• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 package active dry yeast (.25 ounce)
• 1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1/4 cup melted shortening
• 6 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt

Warm the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Mix in the sugar, stirring until dissolved. Let cool until lukewarm. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the milk, yeast mixture, shortening and 3 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Add salt and rest of flour, or enough to make a soft dough. Knead. Place in greased bowl, cover, and let rise.

Punch down. Roll out to about 1/2 inch thick. Cut rounds with biscuit cutter, drinking glass, or empty tuna can. Sprinkle waxed paper with cornmeal and set the rounds on this to rise. Dust tops of muffins with cornmeal also. Cover and let rise 1/2 hour.

Heat greased griddle. Cook muffins on griddle about 10 minutes on each side on medium heat. Keep baked muffins in a warm oven until all have been cooked. Allow to cool and place in plastic bags for storage. To use, split and toast. Great with orange butter, or cream cheese and jam.

1. Prepare macaroni according to package directions; drain and set aside.

2. Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced onions and 1 tsp. sugar. Cook, stirring often, 15 to 20 minutes or until onions are caramel-colored.

3. Layer half each of macaroni, onions, cheeses, and cracker crumbs in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Layer with remaining macaroni, onions, and cheeses.

4. Whisk together eggs and next 3 ingredients; pour over macaroni mixture.

5. Stir together remaining cracker crumbs, melted butter, and, if desired, pecans. Sprinkle evenly over macaroni mixture.

6. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until golden brown and set. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

• 4 cups whipping cream
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 2 fish bouillon cubes
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 pound fresh crabmeat, drained
• 1/3 cup sherry (optional)

1. Combine whipping cream, salt, and pepper in a heavy saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour.

2. After the cream has simmered 40 minutes, stir together fish bouillon cubes and 2 cups boiling water until bouillon cubes dissolve.

3. Melt butter in a large heavy saucepan over low heat; add flour, stirring constantly. Gradually add hot fish broth; cook over medium heat until thickened. Stir in cream mixture, and cook 5 minutes.

4. Add lemon juice, nutmeg, and crabmeat. Ladle into individual serving bowls. Add a spoonful of sherry to each serving, if desired.

Source: Southern Living Cookbook

Chef Misshu says:
“I got this recipe from the video podcast “Crash Test Kitchen”. These are some of the tastiest pretzels I have ever had.”

• 1 cup of warm water
• 1 tablespoon yeast
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3 1/2 cups of flour
• 5 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 egg

Pour warm water in a large sized mixing bowl. Add the yeast and stir. Add brown and white sugars, salt and flour. Mix until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Transfer dough to lightly floured surface and knead for 2 minutes.

Make pretzels by cutting about a 1 inch slice from the dough. Roll into a rope and twist into the pretzel shape.

Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.

Boil about 5 cups of water in a large pot. Add 5 teaspoons of baking power.

Add pretzels to the water boiling 1 minute on each side.

Break and beat the egg in a small bowl. Add a couple teaspoons of water and brush the egg wash on the pretzels. Sprinkle salt on top.

Bake pretzels until golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Source: Crash Test Kitchen

This is the best Chili I have ever had! Mmmmm. Sweetpea

• 2 lbs. lean ground beef
• 1/3 cup Chili Seasoning Mix (see below)
• 2 cans (14.5-oz.) diced tomatoes with green pepper, celery, and onion
• 2 cans (8-oz.) tomato sauce
• 2 cans (16-oz.) black beans, undrained

1. Brown beef in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring often, 4 to 5 minutes or until beef crumbles and is no longer pink; drain well. Return beef to Dutch oven; sprinkle evenly with seasoning mix, and sauté 1 minute over medium-high heat.

2. Stir in diced tomatoes and remaining ingredients; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes.

Notes:
Italian-Style Chili: Substitute 1 lb. Italian pork sausage and 1 lb. lean ground beef for 2 lb. lean ground beef. Remove casings from sausage, and discard; brown sausage and ground beef together as directed. Omit beans, and stir in 1 small onion, diced; 1 green bell pepper, diced; 2 small zucchini, diced; and remaining ingredients. Proceed with recipe as directed. Serve chili over hot cooked spaghetti noodles tossed with olive oil and chopped fresh cilantro. Makes 6 to 8 servings. Prep: 10 min., Cook: 25 min.

Chili Seasoning Mix

• 3/4 cup chili powder
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons dried minced onion
• 2 tablespoons seasoned salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons dried minced garlic

1. Stir together all ingredients. Store seasoning mix in an airtight container up to 4 months at room temperature. Shake or stir well before using.

Source: Southern Living, Janurary 2007

Chef Misshu says:
“With the holidays right around the corner I thought that I would post a great recipe for a flaky pie crust. It’s so simple to make that there is no reason to use that store bought crust ever again!”

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup shortening or butter, chilled
• 4-5 tablespoons ice water

Whisk the flour and salt together in a medium size bowl. With a pastry blender, cut in the cold shortening/butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Drizzle 4 to 5 tablespoons ice water over flour. Toss mixture with a fork to moisten, adding more water a few drops at a time until the dough comes together.

Gently gather dough particles together into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 30 minutes before rolling.

Roll out dough, and put in a pie plate. Fill with desired filling and bake.

Set a large pot of water to boil. Meanwhile, crack the eggs into the bag, and shake to combine them. Put in your ingredients and shake gently to combine.

Before placing the bage in the boiling water, make sure to get the air out of the bag and zip it up. Place the bags into rolling, boiling water for exactly 13 minutes. You can usually cook 6-8 omelets in a large pot.

Open the bags and the omelet will roll out easily. Be prepared to be amazed.

• 1 lb. bay scallops (the little ones - about 40/lb)
• 2 parsnips, peeled, cut to 1/4″ dice
• 1 onion, cut to 1/4″ dice
• 3 celery stalks cut to 1/4″ dice
• 2 lbs. potatoes, peeled, cut to 1-2″ chunks
• 3 bacon, cut to small dice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced finely
• 4 ounces (small) can of corn - drained
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup water
• ½ cup white wine
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups skim milk
• 1 cup cream
• salt and pepper (preferably white pepper)

When you peel and cut the parsnips and potatoes, have a bowl of water with a little vinegar or lemon juice in it to keep the peeled vegetables from turning brown.

In a large soup pot over medium heat, sautee the bacon in the olive oil until the smell wafts up from the pot. Add the parsnips, celery, onions, and garlic and mix well, coating with oil and mixing in bacon. Add a big pinch of kosher salt and sautee for 5 minutes or so, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon. Add flour and stir until flour is absorbed.

Add the wine and scrape the bottom of the pan as you mix it in with a wooden spoon. Add stock and potatoes and simmer.

Dissolve cornstarch in the cup of cold water. Make sure the cornstarch is thoroughly dissolved then add to the soup and stir in.

In a separate pan, scald the milk and add it to the soup. Simmer soup until the potatoes are suitably soft, about 10-15 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. Careful with the white pepper - you’ll need less of it than you would of black pepper.

Add the scallops, cream, and corn and simmer for another 5-7 minutes until the scallops are cooked - their flesh will become more opaque. You can add more corn if you’d like.

Source: Too Many Chefs

Chef Misshu says:
“My moussaka features two shortcuts, neither of which sacrifices flavor: The eggplant is broiled rather than fried, and the topping is a mixture of cheese and milk instead of the usual béchamel sauce. Watch the eggplant carefully while it cooks; if it burns it will taste bitter. Let the moussaka sit briefly before cutting it, so the squares will hold together.”

• 6 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb. ground lamb
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes in thick puree (one 15-ounce can)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Fresh-ground black pepper
• 1 eggplant (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Heat the broiler. In a large stainless-steel frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over moderate heat. Add the onion and garlic; cook until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the lamb and cook until the meat loses its pink color, about 2 minutes. Stir in the wine, tomato paste, tomatoes, bay leaf, cinnamon, allspice, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.

Brush both sides of the eggplant slices with the remaining 5 tablespoons oil and season with 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Put the eggplant slices on a large baking sheet and broil, 6 inches from the heat, until browned, about 5 minutes. Turn and broil until browned on the other side, about 5 minutes longer.

In a small saucepan, combine the cream cheese, milk, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper. Warm over low heat until just melted.

Oil an 8-by-8-inch baking dish. Layer half the eggplant in the dish, then half the meat sauce. Sprinkle with half the Parmesan. Repeat with the remaining eggplant, meat sauce, and Parmesan. Spoon the cream-cheese sauce on top;broil until just starting to brown, 1 to 2 minutes.

Chef Misshu says:
“Chicken breast halves are sauteed in hoisin sauce and orange juice with mandarin orange slices, green onions, and cashews. Serve over rice.”

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup hoisin sauce
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 1 can mandarin oranges (11 ounce), drained
• 1 tablespoon chopped green onions
• 1/4 cup chopped cashews

Place flour in a small bowl. Dredge chicken in the flour to lightly coat.

Heat olive oil and butter in a medium skillet over medium heat, and saute the chicken breasts until no longer pink and juices run clear. Set aside, and keep warm.

Stir hoisin sauce and orange juice into the skillet, and scrape up the browned bits. Mix in mandarin oranges, green onions, and cashews, Return chicken to the skillet. Continue cooking until all ingredients are heated through.

Chef Misshu says:
“This recipe originates from our favorite Bed & Breakfast in St. Augustine, Florida, the Alexander Homestead. Simply delicious!”

• 2/3 cups of mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon of Worchestershire sauce
• dash of salt and pepper
• 1 cup of milk
• 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
• 8 eggs

In small saucepan combine mayonnaise, Worchestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Add milk gradually, stirring till smooth. Add cheese and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until cheese has melted and mixture is thick and smooth, about 5 minutes. Put two heaping tablespoons in the bottom of 4 baking (oval) cups. Break two eggs into each cup. Place in shallow pan; pour hot water into the pan to a depth of 1 inch. Bake in slow oven 325 degrees about 25 minutes.

Source: Alexander Homestead B&B

Chef Misshu says:
“These are a really great alternative to just plain ‘ol grits. I like to add a little syrup over the top to finish them off.”

• 2 cups water
• 2 teaspoons butter
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup grits
• 1/4 cup grated Cheddar cheese
• 2 to 4 tablespoons vegetable oil

Oil a large sheet pan. In a saucepan bring water and butter, seasoned with salt and pepper, to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and whisk in grits. Cook, stirring constantly, 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Pour grits onto sheet pan, spreading them evenly. Cool and cut into cakes with a 2 1/2- to 3-inch biscuit cutter.

In a large skillet, heat enough oil to coat bottom of pan over medium-high heat. Pan-fry about 2 minutes on each side, until golden. Drain on paper towels and keep warm before serving.

Sweetpea says:
“Misshu’s simple yet very tasty “Morning Delight” gives you a great start for the day. Mmmmmmmmmm!”

• 1/2 Whole Wheat English Muffin
• 1 Poached Egg
• Butter
• Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• Salt and Pepper

While toasting your english muffin; prepare your poached egg. Butter the english muffin and shred about an 1/8 of a cup of the cheese on top. Top with poached egg.

Salt and pepper to your liking.

Enjoy!

• 1 jar medium to large, unpitted green olives (about 50)
• Scant 1/2 cup (about 3.5 ounces) each of: ground pork, ground lean beef, ground chicken, ground prosciutto
• Scant 1/2 cup (about 3.5 ounces) butter
• Nutmeg to taste (start with 1/2 teaspoon)
• Scant 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 beaten eggs (use one for making the filling; use two for breading the olives)
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup finely crushed breadcrumbs
• About 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, for frying

Drain the brine from the olives. Place them in a bowl and cover with lukewarm water. Let them soak while preparing the filling.

Mix the meats together. In a large saucepan, melt butter and saute meats and nutmeg over low-to-medium heat until the meat is no longer pink. Add the grated Parmesan cheese and one beaten egg. Cook, stirring until the meat mixture is dry. Set aside to cool.

Drain the water from the olives and pat dry. Starting from the end without the hole, cut the olive away from the pit in a spiral, as if you’re peeling an apple. The olive will coil. Place the olive meat in a bowl.

Pinch a bit of the meat mixture between your thumb and forefinger and roll into a small ball. Shape the olive meat around the filling, so the fruit regains its original shape. Set aside on a cookie sheet or on a shallow pan.

Dredge the olives lightly in flour. Pour the other two beaten eggs into a shallow bowl. Place the stuffed olives — a few at a time — into the bowl and spoon the egg over them. Remove olives from the egg, roll them in the breadcrumbs, then repeat the process. The breading should be thick. Set aside, and bread the remaining olives.

Pour the olive oil into a medium-sized frying pan and heat until the oil is bubbling. Fry the olives until the breading is golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain. Serve the olives while warm.

Source: NPR

Chef Misshu says:
“The chicken is really moist and juicy, not dried out at all, and the lemon and basil gives it a delightful flavor. I cheated a little on the noodles (they’re from a pouch).”

• 2 boneless skinned free range chicken breasts
• juice of half a lemon
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh (or frozen) basil
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt
• pepper

Marinate the chicken in the lemon juice and basil for at least half an hour. Dredge each chicken piece in the flour, coat it with egg and then roll it in the bread crumbs. Melt the butter in a pan and add the oil. When it is hot, but not browning, add the chicken breasts and quickly brown on both sides. Remove to a hot oven and bake until the juices run clear, about half an hour at 400 F. Serve with a lemon wedge and sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper

Source: Too Many Chefs

Neither of these situations are safe, and these methods of thawing lead to foodborne illness. Food must be kept at a safe temperature during “the big thaw.” Foods are safe indefinitely while frozen. However, as soon as food begins to defrost and become warmer than 40°F, any bacteria that may have been present before freezing can begin to multiply.

“Foods should never be thawed or even stored on the counter, or defrosted in hot water. Food left above 40°F (unrefrigerated) is not at a safe temperature,” cautions Bessie Berry, manager of the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline.

Even though the center of the package may still be frozen as it thaws on the counter, the outer layer of the food is in the “Danger Zone,” between 40 and 140°F – at temperatures where bacteria multiply rapidly.

“When defrosting frozen foods, it’s best to plan ahead and thaw food in the refrigerator where food will remain at a safe, constant temperature — 40°F or below,” recommends Berry.

There are three safe ways to defrost food: in the refrigerator, in cold water, and in the microwave.

Refrigerator Thawing

Planning ahead is the key to this method because of the lengthy time involved. A large frozen item like a turkey requires at least a day (24 hours) for every 5 pounds of weight. Even small amounts of frozen food — such as a pound of ground meat or boneless chicken breasts — require a full day to thaw. When thawing foods in the refrigerator, there are several variables to take into account.

Some areas of an appliance may keep the food colder than other areas. Food placed in the coldest part will require longer defrosting time.

Food takes longer to thaw in a refrigerator set at 35°F than one set at 40°F.

After thawing in the refrigerator, ground meat and poultry should remain useable for an additional day or two before cooking; red meat, 3 to 5 days. Foods defrosted in the refrigerator can be refrozen without cooking, although there may be some loss of quality.

Cold Water Thawing

This method is faster than refrigerator thawing but requires more attention. The food must be in a leak-proof package or plastic bag. If the bag leaks, bacteria from the air or surrounding environment could be introduced into the food. Also, meat tissue can also absorb water like a sponge, resulting in a watery product.

The bag should be submerged in cold tap water, changing the water every 30 minutes so it continues to thaw. Small packages of meat or poultry – about a pound – may defrost in an hour or less. A 3- to 4-pound package may take 2 to 3 hours. For whole turkeys, estimate about 30 minutes per pound. If thawed completely, the food must be cooked immediately. Foods thawed by the cold water method should be cooked before refreezing.

Microwave Thawing

When microwave defrosting food, plan to cook it immediately after thawing because some areas of the food may become warm and begin to cook during microwave defrosting. Holding partially cooked food is not recommended because any bacteria present wouldn’t have been destroyed and, indeed, may have reached optimal temperatures for bacteria to grow.

Foods thawed in the microwave should be cooked before refreezing.

• 4 ounces butter
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 to 3 1/2 cups milk
• 6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg, room temperature and beaten
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup prepared whipped cream (optional)
• 8 slices toasted white bread, crust trimmed off
• 1 lb. cooked turkey breast, thinly sliced
• Grated Parmesan cheese for topping
• 8-12 bacon slices, fried crisp

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Gradually add flour, stirring constantly, until smooth and free from lumps. Gradually stir in milk until sauce comes to a gentle boil, stirring constantly; remove from heat. Add Parmesan cheese and stir until melted and well blended.In a small bowl, beat egg. Gradually add 1 cup of hot sauce, 1/3 cup at a time, to the egg, stirring constantly. Gradually add egg mixture to remaining sauce, stirring constantly until well blended; add salt and pepper to taste. Fold in whipped cream.For each Hot Brown sandwich, place two slices of toasted bread on a metal (or flameproof) dish. Cover the toast with a liberal amount of turkey. Pour a generous amount of sauce over the turkey. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese. Place entire dish under a broiler until the sauce is speckled brown and bubbly. Remove from broiler. Sprinkle with diced pimientos, cross two pieces of bacon over the top and serve immediately.Makes 4 servings of two open-faced sandwiches each.Source: The Brown Hotel

• 1 large onion, sliced
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 cardamom pods
• 2 sticks cassia (you can use 1/2 tsp nutmeg instead)
• 1 large tomato, ripe, chopped
• 1 large roasting chicken, cut up
• 5 garlic cloves (use less if you don’t care for garlic)
• 3/4 inch fresh gingerroot
• 1 green chili pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon masala (if you can’t find this use 2 tsp mild curry powder)
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 sprig curry leaves (if you can’t find this leave it out or use lemon or lime leaves, bruised to let flavour through)
• 4 tablespoons fresh coriander leaves, chopped for garnish (you can use parsley instead)
• salt

In a large saucepan fry the onion with cardamom pods cand cassia (nutmeg) until soft. Add tomato and simmer for 5 minutes. Add chicken and simmer for 10 minutes. Pound garlic, ginger and chili together(in a mortar and pestle) to form a paste. Add chicken together with cumin, coriander, masala and turmeric. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Add curry(or lemon/lime leaves) and simmer a further 5 to 10 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves(parsley) and serve over cooked rice.

Source: Recipe*zaar

Chef Misshu says:
“Pork filet is a lean, tender piece of meat which is best when juicy and tender. Be sure to let the meat rest before you serve it and you will enjoy the tasty herbs and spices which compliment this filet.”

• 1 pork filet (about 1 lb)
• Olive oil extra
• 1 clove large of garlic
• 1 large chilli pepper, seeds removed
• Grated rind of ½ lemon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Small bunch of coriander, chopped
• 2 or 3 sprigs of mint, chopped
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon live oil

Mince the garlic and chilli pepper and mix with the salt, lemon rind, coriander, mint, cumin, lemon juice and olive oil. In a heavy skillet brown the pork filet on all sides in a little olive oil. Spread half of the herb mixture over the pork filet and bake in the oven for 25 minutes at 400° F (200° C)

Remove from oven, cover and let the meat rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving with scalloped potatoes or cous cous.

Chef Misshu says:
“Make a little extra to send on the honeymoon! This lovely soup combines extra lean ground beef made into meatballs with thinly sliced escarole or spinach, orzo macaroni, and finely chopped carrot.”

• 1/2 lb. extra-lean ground beef
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 5 3/4 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups thinly sliced escarole
• 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
• 1/3 cup finely chopped carrot

In medium bowl, combine meat, egg, bread crumbs, cheese, basil and onion powder; shape into 3/4 inch balls. In large saucepan, heat broth to boiling; stir in escarole, orzo pasta, chopped carrot and meatballs. Return to boil, then reduce heat to medium. Cook at slow boil for 10 minutes, or until pasta is al dente. Stir frequently to prevent sticking.