Split Pea Soup

I have never made split pea soup before today. In fact, I can only remember a handful of times I've ever ate it. I know my mom used to make it when I was little and it was the only way my brother would eat a vegetable other than corn and mashed potatoes.

My husband requested it before Christmas so I started searching different recipes on how to make it. Ended up, it was a great use for the Christmas ham and bone. For this version, I took bits and pieces from different recipes, along with the suggestions from a friend of ours (who swears he is a connoisseur of split pea soup) and got what I think is a really good soup.

Keep in mind, salt and spices are added "to taste." So what I like may be different than what you do. Play around with the seasoning and make it your own. You may come up with something better than I did!

1 Ham bone plus about 2 cups of solid ham meat (uncut)
Water to cover bone
3 tsp dried thyme

2 1/3 cups dried split peas (16oz package)

5 carrots, large chop
1 baking potato, large chop
3 stalks celery, large chop
1/2 yellow onion, large chop
6 whole cloves garlic
2 tsp dried tarragon leaves
2 tsp dried thyme leaves
olive oil

2-3 tsp cayenne pepper, to taste
2 tbs butter
salt, to taste
fresh ground pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 375°

In a large stockpot with lid, place ham bone and ham and cover with enough water to go about 2" over. Add thyme and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until any meat on bone falls off and uncut ham shreds easily, 2-3 hours. Remove from pot and set to side.

Add peas to pot and simmer until tender, about 1 hour. In the meantime, add all vegetables, herbs and olive oil to a roasting pan or casserole. Roast in oven until carrots and potato are tender, about 1 hour. Remove from oven, let cool and then chop to smaller size. Chop reserved ham meat into bite size pieces. Add vegetables and ham to peas. Cover and simmer until peas have almost dissolved and soup has thickened. Add cayenne, butter, salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

Southern Biscuits

I have to admit, when it comes to baking I am not the best. It took me awhile to get making biscuits down, I've tried several times over the years and it just didn't work. My last attempt was this past Christmas Eve. I made a batch following a recipe I had and they came out okay, though not as fluffy as I had hoped. I made another batch the following morning with a little altering to the recipe. They came out better but still not what I expected. I tried again today, with a few more modifications, and now have something I like.

One thing I recommend with this recipe is that you put a few things in the freezer, the butter and a hand held cheese grater. You want to keep your butter and lard frozen when you grate it. The colder the butter and lard is, the more steam you get which helps the biscuits rise. Also, handle your dough with light hands, don't overwork the dough. You'll end up with biscuits with a much better texture.

UPDATE: After rolling and cutting the biscuits, freeze them on a cookie sheet (make sure they aren't touching.) When completely frozen they can be stored in a Ziplock bag and baked at 375° until done.  You can bake as many as needed without having to bake them all!

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon  Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

3 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons butter, frozen
2 tablespoons lard, frozen
1 teaspoon bacon drippings
1 cup chilled buttermilk*

Preheat oven to 450°

Mix together the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a bowl. Grate the frozen butter and  frozen lard into the flour mixture with a cheese grater; stir lightly to mix. Place in freezer for about 10 minutes. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture, and pour the bacon drippings and buttermilk into the well. Stir lightly and quickly to just bring the dough together before the butter and lard melt. Dough will be sticky. 

Scrape dough out onto a floured surface, and gently pat the dough flat. Dust with flour, fold it in half, pat down, fold again, and repeat until you have folded the dough 4 or 5 times. With a rolling pin, roll the dough out to a square about 1 inch thick. Cut the biscuit dough into rounds with a biscuit cutter or edge of a drinking glass. (Try not to twist the cutter/glass, it seals the edges and prevents rising. If you look at the picture above, you can see the ones I cut wrong to show you.)  

Place biscuits on a greased cookie sheet, almost touching. Bake on middle rack 15 -20 minutes or until tops are golden brown.

* If you don't have buttermilk, add 2 tablespoons vinegar to a measuring cup and then add cold milk until you have a cup of liquid. Set in the refrigerator for about 10-15 minutes. The milk will "sour" and become thick like buttermilk. 

Pineapple Chicken

When he was little, my son Samuel was one of those kids who would only eat lemon chicken with the sauce on the side. As he got older he would tolerate it, but never really liked it. It came as a surprise to me when he asked if I could make him lemon chicken for dinner one evening. I looked through my cabinets and didn't have any lemon curd, not one can of frozen lemon aid in the freezer and only one lemon in the refrigerator. The one time he asked me to make it, I didn't have enough main ingredient for the sauce.

I did however, have a jar of his favorite pineapple jelly. I simply substituted the pineapple jelly for the curd and came up with this recipe. The result, at least to my son, was better than any lemon chicken he had eaten before. Just what a mom loves to hear!

 3 boneless chicken breasts, bite sized chunks

1/4 cup rice vinegar, plus a splash

1/4 cup cooking Sherry

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

salt to taste

oil for frying

1 cup water

1 cup pineapple jelly

20 sprigs fresh chives, chopped or chopped green onion

6-8 maraschino cherries, halved

1 tbs cornstarch

1/4 cup cold water

Mix vinegar, Sherry and ginger in a bowl. Add chicken and marinade for 15 minutes. In a separate bowl mix flour and cornstarch. Take each piece of chicken, shake off excess liquid and coat in flour mixture, set aside. Heat about a 1/4 cup of oil in pan. When hot, add chicken and cook on all sides til cooked thoroughly. Remove chicken from pan and set on paper towel lined plate, lightly salt and keep warm. 

Remove excess oil from pan. Add a splash of vinegar will evaporate quickly. Add water and bring to a simmer, scraping cooked bits off the bottom of the pan. Add jelly and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add chives and cherries and simmer until sauce begins to thicken. Add cornstarch to cold water and add to sauce until desired thickness is achieved. Serve chicken over steamed rice with pineapple sauce on top.

Egg & Sausage Casserole with Vanilla Pancakes

In past years my parents would host Christmas Breakfast at their house. It was the four of us, my grandparents, aunts, uncles and their kids. My dad would make eggs, sausage, toast and orange rolls and everyone exchanged gifts. It was always a great time.

Over the last couple of years, everyone has started doing their own things and my parents have been coming to my house for Christmas breakfast. I still make the orange rolls and toast like my dad dis, but have added my own recipes to the mix. The casserole recipe that follows is a variation of one I do on Christmas morning. It doesn't take the overnight soak the original recipe does and has far less ingredients as well.

From this basic recipe, you can come up with your own variations by adding vegetables, different meats, etc. It can be done in a large casserole, prepared the night before and baked the following morning.

2 slices White bread, cubed

6 Eggs

1/4 Cup milk

1/4 Cup white wine

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

1/2 tsp dry mustard

1/2 cup cooked sausage

12 slices pepperoni, chopped

1/4 cup cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375°

Divide cubed bread among four ramekins. 

In a bowl, add eggs, milk, wine and all spices. Mix well, making sure to break all yolks. Add sausage, pepperoni and cheese to egg mixture, mixing well. Dividing evenly, pour mixture over bread and let sit for about five minutes.

Bake on middle rack for 20-25 minutes or until knife inserted in middle comes out clean. Top with hollandaise sauce for extra flavor.

Vanilla Pancakes

 

3/4 cup milk

2 tbs white vinegar

1 cup flour

2 tbs white sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbs melted butter

cooking spray

Combine milk and vinegar in a glass bowl and set aside for 5-10 minutes, milk will sour and get lumpy. Don't panic!

In a separate bowl combine all dry ingredients. Add egg, vanilla and butter to milk and mix well. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and stir until mixed well and lumps are gone.

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium/high heat and coat with cooking spray. Ladle 1/4 cup of batter onto skillet and cook until bubbles form on surface. Flip over and cook on other side until brown and cook through.

Carne Guisada Tacos

Carne guisada is on the menu of any Mexican restaurant in San Antonio. Basically, it's stew without the carrots, potatoes, etc.. It's served for breakfast, lunch and dinner. With cheese, without cheese, as a taco, in a burrito or as the main dish with rice and beans.

Everyone has their own recipe on how to make carne guisada. My husband, Joe, taught me how to make it several years back. He prefers to get already cubed stew meat and slow cook it in a large covered pot. I like to slow roast a boneless beef shoulder, cube it when done and finish in a covered pot. My way takes a bit longer but I think the end result is a much more flavorful dish.

1 3lb Boneless beef shoulder roast

4-5 large cloves garlic, minced

1/2  a medium yellow onion, sliced

1 tbs whole comino

1 tbs dried Mexican oregano

1 tbs fresh ground pepper

3 tbs vegetable oil

2-3 tbs flour

1 3/4 cup beef stock

3/4 cup tomato sauce

1/2  a medium yellow onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2-3 tsp Adobo powder

fresh ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400°

Place roast in a deep roasting pan with lid. Rub garlic, oregano, comino and black pepper on to roast, top with onion slices. Cover and roast until tender, about 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Remove from oven and let rest 15 minutes. When able to handle, carefully remove from roaster, reserve drippings. Cube meat into bite size pieces.

Heat a deep pan and add oil and 3 tablespoons of reserved drippings when ready. Add meat to pan and begin to fry. Add flour and cook for about 5 minutes. Add stock, tomato sauce, onion, bell pepper and Adobo powder. Cover and simmer over medium heat until vegetables are soft and sauce thickens. Add fresh ground pepper to taste.

Serve on hot flour tortillas, garnish with cheese, salsa and cilantro

Meatball and Vegetable Soup

There is a restaurant in Port Aransas, TX that used to serve this delicious creamy asparagus soup. The great thing about this place is that they willingly offer up the recipes for their dishes. Unfortunately, the last time we went the chef that created it was no longer there. I came up with this recipe with the intention of it being something close. However, I went a little crazy and started adding more and more things.

This is a heavy soup, perfect for a cold evening. Serve it with a side salad and fresh hot bread and you have a great meal.

1lb fresh bulk Italian sausage

2 tbs olive oil

2 tbs butter

1 cup yellow onion, diced

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 cup carrot, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried thyme leaves

1 tsp dried tarragon leaves

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp fresh ground pepper

1 cup white wine

5 cups chicken stock

2 red potatoes, diced

1 15.8oz can great northern beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 lb fresh asparagus, ends removed and chopped into 1" pieces

1 cup fresh spinach, chopped

1/2 cup parsley, chopped

1 tbs balsamic vinegar

1 cup heavy cream

salt to taste

Roll 1" meatballs from Italian sausage. Heat a stock pot and add olive oil when ready. Add meatballs and brown on all sides, being careful not to break up. When done, remove and set aside. 

Add butter to pot and melt. Add onion, celery and carrots. Cook until onions are tender. Add garlic and all of the spices, cook for about 3 minutes longer. Add white wine, bring to a simmer and stir for about 5 minutes making sure to scrape any bits from bottom of the pan. Add chicken stock, potatoes, beans and asparagus. Cover and simmer until potatoes and asparagus begin to become tender. Add remaining ingredients, bring back to simmer and cook until spinach just begins to wilt.

Serve hot.

Crawfish Etouffee and Shrimp Piquant

I first ate Cajun and Creole food several years ago at a local Cajun restaurant and fell in love with it. When I really started getting into cooking I made a dish of crawfish etouffee with the goal of making it taste like the one I had at that restaurant. This recipe is pretty close and everyone I serve it to seems to love it, even those who aren't really into crawfish!

The recipe for shrimp piquant is much spicier than the etouffee but just as delicious. I use serrano peppers put you can substitute jalapenos or omit them altogether. Both recipes call for fish stock and normally, time permitting, I will make my own. You can do the same by boiling the shells of the crawfish and/or shrimp with onion, garlic, thyme and celery. Just strain out the solids before using.

Shrimp Piquant

2 tablespoons butter 

2 1/4 cups chopped onions 

1 1/2 cups chopped green bell peppers 

3/4 cup chopped celery 

3 cups chopped fresh peeled tomatoes 

1 cup tomato sauce 

2 serrano peppers, chopped

2 bay leaves

1 cup chopped parsley

1 tsp dried thyme leaves
5 1/2 teaspoons ground cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons white pepper
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 1/4 cups fish stock
1 1/2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 lbs peeled raw large shrimp

4 cups hot cooked rice

Melt the butter in a 4-quart non-stick saucepan over high heat; add the onions, bell pepper, and celery and saute for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, jalapeno, bay leaves, parsley, thyme, ground peppers, and garlic, stirring well; cook about 3 minutes and stir often.

Stir in the stock, sugar and salt and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer until flavors are married, about 20 minutes, stirring often.

Turn the heat up to high, and when the sauce is boiling, remove from heat

Add in the shrimp, push them down in the sauce, cover the pan and let sit for 10 minutes. Remove bay leaves.

Serve over rice.

 

Crawfish Etouffee 

1 pound peeled crawfish tails or one 16oz package frozen crawfish meat

1/4 cup stick butter 

3 tablespoon flour

1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped green onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp tomato paste

1 1/2 cup fish stock
1 cup chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1 tsp dried thyme

1 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp black pepper

4 cups cooked rice

 

In a large saute pan over medium high heat, melt the butter. Add flour and cook until roux turns a golden color. Add the onions, garlic and celery, saute until the vegetables are wilted, about 10 to 12 minutes. Add the tomato paste to the stock and stir into onion mixture. Add tomatoes, crawfish, parsley and seasoning and cover. Simmer for about 20 minutes.

Serve over steamed rice.

I've Been Slacking!

Thanksgiving and family obligations has caused me to fall behind on blogging any recipes. However, I'm posting one tomorrow for Crawfish Etouffee, one of my favorite meals. I'm also working on some lighter dishes for the holiday season and some International dishes as well.

Here's hoping that you had a great Thanksgiving!

Spinach & Sausage Quiche

I got up this Sunday morning before anyone else so I could start making breakfast. I enjoy waking everyone up with the delicious smells of sausage, bacon, eggs and whatever else I decide to make.

This morning I decided on quiche. It's easy to make, easy to clean up, makes a pretty presentation and my family loves it. I made this one with sausage and spinach but you can throw in almost anything you want. If you are one of those that has to top everything with some sort of sauce then I suggest Hollandaise. It goes well with most egg and vegetable dishes.

1 Frozen deep dish pie shell

8 Eggs

1/2 Cup Milk

1 Teaspoon Dried mustard

1/2 Teaspoon Red pepper flakes

1/2 Teaspoon Black pepper

1 Link Smoked sausage, chopped

1 Cup Fresh Spinach, chopped

1/2 Cup Onion, chopped

1/4 Cup Swiss or Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 375°

In a bowl, whisk together eggs thru black pepper until frothy. Stir in remaining ingredients and carefully pour into pie shell. Bake until done, about an hour, or until a knife inserted into middle comes out clean. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

Banana Muffins!

One of my husband's favorite things to snack on is banana nut muffins. I didn't have any walnuts around so I decided to make him banana muffins with a crumb top. These come out so moist you won't need any added butter, especially if you eat them about 15 minutes after they've finished baking.

1 1/2 Cups Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking soda
1 Teaspoon Baking powder
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
3 Bananas, mashed
3/4 Cup Sugar
1 Egg, lightly beaten
1/3 Cup Butter, melted

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

1/2 Teaspoon Ground nutmeg

3/4 Teaspoon Cinnamon

1/3 Cup Brown sugar
2 Tablespoons Flour
1 Teaspoon Ground cinnamon
1 Tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 375°

Grease or line a muffin pan, set aside

In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg, melted butter, vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. 

In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins. 

Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Borracho Beans- A Texas Necessity

If you live in Texas you have to know how to make a good pot of beans. It's something you serve with brisket, enchiladas and basically any other BBQ or Mexican dish out there. I don't particularly care for beans, unless they're re-fried and in a taco with cheese, but I do know how to make them.

When making these, don't forget that you are using dried beans and will have to do an overnight soak. I don't like the quick-soak method, I don't feel you get the same results. However, if that is the method you prefer then hey, go for it!

2 Cups Dried Pinto Beans

12 Ounces Salt pork

4 Cups Chicken Stock

1 12 Ounce Can whole tomatoes, with liquid

1 Medium Onion, chopped

1 Bunch Cilantro, chopped

3-4 Jalapeno peppers, sliced

5-6 Cloves Garlic

5-6 Tablespoons Fiesta Brand Pinto Bean seasoning

2 Tablespoons Ground comino (cumin)

Fresh Ground pepper to taste

The night before, pick through beans for any rocks and rinse. Place in bowl and cover with water, at least 2-3" over, and soak overnight. Rinse before cooking.

In a large pot with lid place all the above ingredients, reserving 1/2 of the cilantro and jalapenos, and bring to boil. Make sure beans have at least 1-2" of liquid above them at all time, add water or more stock if needed . Reduce to simmer and cover for about 2 hours or until beans are tender. When beans are tender, add remaining cilantro and jalapenos and simmer for another 15-20 minutes. Before serving, mash a few beans and garlic cloves with the back of a ladle and stir. This will help thicken the broth and add extra flavor. Add salt as needed.

Eggplant Parmigiana

When I was little and my family would go to eat Italian food, my mom would order eggplant parmigiana the majority of the time. I would watch my dad make a face and say it was gross but she always seemed to enjoy it. She let me try it one day and after that, I was hooked. Actually, I like anything that has the ending "parmigiana." That includes veal, shrimp and of course, chicken. But my favorite will always be the eggplant.

When making this dish I slice the eggplant lengthwise and about 1/4" thick. I don't use shredded mozzarella for the layers, only for the garnish. I try to use fresh cheese whenever possible and I slice it thick for better texture. When layering, begin by putting two slices, side by side, horizontally and the next two slices vertically. If you build the layers in this fashion the dish will hold together much better.

1 Purple eggplant

2 Eggs, slightly beaten

1/4 Cup Milk

1 Teaspoon Dried Basil

1 Cup Panko breadcrumbs

1 Cup Regular breadcrumbs

Oil for frying

32 Ounces prepared traditional pasta sauce

12 to 14 Thick slices GOOD mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375°

Put about 4-6 tablespoons of the pasta sauce in the bottom of a 9x12 baking dish and set to side. In a shallow dish the same length of  eggplant, add beaten eggs and milk, stir. In another dish add Panko, breadcrumbs, basil and mix well. Remove eggplant skin with vegetable peeler and slice lengthwise into 1/4" thick pieces. 

Heat a skillet and then add oil for frying. Dip each slice of eggplant in egg wash then in breadcrumbs, coating each side. Fry in pan, 2 slices at a time, until sides are lightly golden. Place slices in bottom of baking dish and top with 6 tablespoons sauce, spreading evenly, then top with 2-3 slices of cheese. Continue breading and frying slices, two at a time, and layering until no slices remain. However, do not add cheese to last layer.

Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove foil, top with any remaining cheese and bake uncovered an addition 15 minutes. Let stand before slicing and serving.

Stuffed Chicken with Parmesan Crust- New Product Test

I had already planned on making a stuffed chicken dish when I came upon a new Kraft product, Parmesan Seasoning Blends-Hearty Tuscan Herbs. I decided to give it a try and use it in the crust part of the dish along with Panko bread crumbs.  It went well with the entire dish and you could taste the actual herbs and it wasn't overwhelmed with unnecessary salt. I will definitely use this product again and will be trying the other flavors in the future.

As for the stuffing part of the chicken, I used Prosciutto as the main ingredient. Do not add any salt to the stuffing, between the Prosciutto and Provolone cheese there will be an ample amount. I was going to make a nice risotto as a side but instead went with roasted root vegetables. However, risotto or creamed spinach would go well too. You can also top each each piece with a chunky marinara sauce for a little added color and flavor.

  

  

4 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 Package of Kraft Parmesan Seasoning Blends- Heart Tuscan Herbs *

1 Cup Panko Japanese style breadcrumbs

2 Eggs, slightly scrambled

2 Tablespoons milk or heavy cream

1 Cup Prosciutto, diced

1/2 Cup onion, diced

3 Cloves garlic, minced

1 Cup Baby Spinach

2 Tablespoons butter

4 1oz. slices Provolone cheese

Olive oil

Preheat oven to 375°

Grease bottom of  baking dish with olive oil

Make a "pocket" in each chicken breast. To do so, insert a knife in the thicker end of the breast piece and slice about an 1" or so, being careful not to pierce through. In a shallow dish add egg and milk. In another dish, or a Ziplock bag, add Panko bread crumbs and Kraft seasoning and mix well. Set all aside.

Heat a heavy skillet and add butter to melt. Add  Prosciutto and saute til fat begins to render. Add onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes. Add spinach and cook until it starts to wilt. Take each chicken breast and place one slice of Provolone in each (you may have to slice in thirds to fit) and then stuff with Prosciutto mix.

Carefully dip all sides of each breast in egg wash and then in Panko/seasoning mix, coating each piece completely. Place each piece in baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Bake on center rack until done, about 30-45 minutes or until juices run clear. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

* In place of packaged seasoning mix, add 1-2 tablespoon of the following to the Panko breadcrumbs: Grated Parmesan and Italian seasoning

Sausage Gravy!

I taught my daughter, Paige, how to make sausage gravy today. Afterward, she topped a split biscuit with scrambled eggs and the gravy. It's a classic breakfast or brunch item, completely filling and delicious.

When making the scrambled eggs, try adding a couple tablespoons of cream or milk, about 1/4 teaspoon each of paprika and ground mustard. You'll definitely have more creamier and flavorful eggs with these simple additions. 

Sausage Cream Gravy

2-3 Slices bacon, cut in 1/2" pieces

1/2 Cup uncooked pork breakfast sausage from a roll, like Jimmy Dean or Owens

2-3 Tablespoons flour

1 Cup milk

Fresh ground pepper to taste

Salt to taste

In  a saucepan, begin cooking bacon over medium heat. When bacon is almost done add sausage and cook til done, breaking up any larger pieces and being careful not to burn. Begin adding flour, a tablespoon at a time. You want to absorb all of the oil, stirring to make sure that all of the sausage is coated. When all of the oil has been absorbed begin adding milk, about half a cup at a time. Stir continuously until gravy starts to thicken. If too thick, add more milk. Add salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

A few years back I tasted a roasted red pepper soup for the first time, I fell in love with it. I've developed my own recipe, while not identical to the one I originally had, is quite close. It's a little tasking to make, considering the roasting of the peppers, pureeing and the straining before serving, but well worth the effort. It's a soup best served warm but can also be served chilled, if you like. I serve it more as a side dish but it goes wonderfully with an artisan sandwich or simple salad.

3 Large red peppers

Vegetable oil

2 Tablespoons butter

1/4 Cup onion, chopped

1/2 Cup shredded carrots, chopped

2 Stalks celery, with leaves, chopped

3 Tablespoons tomato paste

3 Cups Chicken stock

1 Teaspoon red pepper flakes

Fresh ground pepper

1/2 Cup Heavy cream

Fresh basil for garnish

Preheat oven to 400°

Cut peppers in half, remove stem and seeds. Lay skin side up on baking dish and brush with vegetable oil. Roast in oven until skins begin to turn black. Remove from oven and place in resealable bag. When peppers are cool, about 20 minutes, remove skins and do not rinse. Roughly chop peppers and set aside.

In heavy saucepan, melt butter. Add onion, carrots and celery cooking until soft, about 5 minutes. Add peppers, red pepper flakes and tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes longer. Add stock and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly, puree with hand mixer or blender. When mixture is smooth, return to heat and add cream. Return to a simmer and cook for 10 - 15 minutes. Before serving, strain soup though fine mesh sieve. Garnish with a drizzle of heavy cream and fresh chopped basil.

Sweet & Tangy Baked Beans

My 14yr old son, Sam, has always loved the classic Beanie Weenies. In a rush I'll usually make them with store brand hot dogs and a can of Bush's Baked Beans. But if I've got time, like I did today, I'll make the beans from almost-scratch and use a better hot dog or sausage. What follows is my recipe for tangy and sweet beans. However, here are a few things you want to remember. While I have put exact measurements, you want to taste the sauce as you build it. When using canned tomato products, especially cheaper brands, you never know how tangy or even metallic tasting the tomatoes will be. You might have to adjust sugar and/or apple cider measurements. Also, I use canned beans because sugar can sometimes cause fresh beans, no matter how long they have soaked or cooked, to be hard.

One last note. You can substitute the apple cider vinegar for a good bourbon. I would have, but my husband decided to finish off what I had hidden away!

6-7 Slices Applewood smoked bacon, cut into 1/2" pieces

1 Medium onion, chopped 

3 Cloves garlic, minced

3/4 Cup Ketchup

3/4 Cup Tomato puree

1 Cup Brown sugar

2 Tablespoons Agave nectar or honey

1/4 Cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne pepper

1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Salt & pepper to taste

4  15.5 ounce cans Navy beans

Preheat oven to 350°

In heavy saucepan, cook bacon til almost done, add onion and garlic and cook until soft. Add remaining ingredients except beans. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture is heated thoroughly. Add beans and stir gently til evenly coated.

Transfer beans to a casserole or baking pan, cover and bake for 1 hour. Remove cover and cook an additional 15 minutes. Let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.

**** NOTE****

If adding hot dogs, add at start of baking making sure to completely cover dogs with beans. Check dogs after 1 hour to make sure they have cooked through. Adjust time accordingly.

Homemade Amaretto

I saw a recipe for homemade Amaretto in the weekend newspaper, so I said, "I'm doing this!" I decided to do a little research on the drink and looked at a few recipes on the Internet. I took what I learned and what others had tried and came up with this recipe.

My first batch seems to have good color, fragrance and the initial taste is also good. I'm going to age it for about a week then taste it again. I warn you, this is a recipe that is a work in progress but I think you should try it and have fun with it.

1 3/4 Cup Water

1 3/4 Cup White Sugar

3 Tablespoons Brown sugar

1 Teaspoon Anise Seeds

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon Almond Extract

1 1/4 Cup Good Vodka

Bring to simmer, in a heavy saucepan, the water thru Anise seeds until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and cover to allow seeds to steep. When cool, strain into glass container and add vanilla and almond extract, set aside.

In clean glass decanter, add vodka and above sugar mixture, mix well. As drink sits, separation may occur. Just stir before serving.

Loaded Scalloped Potaotes

Scalloped potatoes loaded with fresh chives, bacon, sour cream and three types of cheese.

4-5 medium red potatoes, thinly sliced with mandolin

4 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

2 cups milk

1/4 cup sour cream

Nutmeg

Ground thyme

Paprika

Fresh ground pepper

1/4 cup  shredded asiago cheese

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese plus 1.4 cup for topping

1/2 cup shredded monterrey jack cheese

5 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled

2 tablespoons fresh cut chives

Salt to taste

Preheat oven to 375°

Soak potato slices in large bowl filled with cold water

In medium saucepan over medium heat melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. When butter is completely melted add flour, stirring continuously, cook until medium blonde in color. Add sour cream and stir. Add milk, half a cup at a time and whisking to prevent clumps. Add a dash of each spice (nutmeg, thyme, paprika and pepper) then begin adding cheeses, stirring constantly til all are melted. Fold in 1/2 the bacon and all of the chives. Add more spices or salt to taste. Set to side.

Butter the bottom and sides of baking dish. Melt remaining butter and set aside. Drain potatoes and begin layering half in dish, top with half of the melted butter and cheese sauce. Continue layering remaining potatoes topping with remaining butter and sauce when finished. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Uncover and top with remaining bacon and 1/4 cup cheddar cheese, brown in oven, uncovered, for about 10-15 minutes

A Cold Night, A Warm Dessert

The weather changed early this evening, The wind started blowing and the temperature dropped, it actually felt like the start of fall. When the weather changes like that, it calls for something ooey, gooey & warm.

Chocolate Covered Cherry Hot Pots

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 

1/2 cup butter

1 tablespoon Godiva Chocolate Liqueur

2 large eggs

3/4 cup sugar 

3 tablespoons flour

Cherry preserves

Preheated oven to 400° 

Butter four 2/3-cup ramekins and set aside.

In microwave safe bowl,melt together the semisweet chocolate and butter,stirring every 15 - 20 seconds.Let stand for few seconds to cool slightly. Stir in liqueur.

In a bowl combine eggs,sugar and flour,stir in cooled chocolate. Divide mixture evenly among ramekins, only filling halfway. Place 1 teaspoon of cherry preserves in the center of each ramekin. Cover preserves with remaining mixture. 

Bake until tops are no longer shiny and crack. Let cool for a few seconds, serve warm with or without ice cream.

* Preserves can be omitted, just divide mixture evenly between the ramekins

Quick, Easy and Inexpensive Meat Sauce

I'm a coupon shopper and am always looking for deals. I like to splurge on some meals and others, I just try to make it taste as if I did. This sauce cost me about $4.00 to make. I bought canned sauce, diced tomatoes, ground pork then added spices that I already had. Top spaghetti with this and you have a meal that will feed 4-6 people for under $5.00. Yes, you can buy sauce from a jar for less, but it won't have the same flavor that this does.

1lb ground pork

2 tablespoons basil leaves

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 14.5 ounce can Hunt's diced tomatoes, sweet onion flavor

1 26.5 ounce can Hunt's traditional Spaghetti Sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 bay leaves

2 tablespoons olive oil

Brown ground pork with basil, oregano, crushed red pepper and garlic. Add diced tomatoes, sauce, brown sugar and bay leaves. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer til sauce thickens, about 30 - 40 minutes. Before serving, remove bay leaves.

A Few Tips

I've been off for a couple days and cooking quite alot. However, I'm still tweaking a few recipes before I post them. I thought I would share a few tips that I have learned over the years. Hopefully, you will find them useful too!

1. ALWAYS heat your pan before adding oil if you plan on browning and sauteing. Why? Because cold oil on a hot pan help keep things from sticking!

2. When using  heavy cream, or an abundance of dairy, in dishes like creamed spinach or macaroni & cheese use fresh ground nutmeg. It breaks up the "dairy" taste and adds an earthy warmth to the dish.

3. Add 1-2 bay leaves to dishes like soups, stews and Italian or Mediterranean sauces. (Remove the leaves before serving.) Bay leaves add a background flavor to these type of dishes.

4. If you are using canned tomatoes or sauce to make spaghetti, add 1-2 tablespoons of brown sugar. This cuts the tangy flavor that some canned tomato products have. HOWEVER, always add a little at a time and taste frequently. No two cans are the same and therefor, you may need more or less to break the taste down.

5. When making pasta remember, add oil to the pasta if you don't intend on the sauce clinging. In other words, with spaghetti you want the sauce on each strand, it's the focus of the meal. Therefor, keep your boiling water rolling without any added oil. The pasta shouldn't stick if the water is boiling rapid enough. With manicotti you want the sauce more as a "dressing" because the filling is the star of the dish. Add a few tablespoons of olive oil to help keep the pasta from sticking.

6. Always add COLD water to cornstarch before adding it to a hot ingredient to thicken. Adding the cornstarch directly, or mixing with hot water, will cause clumps in sauces, soups etc. With flour, always fry with butter or oil before adding liquid to prevent clumps.

7. Try using non-metallic bowls and mixing utensils. Metallic ones react with some ingredients, not a good taste in the mouth!

This is just a few of the tips I have, when I remember some more I'll be sure to share them!

Happy Cooking!

Veggie Pizza

I came up with this simple and quick pizza because I had leftover vegetables sitting in the refrigerator. It's become a favorite with my kids and they actually request that I make it. Yes, it uses an already made sauce and pizza shell, but it's suppose to be a simple meal for a night you really don't want to cook.

1 Ready made pizza shell, I use Mamma Mary's

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

4 tablespoons tomato& basil Alfredo sauce, I use Francesco Rinaldi

1-2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

Fresh ground black pepper

1/2 cup each of shredded mozzarella, cheddar and asiago cheeses

1 Roma tomato, chopped

1/4 cup each of chopped green and red bell peppers

1/4 cup chopped broccoli

1.4 cup matchstick carrots

1/4 cup chopped red onion

handful fresh spinach

Preheat oven to temperature on pizza shell package

Spread olive oil over pizza shell and top with Alfredo sauce, red pepper flakes, black pepper and cheeses. Layer vegetables, top with a little more cheese if desired and bake according to package instructions.

Now, how simple was that?

Dessert: Roasted Pears

I made this dessert after a steak night. I thought it was an excellent ending to a romantic meal with my husband. The evenings are starting to get cooler so a warm dessert is perfect for this time of the year.

2 Bosc pears, halved and cores removed

1/2 cup pineapple rum

1/2 cup brown sugar

4 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 375

In heavy sauce pan heat rum, sugar and butter til butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Place pear halves, inside up, in shallow baking dish and prick in several spots with fork. Spoon 1-2 tablespoons of rum sauce over each one. Bake until tender, about 30 minutes, turning halves over halfway through baking and spooning sauce over each one as needed.

Serve each pear, inside facing up, topped with ice cream and drizzled with remaining rum sauce

Side Dish: Kale

This was my first attempt at making Kale. I decided to make it the same way I go about making other greens, like collards. Next time, I'll steam them a little bit longer to soften the stems more, or leave them out all together.

1 bunch Kale, washed and chopped into 2" pieces

3 slices Applewood smoked bacon, chopped into 1" pieces

1/4 cup chopped onion

2 minced garlic cloves

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2-3 teaspoons white sugar

1 tablespoon butter

Steam Kale til tender and set aside.

Cook bacon in butter over medium heat. When bacon is almost done, add onion and saute til soft. Add garlic and saute for a few minutes more. Add balsamic vinegar, sugar and kale. saute till heated through. Salt and pepper to taste.

Tested: Knorr Homestyle Stock

I tried this new Knorr concentrated stock last night when I made chicken and calabacita. At first I just wanted to play with it, it's like chicken flavored jello, gelatinous and wiggly!

Despite it's funky look, it's pretty good! You can dilute it as much as you like with gives you control over the flavor strength. While you could taste the flavor, it wasn't overpowering and went well with the overall dish. The aroma is nice anf fresh, just like homemade.

I still need to give it a try in dishes that normally call for bouillon. It has less salt and richer flavor so I'm confident it's going to work well in those too. I'm definitely recommending this one!

HEB Breakfast Breads

I had to give a shout out to my employer, HEB, for putting out this awesome line of breakfast breads. I use the French Toast version because it's thick enough to handle an egg soak for making traditional and stuffed french toast. It doesn't fall apart!

Also, if you like the taste of McGriddle sandwiches, this is the perfect bread. It's already loaded with cinnamon & syrup. Just take your favorite maple sausage, fried egg, cheese, two toasted slices and voila, you have your own McGriddle! You can even add a little extra syrup on the slices and it won't soak through!