Flashback Friday: More snow!

Another snow day on Long Island! Woke up to another Winter Wonderland. Still looks so pretty to me. I just love it! Stopped at 8 inches but seems to be picking up again this afternoon! We're all set here. Picked up some pizza dough at the pizzeria to make calzones and pizza this afternoon. Have DVD's and electricity. Hunkered down and staying put, all is well in this wonderland.

Joining Suzy from Kitchen Bouquet for Flashback Friday! Check out Suzy's blog for lot's of fun Flashback's and sign up there if you'd like to join in on the reruns!

I'm flashing back to my first pizza post. I made a White Pizza from scratch when Kathleen, from Cuisine Kathleen, was celebrating summer, and her let there be white party. Well, it's not summer here now, but there is plenty of the white stuff and even more by Kathleen out east on Long Island!

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Sweet and Sour Chicken

Today was a rainy, dreary kind of day. The rain is supposed to turn to snow. Maybe. Maybe not. We shall see. Definitely in lazy mode tonight and didn't feel like takeout, but didn't feel like preparing a huge feast either. Sweet and Sour Chicken worked out well. Ten minutes to brown rice using the Success method. Ok, so it's not really a method, it's a product! Success boil-in-bag brown rice. We like it! Ten minutes in the microwave. Less if you like crunchy rice. They call it fool-proof. Obviously they never heard about me! but somehow I made it perfect this time. Dinner ready in less than 30 minutes. The only change to this one was to add broccoli florets. If you don't like fruit with your chicken, leave out the pineapple. Another keeper!

Sweet and Sour Chicken
Source: Better Homes and Gardens
Printable Recipe

3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
4 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 clove garlic, minced
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
1 medium red sweet pepper, cut into bite-size strips (1 cup)
4 teaspoons cooking oil
1 cup fresh pea pods, tips and stems removed
12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 8-ounce can pineapple chunks (juice-pack), drained
3 cups hot cooked brown rice

For sauce, in a small bowl stir together chicken broth, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, and garlic; set aside.

In a large nonstick skillet cook and stir carrots and sweet pepper in 3 teaspoons of the hot oil over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Add pea pods. Cook and stir about 1 minute more or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove from skillet; set aside.

Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil to skillet. Add chicken to skillet. Cook and stir for 3 to 4 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Push chicken from center of skillet. Stir sauce; add to center of skillet. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add vegetable mixture and pineapple chunks; heat through. Serve with hot cooked brown rice.

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Visit Kathleen from Cuisine Kathleen to join in on her 2nd Annual St. Patrick's Day Party! Guaranteed to be a fun time! Party starts on March 26th at Kathleen's, anything Irish goes, recipes, stories, pictures, anything! Sign up with Mr. Linky on March 26th at Cuisine Kathleen to join!

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Won ton Ravioli!

WOW! All I can say is wow! Tonight was one of those nights where I managed to pull together three new recipes and end up with a fabulous dinner we all loved.

My friend, San, was making ravioli's the other night and it was a recipe from a cooking forum we used to chit chat at from time to time, actually a lot of the time. I ended up with a huge "to try" folder of recipes from there. Two recipes from tonight have been on that list for years. Shaved Fennel, Mushroom and Parmesan Salad, and Ravioli with Prosciutto, Spinach and Cheese. Both had been posted over and over again to great reviews. Fennel? Anise? I wasn't too sure anyone here would like it. and homemade ravioli made with won ton wrappers? Would be so much easier to just call for takeout!

But San had been raving about both recipes, and I figured it was now or never. I had been wanting to make these two recipes for a very long time.

The fennel salad was delicious, and it surprised me that we liked the fennel as much as we did. Won ton ravioli seemed easy enough. Didn't need a pasta machine or anything. Ok, you can't be too much of a klutz though because those little wrappers can tear. Be gentle when you peel them apart. That wasn't too difficult. So I wasted the first five or six. Maybe ten. Finally got the hang of that. Sharon said to fold over. My ravioli would be really small and I had trouble with them tearing, so I decided to use two won ton wrappers for each ravioli. Lay one flat, drop a teaspoon filling, brush a little water (those teeny, tiny silicone Le Creuset brushes are great for this. and they come in pretty colors!) around the edges, and put another wrapper on top. Press the edges closed. Voila! Ravioli! It was easy by the 20th one!

Getting them out of the pot was another story. A little slippery, a little delicate to get out of the pot, and some stuck together. NONE OPENED. That was pretty good. Impressive. The pot also did not boil over, another issue I usually have. I ended up just pouring them into a colander.

A little messy. Some stuck, none opened. Not a bad thing. two for two with the recipes tonight. They were so good. Definitely this is a keeper recipe. The filling was delicious! I made a roasted red pepper sauce to go with it. Definitely making this again. And soon! Thanks to Sharon for a fabulous recipe and San for recommending it so highly or I never would have tried.

Shaved Fennel, Mushroom, and Parmesan Salad
Source: posted Gardenweb by MQmoi, recipe by Alice Waters (Chez Panisse)
Printable Recipe

fennel (sliced thin)
fresh lemon juice
olive oil
salt and pepper
very thinly sliced mushrooms (I used cremini)
Parmesan shavings

Cut off the feathery tops of the fennel at the base of their stalks and remove the outer layer of the bulbs. Slice the bulbs very thin with a mandolin or a very sharp knife.

Assemble the salad in layers on a large platter or on individual salad plates.

First make a layer of the fennel slices. Squeeze lemon juice evenly over the fennel and drizzle with fruity olive oil, salt and pepper. Then make a layer of the mushrooms, also sliced very thin. Squeeze more lemon juice over them, drizzle evenly with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Grate or cut thin shavings of the Parmesan with cheese slicer or a vegetable peeler and arrange them on top of the salad. Drizzle with olive oil. Serve immediately.

Other options are artichokes and balsamic vinegar. If you don't like the raw mushrooms, you can also saute them.

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Printable Recipe

1 jar roasted red peppers (small jar)
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
splash of white wine (I used Sauvignon Blanc)
1/4 cup heavy cream

Pour the jar of peppers, and the garlic in a food processor or blender and puree to desired consistency. We like a smooth sauce. Pour the puree into a saucepan, add the tomato paste, a little drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste and a small splash of white wine. Stir to combine the ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes. Stir in the cream, and simmer a minute or so more.

Ravioli (Prosciutto, Spinach and Cheese)
Source: Sharon (Chase) - Cooking Forum@Gardenweb
Printable Recipe

1/2 cup, prosciutto diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 shallot, minced (green onions would do fine)
1 cup ricotta
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/2 cup Asiago, grated (optional)
1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed of all the liquid
1 egg
nutmeg
1 package won ton wrappers (or fresh pasta)

Sauté the prosciutto in the oil just until softened. Add the garlic and shallot. Sauté until soft, but not browned.

In a bowl combine ricotta, Parmesan, Asiago, egg, spinach, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Add prosciutto mixture.

Separate won ton wrappers. Place a heaping teaspoon of the filling on each won ton wrapper. Wet the edges, fold it over and seal well.

Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Add ravioli's and boil just until they rise to the top. Reduce heat, cook for 2 or 3 minutes. Remove from heat and drain.

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Mosaic Monday: Salads for a Warm Winter's Day!

Joining Mary at the Little Red House for Mosaic Monday! Check out more fabulous Mosaics over at the Little Red House.

Well, today was another warm winter's day, a great day to grill, so I thought we'd try out some new recipes that I had on the "to try" list. Even surprised myself and actually made salmon again. Still not cooking it in the house, too smelly, I have a tendency to burn things, we'd been smelling salmon for days. It's definitely and out door thing for now. It was in the 40's, what a strange winter, we're back to freezing snow and rain Monday night, but it the meantime, it was a perfect day to grill. Tried a new glaze for the salmon, made with hoisin sauce. Being the compulsive pantry shopper that I am, I just happened to have a jar in the cabinet. and it wasn't even dated 2006!

All in all, these three new ones are all keepers! At the suggestion of my friend, Renee, also known as Bubbe, the only thing I changed to the Spinach salad was to add walnuts and omit the bacon. We already had bacon in the potato salad, so that would have been too much of a good thing! Great suggestion, thanks Renee, and if I'm not too lazy, next time I'll toast them first. I thought of that one after the fact. Normal for me :)

Warm German Potato Salad
Source: Martha Stewart's Everyday Food
Printable Recipe

Salt and ground pepper
1 1/2 pounds small new potatoes, scrubbed
3 slices bacon, thinly sliced crosswise
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
4 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
3 tablespoons whole-grain Dijon mustard

In a 5-quart saucepan, bring 1 inch salted water to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Add potatoes. Cover; cook until tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 25 to 30 minutes. Drain; cool slightly, and halve.

In a small skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crispy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add onion. Cook, stirring often, until tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat; add 3 tablespoons vinegar and mustard.

Toss with warm potatoes. If desired, season with salt and pepper, and add up to 1 tablespoon more vinegar. Serve warm.

Spinach, White-Bean and Red-Onion Salad
Source: Food and Wine - January 1998
Printable Recipe

My notes: I used Champagne vinegar. Didn't make the bread part of the recipe, although it sounded good. I used walnuts, omitted the bacon as per Bubbe's excellent suggestion! Next time, I'd give them a little toast in the skillet first! I cut the recipe a bit and used one bag baby spinach, half a red onion and one can of beans for four of us!
4 3/4-inch-thick slices country bread or sourdough bread
1/4 pound sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips
2 red onions, sliced thin
3 tablespoons wine vinegar
4 cups drained and rinsed canned cannellini beans (two 19-ounce cans)
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
4 pounds spinach, stems removed, leaves washed well
2 tablespoons olive oil

Heat the oven to 450°. Put the bread on a baking sheet and toast until lightly browned, turning once, about 5 minutes.

In a large frying pan, cook the bacon over moderate heat until crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Add the onions to the bacon fat and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of the vinegar, the beans, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper. Mix gently and remove from the heat.

Put the spinach in a large glass or stainless-steel bowl. Add the remaining tablespoon of vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, the oil, and the bacon to the bowl and toss. Stir half of the bean mixture into the spinach and put the salad on plates. Top each slice of toasted bread with the remaining bean mixture and serve with the salad.

Hoisin-Glazed Salmon
Source: Food and Wine, recipe by Marcia Kiesel
Printable Recipe

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon dry white wine
1 teaspoon honey
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Four 6-ounce skinless salmon fillets
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 450°. Position a rack in the upper third of the oven. In a small bowl, combine the hoisin, soy sauce, wine, honey and garlic.

In a large, ovenproof, nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper. Place them in the skillet, skinned-side up, and sear over high heat until browned on the bottom, about 30 seconds. Flip the fillets and spoon half of the hoisin glaze over them.

Transfer the skillet to the top rack of the oven and roast the salmon for 3 minutes. Spoon the remaining hoisin glaze over the fillets and roast for another 3 minutes. Baste the fillets with the glaze in the pan and roast until just cooked through, about 2 minutes longer.

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Flashback Friday: Chicken Florentine

Joining Suzy at Kitchen Bouquet for another Flashback Friday. She's flashing back to some gorgeous roses and moving ahead to a new opportunity. Good luck Suzy!

This one is a flashback for me, I don't think I've ever posted this recipe before but I used to make it often because my kids loved it when they were little. I found it on an old disc of the original MasterCook software, and it seemed simple enough for me at the time. It became a regular on our dinner menu. Had some chicken cutlets in the frig and some great ideas, but when I was looking through my recipes, I found this one for Chicken Florentine. I hadn't made it in years. When my son sat down for dinner, he immediately remembered this dish from when he was little. Of course he had to remind me that one time I baked the bag the spinach came in along with the chicken and mushrooms. We had no clue how I could have done that, but what a surprise when we fished it out! Little shit, he has too good a memory! We had a good laugh and a great dinner tonight! The kids remembered it and dinner was a hit all over again! and I've come a long way in cooking. Somewhat anyway!

Of course I adapted this to my own style of rushed cooking :)  I used cremini and white button mushrooms, and more than the recipe called for because we love mushrooms. A lot. Added more spinach as well. I sauteed the mushrooms first, then added the shallots, and then the spinach to the pan until it was all wilted. Then put it all in the casserole dish. Browned the chicken pieces, actually didn't brown them but cooked them through and added that on top of the spinach and mushroom mix. Used a little more Sauvignon Blanc than the recipe said and added the flour, then the sour cream, a little more than a cup so it would be saucy! Cooked it until it thickened as directed. Yes, I followed directions for that part! Then I poured it on top and mixed it all up so the mushrooms juices mixed in with the sour cream sauce. Sprinkled shredded cheddar on top and baked for about 35 minutes. Uncovered. Served on top of brown rice.

Chicken Florentine
Source: MasterCook software, recipe by Elizabeth Powell    
Printable Recipe



1/2 pound fresh spinach -- stems removed, wash (I used 2 bags baby spinach)
4 tablespoons butter
1 whole large onion -- diced (I used 2 small shallots)
2 whole chicken breasts -- cut into  2" pieces
6 ounces mushrooms -- sliced (I used 12 ounces)
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup sour cream
1 pinch garlic powder
4 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese

Steam spinach until wilted, drain and chop. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in large skillet and sauté onions until golden. Remove onions with slotted spoon, mix with spinach and place in buttered casserole. Add one tablespoon butter to skillet. Brown chicken and remove to warm plate.

Sauté mushrooms in remaining butter and remove to plate with chicken. Add wine to pan and then stir in flour. Slowly add sour cream and stir until hot and thickened. Add chicken, mushrooms, and garlic powder. Place on spinach, sprinkle with cheese and bake uncovered at 350 for 20 to 30 minutes.

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Standing Rib Roast and Popovers!

Vacation's over, not exactly, kids off from school the rest of the week, but my cooking vacation is over.  I attempted something I never have before, a Standing Rib Roast. and was surprised how great it turned out. and how easy. I think I can do this again. and soon! I made it "unadorned" a la my friend, San! No garlic, no butter, no nothing except for some coarse salt and fresh ground pepper! and I roasted it according to the way my friend, Cindy, does it. High heat, 450° F, for 15 minutes, then lower heat, 325° F, until it's the way you like it. Here they like medium, but I like it medium-rare. So a three rib roast took me a little over two hours and I took it out at about 130° F and it was still pretty rare, which I like. I think it's because I didn't have it at room temperature when I put it in the oven. I sort of forgot!

Made Popovers, too. I've made those before, but as usual I forgot something. Something important. The recipe called for butter. Melted and then in the batter. I wondered why it said "batter will be thin." Mine wasn't. Not at all. I didn't realize about the butter until I saw the fat from the beef and some people use that, and then it was too late, they were already in the oven a good ten minutes. So no butter. The recipe also said not to peek. I did. Twice. So basically I screwed up some of the most important parts and the popovers still came out "popped over" and tasting really fabulous. So maybe I ended up with a low-fat popover? I did use a little butter to grease the pan. Which by the way was NOT a popover pan. I used a nonstick muffin tin. and they were really good. Sometimes I surprise myself.

It was definitely one of those days! but in the end, all's well that end's well. And it did!

Chart for Roasting Prime Rib (Standing Rib Roast)

Source: I got it from Cindy5 NY, who got it from whatscookingamerica.net
Printable Recipe

For a generous serving of standing rib, figure on two people per rib. That means if you plan to serve six you should be able to do so with a three rib roast; eight people, four ribs. Don't even bother with less than a three-rib roast, any less than that is not a roast but rather a thick steak and would be better treated as such.

NOTE: This chart is only a guide. You must rely on an accurate meat thermometer and start taking temperatures half an hour before the end of the estimated roast time.

Rib Count    Approximate Weight    Oven Temperature        Total Estimated Time      Meat Thermometer (for Rare)
2 ribs        4 to 5 pounds           450°/325° F            60 to 70 minutes          120° F
3 ribs        7 to 8.5 pounds        450°/325° F            1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours      120° F
4 ribs        9 to 10.5 pounds      450°/325° F            1 3/4 to 2 1/4 hours      120° F
5 ribs        11 to 13.5 pounds    450°/325° F            2 1/4 to 2 3/4 hours      120° F
6 ribs        14 to 16 pounds       450°/325° F            3 to 3 1/4 hours            120° F
7 ribs        16 to 18.5 pounds    450°/325° F            3 1/4 to 4 hours            120° F

Beef Roast Cooking Temperatures
Rare	120 to 125 degrees F	center is bright red, pinkish toward the exterior portion
Medium Rare	130 to 135 degrees F	center is very pink, slightly brown toward the exterior portion
Medium	140 to 145 degrees F	center is light pink, outer portion is brown
Medium Well	150 to 155 degrees F	not pink
Well Done	160 degrees F and above	steak is uniformly brown throughout

Bring Prime Rib Roast to room temperature (very important). If your rib roast is frozen, let it thaw completely in the refrigerator. Remove the roast from the refrigerator 2 1/2 to 4 hours before cooking, the longer time for the largest roast (if you don't let come to room temperature, if will take longer to cook your roast). Pat the rib roast dry with a towel or napkin.

Preheat oven to 450°F. Smear the cut ends of the roast with softened butter (I usually don't bother - Cindy's notes). Rub with or insert garlic all over. Place the roast (ribs down) on the rack in the roasting pan.

Sear the rib roast for 15 minutes at the higher oven temperature (450°F), then turn the oven to the lower temperature (325° F) for the rest of the cooking time. Every 1/2 hour, baste the cut ends of the roast with the fat accumulated in the roast pan.

About 1/2 hour before the estimated end of the roasting time, begin checking the internal temperature (use a good digital thermometer). Cook until rib roast reaches an internal temperature of 120°F. Remove from oven, cover with aluminum foil, and let sit approximately 20 to 30 minutes. Remember, the roast will continue to cook as it sets. The temperature will rise to 125 to 130° F internal temperature (medium rare).

Popovers

Source: recipe by Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa (Food Network)

Printable Recipe

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus softened butter for greasing pans
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups milk, at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Generously grease aluminum popover pans or Pyrex custard cups with softened butter. You’ll need enough pans to make 12 popovers. Place the pans in the oven for exactly 2 minutes to preheat. Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, salt, eggs, milk, and melted butter until smooth. The batter will be thin. Fill the popover pans less than half full and bake for exactly 30 minutes. Do not peek.

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Today...

 It's Winter Break here for a week. But I'll be back in a couple days.Taking a vacation from cooking!

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What a crock... crockpot ribs!

Why is it every time, or almost every time, I find a new recipe I only see what I want to see. I was sure this one said to add EVERYTHING at the same time. I didn't notice the barbecue sauce went in at almost the end. OOPS! But it didn't make a difference. These were good! I used a Maple Chipotle BBQ sauce. Now on to tomorrow, we're having a snow day, big blizzard coming into Long Island, all day long! I'm planning on cooking up a storm. but I know that probably won't happen. Ah, gotta love procrastination!

Home Style Barbecued Country Style Ribs
Source: About.com recipe by Diana Rattray
Printable Recipe

3 pounds boneless country-style pork ribs
2 large tart apples, peeled, cored, chopped or thinly sliced
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Scant 1/4 teaspoon allspice
salt and pepper
1 cup barbecue sauce

In a slow cooker, combine the ribs, apples, onion, cinnamon, and allspice. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 9 hours. Drain off and discard juices. Add barbecue sauce and continue cooking for about 30 minutes longer.
Serves 4 to 6.

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Mosaic Monday: Feast for Superbowl Sunday!

Trying out a few new recipes today! I thought we wouldn't be grilling, I figured the Griller needed a break, and as sweet as he is to brave the cold for us, it is sort of freezing out! So I said I'd do everything in the oven and my trusty grill pan! Nope, he was all for grilling! Probably because hot dogs were involved. I opted to hang outside, between my hot flashes and his idea of high heat charring, I mean grilling, it wasn't bad at all! Kind of funny, the Griller first thought I was calling him a Gorilla. Must be the New Yawk accent! Nice to know he pays attention somewhat when I tell him about the posts!

The big kid definitely wanted wings today, and I tried something new. My friend, Woodie, posted or mentioned, can't remember which, it's not like I pay complete attention all the time. or even some of the time :) Sorry Woodie! but I did remember your great reviews and I did get the recipe right! We loved them! I didn't use Scotch Bonnets though, not even one, that would probably have killed my 80 year old mother! and don't ever say that I mentioned her age either! I used a couple jalapeno's. We're all ok with that! I remembered to pick up scallions, but of course forgot to put them in.We grilled the scallions and had them with the wings, instead of on the wings. Good save!

and a first for us...Michigan Chili Dogs! I'm lover of sauerkraut and mustard with my hot dog. No deviation! but this was mentioned and I just had to try. BURP! Excuse me, but this was definitely worth the indigestion! It really, really was! Loved this. Topped with raw, sweet onion.

These little chick pea snacks are thoroughly addicting. The big kid didn't love them at first, but by the second handful was totally addicted! Miss Picky already wants another batch for tomorrow! Go heavy with the spices and add a little cayenne pepper for kick, you'll need to make a bigger batch!

 

 

Crispy Chickpeas
Source: recipe by Jason Travi - Food and Wine, February 2010
Printable Recipe

3 cups vegetable oil, for frying
Three 15-ounce cans chickpeas—drained, rinsed and patted dry
1 1/2 tablespoons ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin (I used more like 2 tablespoons and added a little cayenne pepper)
1 cup all-purpose flour
Salt

In a large saucepan, heat the oil to 350°. Line a baking sheet with paper towels. In a medium bowl, toss the chickpeas with the coriander and cumin. Add the flour and toss until the chickpeas are coated; transfer to a sieve and tap off the excess flour.

Add one-third of the chickpeas at a time to the hot oil and fry, stirring occasionally, until they are browned and crispy, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chickpeas to the paper towels to drain and sprinkle liberally with salt. Let the vegetable oil return to 350° between batches. Let the chickpeas cool, then transfer them to a bowl and serve.

The fried chickpeas can kept at room temperature for up to 4 hours.

Mikey's Jamaican Jerk Wings
Source: AnnieWoodie
Printable Recipe

4 Scotch Bonnet chilies (or any hot pepper, amount depending upon your taste - we use much less than called for!)
1 bunch scallions (both white & green parts, trimmed and coarsely chopped
2 shallots - halved
1 small onion - quartered
2 cloves of peeled garlic
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons chopped thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
2 teaspoons ground allspice
3 tablespoons canola oil
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup of water

This is enough to marinate 4 pounds of meat

Combine chiles, scallions, shallots, onion, garlic, ginger, thyme, allspice, oil, soy, lime juice, sugar, salt, pepper, and water. Blend in a blender until smooth,
Marinate from a few hours to several days and grill until done.

Mike's quick tip, sprinkle extra thyme while grilling.


Michigan Sauce (for hot dogs)
Source: Woodie's Ticonderoga Bicentennial Cookbook via Cindy
Printable Recipe

1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons wine vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
dash cayenne pepper (optional)
1 cup ketchup
1/2 pound hamburger meat

Cook onions until soft, add remaining ingredients. Cook until meat is completely cooked and is the desired consistency you like!


Spicy Sweet Potato Wedges with Chipotle Mayo Dipping Sauce
Source: Internet search, adapted recipes
Printable Recipe

4 or 5 sweet potatoes, unpeeled, cut into wedges
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
salt and pepper, to taste
Serve with Chipotle Mayo Dipping Sauce

Toss sweet potato wedges with oil in a ziploc bag. Sprinkle with chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Shake the bag (remember to zip it closed! Been there, done that!)
Place on baking sheet in single layer. Bake at 375 degrees F, 40 - 50 minutes, until tender and lightly browned on edges.

Chipotle Mayo Dipping Sauce

1 -2 chipotle in adobo sauce, plus a teaspoon or more of adobo sauce to taste
1 cup mayonnaise
squeeze of fresh lime (optional)

Mix 1 or 2 chipotle in adobo sauce, and a little bit of the adobo sauce (to taste, use more or less!) with 1 cup mayonnaise. You can also add a squeeze of fresh lime juice!

Serve hot wedges with dipping sauce.



Joining Mary at the Little Red House for Mosaic Monday! Check out the other fabulous Mosaics over at the Little Red House.

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What a day!

This is it. Life as we know it has changed. Miss Picky got her Learner's Permit for Driver's Ed today. That calls for a celebration on her part! and a little nervousness on ours. Definitely calls for comfort food for me and her dad! Her celebration, her choice. Baked Ziti. One of her favorites. Besides the fact that the baby of our family is growing up, she's so happy about driving, this could be a good thing. I might even get a few errands out of her here and there after her road test. At least until the novelty wears off. But that's a long way off. For now, more gray hairs for me and more practice for her.

Baked Ziti 
Printable Recipe

 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare the ziti according to package directions but undercook it a bit, so it's not mushy when you bake it. Drain the ziti, I rinse if it's going to be baked. Shake off the excess water. Pour a little of your favorite marinara in the bottom of a baking dish, then put all the ziti in the dish. Top with blobs of ricotta (you can add an egg, but last time I forgot and we liked it!) and then cover with more marinara and then sprinkle with lots of shredded mozzarella. Cover with foil, nonstick foil works really well, and bake for about an hour. Take off the foil and bake until the mozzarella is starting to brown and bubble! I forgot the Parmesan cheese as well as the egg this time. Still really good. I used a jar of sauce. Rao's Marinara or Victoria Marinara. We like that best if I'm not making homemade.

Simple Russian Dressing
Printable Recipe

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup ketchup (more or less to taste)
2 teaspoons pickle relish (optional)
fresh ground pepper, to taste
salt, to taste

Whisk equal parts mayonnaise and ketchup until smooth. Stir in pickle relish, if using. We don't. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Notes: You can also use chili sauce instead of ketchup, horseradish, capers, onions, a little bit of vinegar, or even hot sauce in the dressing, too. We like it simple. Just the mayo and ketchup, salt and pepper.

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More Meatloaf!

Been making plenty of comfort food lately and this is one from way back when Sara Moulton had her show, Cooking Live, on the Food Network. Turkey meatloaf. A bit on the sweet side, it's really moist and has a lot of flavor. Served it with Mashed Potatoes and Green Bean Almondine. I like saying that for some reason. Maybe because it rhymes? Green Bean Almondine.

 

Turkey Meatloaf with Cranberry Glaze
Source: Cooking Live with Sara Moulton, Food Network
Printable Recipe

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup mashed jellied cranberry sauce (canned)
2 pounds ground turkey
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup bread crumbs
3 eggs -- lightly beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup diced red onions
1/2 cup chicken broth -- (just enough to moisten)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

For the glaze, spread the brown sugar over the bottom of a greased loaf pan and spread the cranberry sauce over the sugar. In a large bowl mix all the remaining ingredients until well incorporated.

Form the meat mixture into the loaf pan, laying out over the cranberry glaze. Bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour.

Green Beans Almondine
Printable Recipe

1 lb. string beans
2 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons slivered almonds
1 small shallot, finely chopped

Steam the green beans. Drain; let cool in a large bowl of ice water. Drain; pat dry, and set aside.

Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the almonds and saute in the butter until lightly browned; being careful not to burn them. Add the shallots and saute until they are translucent, about a minute.

Add the beans to the pan with the almonds and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper before serving.

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