Diary Of A Mad Cook

2015-01-06T19:09:00.004-05:00

Chicken Riblet Soup

1 (3 1/2 to 4 lb.) broiler fryer
1 lg. onion, chopped
6 c. hot water
3 c. sliced carrots
1/4 tsp. pepper
Salt
1 c. all purpose flour
1 egg
1-2 tbsp. milk
1 c. chopped celery, with leaves

In 8 quart Dutch oven or large saucepan over high heat, heat chicken, onion, water, carrots, pepper and 1 tablespoon salt to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 45 minutes or until chicken is fork tender. Remove chicken to cutting board; allow to cool .Meanwhile, prepare the rivels: in medium bowl with fork, stir flour, egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and approximately 1 tablespoon milk, to make a crumbly but moist mixture. With spoon, sprinkle rivels into simmering soup. Add celery, cook 20 minutes or until tender. Cut chicken meat from bones into small chunks; stir into soup; reheat.
Bake chicken and use for meal then make soup with leftovers. Baking chicken adds more flavor.

2015-01-06T18:58:00.000-05:00

Grandmas Bean Soup

1 pound dry navy beans

3 carrots, peeled and shredded

3 stalks celery, sliced

1 medium onion, diced

2 cups cubed cooked ham ( I like to use a picnic ham with the bone and cook it all day)

Directions

Place the beans in a slow cooker with enough water to cover, and soak 6 to 8 hours, or overnight.
Drain the beans, and return to the slow cooker. Cover with water, and mix in the carrots, potatoes, celery, onion, and ham.
Cover slow cooker, and cook soup on High for 3 1/2 hours. Switch to Low, and continue cooking at least 6 1/2 hours. The longer it cooks the more flavorful it becomes.

Galumpkis

2013-10-08T07:57:00.002-04:00

Ingredients
Sweet and Sour Tomato Sauce:
Makes about one dozen

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 1/2 quarts crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cabbage Rolls:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Splash dry red wine
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups steamed white rice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large heads green cabbage, about 3 pounds each

To make the sauce:
Directions

Coat a 3-quart saucepan with the oil and place over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the vinegar and sugar; simmer, until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.

Place a skillet over medium heat and coat with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Sauté the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes, until soft. Stir in the tomato paste, a splash of wine, parsley, and 1/2 cup of the prepared sweet and sour tomato sauce, mix to incorporate and then take it off the heat. Combine the ground meat in a large mixing bowl. Add the egg, the cooked rice, and the sauteed onion mixture. Toss the filling together with your hands to combine, season with a generous amount of salt and pepper.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Remove the large, damaged outer leaves from the cabbages and set aside. Cut out the cores of the cabbages with a sharp knife and carefully pull off all the rest of the leaves, keeping them whole and as undamaged as possible, (get rid of all the small leaves and use them for coleslaw or whatever.) Blanch the cabbage leaves in the pot of boiling water for 5 minutes, or until pliable. Run the leaves under cool water then lay them out so you can assess just how many blankets you have to wrap up the filling. Next, carefully cut out the center vein from the leaves so they will be easier to roll up. Take the reserved big outer leaves and lay them on the bottom of a casserole pan, let part of the leaves hang out the sides of the pan. This insulation will prevent the cabbage rolls from burning on the bottom when baked. Use all the good looking leaves to make the cabbage rolls. Put about 1/2 cup of the meat filling in the center of the cabbage and starting at what was the stem-end, fold the sides in and roll up the cabbage to enclose the filling. Place the cabbage rolls side by side in rows, seam-side down, in a casserole pan.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Pour the remaining sweet and sour tomato sauce over the cabbage rolls. Fold the hanging leaves over the top to enclose and keep the moisture in. Drizzle the top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Bake for 1 hour until the meat is cooked.

Wilted Spinach and Cherry Tomatoes

2013-06-02T17:51:00.002-04:00

I had this at Applebees and I totally loved it!!

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 bags (5 ounces each) baby spinach
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add spinach; cook, tossing often, just until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Panera’s Stove Top Mac and Cheese

2012-09-22T21:15:00.001-04:00

source: Panera Bread
Ingredients:

16 oz pipette pasta or other small pasta shapes
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups milk, heavy cream, or half-and-half
4 oz white American cheese, chopped or torn into pieces
8 oz extra sharp white Vermont cheddar, shredded
2 tsp – 1 tbsp Dijon mustard (adjust according to your tastes)
1 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp hot sauce (like Frank’s)

Instructions:

In a large stockpot, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well.
While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a 4-quart sauce pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted and has started to bubble, whisk in the flour; cook for 1 1/2 minutes whisking constantly. Gradually whisk in the milk until no lumps remain. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook milk mixture, whisking frequently, until it thickens and bubbles, about 8 minutes.
Remove sauce pan from the heat and by the handful, stir in the cheeses allowing all of the cheese to melt into the sauce before adding more. Stir in the mustard, salt, and hot sauce. Return the sauce pan to the heat and stir in the pasta. Be sure to stir up the sauce from the bottom of the sauce pan and thoroughly coat all of the pasta with sauce. Cook for 1-2 minutes over medium-low heat until heated through. Serve hot in bowls with spoons

Do You Remember Herman??

2012-03-04T14:27:00.001-05:00

One day my friend arrived bearing a small pot of sweet-smelling gunk and a note explaining how to look after it. The gunk has a name – it is called Herman and is the starter for a friendship cake. We have to stir Herman each day, and at various points we must feed him with flour and sugar and milk. We also have to divide him into five equal parts and pass four of them on before feeding the fifth once more and cooking it. I’m quite excited about this, even though there is a distinctly creepy tone to the instructions…
Day 4: Herman is hungry! Feed him … Day 6: Stir Herman (he really loves your visits)….. Day 10: Herman would like to go to a hot resort, the oven will do… Leave him at the resort for about half an hour. After all this care and nurturing …. EAT HIM
Intrigued by the idea of friendship cake, I googled Herman and discovered thousands of recipes for cakes and breads involving starters that you feed and then divide. As the name suggests, this appears to be a German tradition, though most of the recipes seem to come from America where it is also known as Amish Friendship Bread
Why all of the sudden have I remembered this?? Well Lindsey asked if I could make some sour dough bread soon, and I told her sure, soon as I make a starter don't let me forget! Well the starter is is quite a bit like Herman without the sugar.! I will post both recipes below.

Herman
1 package active dry yeast
1/4 c of water 110 degrees
3 c all purpose four divided
3 c white sugar divided
3 c milk

Directions:

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water.
Let stand 10 minutes.
n a 2 quart container glass, plastic or ceramic container, combine 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar.
Mix thoroughly or flour will lump when milk is added.
Slowly stir in 1 cup milk and dissolved yeast mixture.
Cover loosely and let stand until bubbly.
Consider this day 1 of the 10 day cycle.
Leave loosely covered at room temperature.
On days 2 thru 4; stir starter with a spoon.
Day 5; stir in 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk.
Days 6 thru 9; stir only.
Day 10; stir in 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk.
Remove 1 cup to make your first bread, give 2 cups to friends along with this recipe, and your favorite Amish Bread recipe.
Store the remaining 1 cup starter in a container in the refrigerator, or begin the 10 day process oven

Sour Dough

Sourdough bread is bread made without added yeast. By making a "starter" in which wild yeast can grow, the sourdough baker can raise bread naturally, as mankind did for thousands and thousands of years before a packet of yeast was an available convenience at the local market. Not all sourdough is sour-tasting; Amish Friendship Bread and other types of live-yeast breads are also sourdough.

To become a sourdough baker, all you need are some basic ingredients (flour, water, salt, and sugar), some basic tools (a mixing bowl, an oven, and a baking sheet), and a basic interest. This page is for the novice sourdough baker, but assumes that the reader is familiar with regular yeast-based baking. If you can make bread you can make sourdough bread.

There are only a few simple steps to becoming a sourdough baker. To begin, create a starter (a bubbly batter you keep in your fridge). By adding the starter to dough, you can make it rise. Bake and serve. Yum!

Creating Your Starter

The novel thing about sourdough baking is that it requires that you keep something alive in your fridge. I think of my starter as a pet, kept and fed so that Sandra and I will have all the bread we need. Sourdough "starter" is a batter of flour and water, filled with living yeast and bacteria. The yeast and bacteria form a stable symbiotic relationship, and (as long as you keep the starter fed) can live for centuries, a thriving colony of microorganisms. To make sourdough bread, you blend the starter with some flour and make dough. The yeast propogates, and leavens your bread. This is how you make your starter:

Select a container that your "pet" will live in. A wide-mouthed glass jar is best. I use a glass jar with a rubber and wireframe seal; you can find these for $2-$4 in any antique or junk shop. A small crock with a loose lid is also great; these can be bought in cheap sets for serving soup. You can also use a rubbermaid or tupperware container. I've begun starters using the plastic containers that take-out Chinese soup comes in, and then transferred them to jars later! A wide-mouthed mayonnaise or pickle jar will also do just fine. Metallic containers are a bad idea; some of them are reactive and can ruin your starter (for the same reason, avoid using metal utensils to stir your starter).
Blend a cup of warm water and a cup of flour, and pour it into the jar. That's the whole recipe! I use plain, unbleached bread flour most of the time, but I've had good results with all-purpose and whole-wheat flour, too. If you want, you can add a little commercial yeast to a starter to "boost" it. If you do this, sourdough snobs will look down their nose at you - but who cares about snobs? I personally find that (at least here where I live) no yeast "boost" is necessary, and I can make "real" sourdough with no trouble. But if you are having trouble, go ahead and cheat. I won't tell. Note that starter made with commercial yeast often produces a bread with less distinctive sour flavor than the real thing.
Every 24 Hours, Feed the Starter. You should keep the starter in a warm place; 70-80 degrees Farenheit. This allows the yeast already present in the flour (and in the air) to grow rapidly. Temperatures hotter than 100 degrees or so will kill it. You can take comfort from the fact that almost nothing else will do so. The way you feed the starter is to (A) throw away half of it and then (B) add a half-cup of flour and a half-cup of water. Do this every 24 hours. Within three or four days (it can take longer, a week or more, and it can happen more quickly) you should start getting lots of bubbles throughought, and a pleasant sour or beery smell. The starter may start to puff up, too. This is good. Here's the gist: When your starter develops a bubbly froth, it is done. You have succeeded. If this sounds brain-dead simple, that's because it is. People who didn't believe the Earth was round did this for millenia.
Refrigerate the Starter. Keep the starter in your fridge, with a lid on it. Allow a little breathing space in the lid. If you're using a mayo or pickle jar, punch a hole in the lid with a nail, that kind of thing. Once the starter is chilled, it needs to be fed only once a week. Realistically, you can get away with less; it's important to remember that your starter is a colony of life-forms that are almost impossible to kill (except with extreme heat). Even starving them is difficult.
Care and Feeding: Hooch
Aside from weekly feeding, the only other thing you need to worry about is hooch. Hooch is a layer of watery liquid (often dark) that contains alchohol. It smells a bit like beer, because it is a bit like beer - but don't drink it! Hooch builds up in your starter, especially in the fridge. Just pour it off or stir it back in. It doesn't hurt anything. If your starter is looking dry, stir it back in. If your starter is plenty wet, pour it off. Just remember that hooch is nothing to worry about!
Sourdough Baking Step One: Proofing the Sponge
Several hours before you plan to make your dough (recipe below), you need to make a sponge. A "sponge" is just another word for a bowl of warm, fermented batter. This is how you make your sponge.

Take your starter out of the fridge. Pour it into a large glass or plastic bowl. Meanwhile, wash the jar and dry it. You may also wish to pour boiling water over it, since you don't want other things growing in there with your pet!
Add a cup of warm water and a cup of flour to the bowl. Stir well, and set it in a warm place for several hours. This is called "proofing," another word for fermenting. Sourdough bakers have their own language; use it to impress your friends ;)
Watch for Froth and and Sniff. When your sponge is bubbly and has a white froth, and it smells a little sour, it is ready. The longer you let the sponge sit, the more sour flavor you will get.
The proofing-time varies. Some starters can proof up to frothiness in an hour or two. Some take 6-8 hours, or even longer. Just experiment and see how long yours takes. If you're going to bake in the morning, set your sponge out to proof overnight.
Sourdough Baking Step Two: The Actual Recipe
Of course, there are a lot of recipes for sourdough bread. There are also recipes for sourdough rolls, sourdough pancakes, sourdough pretzels, sourdough bagels, and probably sourdough saltines for all I know. This is the basic recipe I use, though, and it's simple and makes a fine bread. You'll need the following:

2 Cups of sponge (proofed starter)
3 Cups of unbleached flour
2 tablespoons of olive oil or softened margarine
4 teaspoons of sugar
2 teaspoons of salt

First, let's talk about leftover sponge. You should have some. The leftover sponge is your starter for next time: Put it into the jar, and give it a fresh feed of a half-cup each of flour and warm water. Keep it in the fridge as above; you'll have starter again next time.
Now, for the recipe: To the sponge, add the sugar, salt, and oil (the oil is optional - you can use softened butter instead, or no oil at all). Mix well, then knead in the flour a half-cup at a time. Knead in enough flour to make a good, flexible bread dough. You can do this with an electric mixer, a bread machine on "dough cycle," or a food processor. You can also do it with a big bowl and your bare hands.
Keep in mind that flour amounts are approximate; flour varies in absorbency, and your sponge can vary in wetness. Use your judgement; treat it like ordinary white or french bread dough. Trust your hands and eyes more than the recipe, always.
Let the dough rise in a warm place, in a bowl covered loosely with a towel (if you're using a bread machine's dough cycle, let it rise in the machine). Note that sourdough rises more slowly than yeast bread; my starter takes about an hour or so, but some starters take much longer. Let the dough double in bulk, just like yeast-bread dough. When a finger poked into the top of the dough creates a pit that doesn't "heal" (spring back), you've got a risen dough.
Punch the dough down and knead it a little more. Make a loaf and place it on a baking sheet (lightly greased or sprinkled with cornmeal). Slit the top if you like, and cover the loaf with a paper towel and place it in a warm place to rise again, until doubled in bulk.
Place the pan with the loaf in your oven, and then turn your oven to 350^o Farenheit and bake the bread for 30-45 minutes. Do not preheat the oven. The loaf is done when the crust is brown and the bottom sounds hollow when thumped with a wooden spoon. Turn the loaf out onto a cooling rack or a towel and let it cool for an hour before slicing.
And that's that. If you double the recipe for two big two-pound loaves of bread, the total price tag will be less than a dollar.

Pancit

2012-02-25T20:10:00.000-05:00

6 cube Chicken boullian

8 cups water

1 can chicken broth (adds taste to chicken)

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 lb small raw shrimp (deveined with no tails)

6 cloves garlic

1 TBSP black peppercorns

1 large onion

4-6 celery stalks (thinly sliced, think little boomerangs)

4-6 large carrots (julienned)

1 whole head napa cabbage (chopped)

2 cups sliced mushrooms (optional)

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup fish sauce (found in the asian isle)

3 packages rice noodles (also found in the asian isle or in asian food stores)

Directions

Makes 15-20 servings

1. boil water with peppercorns, 4 whole cloves of garlic, bouillon, chicken broth, and chicken breasts until chicken is tender.

2. cut into chunks, set broth aside.

3. in heated wok, saute 1 clove minced garlic, and 1/2 of the onion. Add chicken and shrimp. Cook until shrimp are pink.

4. Add celery, carrots, mushrooms and cook at high setting in wok until mushrooms are soft.

5. Add napa cabbage, and cook in down in wok until cabbage is soft and the cabbage volume gets smaller.

6. Remove meat and veggie mixture from wok.

7. Saute other half of the onion and 1 clove minced garlic in the wok. Add soy sauce, fish sauce, and 6 cups of chicken broth (set aside). Bring to a boil.

8. Spray rice noodles with water to soften them slightly. Add the noodles to the boiling mixture in the wok. Cover and simmer until the noodles are soft and have absorbed most of the liquid.

9. Mix the veggie/meat mixture with the cooked rice noodles. Serve as a meal or divide it up for several lunches! Enjoy!

Number of Servings: 15

Hearty Veggie Pesto Soup

2012-01-31T15:22:00.000-05:00

Ingredients

1 small onion, diced
1 leek, chopped (optional)
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 cups vegetable broth
3 small potatoes, diced
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 cup green beans, cut in 3/4 inch pieces
1 medium zucchini, diced
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 can white beans
1 bay leaf
4 tablespoons pesto

Directions

In a pan, saute onion, leek, and garlic in olive oil for 10 minutes.
pot, heat the broth and bay leaf until boiling. Lower the heat to medium and add the onion and leek mixture. Also add the potatoes, celery, and carrots. Cook for 10 minutes. Lower the heat to simmer and add the zucchini, green beans, and tomatoes. Cook for another five minutes.
Then add the beans to the soup and the pesto. Mix well and take off heat. Allow to sit for five minutes before serving with warm bread.

Vegan Banana Creme Pie

2011-09-23T19:15:00.000-04:00

INGREDIENTS
- 1 pre-baked 9" pie shell
- whipped coconut cream (i.e. the fat from a can of coconut milk left in the fridge for a day, whipped with sugar and vanilla extract)
- 4 bananas, sliced
- 2 tsp orange juice
- 1 tsp Grand Marnier (or just another tsp of orange juice)

Pastry Cream
- 2 cups plain soy milk, divided
- 1 tsp agar flakes
- 1 vanilla bean, halved and scraped
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- pinch of tumeric (optional)
- 1 tbsp margarine

Method
1. Bring 1/2 cup of the soy milk to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat, sprinkle agar over top, and set aside.
2. Bring 1 cup of the soy milk (not the stuff from step 1) and the vanilla bean/scrapings to bubbling over medium heat in a saucepan. While it is heating, whisk the sugar and cornstarch (and tumeric, if using) together in a medium bowl, then whisk in the remaining 1/2 cup of soy milk. When the soy milk on the stove is bubbling around the edges, remove the vanilla bean and slowly whisk it into the sugar/cornstarch/soy milk mixture.
3. Return the mixture to the saucepan over medium heat, add the soy milk/agar mixture, and bring to bubbling, whisking constantly. Cook for 2-3 mins, or until the agar is fully dissolved. Remove from heat and whisk in margarine. When thickened, pour into a clean bowl (pour through a sieve if the vanilla bean left any chunks behind) and cover with plastic wrap to prevent that scummy layer from forming. Poke a few holes in the plastic wrap to let the steam escape. Let sit to cool to room temperature.

To make the pie:
1. Toss the banana slices in the juice and Grand Marnier. Pour half of the pastry cream into the pie shell, then layer all the banana slices on top. Top that with the remaining pastry cream and smooth out the top. Top with plastic wrap and put in the fridge to fully set (this will take a few hours).
2. When ready to serve, remove from fridge and top with coconut cream.

This is a pie you can make the day before and let sit in the fridge. It really does taste fabulous the next day.

All About Rosemary, My Favorite Herb

2011-08-17T13:52:00.001-04:00

Rosemary has just about as many stories, myths and superstitions surrounding it as it does current practical uses.

Today and throughout history a common association with rosemary is remembrance. We still use it to signify a special love or friendship and some countries continue to place a sprig of rosemary in the hands of the deceased before burial. Early Greek students took the meaning more literally by wearing wreaths of rosemary around their heads to stimulate their memories during exams.

Rosemary was once thought to ward off evil spirits. During the Middle Ages people slept with rosemary branches under their pillows to keep them safe from demons and nightmares. Demons can take many forms such as unpleasant odors, witchcraft and the Plague--rosemary has been burned or ingested or carried to prevent them all.

Just how rosemary received the name has differing stories behind it. One story tells us that as the Virgin Mary was fleeing to Egypt with baby Jesus she tossed her blue cloak onto a bush. The next day, flowers that had been white were blue and the herb became known as "rose of Mary." Other sources site Pliny who wanted to describe it as an herb that grew in coastal regions, or more specifically by the foam (ros) of the sea (mare).

Botanically, rosemary is known as Rosmarinus officinalis. It does often grow wild on the windswept Mediterranean coast but it is cultivated in many regions. Major producers for export are Yugoslavia, France, Spain and Portugal.

A spiky evergreen bush, rosemary is a member of the mint family. Growing to an average of five feet tall, each branch is covered with needles like a pine bough. It has a flavor and aroma akin to pine. The pungent taste lends itself easily to meats, potatoes and breads. It is a common ingredient in marinades and soups. Rosemary combines well with other herbs but does have a tendency to dominate. Full sprigs make a lovely garnish.

To use sprigs of fresh rosemary in cooking, strip the leaves from the main branch by holding the tip and pulling down on the leaves in the opposite direction they are growing. Chop the leaves before adding to a recipe. Toss the stem into your barbeque coals for extra aroma and a bit of flavor.

Dried rosemary is available in whole leaf or ground form at most grocery stores and supermarkets. Use your fingers or a knife to break up the dried leaves before adding to a recipe. Ground rosemary will lose potency quickly, as with all ground seasoning, but is nice if you don't want the bits of tough herb in the final product. To dry your own, simply hang a bundle of freshly-clipped four-inch sprigs upside down until thoroughly dried.

Rosemary may smell familiar to you because the oils are widely used in toiletries. In fact, rosemary was one of the first essential oils to be distilled. Raymudus Lullus developed a method for vaporization and condensation in 1330.

This scruffy bush has a reputation as being difficult to grow in the home garden. Don't try to grow it from seeds. If you were to be successful at all, it would take three years before you had a viable plant. It's best to take cuttings from an existing plant or buy one from a reputable source. Plant it in well-drained soil where it will get full sun. Most varieties will not tolerate winter temperatures below 10 degrees (F.).

Should you decide to grow a bit of rosemary, consider these sayings: Rosemary only grows in the gardens of the righteous. If rosemary grows vigorously in a family's garden, it means a woman heads the household. Rosemary will grow no higher than six feet in 33 years so that it doesn't stand taller than Christ. And finally, a quote from Saint Thomas Moore: "I lett it runne all over my garden wall, not onlie because my bees love it, but because 'tis an herb sacred to remembrance, and therefor to friendship."

Broasted Potatoes

2011-08-16T12:29:00.001-04:00

1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed

Directions

Preheat oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C).
In a large bowl, combine oil, garlic, basil, marjoram, dill weed, thyme, oregano, parsley, red pepper flakes, and salt. Stir in potatoes until evenly coated. Place potatoes in a single layer on a roasting pan or baking sheet.
Roast for 20 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, turning occasionally to brown on all sides.

I have used dry ranch dressing and even Rosemary, they are all pretty good! Also it is a good idea to coat your pan with something. I spray the potatoes and the pan with olive oil spray.

How To Freeze Corn On The Cob

2011-08-06T19:21:00.002-04:00

My garden is doing well, a little slow to start because of the crazy weather we had earlier but not to shabby. I grew corn this year, I have not in the past 3 or 4 years because one crop was ruined by straight line winds and the other by deer. But what little corn I did get from these were the most delicous corn I have ever eaten. Last year I moved my garden and now it it pretty protected so I planted 4 rows of corn this year, wish I had grown more, bet next year I will!

In the dead of winter my family always finds in nice to get out the summer crop of corn and some fish we also caught that summer. we have some fish but really need to catch some more. Maybe this week sometime?

Anyhow I am not sure how many of you realize that you can freeze the corn right on the cob, it will work better if you have a Very Sweet corn, like what I planted, it is called double Candy corn, and it is SWEET! Oh they also now have a triple Sweet corn, can you imagine?? Well this is what you need to do to bring a little summer back in the middle of winter.

Directions for Freezing Corn

on the Cob!

fresh corn on the cob - any quantity.

1 Large pot of boiling water

Plenty of ice - about 1 tray per ear.

Vacuum food sealer or "ziploc" type freezer bags (the freezer bag version is heavier and protects better against freezer burn.

2 large bowls, one filled with cold water and ice.

1 sharp knife

1 Large spoon

Start with fresh corn on the cob - as fresh as you can get. If there is a delay between harvesting and freezing, put it in the refrigerator or put ice on it. The sugars break down quickly at room temperature. I pick mine in the morning.

Husk the corn and pick off as much of the silk as you can. A soft vegetable brush is the fastest and easiest way to get the remaining silk off - just don't be too rough with it.
Get the largest pot you have (I use my canner) filled ¾ full with hot water, put it on your largest burner (or straddle two burners) and get it heating to a full rolling boil..
Next, get a LARGE bowl filled with ice and cold water. You may need to buy a bag or two of ice if you are planning to do more than a dozen ears of corn.

All fruits and vegetables contain enzymes that, over time, break down the destroy nutrients and change the color, flavor, and texture of food during frozen storage. Corn requires a brief heat treatment, called blanching, in boiling water or steam, to destroy the enzymes before freezing. Blanching times generally vary from one to 10 minutes, depending on the vegetable. the duration should be just long enough to stop the action of the enzymes.

Begin counting the blanching time as soon as you place the corn in the boiling water. Cover the kettle and boil at a high temperature for the required length of time. You may use the same blanching water several times (up to 5). Be sure to add more hot water from the tap from time to time to keep the water level at the required height.
Blanching time varies depending on the type of frozen corn you are making: cut-whole kernel, cream style or corn-on-the-cob:

Blanching times, for freezing the corn depend upon the size of the corn cobs, since the heat must penetrate:

small ears ( 1¼ inches or less in diameter) 7 minutes,
medium ears (1¼ to 1½ inches in diameter) 9 minutes, and

large ears (over 1½ inches in diameter) 11 minutes.

Grilled Crab Cakes

2011-07-28T06:30:00.004-04:00

Ingredients
1 lb jumbo lump crab meat
½ cup diced red bell pepper
3 scallions finely sliced
3 tbsp mayonnaise
Juice of ½ lemon
2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
1 tsp dry mustard
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
4 slices white bread, crusts removed and sliced into ¼ inch pieces
1 egg beaten
2 cups unseasoned breadcrumbs
Blend first 10 ingredients together, adding more bread cubes if mixture is too moist. Shape mixture in to 1 ½ inch patties (approximately 4 ounces each). Once crab cakes have been formed, spread breadcrumbs on a large platter and roll crab cakes in breadcrumbs until fully coated. Place crab cakes on a plate, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour or longer to firm up.
Heat grill to medium and oil grates well. Once grill comes to temperature, gently place crab cakes on grates and cover grill. Leave untouched for 4-5 minutes until crab cakes have begun to firm up. If you’re looking for those perfect crosshatch grill marks you can gently rotate the patties a quarter turn, otherwise continue grilling 3 more minutes. Flip and allow crab cake to grill approximately 8 minutes until firm to the touch. Remove, plate and top with your favorite seafood sauce such as a roasted red pepper

North Carolina BBQ Chicken Sauce

2011-07-24T19:48:00.004-04:00

Smoked and pulled chicken takes half the time of pulled pork and gives you the fixings for a great barbecue sandwich. This sauce finishes off barbecue chicken perfectly.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Yield: Makes about 3 cups

Ingredients:

2 cups apple cider vinegar
4 ounces tomato paste
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
3/4 tablespoon steak sauce
3/4 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tablespoon hot pepper sauce

Preparation:

Mix all ingredients together in a sauce pan and let simmer for 10 minutes. Marinate chicken in 2/3 of the sauce overnight. Use the other 1/3 to baste the chicken while barbecuing

Best Odds Pulled Pork Sauce

2011-07-24T19:47:00.000-04:00

This is the sauce you add to a pulled pork after it has been smoked and pulled. It is best to combine it with the pork in a saucepan over a low heat.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Yield: Makes about 2 1/4 cups

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup hot water
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cayenne

Preparation:

Combine water and brown sugar and stir until dissolved. Combine with remaining ingredients. Add slowly to pulled pork while mixing. The pulled pork should be lightly and evenly coated, neither dry nor soupy.

Jack Daniel's Rib Glaze

2011-07-24T19:46:00.002-04:00

Use this barbecue sauce toward the end of cooking. You want the sauce to cook on to the surface of the ribs, but you don't want it to burn.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Yield: Makes about 3 cups

Ingredients:

1 cup Jack Daniel's Whiskey
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Combine ingredients in a saucepan and mix well. Simmer for 20 minutes then allow to cool. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If you make it a few days in advance the flavors will have more time to blend together.

Piedmont Barbecue Sauce

2011-07-24T19:45:00.003-04:00

This is a classic Carolina style Barbecue Sauce. Typically, served on smoked pork (at the table), this thin, vinegar based sauce has tons of flavor. This vinegar BBQ sauce comes from the region of the Carolinas north of the mustard belt. This sauce gives food a tangy flavor, perfect for pork, but simply put, a great sauce for almost anything.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Yield: Makes About 2 1/2 Cups

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Preparation:

Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Place in an airtight container and refrigerate for several days, allowing the flavors to blend. Shack before using.

Mustard Sauce

2011-07-24T19:44:00.000-04:00

If you haven't tried a mustard based barbecue sauce then you are really missing out on something. This sauce works well with almost anything, but particularly pork. This is a variation of a favorite sauce from the western part of the Carolinas and Northern Georgia. This is a great way to add a savory flavor to almost anything, but this sauce was invented for smoked pork.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: Makes about 2 cups

Ingredients:

1 cup prepared yellow mustard
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon cayenne

Preparation:

Mix all ingredients together and simmer over a low heat for 30 minutes. If your making this sauce for a whole hog multiple the ingredients by about 8.

Classic BBQ Rib Sauce

2011-07-24T19:43:00.002-04:00

There is a flavor that is great BBQ Ribs. This sauce helps you get there, whether you smoked your ribs low and slow for hours, or baked them in the oven. This BBQ Rib Sauce has a touch of heat, a touch of smoke, and a lot of flavor.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: Makes about 2 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

2 cups ketchup
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup minced onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons water
3 cloves garlic crushed
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
fresh ground pepper to taste

Preparation:

Blend onion and water into a puree. Heat a medium sauce pan over a medium heat. Add olive oil. When oil is warm, pour in onion puree. Simmer until slightly browned. Add remaining ingredients. Mix thoroughly and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Memphis Barbecue Sauce

2011-07-24T19:42:00.000-04:00

Traditionally Memphis Barbecue is served without a sauce, but since rules are made to be broken, many Memphis BBQ Joints have sauces available, either on the side or by special order. This sauce captures the complexity of Memphis Barbecue in a rich sauce that has a mixture or sweet and vinegar with a hint of heat. A good Memphis Barbecue Sauce is thinner than most tomato based sauces

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: Makes about 3 cups

Ingredients:

1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon mild chili powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne (optional)

Preparation:

Melt butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until lightly browned. Add remaining ingredients (vinegar last), reduce heat and simmer over low for 20 minutes. Allow to cool. Optionally you can puree this sauce to make a smoother barbecue sauce.

St Louis BBQ Sauce

2011-07-24T19:40:00.002-04:00

St. Louis Barbecue Sauce is thinner and has more of a tangy flavor than its Kansas City cousin. Being at the crossroads, St. Louis style barbecue has many influences, so there are a number of ways of making this style sauce, but this sauce has many of the elements that make up St. Louis Barbecue

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: Makes about 3 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over a low heat. Stirring occasionally and simmer for 20 minutes. Sauce should be thin, but not watery. Allow to cool. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate. Sauce is better if allow to sit for a day.

Kanas City Ribs

2011-07-24T19:39:00.000-04:00

Big Daddy says, "This is Carolina style barbecue sauce." This means that it is vinegar and mustard based, as opposed to the ketchup and molasses based sauces of the mid and southwest. The combination of sweet and tangy flavors brings out the absolute best in grilled or smoked pork or chicken.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: Makes about 2 1/4 cups

Ingredients:

1 cup prepared yellow mustard
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon liquid smoke (hickory flavoring)

Preparation:

Mix all except soy, butter and smoke. Simmer 30 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients and simmer for 10 more minutes.

Big Daddy's Carolina Style BBQ Sauce

2011-07-24T19:38:00.001-04:00

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: Makes about 2 1/4 cups

Ingredients:

1 cup prepared yellow mustard
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon liquid smoke (hickory flavoring)

Preparation:

Mix all except soy, butter and smoke. Simmer 30 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients and simmer for 10 more minutes.

Low Fat Lemon Bars

2011-07-23T17:08:00.002-04:00

These moist, tangy lemon bars are a wonderful low fat treat. Take some along to your next family picnic or gathering. You might want to make two batches, as they will disappear fast.

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

For the Base:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup quick oats
3 tbsp butter
For theTopping:
1 egg
1 egg white
1 cup sugar
3 tbs flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
Juice and zest of 1 large lemon
Confectioner's sugar, sifted, for sprinkling

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Combine flour, oats and sugar in a medium bowl. Using a pastry blender, add butter and blend until the mixture is crumbly.
Press crumbs into the bottom of the baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes until edges are golden.
Meanwhile, whisk egg and egg white. Add sugar and beat until creamy. Add flour, baking powder, salt and lemon; whisk until smooth.
Pour lemon mixture over pre-baked base. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until center is set.
Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
Makes 16 squares.
Per Serving: Calories 133, Calories from Fat 24, Total Fat 2.8g (sat 1.4g), Cholesterol 19mg, Sodium 15mg, Carbohydrate 25.1g, Fiber 0.1g, Protein 2.1g

Pasta Seafood Salad

2011-07-17T18:28:00.002-04:00

This salad is amazing! You can make into a sandwich, put in into pita bread, can stuff it into a tomato or green pepper. Or you can simply use it as a main dish or side. A wonderful summer meal.

2/3 (7 oz.) box Creamette shells, bowtie ot rotini
1/2 (1 lb.) imitation crab meat (shredded or broken up)
1/2 c. American cheese, finely diced

1 small jar pimentos

1 can tiny shrimp
1 tsp. onion, finely chopped
1/2 c. celery, finely diced

DRESSING:

1 c. Miracle Whip, I use olive oil mayo
1/2 c. milk
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix together until smooth. Cook shells according to package directions. Drain well, rinse in cold water two or more times and drain real well.
Add crab meat, cheese and onion and celery. Toss gently with the dressing mixture. Makes a good sized bowl of salad.
If you let this salad sit a day in the frig it really becomes more flavorful =o) enjoy!