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. Print this post