Cooking With J.J.

Coffee Break

2012-01-21T12:50:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year! I know I am a few days late, but hey, it is still January. I've been struggling with what to write about this month. As I was making a much needed cup of coffee this morning, it came to me: Write about your Christmas present moron!

The fat kids Mom really hit a homerun in the present department this past Christmas. She hadn't hit such a huge home run since the original NES when I was a kid. Not only did Mom Clause get my and freaking awesome Leg Lamp like the one in A Christmas Story, she also got me a Keurig. How hot is that?

Now if you live under a rock and don't know what a Keurig is, let me tell you:

Keurig was founded in 1992 by Olaf Keurig. In 2006, they became a subsidiary of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters.

In North America, Keurig claims the following market presence as of 2010:

2.5 million beverages dispensed per day
200,000 office installations
6% of all coffee brewed in offices in the USA

K-Cup machines are all designed to quickly brew a single cup of coffee, tea, hot chocolate, or other hot beverage. The grounds (or other brew material) are supplied in a prepared, single-serving unit, called a "K-Cup". Once the machine has warmed up, the user inserts a K-Cup into the machine, places a mug under the spout, and presses the brew button; within 20 to 60 seconds, the beverage is ready. By omitting the K-Cup, users can also dispense a mug of hot water.

Keurig machines brew coffee or tea by piercing the foil seal on top of the plastic K-Cup with a spray nozzle, while simultaneously piercing the bottom of the K-cup with a discharge nozzle. Grounds contained inside the K-cup sit within a paper filter. A measured quantity of hot water is forced through the K-Cup, passing through the grounds and through the filter into the waiting cup or mug below. A brewing temperature of 192 degrees Fahrenheit (89 Celsius) is the default setting, with some models permitting users to reduce the temperature somewhat, per preference.

Now here is why I like the Keurig: Back in the spring time I was house/dog sitting for a friend. Said friend had the Keurig and I tried it out. It was simply one of the best home brewed cups of coffee I have ever had. You see, this fat kid loves coffee, but coffee doesn't love me. It upsets my stomach and such. This lovely little machines delicious coffee does not.

The Green Mountain Coffee is good of course, as is the Caribou Coffee, and my personal favorite Tully's Kona Coffee. The only hot chocolate I have tried is the Cafe Escapes and I was not at all impressed. Side note: I love Kona Coffee. It is wonderful.

A little history on Kona Coffee:

Kona coffee is the market name for coffee cultivated on the slopes of Hualalai and Mauna Loa in the North and South Kona Districts of the Big Island of Hawaii. It is one of the most expensive coffees in the world. Only coffee from the Kona Districts can be described as "Kona". The weather of sunny mornings, cloud or rain in the afternoon, little wind and mild nights combined with porous, mineral rich volcanic soil, creates favorable coffee growing conditions. The loanword for coffee in the Hawaiian language is kope.

As I have rattled on long enough about coffee...one last note. In the form of creamers...I love the International Delight White Chocolate Raspberry or Amaretto. Have a fancy cup of coffee at home for pennies a cup.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T02:35:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas my dear readers. I know I have been slacking this month. December is always a hard one on everyone. A couple eggnog recipes for you lovely people. Everyone seems to have a love/hate relationship with eggnog. I personally love it. Enjoy! Have a great New Year!

Easy Eggnog Recipe

Ingredients

6 eggs
3 cups milk
8 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, ground

Directions

In a large bowl, beat the eggs using an electric beater (if available).

By turn, add milk & sugar.
Continue beating until mixture thickens slightly.
Add in the vanilla essence & ground nutmeg.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled (at least 3 hours).

Serves: 8.

Traditional Eggnog

Ingredients

12 eggs, separated
6 cups milk
2 cups heavy/ thickened cream
2 cups bourbon
1+ 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup brandy
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

Directions

In a large bowl and using a mixer, beat the egg yolks together with the sugar for approx 10 minutes (you want the mixture to be firm and the colour of butter).
Very slowly, add in the bourbon and brandy - just a little at a time.
When bourbon and brandy have been added, allow the mixture to cool in the fridge (for up to 6 hours, depending on how long before your party you're making the eggnog).
30 minutes before your guests arrive, stir the milk into the chilled yolk mixture.
Stir in 1+ 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg.
In a separate bowl, beat the cream with a mixer on high speed until the cream forms stiff peaks.
In yet another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
Gently fold the egg white mixture into the egg yolk mixture.
Gently fold the cream into the egg mixture.
After ladling into cups, garnish with the remainder of the ground nutmeg.

Serves: 8.

Turkey Tips!

2011-11-19T02:54:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving is less than a week away here in the U.S. Here are some turkey day tips from the fat kid to make your life a little easier!

If you need only enough turkey to make it through Thanksgiving dinner: Buy ¾ to 1 pound per person.

If you want enough leftovers for the long weekend: Calculate 1 pounds (or slightly more) per person. Get leftover turkey recipes and turkey sandwich ideas.

If you need a large turkey: Consider buying two 10- to 12-pound birds and roasting them side by side. Small turkeys cook (and defrost) much more quickly than supersize ones, and they tend to stay moister.

J.J.'s Quick Turkey Guide

Number of diners: 8.

Turkey size (including leftovers): 10 to 12 pounds.

Thawing time (for a frozen turkey): Refrigerator, 2 to 2½ days; cool water (changed every half hour), 5 to 6 hours.

Roasting time (unstuffed): Roast at 425° F for 45 minutes. Cover with foil, reduce temperature to 350° F, and continue to roast the turkey until a thigh registers 180° F, about 2 hours total.

Number of diners: 12.

Turkey size (including leftovers): 16 to 18 pounds.

Thawing time (for a frozen turkey): Refrigerator, 3½ to 4 days; cool water (changed every half hour), 8 to 9 hours.

Roasting time (unstuffed): Roast at 425° F for 45 minutes. Cover with foil, reduce temperature to 350° F, and continue to roast the turkey until a thigh registers 180° F, 2½ to 3 hours total.

Number of diners: 16.

Turkey size (including leftovers): 20 to 22 pounds.

Thawing time (for a frozen turkey): Refrigerator, 4 to 4½ days; cool water (changed every half hour), 9 to 11 hours.

Roasting time (unstuffed): Roast at 425° F for 45 minutes. Cover with foil, reduce temperature to 350° F, and continue to roast the turkey until a thigh registers 180° F, 3 to 3½ hours total.

Number of diners: 20.

Turkey size (including leftovers): 24 to 26 pounds.

Thawing time (for a frozen turkey): Refrigerator, 5 to 5½ days; cool water (changed every half hour), 11 to 13 hours.

Roasting time (unstuffed): Roast at 425° F for 45 minutes. Cover with foil, reduce temperature to 350° F, and continue to roast the turkey until a thigh registers 180° F, 4 to 4½ hours total.

Talking Turkey

Call either of these hotlines to speak with an expert turkey roaster, pie baker, or side-dish maker. Hours listed are for Thanksgiving Day.

Butterball Turkey Talk-Line: 800-288-8372 , 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST; www.butterball.com.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Meat and Poultry Hotline: 888-674-6854 , 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. EST; www.fsis.usda.gov.

Classic Turkey Gravy

Ingredients

pan juices from the turkey and roasting pan
1/4 cup dry white wine
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
5 cups turkey or chicken broth
1 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Strain the pan juices into a fat separator or bowl. Let stand for 10 minutes. Skim and discard the fat from the surface; set the juices aside.

Place the empty roasting pan over 2 burners over medium-high heat. Add the wine and cook, stirring and scraping to dissolve any bits stuck to the pan, for 2 minutes. Add the butter and melt. Sprinkle with the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Still stirring, slowly add first the broth, then 1 cup of the reserved juices. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently until the gravy has thickened, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and season with the salt and pepper. Strain just before serving.

Quick Turkey Gravy

Ingredients

pan juices from the turkey and roasting pan
4 cups turkey or chicken broth
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Strain the pan juices into a fat separator or bowl. Let stand for 10 minutes. Skim and discard the fat from the surface; set the juices aside.

In a small saucepan, over medium-low heat, bring the broth and 1 cup of the reserved juices to a boil. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and 1/4 cup cold water until no lumps remain. Slowly whisk the cornstarch mixture into the simmering broth. Cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and season with the salt and pepper. Strain just before serving

If your gravy is too thin: Whisk 2 teaspoons cornstarch into 2 teaspoons cold water, or combine 1 tablespoon room-temperature butter with 1 tablespoon flour to form a paste. Whisk into 4 to 5 cups of barely simmering gravy and cook, stirring constantly, until the gravy thickens.

If your gravy is too thick: Add more of the reserved pan juices or warmed turkey or chicken broth, 1 tablespoon at a time. Or try a splash of a flavorful fortified wine, such as Madeira or sherry.

If your gravy is too pale: Try a few shakes of soy sauce, keeping in mind that paleness is only a cosmetic concern, unrelated to flavor.

Happy Thanksgiving, Yo!

2011-11-15T03:03:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving is next week and lets face it...most people don't give thanks but stuff themselves with good food. This fat kid is thankful for many things whether I say things or not. So before we get to the recipes here is what I am thankful for:

Good friends...without you I may go totally insane.
People that send me recipes to try! Without you I wouldn't have this blog.
Medicare...yeah it has its issues, but it is so much better than no insurance at all!
The Food Network...I get a lot of inspiration from there.
The internet...it has been keeping me entertained since 1994. Thanks, Mrs. Walker, for the introduction during study hall!

RumChata® Sweet Potato Casserole

Ingredients

4 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted plus more for the preparing the pan
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup RumChata®
1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Put the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and pierce each one 2 or 3 times with a fork. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until tender. Set aside to cool.

Turn the oven down to 350 degrees F. Scoop the sweet potato out of their skins and into a medium bowl. Discard the skins. Mash the potatoes until smooth. Add the butter, brown sugar, salt, RumChata® and pepper to taste. Whisk the mixture until smooth.

Butter an 8 by 8-inch casserole. Pour the sweet potato mixture into the pan and sprinkle the top with the pecans. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until a bit puffy. Serve immediately.

What it s RumChata® you ask?

RumChata® is rum cream made as an authentic replica of the best Horchata you have ever tasted. It is made from scratch using real ingredients - rice, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. This is Real Horchata, not an imitation flavored horchata beverage.

In the western hemisphere, horchata is made from rice, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and either water or dairy. The only way to make 'Real Horchata' is to make it from these ingredients, not horchata flavor. If it says horchata flavor or it does not include not rice, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla it's not 'Real Horchata'.

Now that you know a little more about RumChata® here is a great shot or drink to have while waiting for dinner to cook.

Cinnamon Toast Crunch

3 parts RumChata®
1 part vanilla vodka

Shake with ice and strain into a shot glass.

Serve with a piece of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal on top.

My bar serves it sans the cereal and with a splash of pineapple juice I believe.

I haven't tried this but it sounds YUMMY!

Cinnabon

3/4 oz. RumChata®
1/4 oz. Kahlua

Pour into a shot glass.

Duchess Potatoes

Ingredients

· 2 pounds potatoes (Yukon Golds work best), peeled and cut into chunks

· Salt

· 1/4 cup heavy cream

· 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

· 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

· 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

· 3 egg yolks

Method

1 Place potatoes in a medium to large pot (3 qt) and cover with a couple inches of cold water. Add a couple teaspoons of salt to the water. Bring to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender (the tines of a fork easily pierce), about 20-25 minutes.

2 While the potatoes are boiling, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and set aside. You will use this butter to coat the potatoes right before they go in the oven. Preheat the oven to 425°. 3 When the potatoes are cooked, drain in a colander and put the potatoes back in the pot set over low heat. Allow them to release steam for a minute or so. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and mash the potatoes until the butter has been incorporated. Add the nutmeg, black pepper, heavy cream and continue mashing the potatoes. Once everything is incorporated, add salt to taste and the egg yolks. Continue to mash until the mixture is smooth. Do not over-mash or your potatoes will end up with a gluey consistency.

4 Using a piping bag with a large star point, pipe the potatoes onto a cookie sheet. Alternatively, you can just fill a casserole dish with the mashed potatoes, and use a fork to create lots of peaks on the surface. The swirled edges from the star-point piping bag forms or the peaks of mashed potatoes in a casserole dish will brown nicely in the oven.

The browned parts taste great, so you want to maximize them. Whether you make piped portions or a casserole, paint the potatoes with the melted butter. Bake in the 425°F oven until nicely browned, about 20 minutes.

Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
(or 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice)
2 large eggs
1 can (15 oz.) Pumpkin
1 can (12 fl. oz.) Evaporated Milk
1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell
Whipped cream (optional)

Directions

MIX sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.

POUR into pie shell.

BAKE in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving.

Pumpkin Bread

3 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. each nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon - or a teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 c. each granulated sugar and packed brown sugar
1 c. oil
2 c. canned pumpkin
4 eggs
1 c. each raisins and nuts (optional)

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. Add the sugars, mixing well.

Mix dry ingredients with the oil and pumpkin, stirring until well combined.

Add eggs, one at a time, blending thoroughly. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9 1/2 x 5 1/4-inch loaf pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes. Remove from pans. Place on wire rack to cool.

I love pecan pie...I have used ths recipe for the last 12 years.

Pecan Pie

1 cup Karo® Light OR Dark Corn Syrup - this is one time I go brand name and I prefer dark
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) pecans
1 (9-inch) unbaked or frozen** deep-dish pie crust

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Mix corn syrup, eggs, sugar, butter and vanilla using a spoon. Stir in pecans. Pour filling into pie crust.

Bake on center rack of oven for 60 to 70 minutes (see tips for doneness, below). Cool for 2 hours on wire rack before serving.

**To use prepared frozen pie crust: Place cookie sheet in oven and preheat oven as directed. Pour filling into frozen crust and bake on preheated cookie sheet.

RECIPE TIPS: Pie is done when center reaches 200°F. Tap center surface of pie lightly - it should spring back when done. For easy clean up, spray pie pan with cooking spray before placing pie crust in pan. If pie crust is overbrowning, cover edges with foil.

VARIATION: coarsely chopped walnuts may be substituted for pecans to make a walnut pie.

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-30T20:08:00.000-04:00

Halloween is probably my second favorite holiday. My ex and I used to have a huge Halloween party every year...I tried it the last couple years by myself with a huge failing. I skipped it this year and even though its a little late, I decided to share some of my favorite recipes from these parties.

Kitty Litter Cake

1 box German chocolate cake mix, plus ingredients to prepare
1 box white cake mix, plus ingredients to prepare
2 packages instant vanilla pudding mix
1 package vanilla sandwich cookies
3 drops green food coloring
1 package (12 ounce size) tootsie rolls

Prepare cake mixes and bake according to package directions (any size pan). Prepare pudding according to package directions and chill until ready to assemble.

Crumble sandwich cookies in small batches in a food processor, scraping often. Set aside all but 1/4 cup. To the 1/4 cup add a few drops of green food coloring and mix.

When cakes are cooled to room temperature, crumble them into a large bowl. Toss with 1/2 of the remaining cookie crumbs, and the chilled pudding. You probably won't need all of the pudding, you want the cake to be just moist, not soggy. Line a clean, new kitty litter box with a kitty litter liner.

Put cake mixture into box. Put half of the unwrapped tootsie rolls in a microwave safe dish and heat until softened. Shape the ends so that they are no longer blunt, and curve the tootsie rolls slightly. Bury tootsie rolls randomly in the cake and sprinkle with half of the remaining cookie crumbs.

Sprinkle a small amount of the green colored cookie crumbs lightly over the top. Heat 3 or 4 of the tootsie rolls in the microwave until almost melted. Scrape them on top of the cake and sprinkle lightly with some of the green cookie crumbs. Heat the remaining tootsie rolls until pliable and shape as before. Spread all but one randomly over top of cake mixture. Sprinkle with any remaining cookie crumbs. Hang the remaining tootsie roll over side of litter box and sprinkle with a few green cookie crumbs.

To serve use the clean, new the pooper scooper for a gross Halloween dessert.

Day Old Bathwater Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

1 can (12 ounce size) frozen lemonade
1 can (12 ounce size) frozen pink lemonade
1 can (12 ounce size) frozen limeade
1/2 gallon rainbow sherbet

PREPARATION:

About 45 minutes before serving time, set cans of lemon and limeade and the container of sherbet out to thaw. After 15 minutes, scoop out half of the sherbet's containers contents and place it into a brownish color. Place the remaining sherbet back in.

Prepare lemon and limeades according to the package directions and pour into the punch bowl.

Carefully float spoonfuls of the brown blended sherbet on top of the lemonade mixture, spreading it around to look like dirty brown suds. Do not stir. Use a ladle to serve punch in cups.

Sicko serving suggestion: Float a handful of green, yellow and white tiny after dinner mints (tiny bars of soap), on top of your scummy punch.

Chunky Cat Barf

INGREDIENTS:

1 large spaghetti squash
8 ounces cottage cheese
16 ounces Mozzarella cheese (grated)
8 ounces Parmesan cheese (grated)
1 quart spaghetti sauce
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

PREPARATION:

Cook squash. Fork out insides into a giant casserole dish. Add cottage cheese, spaghetti sauce, peppers, and half of the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Mix until it looks like cat barf.
Top with the remaining cheeses.
Bake at 350 degrees F. for about 45 minutes.

Melted Fingers Pizzas

INGREDIENTS:

1 red bell pepper
12 sticks (1 ounce each) mozzarella
8 small (about 5" diam.) baked pizza crusts
1 cup purchased pizza sauce

PREPARATION:

Core, stem and seed pepper; cut lengthwise into 1"-wide strips. Cut each strip crosswise into 1/2" pieces (fingernails). Round corners on one end of each piece.

Cut each cheese stick in half crosswise. On rounded end of each stick (finger), cut out a 1/2"-square notch into which a pepper piece will fit to make a nail.
Lay crusts slightly apart on 3 baking sheets, each 12x15". Spread 2 Tbsp. sauce evenly over each crust. Lay 3 cheese fingers well apart on each crust: fit a red pepper nail onto each. Bake in a 450 degrees F oven until cheese just begins to melt, about 8 minutes.

Vampire's Kiss

2 oz. vodka
1/2 oz. dry gin
1/2 oz. dry vermouth
1 tbsp. tequila
Pinch of salt
2 oz. tomato juice

Old Fashioned glass, shake with ice, strain over ice.

I'm here for October...barely!

2011-10-23T01:07:00.000-04:00

Here are two for October...My Mother and Grandmother used to make these out of the leftover mashed potatoes. I like to make them for breakfast and have them with eggs.

The second recipe is one I stole from an ex. I always loved it when they made this.

Also...if you are out there...let me know you are there! Send me a recipe, just say hi, follow me or something!

Mashed Potato Pancakes

1 egg
1 cup mashed potatoes (left over)
1/3 cup flour
1 green onion (finely chopped)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 -2 tablespoon milk
2 -3 tablespoons shortening or 2 -3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions:

1 Beat the egg.

2 Mix the beaten egg with the mashed potatoes.
3 Stir in the dry ingredients.
4 Add the milk and mix well.
5 The batter should be very thick.
6 Melt the shortening or heat the oil in a skillet.
7 Spoon batter into the skillet to form 3" to 3-1/2" inch wide pancakes, about 1/2" thick.
8 Brown on one side, over medium heat. Turn and brown on the other side.
9 Serve with ketchup.

Chicken - Rice - Broccoli Casserole

1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen chopped broccoli
2 c. cooked, cubed chicken - I season mine with rosemary, garlic, pepper, and poultry seasoning
2 c. cooked rice
1 c. cheese, grated
1 (10 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup - If you don't like mushrooms use cream of chicken or celery
1 (3 oz.) can French fried onions
1 soup can milk

Combine chicken, rice, cheese, broccoli, and soup. Add 1 soup can of milk; mix well. Pour in buttered 1 1/2 quart casserole. Top with onions. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until onions are brown and crisp.

What ever happened to the Sunday Dinner?

2011-09-25T14:02:00.000-04:00

When I was a kid on Sundays we always a large family meal. Sometimes it was at our house, other times it was at the house of my Aunt's an hour or so away. The thing is we got together, broke bread, and socialized over a meal. I remember as a small child we almost always had fried chicken on Sundays. Whether my Grandmother fried it or it came from the Colonel (as my Grandmother called it) aka Kentucky Fried Chicken aka KFC as it is now known as.

As I got older the Sunday dinner menu changed, but we still took the time to sit together, eat, and socialize. I can't pinpoint the exact time, but the family dinner started to drift off to when it was only holidays or special occasions, and now maybe one meal when I travel home to visit once or twice a year.

Do other American families still have a Sunday dinner or even dinner together of the evening through the week any more? In today's ever busying society, I know many people who never cook everything they eat comes from a fast food place or is a frozen meal. Are people like me a dying breed? I personally love to make a big meal and have my friends and family come sit, eat, and socialize with me.

Today I am making a meatloaf...something I have covered here before. I am also making several side dishes to go with it and have invited friends over. I hope they show up. Then My roommate, friends, and I can sit down and share a Sunday meal, like I used to back in the day.

Who was Colonel Sanders?

Harland David "Colonel" Sanders was an American fast food businessman who founded the Kentucky Fried Chicken company, now re-branded as KFC. His image remains iconic in KFC promotions.

At the age of 40, Sanders cooked chicken dishes and other meals for people who stopped at his service station in Corbin, Kentucky. Since he did not have a restaurant, he served customers in his adjacent living quarters. His local popularity grew, and Sanders moved to a motel and 142 seat restaurant, later Harland Sanders Café and Museum. Over the next nine years he developed his "secret recipe" for frying chicken in a pressure fryer that cooked the chicken much faster than pan frying.

Sanders was given the honorary title "Kentucky Colonel" in 1935 by Governor Ruby Laffoon. He was "re-commissioned" in 1950 by Governor Lawrence Wetherby.

It wasn't until 1950 that Sanders began developing his distinctive appearance, growing his trademark mustache and goatee and donning a white suit and string tie. He never wore anything else in public during the last 20 years of his life, using a heavy wool suit in the winter and a light cotton suit in the summer.

At age 65, Sanders' store having failed due to the new Interstate 75 reducing his restaurant's customer traffic, he took $105 from his first Social Security check and began visiting potential franchisees.

Dave Thomas, later founder of Wendy's Old Fashioned Burgers, was offered a chance to turn around a failing Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant. He helped save the restaurant, and revolutionized the fast food industry by simplifying its menu from nearly one hundred items to just basic fried chicken and salads.

Sanders later used his stockholdings to create the Colonel Harland Sanders Trust and Colonel Harland Sanders Charitable Organization, which used the proceeds to aid charities and fund scholarships. His trusts continue to donate money to groups like the Trillium Health Care Centre; a wing of their building specializes in women's and children's care and has been named after him. The Sidney, British Columbia based foundation granted over $1,000,000 in 2007, according to its 2007 tax return.

Sanders died in Louisville, Kentucky, of pneumonia on December 16, 1980. He had been diagnosed with acute leukemia the previous June. His body lay in state in the rotunda of the Kentucky State Capitol; after a funeral service at the Southern Baptist Seminary Chapel attended by more than 1,000 people. He was buried in his characteristic white suit and black western string tie in Cave Hill Cemetery in Louisville.

Since his death, Sanders has been portrayed by voice actors in Kentucky Fried Chicken commercials in radio and an animated version of him has been used for television commercials.

Are You Ready for Some Football Snacks?

2011-09-18T19:06:00.002-04:00

It's already week two of the NFL season and I have not covered any game time snacks...Shame on me! So here they are! Enjoy!!!

BBQ Chicken Pizza

1/2 Cup favorite bbq sauce
1 large prebaked pizza crust - I like Boboli
1 1/2 cups cooked/diced chicken
8 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 chopped sweet pepper...green, yellow...orange
1-2 tablespoons sliced green onions

Spread sauce on crust, top with remaining ingredients in order listed. Bake as directed on pizza crust packaging. Makes 4 - 6 servings.

Baked Cheesy Salsa Dip

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Swiss
½ cup cream cheese
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1 7-ounce can whole kernel corn, drained
1 4-ounce can chopped green chili peppers, drained (these will be spicy)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 8oz can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup diced yellow onion
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro

**Optional: Tabasco Sauce for an added spicy kick or take out the chili peppers if you want a milder dip

Directions

1. Stir together cheeses, mayonnaise, cream cheese, corn, chili peppers, ½ of the can of tomatoes, and garlic powder in a mixing bowl.

2. Spread mixture into a 9-inch pie plate.

3. Combine the remainder of the diced tomatoes,onion, and cilantro, cover, and chill for an hour to allow flavors to combine (this will be placed on top of the hot dip after it is cooked).

4. Bake cheese dish in a 350 degree oven 35 minutes or until heated through and cheese is bubbling.

5. Spoon chilled tomato mixture in the center of the hot cheese dip right before serving.

6. Serve with tortilla chips, corn chips, veggies, or potato wedges

The weather sucks...but this cake doesn't!

2011-08-25T20:39:00.000-04:00

Pink Lemonade Cake...an old friend submitted it to me. She has also sent me the Frozen Lemonade Pie...me thinks she likes lemonade. Anyhow...this thing was freaking incredible. Of course I had to make my own adjustments, which I will describe below. As for now enjoy this entry and hope this fat kid survives the week of earthquakes and hurricanes in Maryland...speaking of hurricanes....that's one of my favorite adult beverages. Think I will enjoy one with a piece of this killer cake!

The hurricane is an extremely sweet alcoholic drink made with fruit juice, syrup or grenadine and rum. It is one of many popular drinks served in New Orleans.

The creation of this passion fruit-colored relative of a Daiquiri drink is credited to New Orleans tavern owner Pat O'Brien. In the 1940s, he needed to create a new drink to help him get rid of all of the less popular rum that local distributors forced him to buy before he could get a few cases of more popular liquors such as scotch and whiskey. He poured the concoction into hurricane-lamp-shaped glasses and gave it away to sailors. The drink caught on, and it has been a mainstay in the French Quarter ever since. It is more commonly served in a disposable plastic cup, as New Orleans laws permit drinking in public and leaving a bar with a drink, but prohibit public drinking from glass or metal containers. ---Got some irony to it doesn't it?

Hurricane

Ingredients:

•2 oz light rum
•2 oz dark rum
•2 oz passion fruit juice
•1 oz orange juice
•juice of a half a lime
•1 Tbsp simple syrup
•1 Tbsp grenadine
•orange slice and cherry for garnish

Preparation:

1.Squeeze juice from half a lime into shaker over ice.
2.Pour the remaining ingredients into the cocktail shaker.
3.Shake well.
4.Strain into a hurricane glass.
5.Garnish with a cherry and an orange slice.

Pink Lemonade Layer Cake

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen and Kerri

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus more, for coating pans
1 (18 1/4-ounce) box white cake mix
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 tablespoons sweetened pink lemonade drink powder - I used unsweetened
1 pound confectioners' sugar
5 tablespoons frozen pink lemonade concentrate - I added more for a better lemon taste
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 2 (8-inch) round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper or waxed paper.

Prepare the cake batter according to the package directions. To the batter, stir in the lemon zest, vanilla, and pink lemonade powder. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Carefully turn the cakes out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

While the cake is baking, prepare the frosting by beating together the confectioners' sugar and remaining 1 cup butter until fluffy. Beat in the remaining frosting ingredients until combined.

Transfer one cake to a cake stand or large platter. Using an offset spatula, spread the top of the cake with a layer of frosting. Place the second cake on top of the first. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of both layers.

I got fancey and garnished it for the photo!

Drunken Chicken Master

2011-08-22T07:17:00.000-04:00

I haven't been cooking much lately. It has been disgustingly hot here in the Baltimore/D.C. corridor and by some miracle of fate, I have developed a social life. (I've been dating this pretty awesome woman, spending lots of time at PW's with Mama, and hanging with the BFF aka the Fabulous Melissa,) Also, I have been having roommate issues that are beyond the control of this fat kid. Despite all of this...I did manage to cook a decent meal Sunday. Another roasted bird...I love chicken and I like it a lot of ways, but baked low and slow on a Sunday morning is my favorite.

Now this particular bird was done beer can style on a well washed, Mello Yello can. In said Mello Yello can, I filled it with water, rosemary, garlic, and chipoltle seasoning. I dressed the bird in olive oil and a seasoning concoction I will share with you at the end of this entry. I baked it in the oven on 175 for 4 hours then increased it to 250 for another hour and a half. The last hour, I cranked the oven up to 350 to finish cooking and crisping of the skin.

And, just in case there are readers that aren't familiar with beer can chicken...here is a brief history of it:

Beer Can Chicken is made by standing a prepared chicken upright on a partially filled can of beer and cooking it slowly in a barbecue or oven. The can goes into the opening of the chicken so that the beer evaporates and permeates the cooking chicken. It received the name dancing chicken due to way the chicken wobbles once the beer has evaporated and due to the fact the chicken is flavored with evaporated beer. The wobbling and falling usually indicates the chicken is done.

J.J.'s Chicken Rub

Measurements are approximate as I never measure.

1 tablespoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon of finely chopped rosemary
¼ teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
¼ teaspoon chipolte season
1 teaspoon Season Salt
¼ teaspoon sage

Left for the roommate so she wouldn't screw
with my chicken!

Beautiful! Those drippings made a
delicious gravy!

Simple and delicious!

The One Year Birthday Entry...

2011-08-02T13:05:00.001-04:00

Hard to believe it's been a year since I started this blog and I have managed to post at least once a month for a whole year. I hope to make this place bigger and better in the next year. If you want to give Cooking with J.J. A great birthday present...tell your friends, follow me on twitter, or like my fan page on Facebook. Thanks for reading this fat kids ramblings!

Now for the nitty gritty...Who doesn't love copy cat recipes? I know I do. This is one of my favorites. Who doesn't love those yummy little biscuits they give you baskets of at Red Lobster? Thats right folks, I present you:

Cheddar Bay Biscuits

This recipe is a variation of Red Lobsters "Cheddar Bay biscuits". Honestly, I like my way better. They are so GOOD!

Ingredients

2 cups Bisquick
2/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning (optional)

Directions

Heat oven to 450.
Combine Bisquick, milk, and cheddar cheese.
Stir together.
Spoon onto an ungreased cookie sheet. I usually use parchment paper.
Bake for 8-10 minutes.
In a small sauce pan combine butter, garlic powder and old bay seasoning.
Heat until butter is melted.
Spoon butter mixture over hot biscuits.
Eat em' up!

And since it is still summer and the dog days as they call them...lets talk lemonade. I love lemonade...pink, plain, strawberry, or raspberry. My favorite lemonade being from Chick fil a. If you live in an area that doesn't have a Chick fil a...all I can't say is...I'm sorry.

Pink Lemonade Lemons

As a kid, I thought lemonade came in a powder form in a pack or a canister. As I got older...I discovered real lemonade. Now when I am feeling lazy or I have kids at the house, I do fall back upon the Kool-Aid or Country Time brands. Now for myself...I need real lemons and real sugar and real water and real ice. It doesn't get much more basic than that folks. You can can control tartness Vs sweetness when you make real lemonade. Did you also know there is such a thing as pink lemonade lemons? They are really pink! I learned this a few weeks ago on Martha Stewart when I was too lazy to change the channel...I guess that annoying bitch is useful after all!

Here are a couple recipes I enjoy...

Lemonade

2 quarts plus 3/4 cup cold water
3/4 cup sugar - of course you can use as little or as much sugar as you like!
1 cup fresh lemon juice
1 lemon, thinly sliced

1. In a small saucepan, combine the 3/4 cup of water with the sugar. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and let the syrup cool to room temperature.

2. In a large pitcher, combine the remaining 2 quarts of water with the lemon juice and sugar syrup. Add the lemon slices and refrigerate until chilled. Serve the lemonade over ice.

Strawberry Lemonade

2 large strawberries
Ice
3 ounces fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 ounces water
1 1/2 ounces Simple Syrup
2 lemon wedges

In a cocktail shaker, muddle the strawberries. Add ice and the lemon juice, water and Simple Syrup. Shake well and strain into an ice-filled highball glass. Garnish with the lemon wedges.

J.J.'s Adult Lemonade

6 oz Jack Daniel's® Tennessee whiskey – I'm not a whiskey fan...I use vodka.
2 oz sweet and sour mix
20 oz Sprite or 7Up
4 splash grenadine syrup

Pour the Jack Daniels, Sweet and Sour over ice into a collins glass (or similar). Now pour in the Soda allowing the soda bubbles to do all the mixing. Drink and enjoy! Adding a splash of Grenadine Cherry Syrup over the top will give it a sweeter flavor, almost like "pink-lemonade."

Serves Four

You wanna go where people know people are all the same...

2011-07-19T02:34:00.000-04:00

You wanna go where everybody knows your name...
OK the place isn't named Cheers, but it is called PW's Sports Bar or PW's for short. If you go there enough, yes people will know your name. Why am I writing about PW's? The food is freaking awesome and cheap...did I mention you get a lot of it too? You can check out the menu here. ← Click that!

Here is another cool fact about PW's...It's a GAY sports bar. Is that not cool? Actually they are friendly to all open minded people. The majority of my gaggle of friends that hangs there are straight. Everyone is friendly and I always have a great time.

Mama Debbi Enjoying
her Mimosa!

I have ate here several times over the last six or seven months. Everything I have ever tried is delightful. My Mama Debbi introduced me to PW's and I am very glad she did. The first thing I ever ordered there was the wings. I got regular Buffalo and the were awesome, but HOT. It those are the normal ones I would hate to taste the hot ones. I've also had the BLT (count the bacon...there is a TON), the bacon and 'shroom burger among other things. The menu has a great variety and they have daily specials. They are open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. My new favorite meal there being the Sunday Brunch.

Crab Omelet

I've been to the Sunday Brunch a few times now. It is a relatively new thing. They have many flavors of Mimosas and a build your own Bloody Mary bar. I haven't had a Bloody Mary yet but I do indulge in the Mimosas. The crab cake Eggs Benedict is to die for. This past Sunday I had the crab omelet. It was divine. It was basically a crab cake in the omelet with Swiss cheese. It was sooooo good. Every brunch plate comes with fruit, asparagus, and home fries.

The evening life is nice too. Jackie and Melissa the sexy Bartender, will take good care of you. They both make great Amaretto Sours. On Monday nights this summer, Melissa the sexy Bartender offers up several flavors of margaritas. I personally recommend the Billy's Ocean. It's blue!!! Both of the bar ladies also offer up great mixed shots and awesome service.

If you are ever in the Baltimore/DC area, I suggest you check out PW's. You might just run into this fat kid. I will either be eating, singing karaoke, or playing trivia...maybe a combination of all three.

Inch by inch, row by row

2011-07-10T14:22:00.000-04:00

I have a small yard but manage to have a large garden for its size. What does J.J. Have growing this year, you ask? Here is the breakdown:

Pumpkins
Tomatoes
Jalapenos
Cucumbers
Zucchini
Yellow Squash

Purple Sweet Peppers

Purple Sweet Peppers
Orange Sweet Peppers

I'm very sure that I will be writing about my fresh veggies in the near future.

Yellow Squash

Baby jalapenos

Now down to business...in less than a month, on August 2nd this blog will be a year old. How are we going to celebrate? Here is what I want you to do for me...send me your favorite recipes...like me on Facebook...tell your friends and family about J.J....follow me on twitter...follow me here on blogger. I am going to try to be better about posting more often. I do need some recipes to try out. I would like to aim for a posting once or twice a week. A bare bones minimum of twice a month. Send me your feed back! cookingwithjj.baker@gmail.com

As for cooking...I haven't been doing much lately. Even I get in a slump. Fast food has been my poison or the Cookie Monster has been feeding me. Did anyone happen to try the banana pudding milkshake at Chick-fil-A? That thing was phenomenal. I was hopping they would keep it around. I have a new Friday night thing where I go get a milkshake. Sometimes with the Cookie Monster, sometimes alone. In this fat kid's opinion, Chick-fil-A has the best milkshakes of a fast food place.

Also thanks to the Cookie Monster...I have a new ice cream addiction: Blue Bunny Bordeaux Cherry Chip. I can't even describe how good this stuff is. I am not a huge ice cream fan...I know hard to believe...I do like my milk shakes, but regular ice cream...meh. I know my Mom reads this and she could testify in a note about the ice cream thing. Now this BBBCC...I can eat that every night and go back for seconds. For me, that makes it EPIC ice cream. I'm thinking about making a milk shake with some of it to try. That bad part about the BBBCC...in my area, the only place you can find it is Wal-Mart. This Fat Kid hates Hell-Mart...being a former employee and all.

Finally, yesterday was my birthday. The fabulous Melissa remembered me and got me a new griddle! SWEET! It is a sweet griddle...it has a nice weight and cooks pretty evenly. You know I had to try it. I wasn't in the mood for pancakes or french toast, so I fried some ham on it to go with my eggs. Tomorrow I will try a grilled cheese.

Post 4th of July

2011-07-06T15:44:00.000-04:00

So the 4th of July has come and gone and it is now four days till this fat kids 34th birthday...I revisited some recipes I have covered before this year for Americas birthday. I did make some changes. I made lemonade pie again this year...still delicious. It was even more delicious with the changes I made. I first brought you lemonade pie in August of last year.

Frozen Lemonade Pie

Ingredients
For the Crust
•2 cups graham cracker crumbs
•1/4 cup sugar
•7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

This year I used pre-made tart sized crust for miniature/baby pies. I bought 12 but propably could have used 18.

For the Filling

•2 cups heavy cream - the original recipe calls for Cool Whip
•1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk, chilled
•1 6-ounce can frozen lemonade concentrate (do not thaw) [I used 12ounces] – This year I used pink lemonade...this made for a better over all flavor.

For the Topping
•1 cup blueberries
•1 cup raspberries
•2 tablespoons sugar
•1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Make the crust: In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Press firmly on the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake for 7 minutes; cool completely.

Make the filling: In a cold medium bowl, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. In another bowl, stir together the condensed milk and frozen lemonade. Gently fold the lemonade mixture into the whipped cream. Pour the filling into the crust; freeze overnight.

About an hour before you serve the pie, make the topping: Toss the berries in a medium bowl with the sugar and lemon juice. Set aside until ready to serve.

Let the pie come to room temperature for 10 minutes before cutting. Top each slice with berries

I also grilled some chicken this year. I love grilled chicken thats been kissed with BBQ sauce. This chicken was the bomb. I rubbed it down with a newly created rub this year. I would have ate it without the sauce, but I love the sauce. I import it from back home and only use it for myself or very special people. I love Montgomery Inn BBQ sauce. The Montgomery Inn is a restaurant in Cincinnati/Montgomery Ohio and they have hands down the best ribs and I think the best bottled BBQ sauce on the planet. I would seriously drink this sauce if you asked me to. As for this rub I think I want to try it on a pork loin at some point.

J.J.'s Chicken Rub

½ cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon fresh course ground black pepper

1 tablespoon Chipotle seasoning – I used the one you get from Pampered Chef

Rub on chicken at least 4 hours before grilling/cooking

One potato, two potato, three potato, four! Five potato, six potato, seven potato, more!

2011-06-28T10:34:00.000-04:00

What is cooking in this fat kids kitchen? Tons of interesting things. I have been entertaining the last couple of weekends and twice baked/loaded mashed potatoes has been on the menu.

J.J.'s Twice Baked Potatoes

Ingredients

4 large russet potatoes, about a pound each

Olive oil

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup milk

2 Tbsp butter, softened

1 Tbsp cream

1 cup grated cheddar/Gouda cheese

4 strips bacon

1/4 cup chopped green onion or chives

1 Bake the potatoes. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Scrub the potatoes clean under running water. Poke each potato in several places with the tines of a fork so that when the potatoes are cooking they don't explode. Rub the potatoes all over with a little olive oil. Place directly on the middle or top rack of the oven. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through. They should give a little when pressed.

If short on time you can bake the potatoes in the microwave, 10 minutes on high heat for 2 potatoes, 15 minutes for 4 potatoes. The skins of microwave baked potatoes aren't nearly as crispy, so you may want to rub a little olive oil on them and finish them in a conventional oven at 400°F for 10 minutes.

2 While the potatoes are cooking, cook the bacon strips in a frying pan on medium low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Let cool. Crumble.

3 Allow the potatoes to cool to touch. Slice the top third lengthwise off the potato. Use a spoon to scoop out the insides, forming a potato "canoe", leaving about 1/4 inch of potato on the skin.

Alternatively you can slice the potatoes in half, lengthwise. In this case you may want to bake an extra potato so that you will have more potato filling to mound into the potato boats.

4 Place the scooped out potato insides, sour cream, milk, cream, and butter into a large bowl. Mash with a potato masher. If you want a creamy texture, beat with an electric beater until desired consistency. Note, do not over-beat potatoes, they can turn glue-y.

5 Mix in the extras with the potatoes. Reserve some of the extras to sprinkle on the tops of the potatoes. Spoon fillings into the potato shells. Sprinkle with extra toppings.

6 Heat oven to 350°F. Place potatoes on a pan and bake 15 to 20 minutes until heated through.

Amish Potato Salad
2 lb Potatoes

1-1/2 cup Mayonnaise

1 tbsp Vinegar

1 tbsp Mustard

2 med Celery stalks

1 tsp Salt

¼ tsp Pepper

1 Onion

4 Eggs, hard cooked

Prepare and boil potatoes, cool slightly, cut into cubes. Mix mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper in four quart glass bowl. Add potatoes, celery and onion. Toss. Stir in eggs, cover and refrigerate for at least four hours. Makes about 10 servings

Hash Brown Casserole

Ingredients
1 (2 pound) package frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 can condensed cream of chicken/mushroom soup

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray one 9x13 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, butter, salt, pepper, onions, soup and cheese. Gently mix and pour into prepared pan or dish. Bake uncovered for 35 minutes.

Ladies and Gentleman, light your grills!

2011-05-26T14:47:00.000-04:00

Here it is almost the end of May and I haven't written...shame on J.J. I have had multiple things going on and not to mention injuries. It may have not been mentioned before, but J.J. is a klutz.

Here in the U.S., this weekend is Memorial Day. It is supposed to be a weekend to reflect on those soldiers who gave everything so us Americans can enjoy the freedoms that the majority of us take for granted. It is now mostly known as the official kick off season to the summer and grilling season...I will get to the grilling and cooking part here in a second kids, but I wan to give you a little history on Memorial Day and say: Thank You to all those soldiers living and no longer with us, who fight for the freedom of this great country. They enable me the freedom to produce this blog and you to read it. So as you are spending time with friends and family this holiday weekend...take a moment to remember why you are able to celebrate and break bread.

Memorial Day*, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. There are many stories as to its actual beginnings, with over two dozen cities and towns laying claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day. There is also evidence that organized women's groups in the South were decorating graves before the end of the Civil War.

Memorial Day* was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war). It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 - 363) to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays), though several southern states have an additional separate day for honoring the Confederate war dead: January 19 in Texas, April 26 in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi; May 10 in South Carolina; and June 3 (Jefferson Davis' birthday) in Louisiana and Tennessee. Since the late 50's on the Thursday before Memorial Day, the 1,200 soldiers of the 3d U.S. Infantry place small American flags at each of the more than 260,000 gravestones at Arlington National Cemetery.

J.J.'s Grilling Tips

While you're waiting for the coals to ash, scrub the grill grate. That caked-on gunk from last Labor Day doesn't "add flavor" like some folks say. It's just gross, and it adds funky flavor. You're better than that.

Scrub the grate with a wire brush or even some balled-up heavy duty aluminum foil and once the goo is gone, slather it with some cooking oil so food won't stick.

If you feel like getting a bit fancy, throw in a few sprigs of water-soaked rosemary or a handful of mesquite or hickory chips that have been soaking in beer. This adds an irresistible smoky scent and bang-up flavor to just about any food - even tofu.

The grate should be screaming hot when the meat hits it. A closed lid will also aid in cooking your burgers and steaks quickly and more thoroughly once they're in. To gauge the heat of a fire, hold your hand about four inches above the grill grate and start counting: "One Mississippi, two Mississippi." Over a hot fire, you'll get to two or three Mississippi before you're forced to move your hand; over a medium-high fire, four to five Mississippi; over a medium-low fire, eight to ten Mississippi.

Burgers

Don't skimp on fat. yes, you're trying to eat healthily, and we applaud that, but we've never met a 90 percent lean burger that's not painfully dry. Opt for 80 percent or even 70 percent and just skip the extra slice of cheese.
Don't handle the meat too much. Form it into loosely packed patties that are slightly lower in the middle than on the sides. The dimple will even out as the meat cooks.
For the love of all that is holy, don't mash down with a spatula while the patties are cooking. Yes, it's big, manly fun to hear the tsssssssss sound as the juice hits the coals, but that's flavor you're wasting.
Don't fuss with the patties while they're cooking. Cook on one side, flip once and cook the other. That's it!

Steaks

Most of the burger tips apply to steak as well - grill screaming hot, don't move it around too much, just the one flip, don't skimp on fat.

I will, however, make an exception for grill marks. Halfway through cooking a side, lift the steak and rotate it 45 degrees for a killer, professional-looking crosshatch.

Blot the meat with a paper towel before you season and cook it. Wet spots just steam the meat and you're cheating yourself out of delicious char.

Speaking of seasoning, kosher salt, fresh-ground pepper and olive oil all are you really need. It's great to get fancy with marinades, but it's STEAK. Just enhance the glorious flavor of it, and you'll be good to go.

Once you take the steak from the grill, let it rest on a board for about 10 minutes to let the juices redistribute. It'll be uniformly delicious and cut like butter.

Hot Dog Styles

New York - Nothing fancy here. A hot dog sold from the typical sidewalk cart is adorned with little more than brown mustard and onions stewed in tomato paste.

Kansas City - At Kauffman Stadium (home of the Kansas City Royals), this hot dog, an ode to the Reuben sandwich, comes topped with melted Swiss cheese and sauerkraut and is tucked into a sesame-seed bun.

Atlanta - At the Varsity’s famous drive-through, Atlantans order their hot dogs “dragged through the garden”―in other words, slipped into a top-sliced bun and blanketed with coleslaw.

Chicago - Residents of the Windy City like their hot dogs dressed to thrill: Yellow mustard, relish, chopped onion, tomato slices, sport peppers (spicy pickled green peppers), a pickle spear, and a dash of celery salt sit atop a frank nestled in a poppy-seed bun.

Detroit - Called a Coney Island, after the place where hot dogs were first popular-ized, this Michigan frank is served smothered in all-beef chili, raw white onion, yellow mustard, and shredded Cheddar.

Happy Grilling!

*Taken from www.usmemorialday.org

Strawberry Shortcake goes Hawaiian!

2011-04-28T22:55:00.000-04:00

I have been experimenting with left overs. I did a take on something I had at a Pampered Chef party ages ago on Monday...it was the consultants recipe I believe as I can't find it anywhere. I have also decided that my grill pan makes the absolutely best grilled cheese...long time readers will know I love any excuse to use my grill pan. I digress...anyway Monday around lunch time J.J.'s Hawaiian Grilled Cheese was born.

J.J.'s Hawaiian Grilled Cheese

Sliced Ham

Sliced Swiss – I used Jarlsberg because that stuff rocks!

2 Pineapple rings

Dijon or a spicy Mustard of your liking

2 Sliced of your favorite bread

Butter

Prepare the bread as if making a grilled cheese...place one slice, butter side down in piping hot skillet, grill pan, or panini press. Layer cheese, pineapple, and ham. Before adding the second slice of bread, add as little or as much mustard as you like to the unbuttered side. Cook until golden and crispy on both sides.

Serves One

I have also been playing around with strawberries. I don't know where my roommate gets them but they are huge suckers. They have good flavor. The thing is...after all these years strawberry shortcake gets boring. I had to make it a bit more exciting. I have been playing with it all spring. I gave it a bit of a kick that I am willing to share with my adoring public! I have added 3 tablespoons of dark, spiced rum to the strawberries and sugar. It gives a delicious underlying taste you just can't quite put your finger on.

Easter Feast for and Army of Two

2011-04-26T13:18:00.000-04:00

Easter has come and gone, but my recipes will carry on! This was the first time I have ever cooked an Easter dinner entirely by myself. I was very impressed with myself...It turned out to be a stellar meal and I thought I would share some of the recipes I used and the photos of the food!

The Menu

Ham
Deviled Eggs
Smashed Potaotes/Gravy
Cole Slaw
Pickled Beets
Green Beans
Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

1/4 cup butter or margarine

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

9 slices pineapple in juice (from 14-oz can), drained

9 maraschino cherries without stems, if desired

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

Pecan halves

1 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup shortening

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup milk

1 egg

Heat oven to 350°F. In 9-inch square pan, melt butter in oven. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over melted butter. Arrange pineapple slices over brown sugar. Place cherry in center of each pineapple slice.

In medium bowl, beat remaining ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour batter over pineapple and cherries.

Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately place heatproof serving plate upside down over pan; turn plate and pan over. Leave pan over cake a few minutes so brown sugar mixture can drizzle over cake; remove pan. Serve warm. Store cake loosely covered.

J.J.'s Slaw Dressing

¼ c. mayonnaise

¼ c. salad dressing

1 tbsp. milk

1 tbsp. vinegar

1 to 2 tbsp. sugar

Mix all ingredients and use for your cole slaw. Best if mixed the night before for full flavor. Enough dressing for 1 pound of cole slaw.

Mom's Pickled Beets

2 c. drained, sliced or whole beets, reserve 1/3 c. liquid

1/3 c. sugar

1/3 c. reserved beet liquid

1/3 c. vinegar

2 cinnamon sticks

1 tsp whole cloves

In medium saucepan, combine sugar, liquid and vinegar. Cook until mixture comes to a boil, stirring occasionally. Cool and poor over beets packed in jar. Add cinnamon sticks, and cloves. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or over night before serving.

I got the Down Lo...Lo Mein that is!

2011-04-22T09:16:00.000-04:00

I suck, I know...This fat kid has not been feeling well and has been busy. I started taking a class a couple weeks ago and I am not used to having homework...such an odd concept for me again. Before you ask, no it's not a cooking class, although there are a couple I would like to take in the future. I have been cooking. I made shrimp lo mein last week and a loaf of homemade bread. I am also planning Easter dinner but I will cover that next week.

J.J.'s Homemade Bread

1/4 c. melted butter

2 1/4 c. very warm water

2 pkg. dry yeast

1 tbsp. salt

2 tbsp. sugar

6 c. flour

Put melted butter and warm tap water together. Add yeast, salt, and sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes. Add 3 cusp flour and mix well. Then add 3 more cups of flour and beat well. Knead for 5 minutes and let it rise until it doubles in size. Roll out on floured surface and punch out air bubbles. Shape into loaves, put into greased tins. Let rise and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

Shrimp Lo Mein

Ingredients

1 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined – I got precooked

2 garlic cloves, sliced

6 ounces uncooked multigrain linguine or Chinese egg noodles

4 teaspoons cornstarch

1/3 cup water

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons sherry or reduced-sodium chicken broth

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 celery rib, sliced

1 medium carrot, chopped

1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

Directions

In a small bowl, combine the shrimp, garlic and; set aside. Cook noodles according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the cornstarch, water, soy sauce, broth, ginger and pepper flakes until blended; set aside.
In a large nonstick skillet or wok, stir-fry shrimp in 1 tablespoon oil for 2-3 minutes or until no longer pink. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm. If using precooked skip this step.
Stir-fry celery and carrot in remaining oil for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms; stir-fry 4-6 minutes longer or until vegetables are crisp-tender.
Stir cornstarch mixture and add to the pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Drain noodles; stir into skillet. Add shrimp; heat through.

This was a very good recipe and a keeper. My roommate and I enjoyed it very much. I cheated and used frozen stir-fry vegetables. I served with egg rolls and cheese won tons...frozen pre-made.

Mish Mash

2011-03-15T13:53:00.001-04:00

Life is busy and I haven't written again. Although...if I write all the time I would run out of things to write about. I am going to aim for once a week to twice a month for now. This entry will be wordy as I have lots to cover.

Last week the fabulous Melissa and I took a mental health day and did some adventuring. Our travels took us to M.O.M.'s aka My Organic Market. I was very disappointed with this store. Their selection was limited and very pricey. Trader Joe's and according to Melissa, Whole Foods, has better prices. I need to get to Whole Foods still, but that will be an entry in its self.

While we were in M.O.M.'s, Melissa, grabbed a bag of Route 11 Potato Chips. They were Chesapeake Crap flavored. (For you non Maryland people, this is potato chips with a crab or Old Bay seasoning. They are not actually crab flavored.) I liked the Route 11 chips better than the Utz version. Melissa likes the Utz better. I like the Route 11 texture. They are crispy kettle cooked chips. One of my favorite types. I also like the seasoning better. It is a bit spices but not as strongly seasoned at the Utz brand. I would definitely get these chips again and seek them out over the Utz crab chips.

I have been cooking and creating...Last night I cooked my second Mom and roommate dinner. I made steaks, Caesar salad, and bruschetta. Bruschetta is yummy and not too bad for you. Another good little fresh tomato dish is caprese salad. As for my lunch today I made a left over steak and paired it with leftover bruschetta and made a beautiful dish.

J.J.'s Bruschetta

Ingredients

6 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped (no roma's? Any tomatoes work well)

3 cloves minced garlic

2 tablespoons of finely chopped onion

olive oil

2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup fresh basil, stems removed

salt

ground black pepper

1 French baguette

mozzarella cheese (I shaved it off a block with a vegetable peeler)

Directions

Preheat the oven on broiler setting.

In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, garlic, Parmesan, onion, a drizzle of olive oil, basil, salt, and pepper. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes.

Cut the baguette into 3/4-inch slices. Rub with olive oil. On a baking sheet, arrange the baguette slices in a single layer. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes, until slightly brown.

Divide the tomato mixture evenly over the baguette slices. Top the slices with mozzarella cheese.

Broil for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

J.J.'s Steak Bruschetta

Ingredients

6 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped (no roma's? Any tomatoes work well)

3 cloves minced garlic

2 tablespoons of finely chopped onion

olive oil

2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup fresh basil, stems removed

salt

ground black pepper

mozzarella cheese (I shaved it off a block with a vegetable peeler)

cut of steak you prefer...a nice filet or rib-eye is nice...seasoned to your liking

In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, garlic, Parmesan, onion, a drizzle of olive oil, basil, salt, and pepper. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes.

Cook steak to liking. Melt mozzarella on cooked steak...serve topped with tomato mixture

J.J.'s Caprese Salad

Ingredients

1/2 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced 1/4-inch thick

2 large vine-ripened tomatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick

1 cup fresh basil leaves Coarse salt to taste

Freshly-ground black pepper to taste

balsamic vinegar to taste (optional)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation:

In a circular design around the side of a serving plate, alternate fresh mozzarella slices on a large platter (or on individual plates if you are doing individual portions) with sliced tomatoes, overlapping for effect.

Tear fresh basil leaves and sprinkle liberally over the slices. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. .

Just before serving, drizzle on some top-quality extra-virgin olive oil and vinegar.

Do You Know the Muffin Man?

2011-02-27T16:05:00.000-05:00

Buttermilk Spice Muffin

It is the end of February and I was determined to get this entry in... Last week I ate at the awesome Mimi's with the fabulous Melissa and had the very tasty muffins. The very awesome Buttermilk Spice muffins...those things are incredible! I'm not a spice muffin person at all but I am all for these. I had some pretty good French toast as well. To me it had an underlying orange flavor. It was a pleasant surprise.

Friday night I made cheesy chicken enchiladas and corn spoon bread. The enchiladas are simple and curbed my Mexican craving. The spoon bread is a little more complicated but very good.

J.J.'s Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

1 pound ground chicken

1 16oz can fat free re-fried beans

1 package medium burrito/fajita sized tortillas

1 16oz can of enchilada sauce

1 pack low sodium taco seasoning

1 jar favorite queso or cheez-wiz – depends on how spicey you want it.

1 small onion – chopped

1 package favorite shredded cheese

Sour cream for serving (optional)

Enchilada Assembly...I forgot the beans like a fool.

Preheat oven to 350. Brown/ season meat according to packaging. Assemble enchiladas...queso, beans, meat, and onions. Roll and place in greased pan with small amount of sauce, seam side down. Makes 8 to 10 enchiladas depending on how full you stuff them. Cover with remaining sauce. Cover pan with foil and bake 20 minutes. Add a sprinkling of cheese to top of hot enchiladas before serving.

Sweet Corn Spoon Bread/Cake

1/2 cup (1 stick butter), softened

1/3 cup masa harina(found in Mexican section of store)

1/4 cup water

1 1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed

1/4 cup cornmeal

1/3 cup sugar

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Blend butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until creamy.
Add the masa harina and water to the butter and beat until well combined.

Chopped Onion Optional

Put defrosted corn into a blender or food processor and with short pulses, coarsely chop the corn on low speed. You want to leave several whole pieces of corn.
Stir the chopped corn into the butter and masa harina mixture.

Add cornmeal to mixture and combine. In another medium bowl, mix together the sugar, cream, salt, and baking powder. When the ingredients are well blended, pour the mixture into the other bowl and stir everything together by hand.
Pour corn batter into an 8" x 8" baking pan.
Cover the pan with aluminum foil. Place this pan into a 13"x9" pan filled 1/3 of the way up with hot water. Bake for 50−60 minutes or until the corn cake is cooked through. When the corn cake is done, remove the small pan from the larger pan and let sit for at least 10 minutes

Sauce Fail

2011-02-22T00:01:00.000-05:00

I haven’t been feeling myself lately, so slow on the entries. I did have a wonderful dinner Saturday evening at Carrabba's. If you have never been there before I suggest trying it. You will never want Olive Garden again.

I had the best Caesar salad of my life. It was garlicky, fresh and had a nice amount of Parmesan on it. For my entree I had the Italian Classics with chicken Parmesan, lasagna, and fettuccine alfredo. All so good...the chicken was tender and juicy...everything was just perfect. Even my service was excellent. I was so full I got my dessert to go. I really dig some good Tiramisú.

Last week I attempted to make the General Tso's/Orange Chicken sauce. It was a major fail. I am going to play with the recipe again and see if I can make it work. I ended up making my chicken and broccoli casserole instead. Always have a plan B!

J.J.'s Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

1 to 1.5lbs of boneless, skinless chicken...breasts or thighs whatever you prefer cut into bite sized pieces

olive oil

chopped broccoli

1 can low sodium cream of mushroom soup – if you don't like mushrooms use celery/chicken

Milk

Rosemary to taste - chopped

garlic to taste

¼ cup Parmesan cheese

¼ cup bread crumbs

1 – 2 cups rice cooked

low sodium season salt

fresh ground pepper

shredded cheddar – optional

Preheat oven to 350. Sauté chicken with olive oil on low with seasonings. Cook thoroughly and set aside. Mix soup...almost a full can of milk, measured in the soup can...with rice, broccoli, and cheddar cheese then add chicken. Place in a greased casserole dish. Mix bread crumbs and Parmesan to top casserole. Bake 20 to 30 minutes until top is golden and casserole is bubbly.

Recipes To Get You Laid

2011-02-14T00:02:00.000-05:00

It is that day again...either you love it or hate it...This year, I could care less about it. No, I am not pissy because I don't have a Valentine, because I do. We shared our Valentine's cheer this past week. I am a bit sad I can't cook a wonderful meal for my Valentine this year. Hopefully next year I will be able to do that. I do love to cook for my Valentine. Also...I really don't need the calender to tell me to celebrate the one I love. I do that often and I am one of those people that don't need reminded to do that.

What do I like about Valentine's Day? Conversation Hearts! You remember the chalky little candies from when you were a kid? I love 'em! I am munching on some of them right now courtesy of my awesome Valentine.

Conversation Hearts or Sweethearts are small heart-shaped candies sold around Valentine's Day. Each conversation heart is printed with a message such as "Be Mine", “Tweet Me”, "Kiss Me", "Call Me", and "Miss You". Sweethearts are made by the New England Confectionery Company, or Necco. A similar type of candy is sold in the UK under the name Love Hearts. Necco manufactures nearly 8 billion Sweethearts per year. They are now available in a variety of assortments to choose from including chocolate, tart, and smoothie flavors.

Now if you want to cook your significant other a great meal and WOW them for Valentine's Day...here are a few of my hand picked favorites. I've even included a couple of chocolatey deserts.

Heart-Stuffed Shells in a Ricotta Sauce

INGREDIENTS

Shells

18 jumbo pasta shells (approximately half of a 12-ounce box)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 large onion, chopped small

12 ounces frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and patted dry

1/4 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup (1 1/4 ounces) finely grated Romano cheese

1/2 cup (1 1/2 ounces) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

2 large egg yolks

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Sauce
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) unsalted butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups whole milk

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley or fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)

PREPARATION

Cook the shells: Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, and cook shells according to package directions. Drain and toss with a teaspoon or two of olive oil, to keep them from sticking.

Make the filling: Melt butter in a heavy 12-inch skillet (or the bottom of the dried-out pot you used to cook your pasta, if you're into dirtying fewer dishes) and cook it until it turns nutty and brown, stirring occasionally to keep the solids moving on the bottom of the pan. Once it is a nice nutty brown, add 1 tablespoon olive oil, then the onions and cook them until they are lightly brown and caramelized, about 7 minutes. Add the artichoke hearts and cook them until they are softened a bit, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and cook it until it completely disappears.

Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool slightly, before transferring it to the bowl of a food processor. Add both cheeses, the yolks, lemon juice, salt and black pepper and pulse in the food processor until well chopped but still retains a little texture.

Make the sauce: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan (or the wiped out pot you made the artichoke filling in, if you're into spending less time scrubbing pots) over medium-high heat. Once melted, add the flour all at once and whisk it until smooth. Add the milk, a small glug at a time, whisking constantly so no lumps form. Once the mixture has reached a batter-like consistency, you can begin adding the milk in larger pours at a time, whisking the whole time. Once all the milk is added, add the garlic and bring the sauce to a boil, stirring frequently. Once boiling, it will immediately begin to thicken. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for two to three minutes before stirring in the ricotta, lemon juice, salt and black pepper. Adjust salt, pepper and lemon to taste.

Assemble the dish: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour two cups of sauce (you'll have about 2 1/2 cups total) into the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Scoop one tablespoon of artichoke filling inside each cooked shell; this will fill it but still allow the sides to close and neatly hold the filling intact while it bakes. Nest each pasta shell in the sauce, seam up. Dollop a spoonful of the remaining sauce over each shell. Cover the dish with foil and bake it for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake it for a final 15 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley or basil, if using, and serve immediately.

J.J.'s Parmesan Crusted Chicken

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 bottle creamy Italian dressing

1 can graded parmesan cheese

Extra virgin olive oil

Pound chicken with a mallet till about ¼ inch thick. In a freezer bag, marinate chicken in creamy Italian dressing for 2 to 4 hours. Remove chicken from marinade shaking off the excess. Dredge chicken in cheese. Fry in a hot skillet with the EVOO. Let cook about 4 to 6 minutes each side and cheese is golden.

Cheese Tortellini Soup

Ingredients

•2 tablespoons olive oil
•12 ounces fully cooked smoked kielbasa or italian sausage, thinly sliced - I like this better with italian sausage.
•1 onion, chopped
•4 garlic cloves, minced
•1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
•1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
•10 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
•4 cups chopped spinach
•1 15-ounce can cannellini (white kidney beans), rinsed, drained
•1 9-ounce package cheese tortellini
•1 cup grated Asiago cheese* or Parmesan cheese

Preparation

•Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add next 6 ingredients and sauté until vegetables are soft and sausage is brown, about 12 minutes. Add broth and bring to boil. Stir in kale and cannellini. Reduce heat to low and simmer until spinach is wilted, about 4 minutes. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly; cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before continuing. Add tortellini to soup. Simmer until pasta is just tender but still firm to bite, about 5 minutes.
•Ladle soup into bowls. Serve, passing cheese separately.

White-Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries

Ingredients

•6 ounces high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), chopped
•16 large ripe strawberries

Line baking sheet with foil or wax paper. Stir chocolate in small bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from over water.

Holding 1 strawberry by stem end, dip 2/3 of berry into chocolate; shake excess back into bowl. Place on prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining berries. Chill until chocolate sets, about 30 minutes.

Chocolate Fondue

6 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (contains 35-40% butterfat)

1/4 cup milk

2 1/2 tablespoons granulated white sugar

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup Nutella (optional)

1 tablespoon liqueur (such as Frangelico, Grand Marnier, Kahlua, Tia Maria, Amaretto, or a brandy) (optional) - Amaretto is amazing!

Place the chopped chocolate in a medium sized stainless steel bowl and set aside.

Combine the cream, milk, sugar, and corn syrup in a saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring often.

Remove from heat and pour immediately over the chocolate. Let stand until the chocolate has melted, then whisk until smooth.

Whisk in vanilla extract, Nutella (if using), and the liqueur (if using).

Place the chocolate sauce in a fondue pot and serve with fresh fruits, chunks of pound, butter, sponge, or angel food cake and cookies (amaretti, ladyfingers, rolled wafer cookies, or biscotti). Reheat the sauce if it becomes too thick.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

Amish Paradise

2011-02-11T16:49:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I was out and about with the Fabulous Melissa and we stopped by the Dutch Country Farmers Market. We ended up having an awesome lunch while we was there.

The little restaurant section was called Lantz Restaurant. The food was very tastey and very cheap. That is a HUGE win in my book. We both got food and a drink and our bill with tip was like $15. I ordered a mushroom and swiss burger that was to die for. My only complaint with it was they used canned mushrooms instead of fresh. It was well seasoned and cooked perfectly. It came with a pickle and chips with choice of extra toppings. I chose plain myself. Melissa had a cheese steak. She seemed to enjoy it. It came topped with their version of BBQ sauce and the little taste I had of the sauce it was good. Melissa said the sauce reminded her of a meatloaf topping. Her plate also came with chips and a pickle. Good food and a very good value.

Sourcream Doughnut

As we wondered the market...Chocolate covered bacon was purchased for me to try...yeah, I made that face too. Melissa seems to like it...I was not impressed. This place did have one of my absolute favorite doughnuts. I love sour cream doughnuts. This one was awesome. I enjoyed every bite of it. We also got this black raspberry square thing that I tried today. It was kind of like a crumb cake. It wasn't too sweet and had lots of the raspberry goo. I will definitely be getting one again. The soft pretzels were very good quality. I just wanted a plain one yesterday but next time I think I will try the Philly steak one.

If you are ever in the Laurel MD area I strongly suguest chekcing out the Dutch Country Farmers Market. They are open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. There are all kinds of cool food stuffs to look at and purchase. It is seriously crazy.

And before I go...One recipe for your cooking pleasure. I love this stuff!!!

Amish Amish Macaroni Salad

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni

3 hard-cooked eggs, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

2 tablespoons dill pickle relish

2 cups creamy salad dressing (e.g. Miracle Whip)

3 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard

3/4 cup white sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons white vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon celery seed

Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add macaroni, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until tender. Drain, and set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, stir together the eggs, onion, celery, red pepper, and relish. In a small bowl, stir together the salad dressing, mustard, white sugar, vinegar, salt and celery seed. Pour over the vegetables, and stir in macaroni until well blended. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

Super Bowl Snacks Part 2

2011-02-05T03:03:00.001-05:00

Dips are a huge part of Game Day snacking...I have included old and new. Remember, I love Melissa's awesome Buffalo Chicken Dip...there is my awesome onion dip and a few others. I personally after having all those garlicy, spicey and awesome dips like to head for the sweets. So, I have included a few sweets as well...Vegan Brownies that are REALLY tasty. If you don't tell them they would never know!

Enjoy the snacks and enjoy the game!

Amazing Artichoke Dip

Ingredients

1 (14-ounce) can water-packed artichoke hearts, drained

1 (8-ounce) container cream cheese

1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2/3 cup plain whole yogurt

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, to taste

Parmesan for sprinkling

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray or butter a 1-quart baking dish. Process all ingredients in a blender or food processor until combined and artichoke hearts are roughly chopped. Spread into prepared baking dish, sprinkle with additional Parmesan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Low Fat Vegan Black Bean Brownies

Servings: 9

Description:

Dense, fudge-y and ultra-healthy, these brownies are a great alternative to traditional brownies! It's amazing how they taste like chocolate and fudge and not beans! Chef's Notes: Rolled oats run through the food processor may substituted for the instant oats. Use optional sugar if your bananas are still green and not very ripe.

Ingredients:

15 ounces black beans, drained and rinsed

2 whole bananas

⅓ cup agave nectar

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa

1 tsp vanilla extract

¼ cup raw sugar (optional)

¼ cup instant oats

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease an 8x8" pan and set aside. Combine all ingredients, except oats, in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth, scrapping sides as needed. Stir in the oats and pour batter into the pan. Bake approximately 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool before slicing. Chef's Note: if you find these brownies are too soft or too fudge-y, add another 1/4 cup oats or flour.

J.J.’s Bean Dip

1 16 oz can refried beans – fat free

2 – 3 tablespoons of medium white queso

Taco Sauce or Hot Sauce to taste

Heat beans in microwave safe bowl for 30 seconds to a minute. Stir in queso and hot sauce. Reheat if you want a warmer dip…serve and enjoy with your favorite chips.

J.J.'s Onion Dip

1 16oz container of Sour Cream - I like Daisy

1 1/2 packets of Lipton Onion Soup Mix

2 tablespoons of Worcestershire Sauce

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Mix all ingredients till well combined, do this at least eight hours before serving. Chill! Enjoy! is good with chips and vegetable trays.

Melissa’s Buffalo Chicken Dip

2 packages of precooked chicken (Purdue…Tyson…Oscar Myer)

2 [8 ounce]packages cream cheese

1 cup Ranch dressing – Must use Hidden Valley for this!

3/4 cup red hot sauce – I use Texas Pete

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (sharp is incredible) or Colby jack or mozzarella

Preheat oven to 350. Place cream cheese in pan and put in oven to get soft. 10 to 15 minutes. When soft mix hot sauce, ranch, and chicken…smooth and top with cheese. Place back in oven serve after everything is warm and bubbly.

I like it with Frito Scoops…Melissa likes it with Ruffles. It is also good with tortilla chips, Wheat Thins, or carrot/celery sticks. I also like to cut the chicken chunks up in bite size pieces. Also…Texas Pete Garlic Hot Sauce is good to use for this.

Chocolate-P&B Quesadillas

4 (7 to 8-inch each) flour tortillas

Butter, softened

1/4 cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter

1/4 cup marshmallow creme

2 small bananas, sliced

1/2 cup milk or semisweet chocolate chips

Spread one side of each tortilla with just enough softened butter to cover lightly. Place tortillas on clean work surface, buttered sides down.

Spread 1 tablespoon each peanut butter and marshmallow creme on half of each tortilla.

Arrange 1/4 of the banana slices and 2 tablespoons chocolate chips over marshmallow creme; fold each tortilla over to cover filling.

Heat large non-stick skillet over medium heat 1 minute. Add two quesadillas; cook 1 to 2 minutes or until tortillas are golden brown and crisp, turning once.

Repeat with remaining quesadillas. Cut each into 3 pieces and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

Quarterback Blitz Bars

1 cup butter or margarine

2 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)

1 cup HERSHEY'S MINI KISSES Brand Milk Chocolates

1 cup HEATH BITS 'O BRICKLE Toffee Bits

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup MOUNDS Sweetened Coconut Flakes

Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Place butter in 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan; heat in oven until melted. Remove from oven.

Stir together graham cracker crumbs, cocoa and sugar; sprinkle over melted butter. Stir mixture until evenly coated; press evenly with spatula onto bottom of pan.

Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumb mixture. Sprinkle with chocolates and toffee bits. Sprinkle nuts and coconut on top; press down firmly.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cover with foil; let stand at room temperature several hours. Cut into bars.

Makes about 36 bars.

J.J.'s Deviled Eggs

6 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and cut lengthwise

3 tablespoons Mayonnaise or Salad Dressing – I prefer a mixture of both!

2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish

1 teaspoon yellow mustard

Paprika for garnish

Pop out (remove) the egg yolks to a small bowl and mash with a fork. Add the mayonnaise, relish, mustard, and mix thoroughly (I use a hand mixer). Fill the empty egg white shells with the mixture and sprinkle lightly with paprika.

Cover lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to one day before serving.

J.J.'s Taco Dip

½ pound lean ground beef

1 pack of taco seasoning- I prefer low sodium

1 jar favorite queso

½ jar of favorite taco sauce

1 can re-fried beans

chopped onion (optional)

shredded cheese

sour cream (optional)

black olives (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Brown meat in skillet and prepare with taco seasoning as directed. Set aside.

Spray a 9 x 9 pan...layer with beans, queso, meat, sauce, onions. Top with shredded cheese. Bake 15 - 20 minutes until cheese melted and bubbly. Garnish with dollops of sour cream and black olives.

Cooking With J.J.

Coffee Break

Merry Christmas

Easy Eggnog Recipe

Ingredients

Directions

In a large bowl, beat the eggs using an electric beater (if available).

Traditional Eggnog Ingredients

Directions

Turkey Tips!

Happy Thanksgiving, Yo!

Happy Halloween!

INGREDIENTS:

PREPARATION:

I'm here for October...barely!

What ever happened to the Sunday Dinner?

Are You Ready for Some Football Snacks?

The weather sucks...but this cake doesn't!

Drunken Chicken Master

The One Year Birthday Entry...

You wanna go where people know people are all the same...

Inch by inch, row by row

Post 4th of July

One potato, two potato, three potato, four! Five potato, six potato, seven potato, more!

Ladies and Gentleman, light your grills!

Strawberry Shortcake goes Hawaiian!

Easter Feast for and Army of Two

I got the Down Lo...Lo Mein that is!

Mish Mash

Do You Know the Muffin Man?

Sauce Fail

Recipes To Get You Laid

Amish Paradise

Super Bowl Snacks Part 2

Traditional Eggnog

Ingredients