Udon Noodles

Years ago, when I was teaching in Hysham, I had a Japanese teacher stay with me. The first time we had noodles she loudly slurped them up and I was appalled; but after reading about the Japanese culture everyone slurps their noodles, in fact, when I visited her in Japan we went to a restaurant that served noodle-based dishes and EVERYONE was slurping - you should have heard it - but, it’s kind of fun!
One of my very favorite Japanese noodles that I had was called Udon. They are kind of like the home-made egg noodles my mother used to make for her Chicken and Noodles. Over the years I have tried to find a recipe so I could make them myself, but wasn’t very successful - until the other day I received a recipe from one of the blogs I have a subscription to and they showed how to make the dough in the bread machine I have - so I had to make some that day. I couldn’t believe how easy it was and it made enough that I froze eight packages for future recipes.
I also found a video on YouTube that showed how you can make it without a bread machine - by putting the dough in a plastic bag and walking on it - now that would be fun! She also used beet juice to color the noodles pink. I have included both recipes in this column plus a recipe that uses the noodles after you get them made.

Udon Noodles

source: www.justonecookbook.com

7 oz all-purpose flour
80 ml water for pink udon -90 ml for regular white udon
about 2 tsp beet juice - (See ingredients below), Skip beat juice for regular udon
about 2 1/4 tsp salt
Potato or corn starch - or flour for rolling and dusting
For Beet Juice:
1 beet
1 cup water
Peel and slice the beet root into 1/2” thickness.
Put sliced beets and 1 cup of water in a small saucepan and cook for about 20 minutes until the beet juice is reduced to about 2 Tbsp.
Save the beet juice in a small bowl. Combine 80 ml water and 2 tsp. of beet juice. Add the 2 1/4 tsp. salt and mix until it’s completely dissolved.
Place the flour in a large bowl and add the salted beet juice little by little while mixing with hands.
Combine the dough until there is no dry flour left and form into a ball. If there is some flour left, add tiny bit of water. Then place the dough in the large durable plastic bag (such as 5 gallon Ziploc bag). Close the bag leaving a small air gap and leave it for 20-30 minutes to relax the gluten.
Just in case the plastic bag breaks, place the bag between 2 kitchen cloths on the floor. Step on the dough with your feet (heels) using your weight. Turn around and press from the inward to outward. You can do this step with your hands, but it will take more effort and time. Stepping udon dough with your feet is a common practice in Japan! Step on the dough until the dough is completely flatten.
Take out the dough and fold it into a ball again. Place it in the bag and close the bag leaving a small air gap.
Step again until the dough is stretched and flatten. Take out the dough and fold into a ball again. Repeat this process one more time (total 3 times), or until the dough is soft just like ear lobe (that’s how we say in Japan).
After the 3rd round of stepping the dough, fold it into a ball and place in the plastic bag. Seal tight and rest the dough for 2 hours (3 hours or overnight in winter).
Dust the working surface with potato/corn starch and take out the dough. Form a nice round ball and then flatten with your hand.
Using a rolling pin, stretch the dough into a rectangular shape. Dust the dough with potato/corn starch in between to make sure the dough is not sticky. Turn the dough 180 degree and stretch it evenly.
Once it’s nice rectangular shape, turn 90 degree and stretch to make it into square. If the dough is square, all the noodles will have the same length when you cut them.
When the dough is a square shape, roll the dough into a rolling pin and stretch to let the rounded corner into more pointed tip. Make the dough into 1/8” thickness.
Dust the potato/corn starch on top of the dough and fold the dough like an accordion.
Put more potato/corn starch on top and then cut noodles into 1/8” thickness. Pick up some noodles and fluff the noodles to make sure the noodles are covered with the potato/corn starch to prevent from sticking to each other.
If you cook immediately, boil a big pot of water and cook for 10-12 minutes (depending on thickness of your noodles). Stir the noodles so they don’t stick to each other. Drain and rinse well with cold water to remove the starch. Drain and they are ready to use for your favorite udon recipe.
If you don’t use the udon noodles right away, you can divide them into small portions (100 g per person) and freeze in an airtight containers/bags.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgvW2czmEqs

Udon (Teuchi)

Source: www.zojirushi.com

Udon is a Japanese wheat noodle that is thick and chewy. Did you know that udon can be easily made at home? Freshly made udon tends to be chewier than prepackaged ones. Enjoy this versatile noodle hot, cold or even stir-fried!
Ingredients (for 2-lb. breadmaker)
1-1/3 cups water
2 tsp. salt
2-1/2 cups bread flour
2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
Bread flour for dusting
This recipe was developed for the Home Bakery Virtuoso® Breadmaker (BB-PAC20) and Home Bakery Supreme® Breadmaker (BB-CEC20). Adjustments may be required for making this recipe in other models of the Home Bakery.
Make sure the kneading blades are properly attached. Dissolve salt in water and add mixture and flour ingredients (except flour for dusting) to the baking pan. Place baking pan into the Home Bakery, close the lid and plug the cord into the outlet. Select the HOME MADE course. Press CYCLE button turning OFF the following: Preheat, Rise 1, Rise 2, Rise 3, Shape, Bake, Keep Warm. Select the KNEAD cycle. Press and hold TIME until the display shows 0:20. Then press CYCLE twice to record. Press START.
When the HOME MADE course completes, press CANCEL and remove dough from baking pan. Roll dough into a ball and divide into 8. Wrap each ball with plastic wrap and let rest for 2 hours at room temperature.
Place dough on a lightly floured board and roll each ball into 1/8” thick sheets. Dust surface of dough with flour and fold into thirds.
Using a chef’s knife, cut folded dough into 1/4” thick strips. Gently unfold each noodle and dust with flour to prevent from binding and drying. Be careful when slicing dough with a sharp knife.
Cook the noodles. In a large pot, bring water (not included in the ingredients list) to a boil. Add noodles and cook for 10-13 minutes or until translucent and chewy. Stir occasionally to prevent noodles from sticking. Be careful not to let it boil over – pour a small amount of water (not included in the ingredients list) to the boiling water to prevent from boiling over.
Immediately drain noodles and rinse with cold running water to remove surface starch. Transfer to a strainer to drain excess water.

Hoisin Chicken Udon Noodles

Source: www.jocooks.com

2 servings fresh udon noodles - or 8 oz of dry udon noodles cooked
2 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless - cut into small pieces
1 tbsp sesame seed oil
1 tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup soy sauce - low sodium
1 tbsp sriracha sauce
2 T. hoisin sauce
2 cloves garlic - minced
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
4 white mushrooms - sliced
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 green onions - chopped
black pepper to taste
Blanch udon noodles in boiling water for about 1 to 2 minutes or if using dry noodles cook according to package instructions. Drain well and immediately rinse with cold water. Set aside.
Heat the olive oil and sesame seed oil in a large skillet or a pot and add chicken pieces and cook until chicken is no longer pink and starts to brown slightly. Add ginger, garlic and mushrooms and cook for a couple more minutes until mushroom are starting to brown.
Add soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sriracha and chicken broth, stir and bring to a boil. Add noodles to the pot and cook until noodles are heated through. Garnish with green onions and serve hot.

Misc. Recipes

Recently I purchased a deep-fryer from Clark Hardware. In the past I always used my “Fry Daddy” but it didn’t seem to be big enough or hold the heat at the correct temperature, so when I saw this double basket fryer at Clark Hardware I decided to get it. The first thing I decided to make was Sweet Potato Fries. My brother-in-law Phil got me “hooked” on these. My sister usually makes Sweet Potato Oven Fries, but if the oil temperature in the deep fryer is hot enough and you make sure the temperature comes back up before adding the next batch, the food does not absorb hardly any of the oil. That’s how I justify it anyway.
On October 9th I published a recipe for Crispy Egg Rolls and the recipe made quite a large batch, so I froze the extra ones. It was so easy to pull a couple out of the freezer and fry those as a side-dish for another meal.
The next thing I had to try in the new deep-fryer was my favorite recipe for Chicken Strips. It cooked them up in nothing flat. I have really been enjoying this purchase. Like I have said in the past, “It make a job a lot easier and enjoyable if you have good ‘tools’ to work with!”

Sweet Potato Fries

Source: Jeff Mauro - Food Network

6 cups peanut oil - for frying
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/8 teaspoon sugar
1 cup cornstarch
3/4 cup club soda - cold
2 pounds sweet potatoes - cut into 1/2 by 1/4-inch fries
Heat the oil to 375 degrees F in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or deep fryer. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
Mix the salt, garlic powder, paprika and sugar in a bowl and set aside.
Whisk the cornstarch and club soda in a mixing bowl. In batches, dip the potatoes in the batter, allow any excess to drip off and hold on a wire rack. Repeat with rest of the potatoes.
Fry half the potatoes, stirring occasionally until golden brown and crispy, 6 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle with the seasoning and hold in the oven on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the last batch of potatoes.

The following recipe is worth repeating! The first time I published it was January 31, 2014 - so it’s time!

Crispy Chicken Strips

Source: PioneerWoman.com

3 pounds raw chicken breast tenders
1/4 to 1/2 cup buttermilk
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 to 3 teaspoons Johnny’s seasoning salt
Vegetable oil
Dipping sauce - for serving
Submerge the chicken strips in the buttermilk for 15 to 20 minutes (or longer if you’d like).
In another bowl, combine the flour and seasoning salt (or other seasonings if you prefer). Mix this together well. Next, gradually drizzle 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the buttermilk into the flour mixture and stir lightly with a fork as you add it to achieve clumps in about half of the flour.
Heat about 1 inch vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-low to medium heat.
Remove a few of the buttermilk-soaked chicken strips and place them in the flour mixture, turning them over to coat thoroughly. Place them on a rack. Continue coating the chicken strips until they are all ready to cook.
When the oil is sufficiently heated, begin cooking the strips a few at a time. Cook them for about a minute and a half or so on each side. When golden and crispy and the chicken is done, remove them to a rack. Do not allow them to burn. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce. (I like Country Style Gravy to dip it in and then you can use the gravy for the mashed potatoes you cooked to go with the chicken!)
Talking about Country Style Gravy… I really like the mixes you can get at the grocery store, but I got to wondering if there wasn’t a recipe on the Internet so I could make my own. Have any of you ever heard of powdered shortening? I had not - but I always love to learn something new. Well, anyway, when I went to the Internet I finally found a video on YouTube by Jim Foreman for Instant Country Gravy Mix and it called for powdered shortening. I found powdered butter on Amazon so I ordered it and made his recipe. I thought it turned out really well. I also was told that Alison’s Pantry (sold by Mae Ware) sometimes carries powdered shortening.

Country Gravy Mix

Source: Jim Foreman

1 c. flour
2/3 c. powdered milk
1/3 c. powdered shortening
3 T. cornstarch
3 T. coffee creamer - (powdered)
1 1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 t. pepper
Combine and store in an air-tight container. When ready to use, boil:
1 1/2 c. water
Combine:
1/2 c. mix
1/2 c. cold water
Add the mix/water mixture to the boiling water and stir while it boils for about 1 min. Cover and let sit on counter and it will thicken on sitting.
Add any/all of the following:
1/4 t. poultry seasoning
1 t. paprika
Chicken boullion
1/2 t. garlic salt

Recently I decided to start selling Pampered Chef again and in the “Start-up” kit was a pan for making brownies. I had seen this pan in the past but just didn’t see a need for it so did not purchase it, but since it was included in the kit I decided to try it out. Well, I found out that I love it. The first thing I made was the following recipe. My sister was diagnosed as having Celiac disease so can not eat gluten any longer so I’m always on the lookout for gluten-free recipes. This recipe is worth making for both those with Celiac disease and the rest of us as it is so good!

Flourless Oatmeal Bars

Source: PamperedChef - Season’s Best Fall/Winter 2015

Nonstick cooking spray
1 can (15-16 oz.) chickpeas* - drained and rinsed
2 eggs
1/2 cup (125 mL) reduced-fat creamy peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup white chocolate morsels
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup (75 mL) white chocolate morsels
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly spray wells of Pampered Chef® Brownie Pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Place chickpeas and eggs in Pampered Chef® Manual Food Processor; process until well blended (mixture will not be smooth).
Carefully remove blade from processor bowl. Transfer chickpea mixture to Pampered Chef® Classic Batter Bowl. Add peanut butter and vanilla; mix well with Pampered Chef® Small Mix ‘N Scraper®. Add 1/3 cup of the morsels, oats, cranberries, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Mix until combined.
Using Pampered Chef® Medium Scoop, divide mixture evenly into wells of pan. Gently spread mixture with back of Scoop. Bake 16–18 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean.
Place remaining 1/3 cup morsels in Pampered Chef® 1-cup Prep Bowl; microwave on HIGH 1 minute, stirring every 15 seconds or until melted. Transfer to a small resealable plastic bag (see cook’s tips).
Remove pan from oven to Pampered Chef® Stackable Cooling Rack; let cool 5 minutes. Trim a small corner off the bag; drizzle chocolate evenly over top of bars. Serve with Pampered Chef® Mini Nylon Serving Spatula.
* The chickpeas take the place of flour! They’re low in fat, high in fiber and rich in antioxidants… and they make the bars moist and mouth-watering!
To fill plastic bag with melted chocolate, place a small resealable plastic bag over rim of Pampered Chef® Mini Measure-All Cup with one corner pointing into the cup. Pour melted chocolate into bag. Remove bag and twist top.

More Oriental Recipes

Caramel Fried Apples

Caramelizing the sugar for this show-stopper dessert calls for split-second timing; it goes so quickly that you don’t have time to use a candy thermometer. You may want to practice this step once before making the whole dessert.
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
2 T. cornstarch
3/4 t. baking powder
1/2 c. water
2 Golden Delicious apples or 2 bananas
Salad oil
Ice cubes
2/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. warm water
2 t. sesame seeds
In a bowl, mix flour, cornstarch, and baking powder Add the 1/2 cup water and stir until smooth. Peel and core apples; cut each into 8 wedges. (If you use bananas, peel, then cut diagonally into 1/2-inch slices.) Place fruit in batter and turn to coat evenly.
Set a wok in a ring stand. Pour oil into wok to depth of about 1 1/2 inches and heat to 350 F. on a deep-frying thermometer. Lift fruit, a piece at a time, from batter. Let excess batter drip off; then lower fruit into oil (cook several pieces at a time; do not crowd wok). Cook until coating is golden brown (about 2 minutes); adjust heat as needed to maintain oil temperature at 350 F. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
When all fruit has been cooked, generously oil a shallow pan or flat serving dish. Fill a serving bowl to the brim with ice cubes; add water to cover.
To make the caramel coating, place sugar, the 1/3 cup warm water, and 1 tablespoon oil in a 10-inch frying pan; stir to blend. Place pan over high heat. When mixture begins to bubble (about 1 minute), shake pan continuously to prevent burning. Continue cooking and shaking pan until syrup just turns a pale straw color (about 9 minutes). Immediately remove from heat, add sesame seeds, and swirl to mix. (Syrup will continue to cook after you remove it from heat and will turn to a golden color in a few seconds.) Drop a few pieces of fruit into syrup and swirl to coat evenly. Using 2 spoons, immediately remove each piece of fruit; arrange on oiled pan (pieces should not touch). Repeat with remaining fruit. At the table, dip fruit in ice to harden coating and cool fruit. Makes 6 serving.

China’s Edible Nest

Golden “phoenix nests” - baskets of deep-fried vegetable shreds - make handsome showcases for many stir-fried dishes. After eating the contents, you break the nest apart with your fingers and nibble the crisp pieces.
Making these decorative nests is surprisingly easy. In addition to your wok, the only utensils you’ll need are two sieves of the same size: one to act as a form for shaping the shredded vegetable and one to hold the shreds in place as they cook. To determine how much oil to use, place an empty sieve in your wok, then pour in enough oil to cover at least three-fourths of the sieve.
Because the nests have an open, mesh-like structure, it’s best to fill them with lightly sauced stir-fries.

Potato Phoenix Nest

Peel:
2 medium-sized white thin-skinned potatoes
and shred them lengthwise (you should have 2 cups).
Squeeze shreds to remove liquid; then place in a bowl. Sprinkle
1 T. cornstarch
over potatoes and toss to distribute cornstarch and loosen shreds. Arrange a handful of shreds in a latticework inside a 4-inch diameter sieve, covering bottom of sieve and extending at least halfway up sides. Fit a second sieve inside first one.
Set a wok in a ring stand. Heat appropriate amount of salad oil to 325 F. on deep-frying thermometer. Place sieve in oil and cook until nest is golden brown (3 to 4 minutes). Remove from oil and lift off top sieve. Loosen edges of nest with tip of a sharp knife, then gently remove nest and drain on paper towels. Repeat, adjusting heat as necessary, to maintain oil temperature at 325 F.
If made ahead, let cool; stack nests, separating them with paper towels, and seal in plastic bags. Store at room temperature for up to 2 days. Makes 4 to 5 nests, each about 4 inches in diameter.

Sweet Potato or Yam Nest

Follow directions for Potato Phoenix Nest, but substitute 2 cups shredded sweet potatoes or yams for potatoes and increase oil temperature to 350 F. Cook sweet potato nests until golden brown (3 to 4 minutes); cook yam nests until a light pumpkin color (4 to 5 minutes).

Green Pepper Beef

3/4 lb. lean boneless beef steak (such as top round, flank, or sirloin)
1 T. dry sherry
1 T. soy sauce
2 T. water
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. sugar
2 t. cornstarch
3 1/2 T. salad oil
Cooking Sauce (recipe follows)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 t. minced fresh ginger
2 small green bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips
Cut beef with the grain into 1 1/2-inch-wide strips; then cut each strip across the grain into 1/8-inch-thick slanting slices. In a bowl, combine sherry, soy, 1 tablespoon of the water, salt, sugar, and cornstarch. Add beef and stir to coat, then stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons of the oil and let marinate for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare Cooking Sauce and set aside.
Place a wok over high heat; when wok is hot, add 2 tablespoons of the oil. When oil begins to heat, add garlic and ginger and stir once. Add beef mixture and stir-fry until meat is browned (about 2 minutes); remove from wok.
Pour remaining 1 tablespoon oil into wok; when oil is hot, add bell peppers and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add remaining 1 tablespoon water, cover, and cook for 1 minute. Return meat to wok. Stir Cooking Sauce, pour into wok, and stir until sauce boils and thickens. Makes 4 servings.
Cooking Sauce
Stir together:
1 1/2 t. soy sauce
1 1/2 t. cornstarch
1/4 c. regular-strength chicken broth or water
(If you don’t plan to serve the stir-fry in a phoenix nest, double this sauce recipe.)

Biscuit Puffs

1 tube Pillsbury Grand Biscuits
Cut biscuits into quarters
Deep fry (375 degrees) about eight at a time for about 1 minute per side.
Sprinkle with sugar right away when taken from hot oil.
Lemon Sugar Topping:
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons lemon zest - (from 1-2 lemons, depending on size)
Stir together the lemon zest and sugar in a bowl. Cool puffs until you can touch them before rolling in sugar.

Breakfast

This last week some nice things happened: first my son Bob got married in Johnson City, Tennessee to a wonderful lady named Brittany. Together they now have three boys: Alex, Andrew and Austin; second I decided to reopen Lasting Impressions Bed and Breakfast. I am really excited about it as now I have an excuse for collecting more recipes!;>)
I do have some stand-by ones that I will always use but in the last couple of years that I have been closed I have found a few I’m going to add to my breakfast menu. Some I have already shared with you in this column but I will share a few more with you today.

Wicked Blueberry Coffee Cake

Source: Murder on the Rocks (book)

1/2 c. butter - OR Margarine
1 c. sugar
Cream the butter and sugar.
3 eggs - slightly beaten
1/2 t. vanilla
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
 Add next five ingredients.
2 c. flour
1 c. sour cream - OR vanilla yogurt
Add the 2 cups of flour and sour cream (or yogurt) alternately to egg mixture, mixing with a spoon.
2 c. blueberries - (fresh or frozen)
Fold in blueberries.
Pour mixture into grease 9”x13” baking pan.
1 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. butter
In a separate bowl, cream brown sugar and 1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. flour
Add flour to get a semi-dry mixture.
Spread on top of batter. Bake in 350 oven for 30 minutes.

Double-Berry Lemon Muffins

Source: Blueberry Blues

1/2 c. lemon yogurt
3 T. vegetable oil
1 T. lemon juice
1 egg
1/2 t. lemon extract - (optional)
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. white sugar
2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1 t. grated lemon zest
1/2 c. raspberries
1/2 c. blueberries
2 T. coarse sugar
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease or line 12-muffin pan with muffin cups.
In a large bowl, mix together the lemon yogurt, oil, lemon juice, eggs, and lemon extract.
In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and mix until just blended (lumps are good). Gently stir in the berries.
Spoon batter evenly into the prepared muffin cups and sprinkle coarse sugar over the tops.
Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the top spring back when lightly touched. Cool muffins in the pan on a wire rack.

Morning Granola

1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter - plus more as needed
Pinch salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
5 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup raw unsalted sunflower seeds
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
1 cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts - almonds, or pecans
1 cup dried coconut flakes
2 cups dried fruit such as cherries - raisins, cranberries, blueberries, pineapple, etc.
Preheat oven to 300 F.
Combine the honey, brown sugar, butter, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla, cinnamon, and almond extract. Let cool slightly.
Lightly butter the bottom and sides of a rimmed baking sheet.
Combine the oats, sunflower seeds, wheat germ, and nuts in a large mixing bowl. Pour the warm syrup over the oat mixture.
Butter your hands and mix well. Press the mixture into the prepared baking sheet.
Bake the granola until lightly browned, about 1 hour.
Let cool, then break into chunks in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the coconut and dried fruit. Store in an airtight container.

Spice & Peach Muffins

Source: Kellogg’s Cereal Website

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
16 oz peach slices
4 cup rice krispies cereal
3 egg whites
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoon almonds, sliced
vegetable cooking spray
In large mixing bowl, stir together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt and spices. Set aside.
Drain peaches, reserving liquid. Place peaches, Rice Krispies cereal, egg whites and 3/4 cup of the peach liquid in food processor bowl. Using metal blade, process mixture about 45 seconds or until smooth. Add to flour mixture stirring only until combined. Portion evenly into twelve 1/2-inch muffin-pan cups coated with cooking spray.
Bake at 400 degrees F. about 23 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove from pan and drizzle with mixture of powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons peach liquid or hot water. Sprinkle with almonds. Serve warm.

Lemon & Lavender Scones

1/2 c. whole milk
1/4 c. heavy cream
1 T. dried lavender
2 1/2 c. flour
1 c. cake flour
1/2 c sugar
1 T. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
5 T. unsalted butter - cubed
1 T. lemon zest - (1 to 2 lemons)
2 large eggs, beaten
Glaze:
1 c. confectioners’ sugar
2 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 T. unsalted butter, melted
Preheat the oven and a baking stone (if you have one) to 450 degrees F.
In a small saucepan on the stove-top over medium-low heat, combine the milk, cream, and lavender. Let the milk mixture steep for 3 to 4 minutes, until the lavender flavor has blended into the liquids. Do not boil. Remove the pan from the heat and strain the milk mixture into a small bowl, discarding the lavender. Set aside and let the milk cool completely.
Combine the flour, cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Mix until well blended. Using a pastry cutter or fork, work the butter into the flour until the butter is pea size. Add the lemon zest and mix well. Add the beaten eggs to the milk mixture and stir well. using a fork, slowly add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring until a dough forms.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Form the dough into a ball and, using a sharp knife, divide the dough into 3 equal parts. Using a rolling pin, flatten each section into a 5-inch circle. Cut each circle into 4 equal wedges. Place scones on parchment paper on a pizza peel or back of a baking sheet to the preheated baking stone. Bake for 18 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Using a spatula, transfer the scones to a platter. Let cool for 10 minutes.
To make the glaze, whisk the confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice, and butter in a small bowl until smooth. Drizzle 1 T. of the glaze over each scone. Serve immediately. Makes 12 scones.

Oriental Recipes

To continue on from last week, the first two recipes were also made. The Cucumber Salad I left the radishes out of and it still turned out fine. The original Chow Mein recipe didn’t call for marinating the chicken, but I felt it would give it better flavor. I purchased frozen egg noodles to serve with the Chow Mein but you could just as well make fresh egg noodles to go with the dish.

Cucumber Salad

1 1/4 lbs English cucumber
10 oz. radishes
Run tines of a fork lengthwise down all sides of cucumber, piercing skin. Cut cucumber crosswise into 1/4-inch slices.
Trim tops and root ends from radishes. With a sharp knife, cut narrow V-shaped lengthwise gashes at intervals around sides of each radish, then thinly slice crosswise.
Dressing:
Stir together
2 T. rice vinegar
2 T sugar
2 t. soy sauce
2 t. sesame oil
1/2 t. liquid hot pepper seasoning
Stir dressing together in a serving bowl, then add radishes and cucumber, mix well.
Cover and refrigerate until cold (2 to 3 hours) or until next day. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Chicken Chow Mein

Source: The Encyclopedia of Creative Cooking

1 yellow bell pepper - sliced
1 red bell pepper - sliced
1 c. boiling water
2 1/2 T. butter
1 small onion - chopped
2 stalks celery - sliced
1 T. flour
1 c. chicken broth
2 T. soy sauce
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 (4-oz.) can sliced mushrooms - drained
8 oz. cooked chicken breast - cut into bite-size-pieces
6 c. water
8 oz. egg noodles
salt
Peanut Oil for frying
4 oz. sliced almonds, toasted - slightly salted
Blanch peppers in boiling water 5 minutes. Remove; drain.
Heat 1 1/2 T. butter in saucepan. Add onion and celery; sauté until onion is transparent. Sprinkle with flour. Pour in broth; bring to boil, stirring constantly. Simmer 10 minutes. Season with soy sauce and pepper. Add peppers, mushrooms, and chicken. Cover; simmer 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring 6 cups slightly salted water to boil. Add noodles; cook 4 to 5 minutes. Drain; rinse with cold water. Set aside 1/3 of noodles. Place rest of noodles in heated bowl; add 1 tablespoon butter. Cover; keep warm.
Heat oil in skillet until very hot.
Cut reserved noodles into approximately 2-inch-long pieces. Add to hot oil; fry until golden. Drain on paper towels.
To serve, spoon chicken mixture over buttered noodles; top with fried noodles and toasted almonds. Yield 4 servings.
* Marinate chicken in:
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
fry in small batches.

A few years ago I purchased a microwave rice cooker but didn’t find much success with it; but in one of my Craftsy classes was how to cook rice in the microwave - so I dug out the rice cooker and used her directions and it worked out perfectly. I used white rice but am planning on trying some brown rice in it as well

White Rice in the microwave

Source: steamykitchen.com

1 1/2 cups white rice - basmati, jasmine, sushi rice
2 1/4 cups water or broth
Scoop the rice into the microwave-safe container, pot or steamer. Fill the pot with water and swish the water and rice with your hands. Pour out the water, keeping the rice in the pot (just cup your hands around the rice to prevent it from pouring out). Repeat for 2-3 more times until the water is just barely cloudy.
Add enough water to cover the rice by about 1” - or place your finger straight down touching the top of the rice. The water should meet your first knuckle (ladies or men with small hands) and just under the first knuckle (men or ladies with big hands)
For 1 1/2 cups of rice, this is approximately 2 1/4 cups of water
Microwave on high for 10 minutes. Let rest covered for 3 minutes.
http://steamykitchen.com/22048-how-to-microwave-rice-recipe.html

Brown Rice in the Microwave

Source: steamykitchen.com

The technique for cooking brown rice in the microwave is a little different, as you have to take in consideration the extra layers of bran and germ to cook through.
You can use any type of brown rice - if you are using fat short-grained brown rice, add 3 minutes to the cooking time at the end. IMPORTANT - Use a tall, pot-like container and if the lid is not vented, do not close the lid completely tight. Leave a space for steam to vent out. Corningware-type with glass lid works well too.
1 cup brown basmati rice*
3 cups water - or broth
Wash rice, rinse, drain. Add rice and water to very large microwave safe bowl. Microwave uncovered at 100% power for 10 minutes. Reduce power to 50%, cover the bowl, and microwave another 20 minutes. Fluff with fork and serve.
* Rice can cook differently, especially the age of the rice. In areas where rice is a primary staple, you’ll often see “New Crop” on some packaging, meaning that the rice requires less water than older rice.

The last recipe I cooked this last week as part of my assignment in my Rouxbe cooking class. I will have to say that I liked the flavor of the sauce in the Chow Mein recipe better.

Chicken & Shiitake Stir-Fry

Source: Rouxbe

8 ounces chicken breast, sliced across the grain into 1/4” thick pieces
1 1/2 t. cornstarch
1/2 t. rice wine - (or dry sherry)
1/2 t. soy sauce
1/2 t. sesame oil
Place the chicken into a bowl and add the cornstarch, rice wine and soy sauce.
Stir to combine until the cornstarch has completely dissolved. Add the sesame oil and stir to evenly coat. Set aside.
1 c. carrots, peeled and sliced on the bias
1 c. onions, sliced
1 c. snap peas, trimmed
1 c. shiitake mushrooms, sliced 1/4” thick
1/2 c. green onions, thinly sliced on the bias
1 1/2 t. garlic - (about 2 cloves), minced
1 1/2 t. ginger - (about 1/2” -inch piece), mined
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp rice wine - (or dry sherry)
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 T sambal oelek
To prepare the sauce, mix oyster sauce, rice wine, soy sauce and sambal oelek together and set aside.
1 to 2 T. peanut oil
To stir-fry the dish, line the ingredients up in the proper cooking order. Heat a wok over high heat. Once hot, Stir-fry chicken - remove. Stir-fry the onions -- mushrooms -- carrots -- snap peas -- add garlic & ginger -- return chicken and juices to wok -- add sauce -- finish with green onions. Feel free to add a touch more oil during the stir-frying process, if needed. Serve immediately.

Oriental Recipes

Years ago I contacted a number of Culinary Schools in the US to see if by chance they had any kind of correspondence cooking classes. One lady sounded very insulted as she could not see how you could learn how to cook by a correspondence class. I had taken a photography course by correspondence and also an interior decorating class that way so I saw no reason why you couldn’t do the same with cooking especially now with the Internet.
I was so excited, when a few years later, I found Rouxbe. I signed up for a life-time membership. That was one of the best decisions I have made as now all the new classes they offer I can enroll in for at no additional cost. I love taking online courses as you can work on them whenever you can find a minute. With the online videos you feel like you are right in the kitchen with the instructor, you can download the recipes and print them out so you can follow along, you can rewind and go back over what they said and how to do it, you take tests (like a “real” class), and get graded.... then you can do it all over again!
Lately I have been taking a few classes through Craftsy. They have all kinds of online classes; anything from food to sewing. Their format is a little different than Rouxbe’s but very well done as well. The last classes I have taken through them were: Chinese Takeout Favorites and Asian Wrap & Roll and I just signed up for the Art of the Wok: Stir-Frying at Rouxbe.
This last weekend I had a couple of friends over and tried some of the skills I have recently learned and made a Chinese dinner and they said if they had to give the meal a grade it would be an A+.... so I guess the classes are paying off!;>)
The recipes I used came from a variety of places including ones that I already had. The recipe for the Chow Mein came from a cookbook that another friend had recently given me. When she gave me the cookbook she commented that I probably already had lots of cookbooks - but I told her that “you can never have too many cookbooks!”
When I find a recipe I really like I add it to “My Favorites” in my computer cookbook Shop’NCook; that way I can find it fast when I want a “reliable” recipe.
I do like to experiment with new recipes though - always have, always will. When I was married my husband asked me once if I ever made the same thing twice - and I answered, “Not if I can help it!” That is not really true as I do have my favorites, as I mentioned, but I love to learn new things - I guess that is why I became a Home Economics teacher.
One important thing to remember when cooking, especially stir-frying, is to have all of your ingredients measured and prepared ahead of time (mis en place). This is what takes the largest amount of time. I like to prepare the ingredients the day before so I can concentrate on the cooking the day I plan to serve the dish.

Crispy Chinese Egg Rolls

Source: Craftsy

1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 pound ground pork
10 fresh shiitake mushrooms - stems discarded
1/2 head napa cabbage - about 11 ounces
2 carrots
1 1/2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic - very finely minced
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
50 spring/egg roll skins - (about 2 packages), defrosted unopened at room temperature for 45 minutes or in the refrigerator overnight
1 tablespoon cornstarch - mixed with
1/4 cup cool water
Cooking oil - for frying
In a bowl, stir together the soy sauce and cornstarch until the cornstarch is dissolved. Add the pork and mix until it’s thoroughly combined with the soy sauce mixture. Let stand for at least 10 minutes.
In a food processor, pulse the shiitake mushrooms a few times until finely chopped. Using the shredder disk, shred the cabbage and carrots.
Heat a wok or large sauté pan over high heat. When the wok is hot, add 1 tablespoon of the cooking oil and swirl to coat. Add the pork and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes, or until browned. Scoop the pork onto a baking sheet.
Return the wok to the stove and reduce the heat to medium-high. Add the cabbage, carrots, and mushrooms. Stir-fry for 1 minute. Use a spatula to make some room in the center of the wok. Drizzle in the remaining 1 ½ teaspoons cooking oil.
Add the ginger and garlic and quickly stir-fry until fragrant, about 10 seconds, then combine evenly with the vegetables.
Add the rice wine, soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil. Return the cooked pork to the wok. Mix well and stir-fry for an additional minute.
Scoop out the filling onto the baking sheet and spread out to cool. Prop up one end of the sheet slightly to allow excess the moisture to drain to one end. Let cool for 15 minutes and then discard all the accumulated juices.
Now, you’re ready to wrap - IMPORTANT: Only use 1 heaping tablespoon filling for each egg roll. These are slender egg rolls; each should only be 1 inch in diameter. Keep the filled egg rolls in a neat, single layer and covered with plastic wrap to prevent drying. If you want to stack the egg rolls, make sure you have a sheet of parchment paper or plastic wrap between the layers to prevent sticking. Also keep the unused wrappers covered with plastic wrap to prevent drying. Refrigerate the filled egg rolls up to 4 hours until ready to fry. Alternatively, you can freeze them.
To fry the egg rolls, fill a wok or pot with 2 inches of high-heat cooking oil. Heat the oil to 350 F. Gently slide in or lower the egg rolls into the oil, frying 4 to 6 at a time, turning them occasionally until golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes. Place on wire rack to drain and cool.
Note: To fry frozen egg rolls, do not defrost them—just add to the oil frozen, frying 4 to 6 at a time. Increase the frying time by 1 1/2 minutes.

Peanut Dipping Sauce

Source: Craftsy Asian Warp & Roll - Jaden Hair

3 T. hoisin sauce
3 T. peanut butter or other nut butter such as almond
1/4 c. hot water
1 t. rice vinegar
1/2 t. Asian sesame oil
In a bowl, whisk together all the ingredients

Well, I have run out of room for this week so the other recipes will have to be in next week’s issue.

Random Recipes

The recipes for this week’s column are ones that have been made in the last couple of weeks and I feel are worth sharing.

On-the-Go Breakfast Muffins Recipe

Source: www.tasteofhome.com

1 pound bulk sausage - I use 1/2 lb. Van’s IGA sausage
5 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup 2% milk
1/2 cup canola oil
extra cheddar cheese - shredded
Preheat oven to 400°.
In a large nonstick skillet, cook sausage over medium heat 6-8 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking into crumbles. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Wipe skillet clean.
In a small bowl, whisk five eggs. Pour into same skillet; cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and no liquid egg remains. Remove from heat.
In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
In another bowl, whisk remaining eggs, milk and oil until blended. Add to flour mixture; stir just until moistened.
Fold in 2/3 cup cheese, sausage and scrambled eggs.
Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. (I use a 1/4 cup ice cream scoop and I found I liked my Demarle Silicone muffin pan the best) Sprinkle tops or each muffin with extra shredded cheese. Bake 13-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Serve warm.
Freeze option: Freeze cooled muffins in resealable plastic freezer bags. To use, microwave each muffin on high for 45-60 seconds or until heated through. Yield: 1-1/2 dozen.

The following recipe is one that my son cooked this last week and told me it was really good - and it must be good for you too, as it has a lot of veggies in it!

Rainbow Blossom’s Vegetable Soup

1 lg Onion - chopped
4 Celery ribs - chopped
2 T Vegetable oil
1 small head broccoli - cut into florets
1 small head cauliflower - cut into florets
3 lg Potatoes - cubed
2 lg Carrots - finely chopped
1 md Zucchini - diced
1 md Yellow squash - diced
28 oz Can tomatoes & juice - diced
1/2 c Frozen lima beans
1/2 c Frozen green beans
1/2 c Frozen corn
1/2 c Frozen peas
2 qt Water
1/4 c Season Salt
1/2 t Garlic flakes - or use the real stuff!
1 t Basil
1/4 t Thyme
1 t Cumin
1 t Chili powder
1/4 t Oregano
1 t Parsley flakes
1 T honey
3 T Tamari sauce
In a large kettle, saute onion and celery in oil until onions are translucent. Add broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes, carrots, zucchini, squash, tomatoes and juice, lima beans, green beans, corn, peas and water. (If you prefer a thinner soup, more water can be added.) Stir well.
Add seasoned salt, garlic, basil, thyme, cumin, chili powder, oregano, parsley flakes, honey and tamari or soy sauce. Simmer 1 hour or until vegetables are tender. Yield: 8 to 10 servings.

I always enjoy finding a good recipe that I can put in the crockpot. The following recipe I made at noon one day before I went to work at the museum here in Forsyth. It smelled so good when I walked in the house at dinner time! The only thing I would change the next time I make it is to use water instead of beef broth as I felt it had too strong a beef flavor. I also used “Clear-Jel” (Cook type) instead of the cornstarch because I planned on freezing the left-overs.

Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak

www.spendwithpennies.com

6 oz sliced mushrooms
1/2 onion - sliced
1 1/2 cups beef broth - (low sodium)
1 oz package brown gravy mix
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 teaspoon dijon
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
2 tablespoons corn starch
4 tablespoons water
Beef Patties:
1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup minced onion
1/3 cup Panko bread crumbs
3 tablespoons milk
1 clove garlic
salt
pepper to taste
Place mushrooms & onions in the bottom of your slow cooker. Combine beef patty ingredients and form 6 patties. Brown over medium high heat (about 3 minutes per side). Layer beef patties over mushrooms. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over beef. Cook on low 5 hours.
Once cooked, remove patties and set aside.
Turn slow cooker onto high. Combine cold water and cornstarch (Clear-Jel). Stir into the broth and let cook a few minutes until thickened. Add beef back into the sauce to coat. Serve over mashed potatoes or rice.

Teriyaki String Beans

Source: “Cooking with the Firehouse Chef” by Keith Young

2 T. butter
2 T. olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
10 oz. white mushrooms, sliced
2 lbs. fresh string beans, rinsed, topped, and tailed
Approximately 1/2 c. teriyaki sauce
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Bring 4 quarts water and 1 T. salt to a boil in a large pot. While the water is coming to the boil, heat the butter and olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat and, when the butter has melted, add the onion and saute until it is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute another 2 minutes, then add the mushrooms and continue to saute for another 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
While the mushrooms and onions are cooking, the water should have come to a boil. Add the string beans and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. The string beans should be bright green and still slightly crisp; they should not be limp and mushy. Drain the string beans through a colander and add them directly to the pan with the other ingredients along with the teriyaki sauce, salt, and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes on low heat and serve immediately.

Spiralizor Recipes

Back in March of this year I published a couple recipes using a Spiralizer. Since then I have seen numerous recipes using the Spiralizer and thought I would share a few more this week. The first recipe is one that I came up with after watching my son make “hash-browns” this summer, using the spiralizer. He made them in a pan on top of the stove so I thought I would try making them in the oven. After experimenting with a few different ways I came up with the following.

Spiralized Potatoes

Source: Carol Klinker

1 pound potatoes, cut using a spiralizer
1 1/2 tablespoon peanut oil
1 teaspoons honey
You can prepare potatoes a few days ahead and store them in the refrigerator, in a container filled with a combination of water and white vinegar to keep them from turning brown or becoming mushy when cooked. Use the following ratios:
1 T. white vinegar
2 cups water
When ready to cook place potatoes into plain HOT water for at least 20 minutes.
Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position, place baking sheet (I use my Pampered Chef Stoneware pan) on rack, and heat it with the oven to 475 degrees.
Drain potatoes and pat dry. I use my salad spinner to get most of the water off the potatoes and let them air-dry for a few minutes. Whisk together peanut oil and honey and toss with potatoes stir to combine well, making sure the potatoes are evenly coated. Sprinkle with desired seasoning. (I use Johnnie’s Seasoning Salt.)
Spread potatoes on prepared hot baking sheet, making sure you don’t over-crowd the pan. If you like, cut spirals into smaller lengths.
Bake for 20 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes and serve immediately.
A growing body of research suggests that eating grains — even in their whole forms — contributes to a variety of health problems ranging from digestive disorders (Celiac disease, “leaky gut” syndrome) to obesity and diabetes. Your vegetable slicer is a godsend for people with gluten-sensitivity because using it to make vegetable “spaghetti” makes it possible to enjoy (among other things) Italian food again.

Zoodle Casserole

Source: www.simplyrecipes.com

Spiralized zucchini noodles, baked in casserole with sausage tomato sauce, topped with ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan cheeses. Low carb and gluten-free!
If you would like to make the sauce vegetarian, you can use either eggplant or mushrooms (or both). If you use eggplant, cube the eggplant into 3/4-inch cubes, salt it and let it drain like the zucchini, squeezing out excess moisture. Then brown it in a tablespoon or two of olive oil in place of the sausage.
If using mushrooms, slice them into 1/4-inch slices and dry sauté them (no added fat, just put the mushrooms into the hot pan), until they have released most of their moisture, then add them to the tomato sauce.
3 pounds zucchini - (about 5 to 6 good sized zucchini, enough for 8 to 10 cups of salted zucchini noodles)
3 teaspoons kosher salt
1 Tbsp olive oil
8 ounces Italian sausage - (in bulk, out of casings)
1 1/2 cups diced onion
1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, minced - (about 1 Tbsp)
1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese - (about 8 ounces)
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Special equipment needed: A spiralizer for making zucchini noodles (I recommend the Paderno World Cuisine Spiral Vegetable Slicer)
Using a spiralizer, make zucchini noodles (zoodles) with the device, following manufacturer’s directions. You should have a generous 8 cups of zucchini noodles. Place in a colander over a bowl. Snip zucchini noodles with scissors here and there to keep them from tangling too much. Toss the zoodles with 3 teaspoons of salt. Let the zoodles drain of excess moisture while you make the sauce.
Coat the bottom of a large sauté pan with olive oil. Break up the Italian sausage into small clumps in the pan. Heat on medium heat and gently cook the sausage until it is just cooked through and lightly browned. Remove to a bowl. Discard all but 1 Tbsp of rendered fat.
In the same pan, add the chopped onion. Cook until softened and lightly colored, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook a minute more.
Add the canned tomatoes and cooked sausage to the pot with the onions. Bring to a simmer and lower the heat to maintain a low simmer. Cook for 5 to 6 additional minutes. Stir in chopped basil and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt.
While the sauce is simmering, use a clean dish towel (or several paper towels) to squeeze more moisture out of the zucchini noodles.
Add the zucchini noodles to the pot with the tomato sausage sauce. Gently stir to combine so that all of the noodles are coated with sauce. Transfer into an oiled 8x13 casserole dish and spread into an even layer.
Arrange the ricotta in clumps on the casserole. Press the ricotta into the zucchini noodles to penetrate the casserole a bit. Mix the grated mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese together and sprinkle over the top in an even layer. Bake at 350°F, uncovered, for 35 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned and bubbly. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Pasta Primavera Salad

This all-veggie variation on the carb-laden dish is high on eye-appeal and delivers
bonus nutrition in every bite. Use a combination of yellow and Italian squash for the pasta to make it even more colorful.
4 cups zucchini or yellow squash
SAUCE:
1 bell pepper (any color), diced
1 bunch green onions, chopped
6 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 large carrots, cut into “coins”
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
Dash black pepper
Spiralize the zucchini (or yellow squash) into nice veggie pasta.
Warm the pasta in a pot of boiling water while prepping the “sauce.” Combine chopped vegetables with the warm pasta.
Mix olive oil, vinegar, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Add black pepper to taste. Toss pasta to combine ingredients. Garnish with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

Random Recipes

Oven Fried Chicken

Recently I have been working on how to fry chicken in the oven so the inside is moist and the outside is crispy. The first step is to brine the chicken pieces at room temperature for about 1 hour in a buttermilk to cover.
Drain the chicken pieces on a wire rack.
Roll them in a combination of flour, salt, pepper and paprika.
Place them on a rack after you roll them in the flour combination.
Quickly dip them in buttermilk and then in the flour mixture again.
Place them on a rack and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes - this helps the breading to stick to the chicken.
Place a SMALL amount of Peanut oil in a cast-iron skillet (about 1/8-1/4”) and place in a cold oven. Preheat the oven and pan/oil to 450 degrees. After the oven has come up to temperature wait another 15 minutes to make sure the oil is good and hot.
Place chicken pieces in oil (don’t over crowd the pan) and return to oven.
Depending on the size of your chicken pieces cook for 15-20 minutes on one side.
Turn and cook another 10-15 minutes on the other side.
You want the outside to be crispy but the inside to be moist so don’t overcook them. You can use an instant read thermometer to see if the internal temperature is 170.
Remove chicken and place on a rack over some paper towels to drain.
I have even place the extra chicken (that has been breaded) in the refrigerator over-night and fried it in the oven the next day and it works great. I do let the chicken come to room temperature so the cold chicken doesn’t drop the temperature of the oil/pan and then cooked them as above.

Best Ever Tuna Salad Sandwich

Source: www.simplyrecipes.com

1 (5 or 6 ounce) can tuna fish - (drained, if packed in water, and add a teaspoon of good quality olive oil to the tuna)
1/3 cup cottage cheese
2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1 celery stalk - finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 Tbsp capers
1 Tbsp lemon juice
Pinch or two of dill
2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
lettuce - (optional)
tomatoes - sliced (optional)
Sliced bread - lightly toasted
Mix all of the ingredients. Serve on toast, either open faced, or in a regular sandwich with lettuce and tomatoes.

Malibu Drink

Source: raininghotcoupons.com

1 small can pineapple juice
1 ounce grenadine
1-2 ounces Malibu Pineapple Rum
1 Tablespoon Cherry juice
Mix all ingredients together and add two ice cubes or so depending on the size of your glass. Add in some pineapple chunks and cherries. Sip and enjoy!

Moscow Mule

Source: www.chow.com

2 oz Vodka
3 oz Ginger beer
Juice of half a lime
Garnish - Lime wheel
PREPARATION: Add all the ingredients to a Moscow Mule copper mug or highball glass filled with ice and garnish with a lime wheel.
Mobile Mule: Substitute 2 ounces light rum for the vodka.

Random Recipes

Rice Cooker Mac and Cheese

Source: http://www.food.com

This recipe came from the Wolfgang Puck rice cooker cookbook. I found this at food.com and tried it out with my rice cooker. I kept an eye on it as I wasn’t sure if it would shut itself off and it was a good thing I did, as I felt it would have overcooked if I wouldn’t have flipped it to “warm” myself. I then added the rest of the ingredients and again kept an eye on it. The flavor is excellent and I do like cooking it this way but intend to add a little more chicken broth the next time I make it as I felt it was a little dry. I also used Velvetta cheese instead of the cheddar, as that is what mom always used in her Mac and Cheese! I also substituted non-dairy creamers for the heavy cream.
1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni
1 1/2 cups chicken broth - or 1 1⁄2 cups water and a good-quality chicken bouillon cubes
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt - (to taste)
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Combine macaroni, broth and cream in Rice Cooker, press cook and stir occasionally.
When machine switches to keep warm, add remaining ingredients and stir thoroughly until all cheese is melted.
Press Cook again. The Rice Cooker will switch to keep warm after just a few minutes; this is the point where the cheese on the bottom turns that delicious brown. Serve.

My son gave me the following recipe. It is one of his favorites and it works well as an appetizer or served for lunch with a good crusty bread, like the Ciabatta that I published the recipe for last week.

Gazpacho

Source: Bob Klinker

Keeps, tightly covered, in the freezer up to 3 months.”
1 cucumber - peeled and diced
1 green bell pepper - diced
5 green onions - chopped
2 cloves garlic - minced
1 can tomatoes - diced
2 stalks celery - diced
2 cans navy beans - rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 (46 fluid ounce) can V8 tomato juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
1/2 tablespoon minced fresh oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 t. sugar - optional
In a 4-quart serving bowl or soup tureen, combine cucumber, bell pepper, green onion, garlic, tomatoes, celery, navy beans, olive oil, vinegar and tomato juice Season with cumin, parsley, basil, oregano and salt. Adjust spices and seasonings to taste. Chill in refrigerator at least 4 hours before serving cold.

The following recipe came from a friend of my son’s in Tenn. It would be good served for brunch or as a dessert for dinner. It is similar to the Norwegian Pancake recipe I have published in the past.

Rum Pancakes

Source: Brittany Veeneman

5 oz. plain flour
1 t. sugar
2 eggs
1 T. olive oil
1 T. rum
1/2 pint milk
oil for frying
grated chocolate - to decorate
For the filling:
1/2 pint double cream
2 T. rum
2 t. caster sugar
Sift the flour into a bowl and make a well in the centre. Stir in the sugar, eggs, olive oil and run. Blade thoroughly, drawing in the flour from the sides, until the mixture is smooth.
Gradually add the milk, a little at a time, beating well between each additional The batter should be smooth and the consistency of single cream. Add a little more milk if necessary and then leave to stand for 1 hour.
Brush a small omelette pan with a little oil and heat thoroughly. Pour in sufficient batter to cover the base of the pan thinly, tilting the pan until evenly covered. Cook until the underside of the batter is set and golden brown, and then flip the pancake over and cook the other side. Remove and keep warm. Cook the remaining pancakes in the same way.
Make the filling: Whip the cream until thick and gently stir in the rum and sugar. Spread the warm pancakes with the filling and roll up or fold over. Sprinkle with grated chocolate and serve the pancakes immediately.

Cheddar Bay Biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 cup unsalted butter - melted
1 cup buttermilk
8 oz cheddar cheese - shredded
1 tsp dried parsley
For Topping:
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp smoked paprika
Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, garlic powder, salt, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper and dried parsley.
In a medium bowl stir the buttermilk and melted butter together, you’ll notice the butter will form small clumps.
Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and mix gently with a spatula. Add cheese and mix until the cheese is well incorporated.
Drop heaping spoonfuls or use a ¼ cup measuring cup to scoop out dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Make sure to leave at least 1 in in between biscuits.
Brush with buttermilk then sprinkle with paprika and dried parsley.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Yield: 12 servings

Applebee’s Lemonade

1 quart water
1 cup sugar
1 cup fresh lemon juice
Sparkling water (not tonic water, like Perrier)
Mix first three ingredients together. Fill a tall glass 2/3 to 3/4 with lemon mixture then fill with sparkling water. An interesting variation is to puree some fruit (raspberries, strawberries, etc.) with a little superfine or powdered sugar and put that in the glass before adding the lemonade and water.

Artisan Bread

Artisan Bread

A few years ago a friend of mine shared a package of Ciabatta bread and ever since I have been on a quest for the perfect recipe to make my own at home. When she gave me the package I had an exchange student living with me from Brazil and he too found it some of the best bread he had eaten. At that time Ciabatta was not as popular as it is now and so I was only able to find one recipe, which I tried, but was not very good ;>(
Since then you can find all kind of recipes on the Internet and in books on how to make it along with many tips and how to make it easier or turn out better. I have tried almost all of them. I am finding that bread making is an art. It really takes times to get the “feel” of it and to work out a system so everything flows smoothly. I think I’m getting close to making a “perfect” loaf of Ciabatta. The following recipe is my favorite, at this point.

Basic Small Batch Poolish

Source: breadtechnique.com

Mix together in a 2 quart bowl to heavy pancake batter consistency:
2 1/2 cups (350 grams) bread flour
pinch of yeast (1/8 tsp or a little less)
14 ounces of good tasting water (400 ml)

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave on the counter overnight (8-12 hours). In 8-12 hours it will be double in bulk, bubbly and will resemble tapioca pudding.

Move the poolish to the refrigerator to store it there for up to two days. It can also be used right away, but you’ll sacrifice flavor. (makes about 750 grams)

Ciabatta

1 small batch poolish (750 grams), at room temperature (recipe above)
1 1/3 leveled cups bread flour (200 grams)
1 3/4 teaspoons Salt (11 grams)
1 Teaspoon instant yeast (3 grams)

Place the room temperature poolish in the mixer bowl. Add the last three ingredients.

Using the flat beater, mix the ingredients for 4-6 minutes starting on the lowest speed, mixing until the flour is moistened, then move to the next-to lowest speed to finish. Remove and clean the flat beater. The dough will be very sticky.

Insert dough hook. Using the knead speed, continue kneading for 2 - 3 minutes longer. The dough should stick to the bottom of the bowl and clear the sides. If it does not, adjust with small amounts of flour or water until it does.

Turn the dough onto a bed of flour about 10x12 inches and sprinkle the top with flour. Coat your hands with flour.

Pat and stretch the dough into a rectangle about 8 inches wide and 10 inches long. Rest the dough for a few minutes.

Stretch the long sides of the rectangle out until the dough is about double in length then fold it in from each end to the middle so that you have three layers of roughly equal size.

Spray the dough with cooking spray, cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for 20-30 minutes.

After the rest, the dough will enlarge slightly. Rotate the rested dough 90 degrees then stretch and fold it again as before, folding what was previously the edge layers visible in toward the middle. Handle gently to preserve the gas bubbles that have formed.

Spray the dough with cooking spray and cover with plastic wrap. Proof for 60-90 minutes until the dough doubles in bulk. As always, proofing times vary with kitchen temperature and the amount of yeast added.

When the dough has risen, prepare a couche or other cloth to receive the dough by dusting and rubbing it with flour.

Divide the dough in half using a dough scraper or slicing knife that has been dipped in water producing two squarish pieces.
One last fold is in order before placing the dough into the couche. The dough will be fragile. Gentle handling will preserve the most gas and produce the signature holes in the finished loaf.

Place the loaves on the couche gently stretching to elongate them as you move them. Space them apart about 8” - 10”.
Pull a ridge of cloth between the loaves, using the space you left between them, creating a wall of fabric. Bring the cloth on each end up to form another wall on the outside of each loaf.

Cover the tops of the dough with the ends of the couche, a towel or a large clean plastic bag to reduce drying.

Proof one final time for 60-90 minutes. As you begin the proof, place the baking stone in the oven and begin to preheat the oven to the highest available setting. (My oven is 550 F.)

Depending on your steam strategy, you should also put any needed equipment into the oven to pre-heat too. This may include a roaster pan, sheet pan, or other container of lava rocks.

When the loaves have proofed to nearly double in size, transfer them to a sheet of parchment paper about the same size as your baking stone. This is a delicate operation. Picking up the dough with anything that doesn’t support it’s entire length will likely deflate it.

A transfer board is ideal for this purpose. The board is floured and is placed next to the loaf.

The side of the couche is picked up and used to roll the dough onto its top. Moved the board and dough to the parchment paper roll the dough back onto its bottom resting on the paper. Repeat with the second loaf.

With the oven preheated use a peel or the back of a baking pan to move the dough to the baking stone. Get the steam going. As soon as the steam dies down (no visible vapor coming from the oven door) reduce the temperature to 425 º Fahrenheit.
At 5 minutes remove the parchment.

Bake 5 minutes more and rotate the loaves. The loaves will have begun to brown all over.

Another 8-10 minutes and the loaves should be finished baking, During this last baking period, you will have to watch closely. Resist the temptation to pull them out too soon, but don’t over-bake. The crust should be a deep redish brown in color.

Remove the loaves to a cooling rack and place a instant-read thermometer in the side of one of them. A temperature reading of 205-207 º Fahrenheit is ideal. If the loaf has not reached 205º, remove the thermometer and place both loaves back into the oven for a few minutes. Once the loaves are finished baking, leave the thermometer in the loaf so you’ll know when it has reached room temperature - then you can consume!

Dinner Recipes

Baked Chicken Parmesan

2 broiler fryers - (2 1/2 lb. each) or equivalent pounds in chicken breasts
2 1/4 c. bread crumbs
2/3 c. Parmesan cheese
3 tbsp. parsley
1 tsp. salt
3/4 c. butter
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire
1 sm. clove garlic
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Combine crumbs, cheese, parsley and salt. In saucepan, melt butter; beat in mustard, Worcestershire and garlic. Dip chicken in butter, then roll in crumbs. Pat in shallow pan. Bake 1 hour or until golden.

Crustless Crab Quiche

1/2 lb fresh mushrooms - thinly sliced
2 T. butter
4 eggs
1 c. dairy sour cream
1 c. small curd cottage cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 T. flour
1 t. onion powder
1/2 cup fresh chopped onions - alternative
1/4 t. salt
4 drops Tabasco sauce
2 cups shredded Jack cheese
1/2 lb fresh or frozen crab meat thawed and well drained - (imitation crab works really well also)
Preheat oven to 350°
In med skillet sauté mushrooms (& onions if using fresh) until tender. Remove and drain on paper towel. In blender blend eggs, sour cream, cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese flour, onion powder salt & Tabasco.
Place mushrooms, crab and Jack cheese in quiche dish and pour mixture from blender over the top. I stir this with a fork a little to get the liquid down through the mushrooms, crab etc.

Cranberry Salad

1 bag whole raw cranberries
2 raw apples
1 orange
1 small can crushed pineapple
Wash all fruit and sort cranberries. Put through food grinder along with apples and whole orange.
Add 1 c honey and pineapple. Stir well and let stand overnight. Keeps well.

Pepperoni Pizza Roll

1 tube refrigerated pizza dough - - spread out on a rectangular pan
1/4 lb. breakfast sausage - browned and broken
1/2 pkg. pepperoni slices
1 - 22 oz. jar Prego Traditional spaghetti sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
After pizza crust is spread on pan, drizzle about 2/3 cup sauce down the middle.
Add the sausage then the pepperoni.
Sprinkle cheddar cheese on first then the mozzarella cheese.
Bring dough up on each side,. overlapping and pinching shut, making a large roll. Can sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top of roll.
Bake at 375 for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let set 5 minutes before cutting. Make 1 inch slices.
Give each person a small dipping bowl for additional sauce.
***You can also add onions, green peppers, mushrooms, and other veggies if you know everyone will like them.

Mixed Vegetable Casserole

32 ounce pkg. Frozen mixed vegetables
1 can sliced water chestnuts
8 oz. Grated cheese
8 oz. Mayonnaise
Ritz Crackers
Melted butter
Slightly cook frozen vegetables in water, then drain well. Mix veggies, water chestnuts, cheese, and mayo. Put in casserole and smooth evenly. Crush Ritz Crackers, mix in melted butter, and spread over veggies. Bake 30 minutes at 350.

Taco Casserole

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 sm. onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 env. (1.5 oz.) taco sauce mix - OR 3 T. Southwest Seasoning Mix - Pampered Chef
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1 c. sour cream
1 c. cottage cheese
2 c. tortilla chips, crushed
2 c. grated Monterey Jack cheese
Brown beef in a saute pan and drain, remove from heat. Add next 4 ingredients to beef. Combine sour cream and cottage cheese in a separate bowl. Place 1/2 of crushed chips in the bottom of a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish. Add enough meat mixture to cover the chips, then cover meat with 1/2 of the sour cream mixture. Sprinkle with 1/2 grated cheese. Repeat layers. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

Coconut Shrimp

1 1/2 pounds large shrimp - peeled, deveined
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 tablespoon ground white pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup ice water
2 cups shredded coconut
1 quart vegetable oil for frying
1/2 cup orange marmalade
1/4 cup Dijon-style prepared mustard
1/4 cup honey
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
Peel, devein and wash shrimp. Dry well on paper towels.
Mix together flour, cornstarch, salt and white pepper. Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and the ice water. Stir to blend.
Pour the coconut into a shallow pan. Dip the shrimp one at a time into the batter, then roll the shrimp in the coconut. Once coated, place each shrimp into a frying pan of oil heated to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Fry the shrimp in the hot oil until lightly browned; about 4 minutes.
Bake the fried shrimp in a preheated 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) oven for 5 minutes.
Make the dipping sauce: combine marmalade, mustard, honey and hot sauce in a small bowl. Mix well. Serve the shrimp and dipping sauce side by side.

Chica Iced Tea

1 family-size or 4 regular iced tea bags
1 quart boiling water
4 limes - quartered
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup pomegranate juice
1 cup white rum
Ice, for serving
Place the tea bag(s) in an iced tea jar or large pitcher. Pour the boiling water over the tea bag and let steep for at least 5 minutes.
While tea steeps, muddle the limes and the sugar in a medium bowl, until the sugar dissolves and the lime releases its juice.
After steeping, remove tea bags from the jar. Carefully add the lime/sugar mixture using a large spoon. Stir well to combine. Add the pomegranate juice and chill for at least 1 hour.
Just before serving, add the rum and stir to incorporate. Serve over ice

Lunch Recipes

Baked Cheese Sandwich

8 slices homemade-style white bread - 3 to 4 inches square, crusts removed
1/4 pound thinly sliced cheese - (Muenster, provolone, fontina or Gruyere)
2 ounces prosciutto or boiled ham - thinly sliced, optional
3 large eggs
2 cups whole milk
12 teaspoon kosher salt
Lightly butter an 8-inch square baking dish and arrange 4 slices of the bread flat on the bottom. Cover each with equal amounts of cheese and ham, if desired. Top with the remaining bread.
Beat the eggs lightly in a small bowl and pour in the milk. Season with the salt and blend well. Pour over the sandwiches, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the sandwiches, uncovered, until lightly browned around the edges and set in the center, 40 to 45 minutes. Serve hot.

Bagel Club Sandwich

Source: Macheesmo.com

4 thick bagels - cut into thirds, toasted
1/2 cup cream cheese
2 tablespoons chives
1 tomato - sliced thin
4 leaves Romaine lettuce
8 ounces deli turkey or ham
4 eggs
4 slices provolone cheese
Olive oil
Salt
pepper
1) Carefully cut each bagel into three slices. Toast all slices lightly.
2) Stir minced chives into cream cheese and season with salt and pepper.
3) Slice tomatoes and rinse and dry lettuce.
4) For eggs, whisk each egg separately. In a small skillet or on a griddle heated over medium heat, add a drizzle of olive oil. Add eggs and cook for a minute or two until they are almost set.
5) Flip egg carefully and try to gently shape the egg into roughly a shape that will fit on a bagel. Add a slice of provolone to each egg and let melt for a minute or so. Reduce heat to low so the eggs don’t overcook.
6) Build sandwiches by smearing some of the cream cheese on the bottom slice. Top with lettuce, tomato, and a few turkey slices. Add middle of bagel and smear on more cream cheese. Then top with cooked egg and cheese and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
Cover bagel with top and cut in half for easier eating!

Eggplant Sub

2 eggs
1 c. dry bread crumbs
1 med. eggplant - peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
4 (10 inch) submarine sandwich buns - split
Leaf lettuce
1 jar (7-1/4 ounces) roasted red peppers - drained and sliced
8 slices mozzarella cheese
2 med. tomatoes - thickly sliced
1 can (2-1/4 ounces) chopped ripe olives, drained
Italian or vinaigrette salad dressing
In a shallow bowl, beat the eggs. Place the bread crumbs in another bowl. Dip eggplant slices into egg, then coat with crumbs. Place on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until crispy. Cool. On the bottom of each bun, layer lettuce, eggplant, red peppers, cheese, tomatoes, and olives. Sprinkle with salad dressing; replace bun tops.

Cheese Steak Sandwich

1 pound rib eye steak, frozen - then cut very thin
1 onion
mushrooms
Provolone Cheese or Cheese Whiz
loaf of French bread
Meat: Make friends with your butcher. You need him to partially freeze a hunk of Rib Eye, and then slice it very thin. You want it sliced thin even though common sense tells us that thick is better. You can buy the hunk of rib eye and freeze and slice it yourself, but the butcher generally does a better job than I do. I can only get it about 1/8” thick and he does less
If you can’t get AMOROSOS rolls (the only thing that is REALLY good on a cheesesteak) then you have to find a substitute, like a loaf of French bread. Squishy sub rolls will NOT do. They do not hold together under pressure. Refrain from buying those “hero” rolls too. A good hoagie roll is almost rubbery in texture, but quite soft.
Toppings: All of this is personal choice. I like fried onions and mushrooms myself. Cheeses used vary - I hate to admit it but I think cheese whiz tastes the best. Provolone is awesome too. Cooking the steak: In a cast iron frying pan, or a grill pan heat some oil. Saute toppings until pliable - make them however you like them. Remove them from pan and set aside. Pour some more oil in the pan on medium high heat. Place 1/4 to 1/3 of a pound of meat in the pan, lying the pieces flat and overlapping to form a shape that will fit nicely in a bread you have chosen. When the meat turns gray with doneness, flip it over and if you are using cheese slices now is the time to lie them on top of the meat. Add the other toppings back into the pan next to the meat and allow to reheat. Cover the pan to allow the cheese to melt. This should take 1-2 minutes. If the meat looks overcooked, that’s OK - it should be GRAY.
This is the time to toast the bread if you so wish. Warmed is OK. If you are using cheese whiz, warm it in the microwave. Pick up meat and melted cheese with a spatula and deposit on the roll. If using cheese whiz, use a butter knife or chopstick to smear whiz next to the meat.
Push the meat on one side of the roll and deposit the toppings next to it. This is important because if you put the toppings ON the meat, they will not be in the bottom of the sandwich. You should get meat, toppings and cheese in every bite.

Crusty Italian Bread

Source: cooklikeyourgrandmother.com

4 package (10 teaspoons) active dry yeast
5 cup warm water - (105-115°)
12 cup bread flour or all-purpose flour
2 tbsp + 2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp + 1 tsp salt
1/4 cup olive oil
cornmeal for dusting
Combine yeast, water, 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1 cup of flour in mixing bowl. Allow to rest for
10 minutes until the yeast starts bubbling and giving off a “yeasty” smell.
Add the remaining flour, sugar and salt and mix until the flour is incorporated. Add the olive oil and knead for 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and satiny.
Place the dough in an oiled bowl, coating the dough all around with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a wet tea towel and place in a warm spot until the dough has doubled in volume -- 45 minutes to an hour or more, depending on temperature.
Punch down the dough, roll into desired loaf shape, cover with plastic again and allow to rise until doubled in volume.
Place a bowl of water in the stove and pre-heat to 425°. Turn down to 400 when you put the bread in. Bake 20-30 minutes, depending on shape of loaves. Bread is finished when it makes a hollow sound when you thump on the bottom with your thumb.

Breakfast Recipes

Cinnamon Roll Souffle

Servings: 8

12 dinner rolls (can be old and stale)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
8 ounces low fat cream cheese cubed
12 eggs
3 cups fat free half and half
4 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar
4 ounces softened cream cheese
1. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Break rolls into pieces and place half of them in baking dish.
3. Mix together brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle half over the rolls.
4. Top with half of the cream cheese cubes.
5. Repeat layers of rolls, sugar and cream cheese.
6. Whisk together eggs, half and half, 2 tablespoons maple syrup and vanilla. Pour over rolls. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 55 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.
8. Beat together powdered sugar, softened cream cheese and remaining maple syrup until smooth. Drizzle over souffle.

Breakfast Bars

1/2 cup softened butter
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup molasses
Cream butter, sugar, eggs, and molasses.
1 3/4 cups flour - (try whole wheat or multi-grain)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Mix dry ingredients and add to sugar mixture.
2 cups oatmeal
3/4 cup chopped nuts
1 cup chocolate chips and - or coconut
1 cup raisins - dried cranberries, dates, chopped apricots, etc
Fold in oatmeal, nuts, and dried fruits,
Mix well and press into a grease 9 X 13 pan.
Bake at 400 degrees for 12 - 15 minutes
Makes 16-24 bars that can be eaten on the go if necessary.

Amaretto French Toast

6 tablespoons amaretto
4 eggs - well beaten
1/2 cup milk
12 slices french bread
amaretto butter - see recipe
amaretto syrup - see recipe
In shallow bowl mix all ingredients except bread. Soak bread in mixture. In large skillet, melt some butter. Drain bread. Cook in butter until both sides are golden brown. Serve immediately with Amaretto butter and Amaretto Syrup. NOTE: For a change, try Irish Cream instead of Amaretto.

Amaretto Butter

2 tablespoons amaretto
1/2 cup butter or margarine - soften
Combine butter and amaretto.

Amaretto Syrup

1/4 cup amaretto
1 cup maple syrup
In small saucepan, combine amaretto and syrup. Heat to boiling. Allow to cool before serving.

Apple-Filled Crepes with Caramel Sauce

5 large apples - (about 2 1/2 lbs) like Golden Delicious
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 crepes - recipe follows
Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream
1. Peel core, and cut the apples into 1/2 inch pieces.
2. Set a large, heavy skillet over medium heat and melt the butter.
3. Add the apples and sprinkle the sugar and brown sugar over them.
4. Cook, covered, over medium-high heat, until the apples begin to soften, about 8 minutes.
5. Uncover and continue to cook, stirring, until the apples are soft, 10 to 12 minutes.(The mixture will be boiling)
6. Sift in the vanilla and salt.
7. Set aside to cool.
To Assemble the Crepes:
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and butter a large baking dish. Arrange the crepes flat on a large work surface. Using a slotted spoon, remove the apples from the sauce and divide them among the crepes, spreading them over the surface of each crepe. Fold each crepe to make a half moon and then fold in half again to create a thick triangle. Arrange the crepes in the baking dish, overlapping them.
Bring the remaining sauce back to a boil. Add 1/2 cup cream and whisk until the boiling mixture has thickened and darkened again to brown. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon sauce over each crepe (if there’s extra sauce, reserve it to serve at the table). Bake the crepes until the filling is very hot, about 15 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Crepes

3/4 cup water
3/4 cup milk
3 Eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups flour
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
In blender container combine all ingredients and blend on high speed for 1 minute.
Refrigerate mixture 2 hours.
Place 6” skillet over medium heat. Brush bottom and sides of skillet with melted butter or margarine.
Pour in 2 Tbsp. batter; tip pan to coat bottom with batter.
Cook until top is set and bottom is lightly browned.
With spatula, turn crepe and cook other side 1 minute.
Repeat procedure until all batter is used.

Gluten Free Crepes

1 egg
1 egg white
2 T. water
1 t. vanilla
1/2 cup tapioca flour
Beat egg and egg white with fork. Beat in water, vanilla and tapioca flour. Batter will appear very liquid. Let sit for 5 minutes.
Cook over medium high heat on a crepe pan or low-sided skillet brushed with oil (should be just hot enough that a drop of water sizzles and jumps across the pan). Grasping the pan by the handle pour batter (about 1/3 cup) on pan and quickly tilt all directions, swirling the batter to form a very thin round layer of batter.
Cook until the batter loses its wet look and the edges start to brown a bit. Carefully turn with a spatula and brown the other side for a few moments. Remove and stack on a plate and keep warm until ready to fill and roll with a sauce.

Misc. Recipes

Here are some miscellaneous recipes that I have tried lately and enjoyed.

Single Serving Of Rice

Source: Zagleft.com

Quick and easy way to bake a single serving of rice in your toaster oven. Perfectly cooked rice every time!
1/4 cup long grain rice
3/4 cup boiling water
1/4 tablespoon butter
pinch salt
Preheat toaster oven to 375 degrees F.
Pour the rice in an oven safe ramekin. Add the water, butter and salt.
Cover ramekin with aluminum foil and place on toaster oven baking sheet.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until water is absorbed and rice is tender.
Editor’s Note: Uncle Ben also have five different flavors of rice served in a “cup.” I have not tried them but I know someone that has and thought they were really good.

Bakery Style Blueberry Muffins

Source: MySweetMission.net

2 cups flour - unbleached or all-purpose
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter - softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs - room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
2 1/4 cups fresh blueberries - (1 pint)
3 - 4 tablespoons granulated sugar - (for the tops)
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 12 muffin tin with cupcake papers. Spray with non-stick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, place the flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk together and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl beat the butter and sugar until light and creamy, approximately 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and beat until blended again.
With a spoon, stir in half of the flour, then half of the milk. Repeat, stirring with each addition just until blended.
Gently fold in the blueberries, being careful not to over mix.
Using a large (3 ounce) cookie scooper place the batter into the prepared muffin tin and cupcake liners. Then, generously sprinkle with sugar.
Place in a preheated 375 degrees F oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the tops are light golden brown and a little firm to the touch.
Let the muffins cool in the tin a few minutes before removing them to a cooling rack.
Notes:
Set aside 1/3 cup blueberries before adding them to the batter. This will insure the last muffin is full of blueberry goodness too.
Check the muffins at 25 minutes because oven temperatures vary and you don’t want to over bake them.
If the muffins stick to the tin, run a knife under the tops and gently remove.

Beer-Braised Hot Dogs with Braised Sauerkraut

Source: www.bonappetit.com

The combination of sauerkraut, sausages, and mustard is well loved in Germany—and beyond
Servings: Makes 6
SAUERKRAUT:
3 cups refrigerated sauerkraut - rinsed, drained
1/2 cup dark beer - (such as porter)
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
HOT DOGS:
1 12-ounce bottle Belgian kriek - (cherry) or raspberry lambic beer
2 tablespoons sugar
6 all-beef hot dogs
6 grilled hot dog buns
Mustard
Simmer sauerkraut, beer, and sugar in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes. Season with pepper.
Bring beer and sugar to simmer in medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add hot dogs; simmer until dogs plump and beer syrup coats lightly, about 8 minutes. Transfer dogs to grill; reserve syrup. Top each bun with grilled hot dog and sauerkraut; drizzle with reserved beer syrup. Serve with mustard.
Editor’s Note: I used a dark beer for both the sauerkraut and the hotdogs and I felt it turned out fine.

Chicken Tagine

Source: Recipe courtesy of Melissa d’Arabian - 10 Dollar Dinners

Yield: 4 servings

2 pounds chicken thighs and drumsticks
Kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion - chopped
1 tablespoon fresh ginger - minced
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
3 cloves garlic - pressed
1/4 cup wine
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 Lemon Confit - chopped, recipe follows
1/2 cup gently crushed briny olives
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
Couscous - for serving
Pat the chicken dry, and season well with salt and pepper.
Heat the butter and olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, and brown the chicken on all sides. Add the onion, ginger, turmeric, and cook until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and add the garlic and stir for a minute. Increase heat and deglaze with wine, stirring, and allowing it to bubble. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, and cover and simmer gently for 45 minutes, then remove the chicken and set aside.
To the sauce, add the lemon, olives, parsley, and cilantro and then return the chicken to the pot. Heat for 5 more minutes and serve over couscous.

Lemon Confit:

3 organic lemons - skin scrubbed well
Kosher salt
4 peppercorns
1/2 lemon - juiced
Place the lemons, 2 to 3 tablespoons salt, peppercorns, and lemon juice in a quart jar and cover with water. Store chilled for 3 weeks.

Southern Sweet Iced Tea

6 small sized tea bags
1/4 t. baking soda
1 1/2 cups sugar
Bring 3-4 cups of water to a boil. Add a pinch of baking soda to the water and add tea bags. Remove from heat and cover. Allow to sit for at least 12 minutes. Pour into gallon pitcher and add sugar. Then fill with cold water. Refrigerate.

Misc. Recipes

This last week my son and grandson have been here for a visit and my son loves to cook as much as I do, so we have been trying out some new recipes. The following are a few we have tried - so far!

Orange-Baked Sweet Potatoes

Source: Hamlyn Essential Caribbean Step-by-step recipes with style

4-5 sweet potatoes
5 large oranges
4 T. cream
1 oz. butter
1 T. sugar
1 T. dark rum
salt
freshly grated black pepper
pinch ground cinnamon
Wash the potatoes and place in a saucepan of lightly salted water. Bring to the boil and then continue boiling for about 30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Drain and peel them, and then set aside.
Slice the tops off 4 of the oranges and scoop out the flesh without braking the shells. Cut the peel from the tops into thin strips for the garnish. Squeeze the juice form the pulp and grate the rind from the fifth orange.
Put the peeled sweet potatoes in a bowl and mash thoroughly. Add the cream, butter, sugar and rum and mix well together, beating until blended. Add 4 tablespoons of the squeezed orange juice and the grated rind. Season with salt and pepper and the cinnamon.
Spoon the mashed potato mixture into the 4 orange shells. Place on a baking tray and bake in a preheated oven at 350 F. for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown on top. Garnish with the reserved strips of orange peel and serve.

Rice and Peas (Beans)

Source: Hamlyn Essential Caribbean Step-by-step recipes with style

8 oz. dried red kidney beans
1 pint coconut milk
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 spring onions - finely chopped
1 fresh green chili - seeded and finely chopped
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 lb. long-grain rice
Put the dried red kidney beans in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Leave to soak overnight. The following day, rinse the kidney beans and drain well.
Put the kidney beans in a large saucepan and add 1 1/2 pints boiling water. Cook for about 30 minutes, until the kidney beans are almost tender. Add the coconut milk, thyme, spring onions & chili to the saucepan. Season with salt and pepper and bring back to boiling point. Boil rapidly for 5 minutes.
Add the rice and stir well. Cover and simmer gently over very low heat until the rice is tender and all the liquid has been absorbed. This will take about 20-25 minutes. If there is any remaining liquid, drain the rice and “peas” (kidney beans). Transfer to a serving dish and serve hot.

Chicken Curry

Source: Hamlyn Essential Caribbean Step-by-step recipes with style

5 T. peanut oil
4 lb. chicken - cut into serving pieces
1 onion - finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 T. curry powder
8 oz. aubergine - peeled and cubed
1 christophene - peeled and cubed
1 unripe green papaya - peeled and sliced
2 tomatoes - skinned and chopped
1/2 c. chicken stock
1/2 c. coconut milk
2 T. lime juice
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 T. rum
Heat the oil in a heavy frying pan and add the chicken pieces. Fry over moderate heat until golden brown all over, turning several times to cook both sides. Remove from the pan and place in a flameproof casserole dish.
Add the onions, garlic and chili to the frying pan and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until the onions are softened and golden, about 5 minutes.
Add the curry powder to the onion mixture and stir well. Continue cooking for 3 minutes, stirring. Add the aubergine, christophene, papaya (we didn’t use these three things) and tomatoes, and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Put the curried mixture into the casserole with the chicken and add the chicken stock and coconut milk. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked and the vegetables are tender. Stir in the lime juice, seasoning and rum.

Lemon Trout Almondine

6 tablespoons flour
4 trout fillets (fresh from the Big Horn!)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon butter
6 tablespoons sliced almonds
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Sprinkle trout with salt and pepper. Dust the fish filets in the flour.
Heat the olive oil and butter on medium high heat. Add fish filets and cook until light brown on both sides.
Remove from pan and cover to keep warm. Return pan to heat and add 1 T butter.
Add the almonds and saute, then add the fresh lemon juice. Heat it through, then spoon over the fish filets. Serve with additional lemon wedges.

Corn on the Cob

8 ears corn - husks and silks removed and cut in half (if desired)
1 cup milk
1 stick butter
Fill a large pot about halfway with water. Bring water to a boil.
Add milk and butter. Add corn and reduce heat. Simmer corn for 6 to 8 minutes Remove corn from cooking liquid and its ready to eat - maybe add a little salt and pepper.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

2 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp + 2 tsp vegetable oil - divided
2 medium onion - sliced
4 cup snow peas - fresh or frozen
2 medium red bell pepper - cut into cubes
2 (20 ounce) can pineapple chunk - in juice (1 cup juice, reserved)
1 cup ketchup
1 cup brown sugar - packed
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tbsp + 1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp ground ginger root
2 tsp garlic - minced
2 tsp cornstarch
Cut chicken breasts into cubes. In a large non-stick skillet, heat oil. Add onion and stir-fry until lightly brown. Add 4 cups snow peas and red pepper stir-fry until crisp-tender. Remove from pan and set aside. Add remaining oil to skillet. Add chicken and stir-fry until chicken is no longer pink when cut with a knife and juices run clear. Drain pineapple reserving 1 cup juice. Combine reserved pineapple juice, ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and cornstarch. Add to chicken and cook until mixture thickens. Return vegetables to pan add pineapple chunks and stir-fry 2 minutes.