Donna Dodds Prune cake

This is the cake my mother used to ship with my dad for his birthday when he worked at Whiteco Industries. 
It started with just a couple and in the end she would make 12 or so and freeze 2 for Christmas.  Here is the recipe:

Prune Cake:

preheat oven to 350

MIX DRY

2    cups flour
2    cups sugar
1    tspn salt
1    tspn baking soda

1.5 tspns cinnamon
1.5 tspns nutmeg
1.5 tspns allspice
 
ADD
1    cup oil
1    cup buttermilk
3    eggs
1    cup nuts (walnuts)
1    cup prunes (chopped)

MIX WELL
grease 9x9 pans and pour in ingredients

bake at 350 for 45 minutes

TOPPING
in a sauce pan MIX:

1 cup buttermilk
1 cup sugar
1 tspn soda
1 stick butter
bring to a boil pour liquid over cake

Worlds Greatest Pie Crust (in my opinion) from @BonAppetitMag

This pie crust recipe is from @bonappetitmag I used it for the Apple Pie I made out of the Apples we picked @CountyLnOrchard .
The only reason I am posting this is to make sure I never lose it and with my luck as soon as I throw out my August Bon Appetit magazine, Bon Appetit will remove it from the website.  I have been trying to find a Pie crust recipe that will work everytime and is versatile so far this recipe has worked the best.



Master Pie Crust

Butter gives this forgiving crust its rich flavor, while shortening ensures supremely flaky results.

Makes 2 crusts

Recipe by Kim Boyce

August 2011

Ingredients

•3 1/2cupsall purpose flour

•1cup(2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" cubes

•1/4cupvegetable shortening

•1tablespoonplus 1 tsp. sugar

•1tablespoonkosher salt

• Process flour, butter, vegetable shortening, sugar, and salt in a food processor until butter resembles tiny pebbles, about 25 seconds. Transfer to a large bowl. Gradually add 3/4 cup ice water, using a fork to stir until dough is a mixture of clumpy wet pieces and sandier pieces, adding more water by tablespoonfuls if dry. Press plastic wrap over surface of dough. Chill in the bowl at least 1 hour or over night.

For a single- or double-crust unbaked pie crust:

• Divide dough in half. Flatten each half into a disk. On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 disk into a 13"-14" round. Roll over rolling pin and transfer to the pie dish. Pick up the edges and allow dough to slump inside the dish. Trim, leaving about 1" overhang. (For single-crust pie, fold overhang under and crimp edges.) Chill at least 1 hour or overnight.

For a blind-baked pie crust:

• Preaheat oven to 375°. Prick chilled crust in pie dish (see instructions, above) alll over with a fork. Line crust with foil or parchment paper. Fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake 25 minutes. Remove from oven; lift out foil and weights. Reduce temperature to 350°. Return to oven and bake, using fork to prick any bubbles that have formed and pressing down on them with back of fork, until crust is light golden brown, 20-25 minutes longer. Let crust cool completely.

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2011/08/master-pie-crust

Corn Bread

I was doing a theme of hot dogs for my daughters 2nd birthday party which led me to try homemade corn dogs. The corn dogs were fantastic but the recipe called for self rising corn meal and not much of it.  While I was reading the package I found this recipe tried it and it is a great quick and tasty corn bread to finish off a weeknight dinner. This recipe is right off the #auntJemima self rising corn meal mix pkg.

3 Tblspns vegetable shortening (why not try bacon grease)
2 cups aunt Jemima self rising white corn meal mix
1-2 tblspns sugar  (i go with 2)
1 egg beaten (i have forgotten egg in past still good)

i add
2 tblspns butter melted to paint top of corn bread when out of the oven

preheat oven to 425
use 10 inch oven proof skillet (cast iron)
put shortening in pan/skillet
mix dry ingredients
mix wet ingredients
combine ingredients
melt shortening in pan tilt to coat and pour extra into rest of ingredients
whisk ingredients together for 1 minute
pour into hot pan and place pan into oven
bake 20 - 25 minutes till touthpick inserted comes out clean
i paint 2 tblspns melted butter on top once out of oven

Garden fresh pasta Recipe

I always buy whole cut up chickens which inevitably leads to leftover pieces that serve no other purpose than to make a stock or flavor a sauce.  Leftover chicken pieces was the inspiration for this great #gardenfresh pasta recipe.

In addition to making sauces on the stove top, when time is difficult, I like to make a sauce by roasting in the oven.  My 5qt "Le Crueset" pot works perfect either way!

Ingredients:
leftover chicken and or meat bones etc!
2 carrots diced
1 small zucchini diced
3 cups Roma tomatoes halved
1 medium yellow onions diced
2 cloves garlic
1tspn salt
1/4 cup flour

3 cups water
1 tspn chicken bouillon
Parmesan cheese
fresh black pepper

Roast Chicken or meat pieces for 30 minutes @ 350
add tomatoes, carrots, onions, zucchini, & salt  *(probably garlic too, once I am sure it wont burn)
roast an additional 30 minutes
remove pot from oven place on stove over medium heat add garlic
when garlic is fragrant add flour mix in continuing to cook for one minute
add water and bouillon and bring to a boil scraping the bottom to get off juicy bits
turn heat to low & simmer for 1 hour, remove bones, serve over your favorite pasta w/fresh black pepper & Parmesan cheese

*My garden produced very small ripe Roma's, therefore i did not want to skin and de-seed all of those little tomatoes to keep the sauce sweet.  So, I added extra carrots to increase sweetness, and did not add peppers or roast garlic in oven because they could add bitterness.













Mushroom, onion, & swiss Steak Fajitas

Walking through @Sam'sclub trying to come up with dinner ideas can be dangerous.  This past Sunday the wife, kids & I visited @ToysRUS & @Samsclub with near perfect behavior in two stores i wasn't going to risk the third, a grocery store.  The multiple options and pkg size can make one meal shopping intimidating but I like to buy items that I can use for multiple meals.  I bought: 4lbs Skirt steak, 1 pkg of 4 portabella mushrooms &, 2lbs @JarlsbergUSA cheese I used half of the ingredients for the fajitas. 

1 pkg medium burrito shells
2lbs skirt steak
2 garlic bulbs
1 large yellow onion sliced 1/4" keeping ring chunks in tact 
2 portabella mushrooms
olive oil
Lawry's Season salt
fresh ground pepper
1lb shredded jarlsberg cheese (next time 2/3rd jarl chz & 1/3 Gorgonzola=creamy w/a bite)

season steak w/season salt & pepper refrigerate until 30 minutes before placing on grill
pre heat @webergrills kettle grill for 30 minutes
remove tops of garlic bulbs  paint w/olive oil roast on indirect heat for 1 hour rotating @ 30 minutes
remove garlic from grill make sure cloves push right out and are smearable set aside
paint portabella mushrooms w/olive oil brown both sides & roast for 10 minutes until soft
while roasting portabella on indirect heat add steak and onions to grill with steak going to hot spot
searing both on each side for 5 minutes. Oops, dont forget to paint olive oil on onions!
remove all from grill slice steak and mushrooms, break rings of onion lose
(skirt steak more tender if sliced against grain)

with warmed shells smeared w/ a garlic clove or two create your fajita
eat and enjoy

Holy Trinity Macaroni and cheese w/ground meat

This is a quick last minute dinner that I like to use when my son falls asleep on me and I realize I have to eat before work instead of at work.  I use just one pot my Le Creuset 5qt , and I do this because it also makes clean up as easy as the dinner is to make.

Ingredients:
1 box Kraft Macaroni and cheese
1 large yellow onion
1/2 green pepper (sometimes carrot(1))
2 stalks celery
1-2 cloves garlic
fresh ground pepper
1lb ground meat (I use turkey)
2 tblspns butter
1/4 cup milk


house cheese (cheese laying around the house, (preferably in the fridge))

Bring water to boil in 5qt pot/saucepan
add macaroni noodles
boil to al dente 7 minutes or so
Drain noodles
brown meat in same pan when browned drain grease if using beef
add all vegetables (not garlic) and beef back to pan cook for 5 minutes
add garlic continue to cook for 1 minute
add 2 tblspns butter, 1/4 cup milk, cheese packet, and house cheese until desired cheesiest level
grind fresh pepper on top and serve (i do not add any additional salt)

the only thing that takes time in this recipe is boiling the water it should be done 22 minutes after the water boils!
Enjoy!!!

zucchini gnocci

As any gardener knows a time comes where you have given away all you could, eaten all you could, and you still have 4 big zucchini with 10 more growing on the vine. This recipe was searched for, found and appropriately adapted to my taste.  The base recipe was found at a University of Arizona website written by Lucy K. Bradley I believe.  My interpretation is:

1 whole good size zucchini shredded into a colander,
1.5 cups flour
1.5 cups mascarpone cheese
1 egg
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoons garlic salt
melted butter

I wanted a good base to try before adding things like Parmesan cheese and basil i think the more ingredients I add the more likely i am going to use regular cream cheese.  I served these with a traditional chicken gravy and they tasted quite good. 

take shredded zucchini and toss with kosher salt in colander let sit 20 minutes
drain in kitchen towel or cheesecloth by squeezing to remove as much water as possible
in large bowl add zucchini, flour, egg, garlic salt and mascarpone cheese
mix dough until all together add flour as needed should not stick to your hands in globs.
start to bring water in a 5qt pot to a boil
cover and refrigerate dough for 20 minutes
spread flour on rolling surface
break dough into workable balls and roll out into 1" diameter ropes and cut 1" long add to boiling water boil until they float then place in colander to drain when all gnocchi are complete toss with melted butter and serve in your favorite sauce. 

Yes, I am aware of the fork roll method for gnocchi but it is already such a process just cut em, boil em, drain em and pour butter over em = DONE 
I refrigerated them until chicken gravy was done and reheated them in the gravy and served pan seared chicken with them. 

I really think these will be good fried as well, like in panko, but i really don't need another way to fry zucchini.  yOu tEll mE!

"GARDEN FRESH SERIES"

Charcoal Grilled tomato, basil, mozzarella, & blue cheese pizza

Upon the realization that i may never be able to own a stone pizza oven I searched and found a way to make pizza on my Weber Charcoal Grill.  I like to use leftovers to make pizza.  My recipe for pizza dough makes two so I always end up making an appetizer pizza first.   The recipe for one of the tastiest garden fresh pizza is.....

Pizza dough: from an older version of Williams-Sonoma GRILLING cook book @WilliamsSonoma
1.5 cups warm water
1 pkg active dry yeast 2.5 tspns
3.5 cups BREAD FLOUR (a must for ease of use) the more protein the better
1.5 tspns salt
olive oil

Toppings
3 fresh as possible Roma tomatoes SLICED 1/4" thick
16-24 basil leaves
1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 to 1/2 cups blue cheese crumbles
2 tspn garlic salt
1 tspn freshly ground black pepper

to make dough
mix water, 1 cup flour, and yeast in stand mixer let sit 5 min
add salt and rest of flour mix/stir and until a sticky shiny dough is formed
oil hands separate dough into two balls and place in oiled bowls
cover dough and allow dough to rise for 2 hours or until dough is doubled

the grill:
Set up coals on one side of grill
light the coals and then preheat the grill w/grate on for 30 minutes

making the crust:
When dough is doubled place dough on an oiled surface
Pat and stretch the dough until it is your desired size and thickness
place on peel or flat baking sheet and slide or flip onto grill
grill for 5 minutes then flip and turn to apply toppings

topping application:
lay tomatoes out within 1 inch of edge of pizza
apply garlic salt and pepper to tomatoes
leave both grates open one quarter of the way and close lid cook for 5 minutes
rotate pizza so edges don't burn place one basil leaf on each tomato
cover entire Pizza with mozzarella
sprinkle desired amount of blue cheese on top
cook until cheese is melted and begins to brown
remove from grill slice and serve
ENJOY!

"GARDEN FRESH SERIES"

Smoked Baby Back's via the Weber kettle

Ribs the more I see on cooking shows and read in cook books it became obvious that my old recipe of boiling the ribs in water w/bourbon and browning on grill was unacceptable in the RIB circles.  This new information led me to try and find a way to get the meat to pull off the bone while smoking them on my 79$ weber kettle grill.  Smoking Rib recipe:

Up to 2 full slabs baby back ribs (it is about the most U can do on the little weber) cut into half slabs
Set up charcoal all on one side of the grill light
Once charcoal is hot replace grate & cover grill w/lid all vent holes should be wide open
pull ribs from fridge and season (i like my red rub)
Essentially your preheating the grill and warming the ribs for 30 minutes before cooking
Use a rib rack or metal spatulas to create a stand for your ribs to sit up and not lay flat

after the 30 minutes place 1/2 slabs with bones facing heat space out depending on space available.
close both grill vents 3/4 of the way leaving 1/4" gaps
I never in the rotations below have the meat face the heat ONLY THE BONES FACE HEAT
30 minutes later rotate slabs back to front/front to back
30 minutes later rotate slabs back to front/front to back As well as flipping top to bottom as well
continue this process until all the meat begins to pull down the bone
approx (2 hours 1 full slab) (3 hours 2 full slabs)

To finish the ribs i shut all the vents lay the meat bone size down on the grate above the coals and apply my BBQ sauce and shut the grill with lid letting ribs sit for 7 1/2 minutes
Ready to serve!


 

Donna Dodds Shrimp dip

This is the identical recipe the only difference is my mother used to dice or mince and now i just pulse in a food processor until I'm happy with it.  Probably loses a little texture but it is definitely part of my Quick, delicious and easy 15 minutes or less appetizers. 

2 4oz cans tiny shrimp
1.5 tblspns lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 8oz cream cheese
1/2 cup mayo
salt & pepper to taste

put all ingredients but shrimp into food processor pulse until mixed crumble shrimp into processor pulse a couple of times till mixed and chill throughout serve w/crackers or however you see fit. 

depending on the day i may not even bother chopping the onions and celery.

Aunt Laura Drennan's Butterfinger Ice Cream

This is my aunt laura's recipe and i will type it as I read it.  Before, during and after "DQ's Blizzard" this is the best thing in the world. 

Beat 1.5 cups sugar into 3 beaten eggs.
Warm 1/2 gallon of milk and 1 pint of 1/2 & 1/2 until lukewarm add 2 tblspns vanilla and 1-2 tspns of salt

Stir egg mixture into the milk and mix pour into freezer can and 5 dissolved junket tablets dissolved in about 2 tablespoons water stir and let sit for about 15 minutes
for butterfinger add 5 crushed butterfinger bars 2.1oz
for peach ADD 1.5 cups diced sugar peaches .

Star of Party

I have been making guacamole from scratch for quite a long time.  The keys are always fresh ingredients and last minute preparation!  I usually make my own pico: tomatoes, white onion, jalapenos pepper, garlic powder, garlic salt, lime juice, cilantro and this is the key ingredient to my guacamole.  However, this post is about how to make a quick bring along appetizer that will be the "Star" of any party. 

Your shopping list:
Grocery store "Pico de gallo"
5 avocados
1 lime
1 bag 12 flour tortillas

What to do:
heat 1/4 to 1/2 inch canola/olive oil in pan till wooden spoon bubbles or 350 degrees
slice flour torts all at once into eights (like a pizza pie)
fry in oil till brown flipping as needed and dry on paper towel (don't forget to season before they dry)
cut avocados in half flipping seed out with knife and score half's of 5 avocados into 1/2 chunks but not cutting through the peal
Use spoon to spoon out avocado chunks into bowl
add approximately 1 avocado of pico with juice of one lime into bowl
mash ingredients just a few times to mix
seal w/double layer of plastic wrap
bag chips and go be the #foodie "Star" of the Party!

Turkey Burger

"Sam's club" meat section also contains 93% lean ground turkey 5 lbs for around 11.00$ it was cheaper before the gas prices began the rise.  I do not find any ground turkey in my local grocery stores for less than 2.50$ a pound with any consistency and that is the 80% lean stuff.  I promise if someone steps up to the plate and I can stop driving 30 minutes to Sam's club i will tell you who, what, & where.

I have always hated ground turkey and really only prepare it with thick flavorful sauces.  Spaghetti, Curries, and Cajun rice dishes.  Sometimes i will do meatballs in a chicken or Asian sauce with the meatballs containing lots of seasoning.  Basically low fat turkey is about as bland as it gets.  Thus, the problem of using turkey with burgers meat loafs.  The items you make with beef where the beef is the only flavor and makes the dish.  Finally. Ground turkey is very sticky and hard to make patties so i decided to add some instant oatmeal to thicken it up and this led me to my Turkey burger recipe:

preheat grill HOT

1/3 cup prepared beefy oatmeal  recipe at the end
1    tblspn paprika
1/2 tblspn ground cumin
1/2 tblspn ground coriander
1 lb ground turkey

mix all together form 4 patties give a little freeze
remove patties from freezer
place on hottest part of grill until grill marks form
Flip wait for grill marks again (not more than five minutes)
slide patties to finish on indirect heat reaching 160 degrees

prepare burgers with
tomato, lettuce, onion, burger sauce (recipe on blog)

Eat till your heart is content

beefy oatmeal:
1/3 cup instant oatmeal
2/3 cup water
2/3 tspn bouillon

boil water with bouillon in it add oatmeal prepare according to box

Burger Sauce

Now i am a firm believer that no red blooded burger needs any sort of a sauce!  In my opinion the only thing you should do to a burger is add salt and pepper to some ground chuck and grill it. however in this anti beef world burger sauce for the no fat turkey burger makes sense!  This is my burger sauce recipe:

1 tblspn   Mayo
1 tblspn   Miracle whip
1 tblspn   sweet relish
2 tspns     ketchup
1 tspn      mustard
1/2 tspn   soy sauce

just mix and serve, it tastes great

Red Rub

Cookbooks from "joy" to "weber" seem to have magical spice rubs for every piece of meat you could possibly put on a grill.  In the past I used to seek out new and exciting rubs to try.  however, when cleaning out my spice cabinet i realized the mass amount of waste/expense of trying all these rubs and my basic spice pantry is pretty thorough.  All of this information led me to try my own rubs and see if i could create something the family would like and not brake the bank.  "spice classics" offer decently price seasonings that allow you to buy numerous bottles for the price of just one small spice jar of other brands.  Also, I have lived my life with Lawrys season salt and have it around at all times this is how i used it with some "spice classics" to create my "red rub" I use on grilled pork.

1 tblspn  Lwry's season salt
1 tblspn  chili powder
1 tblspn  paprika

(add cayenne pepper if you want it really spicy, depending on the cayenne, it may not take much)

mix and apply over entire pork loin sear and then cook on indirect till reaches your desired inside temp.
I have now tried this with a beef chuck roast and it was not nearly as good as it was on Pork. 

Pasta & pan sauce

"Bon Appetit" magazine recently did an article about ultimate Pasta.  The recipe they used was very versatile and I tried one with my ingredients of pork chops & asparagus. (garden fresh, Woo Hoo!)  My tip is when it comes to the Pasta water and sauce making Less is More.  I work evenings and eat an hour or so before the Mrs so my battle is always Dry vs Wet and finding a long lasting middle ground!
"Happy Mothers Day" I am off to work!

Hormonal Meat

I have one huge problem with "Organic Food" movement and the people who worship at this alter,  #IGNORANCE! Labeling information provided by the USDA:(http://www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/Meat_and_Poultry_Labeling_Terms.pdf)
If you learn something new please feel free to research the USDA website before spending 7$ a pound on pork or chicken because it is hormone free. WHY? because all pork and Chicken is "HORMONE FREE".  If i can teach you one thing...."READ" labels etc.

"The Schwartz"

 

This recipe needs a little family history lesson. Paul Frederick Schwartz my wife's grandfather searched his European heritage for a recipe that would be quick, easy, delicious and feed all his grand kids when they were at his Browns lake cottage. This is the "perfect Easter brunch recipe" because of quick prep time, The size of the thing on the table, it serves like pizza and add syrup to eat just like pancakes. People the recipe for the worlds largest pancake hence forth to be known as "The Schwartz" is...

Oven proof Skillet "size is important"
you will need:
flour
milk
eggs
butter
tspn malt powder/syrup (can be omitted)


10" cast iron or a 12" skillet (holds 2-3 qts water)
1/4 cup butter / 3 eggs / 3/4 cup flour & milk

12" or 14" cast iron skillet (holds 3-4 qts water)
1/3 cup butter / 4 eggs / 1 cup flour & milk

To prepare:
preheat oven to 425
dissolve malt in milk
in a mixing bowl beat eggs
beat milk mixture into eggs
add butter to skillet place in preheated 425 oven
beat flour into milk egg mixture
watch closely to see when butter is melted
add flour/egg/milk mixture to pan and place back in oven
bake for 20 - 25 minutes until brown and bubbly
remove and cut like pie and or pizza pie serve with pancake fixins


PS leave the oven light on the shapes and transformations it goes through can be quite interesting for the kids to look at.
aka "dutch baby"

Meatloaf, Worlds Greatest

Meatloaf can be quick & easy or pain in the butt gourmet. Everyone has had it and it is such a comfort food that people will even create vegetarian versions..This is my Oh Yeah Meatloaf recipe:

TIP: Have your own meatloaf recipe and looking for a little change? Make just 1/3rd of your glaze and mix it into your loaf, omitting the glaze otherwise or NOT!
1lb ground beef
1lb grountttd pork
1/3 cup chili sauce (or ketchup)
2 tblspns brown sugar
1 tblspn cider vinegar
1 medium onion finely chopped
3 garlic cloves minced
2 large eggs
1/2 tspn thyme (or 1/2 tspn of oregano, basil) when out of thyme
1 tspn salt
1 tspn ground black pepper
2 tspns dijon mustard
2 tspns worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon tabassco (i double if no kids eating)
1 small container plain yogurt
1 cup quick oatmeal

preheat oven to 425 degrees

combine all ingredients into large mixing bowl and mix until all incorporated
place meat mixture in 4x9 pan 4" deep
cover with tin foil bake for 45 minutes
remove tin foil switch oven to low broil and brown the top for 15 minutes or until a thermometer reaches 160 (center top) you can broil on high for five minutes if already at 160 when you remove meatloaf from oven.
let sit 10-15 minutes and serve

I know you will love it my family always does!
JAD's to be world famous Oh Yeah! Meatloaf Recipe
meat loaf loaves

#worldsgreatest
Worlds Greatest Meatloaf

The Cheeky Cuban

I ate a Cuban sub last week at quiznos it was good but I thought i might try something different...

My Cheeky Cuban sandwich recipe:
(makes 2 sandwiches)

1 tblspn dijon mustard
1 tblspn mayonaise
1 6oz pkg brie cheese
12 bread and butter pickle slices
1/4 lb honey turkey
1/4 lb honey ham
1 tblspn butter
1 tblspn olive oil
4 slices beefsteak rye bread

mix mustard and mayo together spread 1/2 on one slice of bread (Set aside)
place other slice of bread down on work surface
apply 1/2 of brie cheese 1/8" thick should almost cover all
add 6 of the B&B pckl slices
then 1/8 lb ham & turkey
cover with slice of rye that u set aside mustard mix side down
(repeat to make second sandwich)
heat non stick skillet on High add all olive oil (or use panini maker)
spread 1/2 butter on top of both sandwiches place them butter side down
place 4-5 plates on top of sandwiches turn heat to low cook for 5 minutes
remove plates spread rest of butter to top of sandwiches and flip
turn the heat to medium and cover sandwiches with plates & cook 3 minutes

cut in half and enjoy my "Cheeky Cuban"

Dirty burner grate & drip pan?

My wife found replacement drip pans online for our stove the other day because i am a mess in the kitchen and they are filthy. When she showed me the price i needed to look and see if I can find an alternative first. I read about every miracle cleaner that would do the trick (many I have tried before)until one post suggested placing the burner grates & drip pans in the oven during self clean mode. Holy Cow! they are SPOTLESS the grates and drop pans are totally clean and all i had to do was stink up the house for 3 hours. I believe it works so well that I would borrow a self cleaning oven before I ever try and scrub, soak, scrub those things clean ever again. This may not be authorized according to the oven manufacturer but as good as it looks i cant complain.

Red beans & Rice

My red beans and rice recipe

1 lb bag small red beans (soaked overnight or quick soaked on bag)
extra pork chops or bones, chicken pieces, or ham hocks some all or none
2 tblspns olive oil
2 tblspns butter
1 small green pepper
1 large onion
2-3 stalks celery (match Green pepper amount
*2 tblpsns minced garlic (if you're not using mash bean recipe)
8 cups water
1 tspn bouillon veg or chicken
2 bay leafs
1 tspn oregano
1 tspn cumin
1 tspn coriander
2 shakes Cinnamon
1 tspn black pepper
1 tblspn garlic salt
1 tBLspn paprika
1/4 - 1 tspn red pepper flakes the more U add spicer it is
1-1/2 cups (measured dry basmati rice) prepared white rice

MASHED BEANS RECIPE (variation of RICK BAYLESS recipe) this part is up to U
2 tblspns olive oil
2 tblspns butter
1 can red beans/kidney beans
3 cloves garlic minced

soften grn peppers, onions, celery in 2 tblspns ea butter & olive oil
add all seasonings (but bay leaves & bouillon) continue to cook for a minute or so no burning
add H2O, bay leaves, bouillon & meat bring to a boil and simmer till meat drops from bone
(U can add more bouillon but U will need to decrease Garlic salt)
remove bones/meat to cool in fridge so U can pull and add it later
add beans to pot and slow simmer until beans are tender edible after 1.5 hours but I like to simmer for 3-4 hours when a few beans begin to split.
Add meat to pot it's ready to serve over rice now but i like to thicken with

Mashed red beans:
Drain can of beans and rinse then dry
melt butter in olive oil in a small skillet
add garlic cook slowly in butter till browning just begins
add beans turn off burner mash then add to 5qt pot of red beans
This is when I serve to family

You can find a great recipe for bean enchiladas in an earlier blog post which is great for your leftover red beans.

The Basmati decision

Brown Rice:
I tried for weeks to get the flavor, prep and storage right for brown rice after reading articles concerning the benefits of brown rice. Here are my problems First, I work 30+ hours a week and have the 2 under 2 50+ hours a week the 1 hour plus time it takes to prepare was just to long. In addition preparing and freezing almost always produced what could only be described as rice mush . Second, as I have mentioned before i buy in bulk @samsclub. All the information I have read about brown rice says it must be stored in the freezer I don't have room in the freezer for 15 pounds of rice. In the third place I make a lot of "hamburger helper" style rice meals from scratch and this just did not work with brown Rice. Finally, even with my best prep methods the taste of the brown rice never justified all the headaches.

The Basmati decision:
I was reading "eat this not that" and they suggested basmati rice if you have to have white rice. I bought a small bag my family and I loved the texture as well as the taste. I love the quick prep time and ability to Use in all my recipes, as well as its bulk availability @samsclub.

Red bean enchiladas, the perfect recipe for your leftover red beans and rice!

No matter how well you plan it is inevitable that at some point in time you will have leftovers. I am okay with eating yesterdays dinner cold for lunch today but I never serve leftovers warm for dinner the next day. Also, I really don't enjoy freezing leftovers and reheating for a quick meal in the future. So what do I do?? I like to create something new with my leftovers..

My family loves red beans and rice. When i prepare red beans and rice I get a ton extra and for such a cheap price. the leftovers make: enchiladas

1 your red beans and rice recipe
1large can enchilada sauce
1 8oz pkg shredded cheese - can always add more
1 pkg small flour torts

I put my red beans, rice, 1/4 of shredded cheese and 1/4 can enchilada sauce in a food processor & process for a minute or so to combine/thicken.
preheat oven to 350
Use a 1/4 can or so of red enchilada sauce to cover the bottom of 13x9 pan

Roll the bean mixture up with a little cheese in a flour tort and
place in the sauced 13x9 pan. Place on ends and roll not middle!

Fill the pan with enchiladas then place 1-1/4 cans enchilada sauce on top and bake for 25 minutes

Finally, place remaining cheese on top and continue to bake till melted

This has become a two day event that my family just loves! What are U doing or going to do with your leftovers?

Buttermilk Mustard fried chicken

I have been trying to fry the perfect Chicken for years. Most recipes work but this one has worked out the best for me. I was going to let everyone know how well guiness worked in the recipe, however it hit 70 degrees in Chicago and I drank all of my beer.

1 whole cut up chicken 3-4 lbs
Salt
Pepper
garlic salt
1/4 cup yellow mustard
1 cup butermilk
1-1/4 cups flour
canola to cover 1/2 piece chicken deep

salt & pepper chicken when u bring home Freeze extras for use in stock

heat oil to 350 or wooden spoon bubbles when tip put in oil

coat chicken with 1/4 cup flour
mix mustard & buttermilk in dish for dipping
dump cup of flour out on plate

tap chicken to lose excess flour dip in mustard/Bmilk
then turn and coat chicken in flour
then place in fryer each side till golden brown

remove when fully cooked to dry on papertowels
also you may finish in oven just make sure it is hot 400 deg & up
you dont want it to get soggy

SEASON immediately upon removing from oil w/garlic salt

variations:
subtract 1/2 cup bettermilk add 1/2 cup good Beer
subtract one cup flour add 1/3 cup panko 2/3 cup french's fried onions
spun in food processor especially good w/fish onions take seasons well

this is basically it i may rewrite later

GOOD LUCK!!

Pork, roast chops etc

I buy pork chops or a pork loin in bulk and then freeze portions to be thawed when needed. Usually when buying pork chops in bulk you get a few underneath items that are only good for cut ups to use in chili or other hamburger helper style dishes. I also save the bones for when i am making a meat sauce or stock that could use added flavor. Today i will use them to make a stock for boiling potatoes into mashies.

I have now had to add more porkchops per bag because the little one is already able to eat a whole pork chop and she is not even 2. The extra pork in the bag was causing me to have to microwave in order to dethaw witch i try to avoid whenever possible. Pork chops taste like pork chops and can go down hill fast. The meat dries out so fast and needs to be fully cooked it really can be a pain. Taking all this into account I have found the ULTIMATE solution....

brining i saw this somewhere but the solution thaws meat quickly, adds flavor and keeps the meat moist. I use 1/4 cup sugar, tblspn salt and a bay leaf in a 1 gallon bag with water covering pork completely when all the air is out of the bag. I typically start in the morning and will have to move the meat to the fridge once thawed around lunch. I have cut back on Salt in brine so that I dont feal guilty about adding season salt before cooking. I really suggest BRINING it is a great tool to add to the recipe box.

Sam's Club Meat CRAZY or not

I have been buying meat for over a year @Sam's Club. Sam's club is not always the best price but it destroys your local supermarkets price if you were to take a daily price average over the course of a month. Also, because I buy in bulk i always freeze some or all of the meat that i purchase & the wife and i agree re thawed meat from Sam's tastes better than many of the local supermarkets fresh meats. Steak is especially cheap with 3 packs of USDA CHOICE steak, NY or Rib eye, going for 7$ or less a pound.

It is one stop bulk meat purchasing that is of a good quality and saves me a lot of time. I still regularly buy meat at Wiseway and Town&country when the price and quality are right but the only meat i will buy at jewel is jewel bratwurst. Jewel is by far the highest price for the lowest quality meat.

Phone Solicitors cell phone spam #babywakers

I have been looking for Jobs over the last few years and that led to one small but annoying problem, #Babywakers. It seems as if every job form I complete, resume I email and website I have to join sells my phone number. These jerks use my unwavering desire to support my family by hiding caller id information knowing i have to answer. The aboslute worse part about the entire process is they always call when one of the babies is asleep. This simultaneously kills my dream of a new job as well as one of my precious few moments of peace I enjoy each day. I found this https://esupport.fcc.gov/ccmsforms/form1088.action a complaint form regarding/applicable to just about all phone/text scams etc I urge you to begin what I have.. REPORT every single #babywaker.

underweight baby switching to milk

Once your baby transitions to milk if your doctor recommends carnation instant breakfast please for your benefit buy the vanilla. we didn't and everything is brown polka dotted.

6am wake up calll

This will be short and sweet. I am an advocate for a controlled air space business called "PWC" not as catchy as PODs but will deliver to your home padded wall containers for your use no questions asked. Question is, who gets to enter?

whole wheat bread

Every day I am watching, reading or listening to people go on and on about whole grains and bread. Whether it is a real wheat bread made from whole wheat or one from enriched wheat flour the store brands just dont work for me. The bread is always dry & lacking of flavor that I enjoy. I had tried numerous recipes that failed to deliver until i converted a white bread recipe and the family loved it.
Here it is:

4 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups bread flour (wheat flour)
3 tblspns honey or malt barley syrup
1 stick butter salted (smart balance sticks work well too)
1 16.9 oz bottled water
1/2 cup scalded milk
2 tspns instant yeast
1 cup ice cubes
1-2 tblspns crisco
2 4"x8" (standard bread pans)
plastic wrap

- add to mixer bowl fitted with dough hook the milk and water
- next add 3 cups of whole wheat flour
- next add honey and 1 tspn of yeast
- mix for five minutes (scrape down and loosen all flour)
- in seperate bowl mix 1 cup whole wheat flour w/2 cups bread flour & 1tspn yeast
then pour over wet mix (do not mix in) and cover with plastic wrap letting sit for four hours and the wet mix will bubble through during the four hours.

-add the butter tblspns at a time to mixer bowl as it is stiring slowly until all butter and dry flour mix is incorporated. dough should be slightly sticky but not enough to stick to your hands if it is add more flour.
- Then mix at medium speed for 7 - 10 minutes or when dough pulls away but before it wraps up on to dough hook

- remove dough add a little oil put dough in turn it around three times flip over turn three times again cover w/plastic wrap and let set 1 hour.

- remove dough again pull out and place on floured counter fold edge to edge Right to left and up to down two times (2 businesss letter turns as it is commonly referred to)

- then add dough back to mixer bowl turning to make sure it has oil on top and bottom again. cover w/plastic wrap let sit one hour!

- after the hour preheat oven to 350 add cookie sheet to lowest level of oven

- grease bread pans with crisco entire sides and bottom

- remove dough from mixer bowl cut in half

- roll/massage 1 piece of dough into rectangle use fingers to dimple then fold each side into the center (with a significant over lap) slowly rolling the dough up from where the folds overlap. It almost could be termed rolling a burrito (make sure you make the roll tight to fit in pan and pinch if needed to hold shape)

- repeat with second piece of dough

- cover both with plastic wrap (i let them rise on top of the warming oven) until they rise to the desired height you want 1 inch or so over pan) 1-2 hours

- remove plastic add ice to cookie sheet place bread in oven bake for 50 minutes and rotating after 25. make sure a wood poker goes through without sticking before you remove. (you can paint the loaves with butter if you want more flavor)

_ upon removal from oven immediately remove bread from pans to drying rack and let cool throughout.

Fish curry #Whats4dinner

As everyone has probably heard we all must eat more FISH! My goal / rule is to try and buy meat (beef, pork, chicken, & fish) for under 2 dollars a pound. When it comes to fish the options are so far canned salmon, Pollock, and tilapia. The options are limited and trying to create decent versatile tasty dishes can difficult. This is my recipe for a Tilapia Curry (spices always depend on whats in cupboard)

1 lb tilapia (salted, peppered and paprikaed lightly and dredged in flour)
3 tblspns butter
3 tblspns olive oil
2 cloves garlic chopped
2 celery stalks chopped
1/2 green pepper chopped(i always dice or julienne and store other half in freezer)
1 med onion chopped
2 cups chicken stock
1 tspn fresh black pepper
1 tspn garam masala
1 tblspn curry powder
1 tspn granulated garlic
1 tspn celery salt
2 or so Tblspns flour
2 cups prepared basmati rice (i really like texture) suppose to be best white rice

warm nonstick pan melt butter w/olive oil add garlic simmer till brown & remove

brown cook fish flipping 1x to just done(keep on warmed covered plate in microwave)

add onion, celery, & green pepper cook till onions translucent

add garam masala, curry powder, celery salt, pepper, gran. garlic, for 1 minute

after 1 minute add flour to dry up whats left of butter/olive oil

add 2 cups chicken stock and simmer 10 - 15 minutes

(i start rice before adding stock and when rice is done sauce is done )

taste adjust seasoning w/sauce and will thicken more if needed

Finally, it is up to you add fish to sauce and serve over rice or place fish on rice and pour sauce over the top

#Whats4dinner chicken corn chowder gravy

Today i did something i had not tried before and it worked out pretty well

1 lb ground turkey (beef is always better)
2 cups frozen corn thawed & dried
1 medium onion diced
1 red pepper chopped
2 cloves garlic diced
1/2 cup milk
2 tspns corn starch
2 cups chicken stock
3 tblspns butter
3 tblspns olive oil
i served over rice but this is what i did

melt 2 tblspns butter & 2 tblspns olive oil in a 12 inch skillet
brown ground meat remove to plate
fat content will determine if you need more oil before adding corn
add 1 tblspn olive oil and butter
add 2 cups corn brown/cook for 3 minutes
add onion continue to cook brown until corn and onion are carmelized
in the last minute or so add garlic
deglaze pan with 2 cups chicken stock
add red pepper
simmer slowly until reduced by half remove from heat
add corn starch to cold milk
and whisk in cornstarch milk slurry into skillet
taste add salt and pepper as needed

i served over white rice and was a hit with all good luck