jack in it - but man it was greaaaat! Due to copyright restrictions I can't repost the actual recipe, but it's so good I had to share it. Check it out on the TSR website.
Like many people, my friend Benny is madly in love with TGIFridays' Jack Daniels grilling sauce. The restaurant lets you put it on pretty much any meat you can think of, and boy is it good. So of course when I found the recipe on the Top Secret Recipes website I talked Benny into a great trade - he and my sister got me a new indoor grill for my birthday, and I made him Jack Daniels steak on it.
The sauce came out fantastic! I was a little surprised at the recipe - there's very little Jack in it - but man it was greaaaat! Due to copyright restrictions I can't repost the actual recipe, but it's so good I had to share it. Check it out on the TSR website.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Beef Jerky
Home made beef jerky is a true labor of love and requires a few days and some careful planning. It's well worth it though, especially for those long road trips where beef jerky is a must have munchie.
What you will need:
1-2 lb hunk of meat
toothpicks
soy sauce
worcestershire sauce
liquid smoke
various spices that I'll discuss later
Start with a 1-2 lb hunk of meat. You need to choose a cut that has very little fat - the fat will not dry and will just get naaaaasty, and no one wants to make naaaaasty beef jerky. I like to use london broil - it's just the right width and has very little fat. Put the meat in the freezer the night before you want to start making your jerky - the frozen meat will be much easier to cut.
If you have a mandolin slicer (and shame on you if you don't), you can use it to thinly slice your frozen meat in the morning. Do this before you mix up the marinade so the meat will have thawed some before it goes in the marinade.
The marinade is the fun part of this. I like spicy jerky, but I also like traditional smoky beef jerky - so I make both. You can adjust the ingredients to your liking, that's the beauty of it all. Marinate the meat for at least a day, preferably two to three, turning occasionally. You really want the meat saturated with this stuff.
On cooking day you will need the full day, so make sure to plan ahead - and get up early in the morning. Move your oven racks so that they are at the very top and bottom of your oven, and place a large cookie sheet on the bottom rack. Remove the meat from the marinade and pierce the end of it with a toothpick. Hang the toothpicks from the top oven rack, being careful to keep your bottom rack cookie sheet underneath it to absorb the inevitable drips.
Pro Tip - I use colored toothpicks, red for the hot jerky and blue for the sweet, so they don't get mixed up.
Once your meat is all hung, turn your oven on to its absolute lowest setting. For me this is about 180. Remember, you do not want to bake your meat, you want to dry it. Prop the door of your oven slightly open (I stick a pair of tongs in there) to give the moisture an escape route. Check on it in about 8 hours, although it should take 12-16 to fully dry.
Spicy Jerky Marinade:
1/3 cup + 2 tbsp. worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp. liquid smoke
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. tobasco sauce
Sweet Jerky Marinade:
1/3 cup worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tbsp. brown sugar
Each of these marinades is enough for 1 lb of meat, so if you only want sweet jerky and have a 2 lb hunk of meat, double the marinade.
For a more in depth guide to making beef jerky, check out my guide on Associated Content.
What you will need:
1-2 lb hunk of meat
toothpicks
soy sauce
worcestershire sauce
liquid smoke
various spices that I'll discuss later
Start with a 1-2 lb hunk of meat. You need to choose a cut that has very little fat - the fat will not dry and will just get naaaaasty, and no one wants to make naaaaasty beef jerky. I like to use london broil - it's just the right width and has very little fat. Put the meat in the freezer the night before you want to start making your jerky - the frozen meat will be much easier to cut.
If you have a mandolin slicer (and shame on you if you don't), you can use it to thinly slice your frozen meat in the morning. Do this before you mix up the marinade so the meat will have thawed some before it goes in the marinade.
The marinade is the fun part of this. I like spicy jerky, but I also like traditional smoky beef jerky - so I make both. You can adjust the ingredients to your liking, that's the beauty of it all. Marinate the meat for at least a day, preferably two to three, turning occasionally. You really want the meat saturated with this stuff.
On cooking day you will need the full day, so make sure to plan ahead - and get up early in the morning. Move your oven racks so that they are at the very top and bottom of your oven, and place a large cookie sheet on the bottom rack. Remove the meat from the marinade and pierce the end of it with a toothpick. Hang the toothpicks from the top oven rack, being careful to keep your bottom rack cookie sheet underneath it to absorb the inevitable drips.
Pro Tip - I use colored toothpicks, red for the hot jerky and blue for the sweet, so they don't get mixed up.
Once your meat is all hung, turn your oven on to its absolute lowest setting. For me this is about 180. Remember, you do not want to bake your meat, you want to dry it. Prop the door of your oven slightly open (I stick a pair of tongs in there) to give the moisture an escape route. Check on it in about 8 hours, although it should take 12-16 to fully dry.
Spicy Jerky Marinade:
1/3 cup + 2 tbsp. worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp. liquid smoke
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. tobasco sauce
Sweet Jerky Marinade:
1/3 cup worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tbsp. brown sugar
Each of these marinades is enough for 1 lb of meat, so if you only want sweet jerky and have a 2 lb hunk of meat, double the marinade.
For a more in depth guide to making beef jerky, check out my guide on Associated Content.
Diablo Pork
This is an old Portugi family recipe my dad gave me, from his dad, probably from his dad. Despite it's fierce name this is actually a mildly spicy meat.
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
4 garlic cloves, chopped
4 scallions, chopped
1 red chili pepper, seeded and minced
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (or 2 tsp. if you like hot food like we do)
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1.5 - 2 lb boneless pork tenderloin
Trim fat from meat, cut into bite size cubes and place in a shallow dish or plastic bag.
Soak the tomatoes in warm water for 30 minutes, drain and roughly chop. Add tomatoes and all other ingredients except meat to a blender and process for 20-30 seconds. You should have a slightly chunky paste. Add paste to meat and marinade for 2-24 hours, stirring occasionally.
To cook, thread meat onto skewers and grill over medium heat for 7-10 minutes. I like to put pineapple, tomatoes, red onions and bell peppers on my skewers also, and brush a little of the left over marinade over the fruit & veggies.
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
4 garlic cloves, chopped
4 scallions, chopped
1 red chili pepper, seeded and minced
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (or 2 tsp. if you like hot food like we do)
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1.5 - 2 lb boneless pork tenderloin
Trim fat from meat, cut into bite size cubes and place in a shallow dish or plastic bag.
Soak the tomatoes in warm water for 30 minutes, drain and roughly chop. Add tomatoes and all other ingredients except meat to a blender and process for 20-30 seconds. You should have a slightly chunky paste. Add paste to meat and marinade for 2-24 hours, stirring occasionally.
To cook, thread meat onto skewers and grill over medium heat for 7-10 minutes. I like to put pineapple, tomatoes, red onions and bell peppers on my skewers also, and brush a little of the left over marinade over the fruit & veggies.
Hot Dog Manicotti
That's right, hot dog manicotti. I've come to think of this as Chris's hot dog manicotti, because he's the one who introduced me to it. At the time I thought he was as crazy as you probably think I am right now, but it's actually really good.
8 hot dogs
8 manicotti noodles
1 cup cottage cheese
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. basil
2 cups pasta sauce
1 cup shredded mozarella cheese
Preheat oven to 350. Cook manicotti according to package directions and cool slightly.
Slice the hot dogs open down the middle as if they were a hot dog bun, being careful not to slice entirely through the dog. Mix basil, pepper and cottage cheese and fill sliced dogs with cheese mixture. Slide filled dogs into the cooked noodles and place in a 9x12 baking dish. Cover with sauce and cheese and bake for 30 minutes.
Yum!
8 hot dogs
8 manicotti noodles
1 cup cottage cheese
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. basil
2 cups pasta sauce
1 cup shredded mozarella cheese
Preheat oven to 350. Cook manicotti according to package directions and cool slightly.
Slice the hot dogs open down the middle as if they were a hot dog bun, being careful not to slice entirely through the dog. Mix basil, pepper and cottage cheese and fill sliced dogs with cheese mixture. Slide filled dogs into the cooked noodles and place in a 9x12 baking dish. Cover with sauce and cheese and bake for 30 minutes.
Yum!
Sweet N Spicy Grilled Chicken
I haven't tried it yet, but I think the glaze for this would also work fantastically on kebobs.
2/3 cup pineapple, mango & passionfruit jam*
2 tbsp. sriracha
2 tbsp. rice vinegar
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Heat bbq to 350. Lightly coat chicken with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix together jam, sriracha and vinegar.
Turn heat on one side of the bbq off and place chicken on that side. Brush with glaze, flip, and brush other side with glaze. Brush repeatedly as chicken cooks, but do not use all of the glaze. The chicken should take about 45 minutes to cook on the no-flame side of the bbq. Don't try to cook it quicker by turning on the heat, the high sugar content in the jam will cause it to burn.
When the chicken is done, cook each side on the flame side of the bbq for about 30 seconds, to give it a deeper color and grill marks. Serve topped with remaining glaze.
You can also bake the chicken in the sauce rather than grilling it. Put a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of a baking dish, place the chicken on top and cover with sauce. Bake for 45 minutes at 350, or until juices run clear and chicken is done.
Yum!
*The original recipe calls for mango jam, but I used pineapple, mango & passionfruit because I was unable to find plain mango jam. I imagine any variation of sweet tropical fruits would work quite well.
2/3 cup pineapple, mango & passionfruit jam*
2 tbsp. sriracha
2 tbsp. rice vinegar
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Heat bbq to 350. Lightly coat chicken with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix together jam, sriracha and vinegar.
Turn heat on one side of the bbq off and place chicken on that side. Brush with glaze, flip, and brush other side with glaze. Brush repeatedly as chicken cooks, but do not use all of the glaze. The chicken should take about 45 minutes to cook on the no-flame side of the bbq. Don't try to cook it quicker by turning on the heat, the high sugar content in the jam will cause it to burn.
When the chicken is done, cook each side on the flame side of the bbq for about 30 seconds, to give it a deeper color and grill marks. Serve topped with remaining glaze.
You can also bake the chicken in the sauce rather than grilling it. Put a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of a baking dish, place the chicken on top and cover with sauce. Bake for 45 minutes at 350, or until juices run clear and chicken is done.
Yum!
*The original recipe calls for mango jam, but I used pineapple, mango & passionfruit because I was unable to find plain mango jam. I imagine any variation of sweet tropical fruits would work quite well.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Twice Baked Potatoes
I love potatoes. And you can do so many things with them! If you've got some time on your hands these are a great, hearty Sunday night side dish.
6 russet potatoes
1 cup light sour cream
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
4 slices bacon
Preheat oven to 400. Wash potatoes and place on a large cookie sheet. Bake potatoes for one hour or until soft all the way through.
While the potatoes cook, cook your bacon and crumble it.
Don't turn your oven off once the potatoes are baked - these are called "twice" baked potatoes for a reason. Once potatoes are cooked, on a cutting board carefully cut them in half length-wise. Be careful not to burn yourself with the steam that will erupt from the potatoes when you cut into them. Cut all of the potatoes in half and lay them out on your cutting board.
Once you've cut all your potatoes, go back to the first one you cut, which should be slightly cooler now. You may still need to hold it with a hot pad though. Stab the flesh of the potato a few times with a fork to loosen it up, then carefully scoop it out with a spoon. You want to do this without destroying the skin, so be careful! Don't pretend it's your arch-enemy while you're stabbing it with that fork. Scoop the cooked potato flesh into a medium sized bowl and return the empty skins to your work surface.
Once you've scooped all your potatoes, mash them up a bit, then mix the remaining ingredients with the mashed potato. You'll have a wonderfully goopy, slightly chunky mess in your bowl. If the potatoes are too thick for you, you can thin it out with a little milk or more sour cream - just remember that cheese is going to melt and will also thin out the potatoes a teeny bit.
Scoop the potato mixture back into the potato skins, return filled skins to your cookie sheet, and bake for 30 minutes.
6 russet potatoes
1 cup light sour cream
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
4 slices bacon
Preheat oven to 400. Wash potatoes and place on a large cookie sheet. Bake potatoes for one hour or until soft all the way through.
While the potatoes cook, cook your bacon and crumble it.
Don't turn your oven off once the potatoes are baked - these are called "twice" baked potatoes for a reason. Once potatoes are cooked, on a cutting board carefully cut them in half length-wise. Be careful not to burn yourself with the steam that will erupt from the potatoes when you cut into them. Cut all of the potatoes in half and lay them out on your cutting board.
Once you've cut all your potatoes, go back to the first one you cut, which should be slightly cooler now. You may still need to hold it with a hot pad though. Stab the flesh of the potato a few times with a fork to loosen it up, then carefully scoop it out with a spoon. You want to do this without destroying the skin, so be careful! Don't pretend it's your arch-enemy while you're stabbing it with that fork. Scoop the cooked potato flesh into a medium sized bowl and return the empty skins to your work surface.
Once you've scooped all your potatoes, mash them up a bit, then mix the remaining ingredients with the mashed potato. You'll have a wonderfully goopy, slightly chunky mess in your bowl. If the potatoes are too thick for you, you can thin it out with a little milk or more sour cream - just remember that cheese is going to melt and will also thin out the potatoes a teeny bit.
Scoop the potato mixture back into the potato skins, return filled skins to your cookie sheet, and bake for 30 minutes.
Brats in Beer
I love summer barbecues. To me, nothing says barbecue better than the best brats ever. I got this recipe from the mother of an attorney I used to work for, a real German lady who knows her brats.
1 package Johnsonville brats (don't get cheap crappy ones!)
6 bottles dark beer, ala Guiness or Newcastle
1/4 cup butter
2 onions, sliced
Worcestershire sauce, to taste
Ketchup
Mustard
Hot dog buns
Place beer, butter, onions and Worcestershire sauce in a large stock pot or similar deep pan. Heat over medium-high heat but be very careful not to let it boil.
Meanwhile, cook your brats until they are halfway done on the bbq. You want to get them nicely grilled on the outside, but they should still be pink on the inside. Do not fully cook them or this will not work.
Remove half cooked brats from the bbq and place in the heated beer mixture. Cook until brats are done, about 20 minutes. Serve in hot dog buns with desired toppings. I like a spicy-honey-mustard on mine personally.
Some people like to put the ketchup and mustard in the beer mixture as well. I don't do it that way so that everyone else eating these delectable dogs can have them their way.
Yum!
1 package Johnsonville brats (don't get cheap crappy ones!)
6 bottles dark beer, ala Guiness or Newcastle
1/4 cup butter
2 onions, sliced
Worcestershire sauce, to taste
Ketchup
Mustard
Hot dog buns
Place beer, butter, onions and Worcestershire sauce in a large stock pot or similar deep pan. Heat over medium-high heat but be very careful not to let it boil.
Meanwhile, cook your brats until they are halfway done on the bbq. You want to get them nicely grilled on the outside, but they should still be pink on the inside. Do not fully cook them or this will not work.
Remove half cooked brats from the bbq and place in the heated beer mixture. Cook until brats are done, about 20 minutes. Serve in hot dog buns with desired toppings. I like a spicy-honey-mustard on mine personally.
Some people like to put the ketchup and mustard in the beer mixture as well. I don't do it that way so that everyone else eating these delectable dogs can have them their way.
Yum!
Beer and Brown Sugar Steak
1/2 cup dark beer (I prefer Guiness or Newcastle)
4 tbsp. teriyaki sauce
4 tbsp. dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 steaks, your favorite cut
Mix beer, teriyaki sauce and sugar in a bag or shallow dish to make the marinade. Pierce steaks and add to marinade - let sit for at least 30 minutes. I prefer to let it sit for an hour.
Start to get the grill ready a few minutes before your marinade time is up. When the grill is ready and the meat is sufficiently soaked, remove meat from the marinade onto a cutting board - reserve the marinade. Mix together the seasoned salt, garlic powder and pepper and rub equally on both sides of each steak. You should have some spice mixture left over, you don't want to absolutely drown out the flavor of the meat with it.
Grill the meat to your desired level of doneness. Meanwhile, mix the remaining spice mixture and reserved marinade in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Drizzle over cooked steaks just before serving.
Yum!
At first glance I thought this would be a slightly bitter steak because of the beer, but it actually turns out quite sweet thanks to the sugar. Don't worry if you don't like beer, you'll still love this steak!
4 tbsp. teriyaki sauce
4 tbsp. dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 steaks, your favorite cut
Mix beer, teriyaki sauce and sugar in a bag or shallow dish to make the marinade. Pierce steaks and add to marinade - let sit for at least 30 minutes. I prefer to let it sit for an hour.
Start to get the grill ready a few minutes before your marinade time is up. When the grill is ready and the meat is sufficiently soaked, remove meat from the marinade onto a cutting board - reserve the marinade. Mix together the seasoned salt, garlic powder and pepper and rub equally on both sides of each steak. You should have some spice mixture left over, you don't want to absolutely drown out the flavor of the meat with it.
Grill the meat to your desired level of doneness. Meanwhile, mix the remaining spice mixture and reserved marinade in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Drizzle over cooked steaks just before serving.
Yum!
At first glance I thought this would be a slightly bitter steak because of the beer, but it actually turns out quite sweet thanks to the sugar. Don't worry if you don't like beer, you'll still love this steak!
Carnitas
1 3-4 lb. boneless pork shoulder roast
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, diced
Juice of 1 orange
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup water
Cut roast into approximately 2" chunks and trim fat. Heat oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and garlic to oil and stir quickly so garlic does not burn. Cook for 1-2 minutes until onion begins to soften. Add pork chunks to the pot and cook until meat is browned on all sides, 2-3 minutes per side. Add remaining ingredients, cover, and cook for about 3 hours, until meat is fork tender and fruit has fallen apart. Shred the meat in the pot with two forks - this should be very easy. If it isn't falling apart easily, you haven't cooked it long enough. Once the meat is shredded, remove the lid and cook for another 15-20 minutes, until the liquid has cooked away.
Serve in tortillas. This meat is very versatile and can be used for tacos, burritos, nachos, tortas, or fajitas...pretty much any mexican type of food. The pan drippings will make a good sauce, or you can use a chili verde sauce which is a traditional sauce with carnitas. I like to serve it in crunchy taco shells with shredded pepper-jack cheese and tapatio. The boys here tell me I make "the best damn tacos", so I think I'm doing good on this one!
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, diced
Juice of 1 orange
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup water
Cut roast into approximately 2" chunks and trim fat. Heat oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and garlic to oil and stir quickly so garlic does not burn. Cook for 1-2 minutes until onion begins to soften. Add pork chunks to the pot and cook until meat is browned on all sides, 2-3 minutes per side. Add remaining ingredients, cover, and cook for about 3 hours, until meat is fork tender and fruit has fallen apart. Shred the meat in the pot with two forks - this should be very easy. If it isn't falling apart easily, you haven't cooked it long enough. Once the meat is shredded, remove the lid and cook for another 15-20 minutes, until the liquid has cooked away.
Serve in tortillas. This meat is very versatile and can be used for tacos, burritos, nachos, tortas, or fajitas...pretty much any mexican type of food. The pan drippings will make a good sauce, or you can use a chili verde sauce which is a traditional sauce with carnitas. I like to serve it in crunchy taco shells with shredded pepper-jack cheese and tapatio. The boys here tell me I make "the best damn tacos", so I think I'm doing good on this one!
Easy Chicken Tacos
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 14.5 oz can S&W Santa Fe Recipe Beans*
1 cup chunky salsa
1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese -or- jack cheese
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 tbsp. dried onion flakes
1 small can diced jalapenos (optional)
Tortillas
Shredded lettuce
Sour Cream
Thinly slice chicken breasts and cook in a skillet over medium heat until done. It doesn't matter which direction you slice the chicken, the point is just to get it to cook quickly. Remove the cooked chicken from the skillet and finely dice it; drain the juices from the skillet and return diced chicken to the skillet. Add garlic powder and onion flakes and stir until chicken is evenly coated with spices. Add beans, salsa and jalapenos, stir well. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cheese and cook for an additional minute or two, until cheese is melted.
Serve in tortillas with shredded lettuce and sour cream.
*If you can't find these, use a small can of corn and a small can of black or pinto beans.
1 14.5 oz can S&W Santa Fe Recipe Beans*
1 cup chunky salsa
1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese -or- jack cheese
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 tbsp. dried onion flakes
1 small can diced jalapenos (optional)
Tortillas
Shredded lettuce
Sour Cream
Thinly slice chicken breasts and cook in a skillet over medium heat until done. It doesn't matter which direction you slice the chicken, the point is just to get it to cook quickly. Remove the cooked chicken from the skillet and finely dice it; drain the juices from the skillet and return diced chicken to the skillet. Add garlic powder and onion flakes and stir until chicken is evenly coated with spices. Add beans, salsa and jalapenos, stir well. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cheese and cook for an additional minute or two, until cheese is melted.
Serve in tortillas with shredded lettuce and sour cream.
*If you can't find these, use a small can of corn and a small can of black or pinto beans.
Deviled Eggs - basic
My youngest sister and I both loooove deviled eggs, so I decided to try my hand at them for a recent trip to the beach. Lucky for her, but not for me, I made two containers worth and let her eat a whole one before I realized I hadn't actually brought the second container to the beach. But hey, cold leftover twice-baked potatoes aren't bad beach food either!
1 dozen eggs
1/3 cup light mayonnaise
1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
2 tsp. yellow mustard
1/2 tsp salt
Paprika
Prepare a large pot of boiling water and cook eggs for 12-15 minutes, until fully cooked. Place cooked eggs in a strainer or bowl and run cool water over them until they are cool enough to handle.
Peel the eggs, being careful not to puncture them with pieces of the shell. Carefully cut each egg in half lengthwise (hot dog style for those who grew up like me). Use a small spoon to remove the cooked yolk from each egg half and place yolk in a medium size bowl. Lay out the egg whites hole side up on a cutting board or other large, flat surface.
Use a fork to mash the egg yolks, then add remaining ingredients except paprika. Mix well until you have a smooth, creamy mixture of golden goodness. Using your small spoon again (I use the teensy weensy one that came with my silverware set, I think technically it's supposed to be used for sugar or some other foo-foo thing like that) heap the yolk mixture into the holes of your waiting egg whites.
Arrange the eggs on your serving platter and sprinkle with paprika.
Yum!
For a more in-depth guide on making deviled eggs, check out my guide on Associated Content.
1 dozen eggs
1/3 cup light mayonnaise
1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
2 tsp. yellow mustard
1/2 tsp salt
Paprika
Prepare a large pot of boiling water and cook eggs for 12-15 minutes, until fully cooked. Place cooked eggs in a strainer or bowl and run cool water over them until they are cool enough to handle.
Peel the eggs, being careful not to puncture them with pieces of the shell. Carefully cut each egg in half lengthwise (hot dog style for those who grew up like me). Use a small spoon to remove the cooked yolk from each egg half and place yolk in a medium size bowl. Lay out the egg whites hole side up on a cutting board or other large, flat surface.
Use a fork to mash the egg yolks, then add remaining ingredients except paprika. Mix well until you have a smooth, creamy mixture of golden goodness. Using your small spoon again (I use the teensy weensy one that came with my silverware set, I think technically it's supposed to be used for sugar or some other foo-foo thing like that) heap the yolk mixture into the holes of your waiting egg whites.
Arrange the eggs on your serving platter and sprinkle with paprika.
Yum!
For a more in-depth guide on making deviled eggs, check out my guide on Associated Content.
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