Home Made Ghirardelli Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups!
WHY WHY WHY Haven’t I thought of this before!?! I was perusing the aisles of the grocery store this morning picking up a few things for later posts and found myself wandering down the Valentine’s Day aisle. I picked up a few boxes of my husband’s favorite candy and set it right back down. I’m not paying extra because it’s a heart shaped chocolate peanut butter stuffed candy.
Pan-Seared Garlic Salmon and Butter Garlic Spinach & Mushroom
Ingredients: 2 lbs salmon (defrosted, cut into 4 pcs). 10 cloves garlic, crushed. 1/2 stick butter. 8 oz sliced white mushrooms. 10 oz ready to eat spinach. 1 lemon. 1 tsp salt. 1 tsp basil. 1 tsp parsley. 1 tsp olive oil.
With the stove on medium, drizzle olive oil in your frying pan and place the salmon with the skin face down. Squeeze the entire lemon, then sprinkle the salt and basil on all pieces, cover for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, place a 2 qt sauce pan on the stove set on high. Drizzle some olive oil and half of the crushed garlic, saute for 2 minutes then place the mushrooms and mix enough to coat most of the mushrooms with oil and garlic. Cover for 2 minutes, then mix again and add 2-3 pinches of salt for flavor. Now add the spinach (stuff it all in there) and cover for 2-3 minutes.
Back to the frying pan, sprinkle the remaining crushed garlic on all salmon pieces then flip it so now the skin is facing up. Set the stove on high, cover for 1-2 minutes. Flip the fish again and press down on pan, leave uncovered for 2 minutes.
Back to the sauce pan. Take the cover off, place over the sink and drain the liquid created by the mushrooms and spinach. Create a hole in the center and place the butter until it melts. Mix and add a couple more pinches of salt. Now serve by placing the salmon on a bed of spinach and mushrooms. Drizzle the parsley over the food…. Enjoy!
Keep in mind that stove heat may vary. If the time I used to cook is not enough to cook your food, adjust accordingly.
Authentic Shrimp Pad Thai
Authentic Shrimp Pad Thai (recipe adapted from Kasma Loha-unchit)
My notes: Despite our love of Thai food here in the U.S. there is a curious lack of information about its ingredients and preparation. I think that this in part stems from our fear of the unknown. Indeed, shopping in an Asian grocery store can feel like being in a foreign country.
Empanadas
The Philippines has such a variety of foods, but the ones I favor most are those influenced by Spanish cuisine. This is one of them. I remember watching my mom make these when I was my daughter’s age. While CJ and I were making them yesterday, memories came rushing back and it felt good. I felt like a child again, but this time I was the mom cooking with my daughter.
An empanada is a stuffed bread or pastry baked or fried in many countries of Latin America and the south of Europe. The name comes from the verb empanar, meaning to wrap or coat in bread. Empanada is made by folding a dough or bread patty around the stuffing. The stuffing can consist of a variety of meats, cheese, huitlacoche, vegetables or fruits among others. CLICK HERE to read more from Wikipedia.
I normally sauté ground pork with raisins or olives for the filling. This recipe is the “American Empanada”. I used pre cooked Tyson chicken breast patties. I cut each in half, placed it on the rolled dough, folded, sealed and cooked. It’s like having your fried chicken and roll all in one. The dough was pretty easy to make.
Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour. 1 teaspoon salt. 1/4 cup lard, cut into small pieces. 1/4 cup butter, cut into small pieces. 2 eggs, lightly beaten with 1/2 cup water.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. Work in the lard and butter, using your fingers. Work the egg mixture into the dough and knead until smooth. Form into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
While waiting, grab your yoga mat and do 100 sit ups and push ups. If you’re too tired or lazy, grab a drink and the remote control and channel surf or watch Oprah. Ok… now we’re ready to cook!
Take the pre-cooked chicken patties and cut in half. Take the dough and roll into 1 1/2 inch balls, then place it on a floured surface and roll in 6 inch rounds. Place the half patty on one side of each round (with the straight side facing the center – see picture), fold it in half, and press the edges together. Crimp the edges of the pastry with a fork to seal.
In a deep-fryer or large skillet, heat the oil to 375 degrees F. Fry in batches until golden brown (About 4-5 minutes in the deep fryer). Drain on paper towels before serving. Serve these chicken empanadas with dipping sauce like Bbq sauce, catsup or honey mustard. Or you can eat it commando (naked – the empanada, not you).
Making honey mustard is so easy. The ingredients are 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon mustard, 1 tablespoon honey, 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice (Optional). Mix and refrigerate. You can play with the measurements as we all have different preference, some like more honey, some don’t add the lemon juice.
Before serving, you can cut it in half so you don’t get yelled at for double dipping! So take a piece, dip, open mouth and take a big bite of crunchy, juicy goodness. Then run five miles so you can have more. Enjoy!
Mini Philly
What happens when you’re stuck at home, snowed in, starving and there’s nothing in the fridge because you’ve been procrastinating going to the grocery? You check out the freezer!
So what happens if all you have is a bag of Brown & Serve French Bread Sticks, a pound of beef chuck and a bag of shredded four cheese blend that you forgot about? You make Mini Phillies! Thank goodness I stock up on those grill mate marinade spices, now I shall create some yummyness.
I boiled the pound of beef chuck just enough to be able to cut it up in thin slices, added half the packet of spices (Peppercorn & Garlic) in the pot with just enough water to make sure your meat is under water. After a few minutes I took the meat out, cut it in half and put it back in for another three to five minutes before I sliced it thinly and set it to the side. Turn the broiler on.
Get a skillet or frying pan out, set stove on high heat. Add enough olive oil to sauté thinly sliced onions ( about 1/2 of a medium-sized yellow onion) and beef. Add the onions when the oil is super hot, then once it’s golden brown, add the beef. Sauté for a minute, add the rest of the grill mates packet and mix to coat all the meat with it. Add a tsp. of balsamic vinegar, mix all of it around for a minute or two and set aside.
Place the bread sticks open-faced on a cookie sheet. Put some beef on the bread and top it with cheese. Broil it till the cheese melts and that’s it… fold the bread and chow down after letting it cool down a bit so you don’t burn yourself.
I don’t know how many servings this makes because it all depends on how much beef and cheese you put on your bread. I was able to use the whole bag of bread (8 pcs). It’s a pretty friendly recipe, just have fun with it. To serve for appetizers, cut in half diagonally, sprinkle freshly chopped parsley before serving. Enjoy!
…
Cab Sauv Swirls
This took me 30 minutes to make, using left over wine from a gathering before the holidays. Had we been home for Christmas it would have probably been consumed by now. Servings 6-8 if served as a dish. 18-24 if served as an appetizer.
What you’ll need are a package of oriental style noodles, 1 stick of butter, 3 cloves of garlic thinly sliced lengthwise (not chopped or crushed), 4 defrosted medium-sized skinned and boned chicken breast cut into 1 inch cubes, 2 tbsp seasoning (looks like soy sauce and can be purchased at all Asian stores and most groceries in the Asian aisle), 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce (normally used as lumpia or crab rangoon dip and can be purchased at all Asian stores and most groceries in the Asian aisle) and 2 cups Cabernet Sauvignon.
LET’S COOK!
Start with the noodles. Oriental style noodles are packaged in balls and usually come 12 to a pack. Each is about 3 inches in diameter uncooked. Boil 6 to 8 cups of water, drop 6 noodle balls in there, kept it in for 2 to 3 minutes then transfer the noodles to a strainer. Remember, you will be adding the noodles to the rest of the ingredients later, so cooking it a little less than al dente is ok. Using cooking shears (Or you can use any scissors, make sure it is clean enough to cut food with), I cut each clump of noodles twice (Once horizontally, once vertically) before I transfered it. Use caution, don’t burn your hands! Once the noodles were in the strainer, I ran it under cold water while loosening them, then I set it to the side. In a frying pan on medium high heat, put these ingredients in this order: Wine, butter, chicken and garlic. Cover until the butter is completely melted. Mix every couple of minutes. While not mixing, keep it covered. Once the chicken is cooked, put the heat on high then add the seasoning and sweet chili sauce. Keep uncovered and stir once in a while. Once all the liquid has been reduced and the meat is starting to sizzle in the butter oil, add the noodles and mix well. Turn the heat down to low, cover the pan for 5 minutes. Stir before serving. It will look like a mess but honey, I promise you it is a delicious mess!
LET’S EAT!
If this dish is for dinner, simply serve in a bowl. Using a fork, swirl the noodles and serve. If you’re serving it as an appetizer, use those little disposable bamboo forks you can find in culinary stores or most groceries in the baking aisle. Using the bamboo fork, swirl the noodles while in the pan and serve it on a small dish or a banan leaf square. You can also serve it in a take-out Chinese food box and swirl it with chopsticks. Just have fun with swirling it, but most of all, enjoy eating it!
Egg sandwiches
So it is the day after Easter and you have a dozen or so of hard-boiled eggs in your fridge. Here’s an easy recipe for egg sandwiches.
One dozen eggs
1/4 cup French fried onions
1/4 cup Ranch dressing
1 tbsp Mayo
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 tbsp cilantro flakes
1/8 cup crispy bacon optional
Peel eggs, mash and mix everything. Bacon is optional, You can add the ingredients a little at a time to reach desired texture. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Serve in a bowl with pita, Hawaiian rolls, sliced bread, wheat crackers or torn tortilla wraps on th side or simply make egg sandwiches and serve. You can even chop lettuce and add a cup on the side before serving. Enjoy!
California Salad
This is the best way to eat cauliflower! Served cold as a salad / appetizer, you will surprise your guests with the flavors and texture of the combination in this nice treat. You will enjoy it!
Ingredients:
The Bulk: 2 bunches broccoli. 2 bunches cauliflower. 1 bunch green onions. 2 packs of bacon. 1 cup sunflower seeds. 6 oz. craisens. 2 cups parmesan cheese.
The dressing: 1 cup mayo. 1 – 2 tsp sugar. a dash of salt and pepper.
Prep:Cook bacon to a crisp. crush and set aside. Chop all veggies to penny or smaller size. I recommend hand plucking the tips of the broccoli & cauliflower. Put veggies in a large bowl. In a separate bowl mix the mayo, salt, pepper and sugar to taste. Pour dressing in the bowl of veggies and mix till veggies are coated. Add the cheese, chopped green onions, sunflower seeds and craisens. Mix everything and refrigerate. Mix in the bacon and serve.
Ellen… thank you for sharing your recipe!
20 minute T-bone steak
Ok, so it’s steak night! I’m so excited, since all I’ve been eating are cucumbers and boiled chicken breasts for two weeks. Anyway, I found a great mix of seasoning to have that grilled taste without cooking outside or using rubs or oils!
Here we go…
2.5 ponds T-bone steak, washed. 1 tbsp salt (mixture of kosher and sea), 1 tbsp cumin, 1 tbsp cilantro flakes, 1 tbsp chili powder, 1 tbsp ground pepper. Rub on the steak like you were a masseuse! Now we’re ready to cook!
Put stove on high, use a frying pan with a lid. Once the pan is hot (I started heating it up before I washed my beef), put your steak in the pan and cover. You will see the smoke circulating in there, which is fine. Do not put any oil, it’s not needed. I use a non stick pan.
I kept it on each side (pan always covered) for 3-4 minutes heat on high then another 2 minutes on each side on medium. Depending how you like your steak will determine how long you keep it in there, you be the judge.
Because of my diet, I thinly sliced the meat and immediately wrapped it in fresh baby spinach, held it with a toothpick to warm the spinach for a minute, then ate it. Mmmmm it was good. But you don’t need to do it that way. You can chop it up and make soft tacos by piling it up on a tortilla lined with freshly chopped romaine hearts, a squeeze of lime then top it off with fresh salsa! If you go this route, might I suggest a chilled cerveza be within reach.
Enjoy!
Bacon Clam Chowder
This is incredibly easy to make but once you try it… you won’t believe how “gourmet” it tastes like!
Servings – 8 to 10 bowls
Ingredients: 1 whole yellow onion (diced), a dozen stems of fresh thyme (about 5 inches long per stem) 1 pound regular breakfast bacon, in 1/2 inch slices (the fatter the better and hardwood smoke flavor is recommended, not the maple bacon), 2 – 10 oz cans of baby clams, 3 cups milk, 4 cups water, 1 large russet potato (peeled, washed and cut in 1/2 inch cubes) and 1 packet of the Bear Creek clam chowder soup mix. Pictures of the brands I used are below.
Ok… let’s cook! I used a 6 quart pot. For me, the container doesn’t matter as long as your ingredients fit. Heat on high, pot hot, start with the bacon and thyme. Stir around every now and then until some grease comes out of the bacon, then throw in the onions and stir every now and then till the sides of the onions are brown and the bacon is almost crispy. Lower heat to medium, throw in the potatoes, mix around till all potatoes are coated in the bacon/onion/thyme mixture. Cover for about 3 minutes, then stir and cover for another 3 minutes. Gauge when to stir and uncover since stove top heat differs. Just don’t let it burn. Now throw in the clams and its juice, stir well. Set the heat back to high while stirring for a couple of minutes. While still on high, add 3 cups of milk, stir… then add the 4 cups of water, stir and cover on high untill it boils. Once it boils, add in the soup mix. Stir well, lower heat to medium low then cover for 3 minutes. Stir again making sure the bottom is not burning or clumping is not happening, use a whisk. Cover on low and let it simmer for 20 minutes, then set aside.
The brand I used is Southern Mills and can be found at your local grocer. Now to make the biscuits, simply buy this mix and follow directions. I use ice-cold water to mix with my batter for best results, the biscuits come out perfect… soft inside and flaky outside. Also, instead of 6, I make 12 small biscuits with this mix, it’s perfect for dipping!
I melted 1/3 of a stick of butter in a small bowl and dipped the top of cooked biscuit, placed it back on the cookie sheet and back in the oven for an extra 2 minutes while the oven is still on.
Now enjoy a warm cup of chowder and freshly baked cheddar biscuits. It is the perfect comfort food for a cold and lazy day! One day I will try to make fish and chips to go along with this.
A Simple Recipe for Moist Banana Bread
For 1 loaf
Ingredients:
1 cup white sugar
½ cup butter
2 eggs
4 bananas
1½ cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
Preparation:
Cream sugar and butter then add eggs and fruit. Beat until blended. Add dry ingredients and bake in a greased loaf pan at 350 for 55-60 min. You can add nuts or craisins. If you do, mix a cup of your favorite nuts and raisin mixture. Sprinkle on top of the batter before baking.
Chocolate Truffles
Makes about 3 1/2 dozen
Ingredients
- 8 ounces best-quality bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon liqueur, such as triple sec or framboise (optional)
- Unsweetened cocoa powder, for rolling
Directions
- Put chocolate into a large heatproof bowl. Bring cream just to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; pour over chocolate in bowl. Stir in liqueur, if desired. Cover with plastic wrap; let stand 10 minutes. Stir until smooth. Let stand until thick, about 15 minutes.
- Pour chocolate mixture into a shallow 8-inch dish or pie plate. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until mixture is very cold and set but still pliable, about 30 minutes.
- Using a teaspoon or a 1/2-inch melon baller, scoop balls of chocolate mixture, transferring them to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper as you work. Refrigerate truffles 10 minutes.
- Using hands dusted with cocoa powder, dip each truffle in cocoa powder to coat, then quickly shape truffle into a rough round. Refrigerate truffles in an airtight container until ready to serve, up to 2 weeks; before serving, reshape into rounds, and roll each truffle in cocoa powder, if desired.
Thank you Martha Stewart for this simple recipe!
Garlic mashed potatoes and home-made gravy for your Thanksgiving turkey
There’s nothing like home-made gravy from turkey drippings, slathered on garlic mashed potatoes. It’s easier than you think… here we go!
Makes 8-10 servings
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Boil 4 cups of water in a 4 qt pot, add chicken bullion and mix to dissolve. Cut your potatoes in quarters, put it in the pot and add more water to cover potatoes. Boil covered for 10-15 minutes (may vary). Once cooked, strain for 2-3 minutes.
Then put in a bowl for mashing. Leave some clumps for texture. Add the butter and garlic and mix with a spatula, add the cream or half and half, then the parsley. Mashed potatoes are ready to be covered in gravy now!
Home Made Gravy
You will need: Cooking oil, flour, turkey drippings, black pepper and salt to taste.
After roasting your turkey, use the drippings to make gravy. The stuff that settles at the bottom of the pan is what makes it delicious, so make sure you get some of that when pouring the turkey drippings into a bowl.
In a skillet (on medium high heat), use 4 tbsp cooking oil or the oil from your turkey drippings. Add half a cup of white flour, stir using a whisk in a circular motion for about 10-15 seconds. Add in 3 cups of drippings (half a cup at a time) and continue to whisk until the all the clumps are gone. Add salt and pepper to taste, although salt may not be needed if you seasoned your turkey well. Cook on high and cover for at least 3 minutes, whisk and set aside. The gravy will get thicker if you let it stand for about 5 minutes. If you want thicker gravy, simply add more flour 2 tbsp at a time while continuing to whisk on medium heat.
That’s all there is to it! Enjoy your Holiday. Here are links to other recipes for Thanksgiving
Perfect Roast Turkey by the Barefoot Contessa
I love watching the Barefoot Contessa prepare food whether it’s a meal for a few dozen people or entertaining a few friends. I enjoy cooking with real ingredients that aren’t too exotic for me to pronounce and she agrees that butter is the best ingredient (No fat-free stuff here).
I know I won’t be making the turkey this year, but found this recipe and thought I would make it as part of my collection of chosen recipes. It looks easy to make and am sure will be delicious. This picture and the entire recipe is from the Food Network’s Barefoot Contessa Collection.
Servings: 6. Cook Time: 2 1/2 hours
Ingredients
- 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 1 fresh turkey (10 to 12 pounds)
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large bunch fresh thyme
- 1 whole lemon, halved
- 1 Spanish onion, quartered
- 1 head garlic, halved crosswise
Directions
Pre heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the zest and juice of the lemon and 1 teaspoon of thyme leaves to the butter mixture. Set aside.
Take the giblets out of the turkey and wash the turkey inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers and pat the outside dry. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the turkey cavity. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, halved lemon, quartered onion, and the garlic. Brush the outside of the turkey with the butter mixture and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the turkey.
Roast the turkey about 2 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh. Remove the turkey to a cutting board and cover with aluminum foil; let rest for 20 minutes.
Slice the turkey and serve.
Tomorrow… I will share my recipe for home-made gravy. But I must warn you… once you go home-made on the gravy, you’ll never go back to pre-made gravy…baby. Then on Sunday, I will share my garlic mashed potato recipe. YUM!!! I love Thanksgiving.
Tres Leches Cake Recipes – A traditional version and a simple version
Here are two versions of this recipe. A traditional version and a quick and easy recipe. If you’ve had this before, first of all you know what a treat it is. Secondly, you know that it is going to be the same consistency as tiramisu, a bit wet at the bottom but not soggy. I hope you try one of these or both if you have a big party for Cinco De mayo! Happy cooking!
Recipe credits to:
www.foodnetwork.com
www.cooking-mexican-recipes.com
Both recipes serve 14 to 16 conservative slices
TRADITIONAL RECIPE
Recipe courtesy www.cooking-mexican-recipes.com
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 6 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 4 teaspoons Mexican vanilla extract
- 1 – 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 – 13 ounce can evaporated milk
- 3 cups heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- Fresh mangoes, strawberries, blackberries, or other fresh fruit, sliced
Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9 by 3 inch springform pan with a vegetable spray like Pam. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium size bowl. I like to use a kitchenaid mixer for this recipe or any stand mixer will do. Mix the eggs and sugar in the mixer bowl and beat on high-speed for about 5 minutes or until the volume has doubled. Reduce the speed to low and add one teaspoon vanilla and water. Mix well.
Gently fold the flour ingredients into the egg mixture. You can use the mixer on the slowest setting or fold the flour in with a spatula. Pour the batter into the springform pan and bake for 35 to 45 minutes. I placed the cake in the center of my oven and it took closer to 45 minutes. You can tell when it’s done when the center is firm and the cake starts to pull away from the sides of the pan.
Cool the cake on a rack for 15 minutes. Place a plate over the cake and turn upside down. Release the springform pan. I found that the bottom stuck a bit so use a knife to cut along and release the cake. Place your hand over what is now the bottom of the cake and turn the cake over onto your hand. Gently place the cake right side up onto your serving dish.
Serving It Up
Make sure to serve your tres leches cake on a platter that has a lip to hold in the milk. Set the cake aside to cool completely. Use a serrated knife to slice and/or peel off the top skin of the cake. You can toss this part away or if you are like me you will probably want to see how it tastes.
When the cake is cool, whisk together in a bowl the evaporated milk, the condensed milk, 1 cup of the heavy cream, and 2 teaspoons of the vanilla. Using a long tooth pick, ice pick or whatever you have available, poke holes all over the cake. The holes will allow the cake to absorb more of the milk. Pour or spoon the milk mixture slowly all over the cake and allow it time to soak in before adding more milk. Refrigerate.
When you are ready to serve the cake, place the 2 cups whipping cream in a chilled mixing bowl and begin mixing on medium. Add one teaspoon vanilla and the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, and beat on high until stiff peaks form. Spread whipping cream generously on the top of cake. I garnished mine with sliced strawberries the first time and blackberries the second time. What a special treat this delicious dessert is. I assure you I will be making this again. Be sure to refrigerate leftovers, if there are any. I hope you enjoy this tres leches cake as much as I do.
QUICK & EASY RECIPE
Recipe courtesy Ben Plastina
Show: Melting PotEpisode: A Melting Pot Holiday
Ingredients
- 1 yellow cake mix (with pudding) baked as directed in 13 by 9-inch pan
For topping mixture:
- 1 can evaporated milk
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 pint heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup rum (or to taste)
To finish:
- Whipped cream, to cover cake
- 5 ounces sweetened coconut
Directions
Poke holes in the cake with a fork all over. Pour topping mixture over cake. Let mixture absorb completely in refrigerator. Cover with whipped cream or cool whip and sprinkle sweetened coconut over top of cake. OPTIONAL: Add macadamia nuts, cherries and/or pineapple.
Well there you have it! Two completely different ways of making this treat.
Corned Beef, Potatoes & Cabbage
Makes 6-8 servings.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cooking time 1 ½ to 2 hours
INGREDIENTS
Corned Beef Brisket (2-3 pounds)
Mustard (2 tsp)
Beer (1 can, any brand)
Water
4 Large Potatoes (Red is the best one but any type will do) – quarter cut
1 Large Cabbage cut in 4 sections
2 Yellow Onions cut in half
1 tbsp chopped parsley
PREP & COOKING
- Start by washing the corned beef in cold water before putting it in the pot.
- Place in the pot and fill it with water until the beef is completely covered with about two inches of water.
- Add the spices (usually 1 tsp peppercorns and 1/8 tsp cloves) that come with your store-bought corned beef brisket. For every 2-3 pounds of meat, add 1 can of beer (can be non alcoholic beer), 1/3 cup of brown sugar and 2 tsp. mustard (yellow or spicy brown).
- Cover the pot, put it on high and let it boil 25 minutes per pound.
- Add the potato and onion 30 minutes before completion.
- Add the cabbage 20 minutes before completion.
- Let simmer for 10 minutes after your boiling time. (Example, for a two-pound brisket, the boiling time is 50 minutes, then simmer for 10 minutes, making it a total of 60 minutes cooking time)
Although a popular meal for St. Patrick’s Day, you may cook this anytime. Another option is the Crockpot way, instead of boiling it the entire time.
Put all the ingredients except for the potatoes and cabbage in the Crockpot and cook in low for 12 hours. Add the potatoes 1 hour before completion on a high setting. Add the cabbage 30 minutes after.
SERVE
Allow to cool and put all ingredients on a platter when finished, using a cooking spatula with holes. Slice the meat across the grain for the texture that is easy to chew. Sprinkle the parsley all over all ingredients before serving. Enjoy!
Turkey Meatloaf
Ingredients:
- 6 oz French’s original French fried onions
- 2 tbsp. kosher salt
- 2 tbsp. Cumin
- 2 tbsp. Magi seasoning
- 2 tbsp. brown sugar
- 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup minced garlic
- 1/2 cup relish
- 1/2 cup ranch dressing
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 2.5 pounds lean ground turkey
Directions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- In a large bowl, mix everything thoroughly. Roll into a 4 inch log and place on a cookie sheet or transfer the mixture to a 5×9 inch loaf pan.
- Bake covered in the preheated oven 40 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C), and continue baking uncovered 15 minutes, to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).Serve and enjoy with a glass (or bottle) of Merlot!
Sides suggested: Garlic Mashed potato & veggies or Spanish rice and cranberry preserve.
Servings: 12
Caramel Nut Popcorn
Serves: About 1 ¾ pounds (12 cups)
Ingredients
8 cups freshly popped popcorn (from about 1/3 cup kernels)
1 1/3 cups pecan hales, toasted
2/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
Nonstick vegetable oil cooking spray
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanillas extract
1/8-teaspoon salt
Directions
Toss the popcorn, pecans, and almonds in a large bowl and set aside.
Spray a large baking sheet with nonstick spray. Melt the butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in the sugar and corn syrup. Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly. Boil until the caramel sauce is pale golden and a candy thermometer inserted into the caramel sauce registers 300°F, stirring often, about 6 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat. Whisk in the vanilla and salt. Immediately pour the caramel sauce over the popcorn and nuts. Using two large oiled wooden spoons, toss the popcorn and nuts to coat with the caramel sauce. Transfer the caramel corn to the prepared baking sheet, spreading in an even layer. Set aside to cool completely (the caramel will harden as the mixture cools). Break the caramel corn into desired pieces.
Cook’s Notes: The caramel popcorn can be made 1 week ahead. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
You’ll need a candy thermometer to make sure the caramel sauce reached the “hard-ball” stage (300°F). It’s at the stage that the sauce will harden once cool.
Credits: Thanks to hostesswiththemostess.com for the recipe
Garlic-Soy Dipping Sauce for Grilled Meat (Sawsawan)
Ingredients: 2 TBSP Soy, 2TBS Seasoning (Magi can be bought at any Asian store) 2 TBSP crushed (Not sliced or chopped) fresh garlic, 4 TBSP rice vinegar or balsamic vinegar, 1 TSP crushed black pepper. Put together in a bowl. You may add soy and vinegar to taste to the perfect sour and salty combination with a sweet after-taste.
Smoked & Grilled Stuffed Mushrooms
Ingredients: 40 Large white mushrooms. 5 cloves garlic. 1 stick butter. 5 stalks chives. Salt & pepper. Cheddar cheese. Prep: Soak mushrooms in cold water while pulling off its base or stem. Put stems in a bowl. Set the mushroom head upside down on an ungreased cookie sheet that will fit 40 large mushrooms (Approx 14X20). Melt butter in the microwave at full power for 1 minute. In a food processor or chopper, finely chop the mushroom stem, garlic and chives. Add the melted butter until the consistency is like mashed potato. Place in a bowl and add 1/2 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese (Mild or sharp). Mix all together then start stuffing the mushroom until the mix is all gone. Place some hickory smoking chips in your grill right before you put the cookie sheet on the grill. Close lid to smoke for 20 to 30 minutes, depending on your coal’s heat intensity. To know if it is done, mushroom will have a smooth glazed look on the body. Sprinkle with finely chopped parsley before serving.
Juicy Roasted Chicken Salad
Ingredients: Store bought roasted chicken (herb, traditional, lemon goes best), ranch dressing, 1 romaine lettuce , 2 tomatoes, 12 branches cilantro and 4 plain tandoori bread. Prep time: 10 minutes. Take the chicken off the bone and shred or cube. Cut lettuce to palm size. Slice tomatoes to thumb nail size. Pluck cilantro off its stem. Cut tandoori in half and heat up by toaster or microwave. Assemble: Take a leaf of lettuce, put 2 tbsp of chicken, sprinkle tomato and cilantro, drizzle ranch dressing and place on top of tandoori. Fold in half and bite in!
You can get creative and try spreading butter and garlic on the bread before toasting it. You can use an oven or toaster oven for that. As for the toppings, you can add cucumber, not include cilantro (Not everybody likes that), add cheese and olives or even change the dressing or type of chicken. It all depends on your taste. I’ve found the combo I put together is simple in preparation, in the pocket and flavor.
Steak Sliders
Meat type: Sirloin sliced 1/8 of an inch thick. Meat size 6 X 3 X 1/8. 24 slices. 1/8 cup sea or kosher salt. Rub salt into the meat. 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil. 4 dashes of balsamic vinegar, rub everything in, marinade for an hour. For bread, use ciabatta, french or rolls. Sauce mixture: 1/2 cup ranch dressing, 1/2 cup catsup, 1/tsp. Dijon and 2 pinches of brown sugar. Mix well. Grill the meat and bread. Spread sauce on insides of bread before serving. Fold the cooked meat, shave sharp cheddar on top of the meat and a some French-fried onion rings, place top of bread and serve.
Grilled Pork Adobo
Meat type: Pork country ribs. Make sure to soak your skewers 1 day before you use them. Ingredients: 10 ribs (About 3-4 pounds of meat). 1 lime. 1 tsp. black pepper. 3 cloves garlic, crushed. 3 pcs. bay leaves. 1 tsp. oyster sauce for every rib. 1 cup sprite. 1 cup rice vinegar or cane vinegar. 1 cup beer. Prep work: Lay ribs on a flat surface. Squeeze lime over the ribs, sprinkle the black pepper and crushed garlic all over and rub into the meat. Spread 1 tsp. oyster sauce on each rib and massage into meat. In a big cooking container, place the bay leaves separately at the bottom, coil in the ribs, then pour vinegar, sprite and beer. Cover and cook in medium heat for 40minutes while you enjoy the remainder of beer and sprite (50-50 ratio) with ice. Ahhhh. Uncover and let it cool down for about an hour. Once cool, slice the pork into strips of about 1 inch wide, 4 inches long and 1/5 of an inch thick. Fold this strip in 3 parts in ”S” form. Do it to a second strip, stack the two folded strips and pierce the stick in the middle. Stretch it out on the stick and set aside. Once done, pour the sauce of the adobo on the meat and put on the grill until cooked. You can get creative and cut the strips in different sizes to accommodate veggies in between. Or you can cut it in cubes… enjoy!
Garlic Cheese Bread
Ingredients: One loaf sour dough bread thinly sliced (But you can try this on any bread. Ciabatta works too). 4 cups shredded cheese (Four cheese blend, Mexican blend or pizza blend). 1/4 cup crushed (Not chopped). 1 stick of softened/room temperature unsalted butter. 1/4 cup mayonnaise. 1/4 cup ranch dressing. 2 tbsp chopped parsley. Mix cheese, garlic, butter, mayo and ranch dressing. Spread generously on each slice of bread. Sprinkle parsley then bake at 450 for 3-5 minutes (Until cheese is melted and bread edges are golden brown) on top rack.
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