Gouda Stuffed Chicken

Butterfly chicken breast. Open, and pound flat until uniform thickness. Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper. Fill breasts with garlic, broccoli, and Gouda cheese. Pin chicken shut with toothpicks. Brown both sides of stuffed chicken in a skillet, then transfer to an oven and bake at 350* until center is 165*.

Pork Chops

Sliced pork tenderloin wrapped in bacon, brushed with 1/4 C. brown mustard, 1 Tb. brown sugar, 1 Tb. garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Heat 1 Tb. oil in cast iron, sear all three outer edges of slices. Bake at 350* until pork reaches 150*.

Brie Stuffed Chicken

2 lbs chicken breasts
1/4 lb brie cheese
2 Tb. dijon or brown mustard
fresh thyme
salt and pepper to taste

Filet chicken breasts open, pound to uniform thickness. Sprinkle breasts with salt and pepper. Brush with mustard, sprinkle with thyme, and then a piece of cheese for each. Pin shut with toothpicks. Heat skillet with oil, brown chicken on both sides. Transfer to baking safe dish and cook for 20 minutes or until done. If you try to cook these on stove top, the cheese leaks out and burns to the pan before the center is done cooking. Also, mustard is a little salty, so don't go overboard.

Grape Jelly

Cook down grapes until you have four cups of juice. Boil juice with 7 cups sugar and 1 envelope of liquid pectin.

Pumpkin Custard

2 eggs
1 can unsweetened coconut milk (14.5 oz)
3/4 C. pumpkin puree
1/4 C. non nutritive sweetener
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. xanthan gum
1 tsp. vanilla

Have cracked eggs ready in a bowl, and set aside where it will be within reach. In 2qt. sauce pan, using a whisk, combine milk, sugar, pumpkin, and xantham gum over medium heat on stove top. Allow get get warm, but not boil. Whisk occasionally to prevent scalding on bottom of pan. Remove milk mixture from heat, preferably to a burner that's turned off. Mix about 2 tablespoons of hot milk mixture into eggs using whisk, then introduce eggs into milk mixture in a slow stream, whisking milk mixture constantly. Immediately return pan to heat and whisk gently until custard thickens, another two or three minutes. Do not allow to boil. (If you find that you have egg white strands in custard, feel free to pass it through a fine-mesh sieve into a different bowl now.) Remove pan from heat and stir in vanilla.

Makes 5 servings: 144 calories, 7 carbs, 2 sugar, 3 fiber each.

Pork Tenderloin

2 Tb butter 1 small onion, finely chopped (1/3 cup)
2 clovea garlic, finely chopped
1 cup (4 oz) crumbled blue cheese
3 Tb coarsely chopped dried cherries 
3 Tb chopped pecans
2 teaspoons chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
2 lb  pork tenderloin


 Adjust oven rack to middle position. Heat oven to 400°F.   In 8-inch skillet, heat butter over medium heat until melted. Add onion and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Remove from heat and cool about 5 minutes. In medium bowl, stir cheese vigorously with spoon. Stir in cooled onion mixture, cherries, pecans and thyme; set aside.   Place tenderloin on work surface with short side facing you. Use knife to slit in half lengthwise without going all the way through. Open pork like a book. Spread the cheese mixture in center pork. Close up pork and tie with kitchen twine to secure. I decorated my tenderloin with two strips of bacon and a sprig of rosemary. Season outside with salt and pepper.  Bake in heatproof dish for 40 minutes or until thermometer reads 155*F.

Beer Can Chicken

ground black pepper
BBQ seasoning (Penzey's)
1 (24 ounce) can light-flavored beer (such as Budweiser)
1 (5 pound) whole chicken

Preheat oven to 350* F. Rinse chicken under cold running water. Discard giblets and neck from chicken; drain and pat dry. Rub chicken with seasoning. Get under the skin, too.  Remove the top of the beer can with a can opener.  Pour 12 ounces of beer in your baking dish.  Fit whole chicken, legs to the bottom, over the open beer can.  Bake the chicken about an hour. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 180 degrees F (82 degrees C). Remove the chicken from the oven and discard the beer can. Cover the chicken with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil, and allow to rest in a warm area for 10 minutes before slicing.

Chocolate Ice Cream

Makes about 1 quart
2 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons Hershey's natural cocoa powder
 4 ounces bar Nestle toll house chocolatier dessert baking bar 53% cacao
1 cup whole milk
¾ cup granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
5 large egg yolks
½ teaspoon vanilla extract


1. Warm about half the cream with the cocoa powder in a medium saucepan, whisking to thoroughly blend the cocoa. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer at a very low boil for 30 seconds, whisking constantly. Remove from the heat and add the chopped chocolate, stirring until smooth. Then stir in the remaining 1 cup cream. Pour the mixture into a large bowl, scraping the saucepan as thoroughly as possible, and set a mesh strainer on top of the bowl.
2. Warm the milk, sugar, and salt in the same saucepan. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolk. (Temper the eggs) Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
3. Stir the mixture constantly over the medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula (170°F on an instant-read thermometer). It should reach this temperature just before boiling.  If you let it boil you wind up with scrambled egg sauce.  Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the chocolate mixture until smooth, then stir in the vanilla. Stir until cool over an ice bath.
4. Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions

Shrimp Pasta

Still had half a bag of frozen shrimp from the seafood sale two weeks ago, and I thought they sounded good.  I sauteed them in 2 Tbs. butter with pepper, lemon pepper, garlic, and lemon juice until they were cooked.  I then added asparagus (on sale for .99/lb this week) and steamed if for 5 minutes. I used about 3 Tbs. of heavy cream to form a bit of a sauce for the spaghetti and topped the dish with cherry tomatoes and Parmesan cheese.  It was delightful! Everyone has been so jealous of my 'leftovers' lately.

Manicotti

1 10-ounce package frozen spinach, defrosted and well drained
1 small tub ricotta cheese
1 same size tub cottage cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

To assemble the manicotti, pour spaghetti sauce in your baking dish. Fill your boiled and cooled manicotti noodles with a pastry bag. Make sure the filling is evenly distributed. Top noodles with the remaining marinara sauce, then sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella over the top. Bake 350*

Tamales

Step 1: Make the filling.
Step 2: Prepare the masa dough according to package directions.
Step 3: Spread dough on corn husk with a Tbs. of filling. Fold the tamale.
Step 4. Steam them for about an hour.

Lamb Tortellini

Frozen, ready made tortellini
leftover cubes of meat (Laaaaaamb)
cut broccoli
sliced mushrooms (whatever you had in the fridge)
butter, pepper, garlic
fresh Parmesan cheese

Boil noodles (takes 5 minutes or so). Meanwhile re-heat the meat under the broiler for 7 minutes or until it smells done. Meanwhile, saute your vegetables in a skillet with butter and garlic. Assemble your dinner. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and fresh pepper. It smells like it took you all day to make it.

Pecan Walnut Brittle

How To: Corned Beef

Ingredients:

10 cups water
1 1/2 cups kosher salt
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons dry mustard
3 tablespoons pickling spices
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 fresh beef brisket, 7 to 9 pounds

Preparation:

Combine water, salt, sugar, mustard, spices, and 3 cloves minced garlic in an 8-quart nonreactive stock pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. When liquids have cooled, trim the corned beef of excess fat and put into the liquid. You may need to transfer the liquids and corned beef to a larger container or bowl. If necessary, add more cold water to cover the beef. Cover the pan and refrigerate for 5 to 7 days in the refrigerator. Take out once a day to stir lightly, and turn the beef as needed.

On the 6th or 7th day, remove the beef from the brine and rinse well with cold water. Place in a large (8-quart or larger) pot. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil; skim off any scum which develops on the surface. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer for 2 1/2 hours.

Sourdough Bread

Makes 1 pan sized, or 2 small round loaves

3/4 C. warm water (95-105*f)
3/4 teaspoon fresh yeast
1 1/2 C. sourdough starter
1 1/2 C. all-purpose flour ----> or about 4 cups of all purpose flour
1 1/4 C. whole wheat flour---->
1 tablespoon salt

Combine the warm water and fresh yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir to dissolve the yeast fully. Add the sourdough starter, flours and salt. Mix on low speed until the dough is fully developed. Remove the dough from the mixing bowl. Roll the dough unto a smooth ball, and place in a medium mixing bowl lightly brushed with olive oil. Cover and refrigerate for 16 hours. Remove the bowl from the refrigerator and ferment at room temperature for 6 hours.

Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces and form into loaves. Place the loaves on the counter or in a proofing basket and cover with a warm damp cloth. Proof the loaves at room temperature for 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 400*F. Continue proofing the loaves at room temperature for 1 hour.

Score the loaves with a sharp knife, (allows steam to escape and make a pattern on top of the bread) spray with water, (makes the shiny hard crust) and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the crusts are a deep golden brown. Remove the bread from the oven and place on a cooling rack for 30 minutes. If the bread was baked in loaf pans, remove the bread from the pans before cooling.

Advanced Bread Making

Sourdough Starter

Stage 1

1 C. warm water (95-105*F)
1/2 teaspoon fresh yeast
1 C. buttermilk
1 1/2 C/ plain yogurt (two little cups)
2 C. all-purpose flour
1/3 C. semolina flour
1 C. unwashed medium red grapes

Combine the warm water and fresh yeast in a medium mixing bowl. Stir to dissolve the yeast fully. Add the buttermilk, plain yogurt, all purpose flour and semolina flour to the bowl and stir until the ingredients are fully incorporated. Wrap the unwashed red grapes securely in a clean cheesecloth or small kitchen cloth and submerge the cloth in the mixture. Ferment at room temperature for 12 hours.

Stage 2

All stage 1 starter
2 C. all purpose flour
1 C. semolina flour
1/2 teaspoon yeast
2 C. warm water

Carefully remove the cloth with the grapes from the mixture, using a spatula to scrape any remaining starter off the cloth and back into the bowl. Squeeze the cloth containing the gapes over the bowl, capturing the juice in the bowl. Discard the cloth and the grapes, and stir the starter until the grape juice is fully incorporated. Add the all purpose flour ad the semolina flour to the starter. In a separate bowl (2c measuring cup) add the yeast to the warm water, stirring until the yeast if fully dissolved, then add this mixture to the starter. Mix the starter until all the ingredients are fully incorporated. Ferment at room temperature for 4 hours before using, or cover and place in refrigerator for future use.

Oh, and this makes enough starter to use for 4 bathes (8 loaves), so you might want to share with some people.

Cast Iron / Hot Pot Holders

Hot pot handles can be a problem, especially when you use cast iron. I made these cute little handle covers so I can use the pan handle and not worry about where I put my hot mitt. Plus, they are small and washable~

Use scrap fabric or whatever you have laying about. Also you may want rick-rack for the loop on top. Finished piece measures 6x3 inches and fits over your skillet handle.

If using cotton or flannel material cut piece 12x14 inches. If using denim (thick materials) cut 12x7 inches. If you would like to quilt the handles with batting, cut batting 12x7 inches.

A. Cotton
1. Fold material in half (wrong sides facing) so it measures 12x7 inches. If you want to add batting sandwich it between layers.
2. Quilt
3. Fold piece in half so it measures 12x3.5. Allow quarter inch seam allowance, sew down the long side of the mitt.
4. Add the loop. Using about two inches of material, form a loop and tack it to the very center of one of the open ends of the tube. The loop will be facing the bottom the the work, the end of the loop is facing the open end you are working on
5. Form a point. Measure one inch down from where the loop is and draw a line. Form a point by sewing diagonally from where the line meets the edge to the top center of your work. Each side.
6. Turn right side out. The loop should be sticking straight up. No seam edges are visible.
7. Sew bottom together. Stitch the open end of the tube shut.
8. This doesnt look right, does it? It is. You need to shove the bottom up into the body of the hot pot. Use your hands or a pair of scissors (be careful).
9. Now it is a doubled up tube that will easily pit on the handle of you
skillet! Enjoy :D

B. Denim
1. Fold piece in half so it measures 12x3.5. Allow quarter inch seam allowance, sew down the long side of the mitt.
2. Add the loop. Using about two inches of material, form a loop and tack it to the very center of one of the open ends of the tube. The loop will be facing the bottom the the work, the end of the loop is facing the open end you are working on
3. Form a point. Measure one inch down from where the loop is and draw a line. Form a point by sewing diagonally from where the line meets the edge to the top center of your work. Each side.
4. Turn right side out. The loop should be sticking straight up. No seam edges are visible.
5. Sew bottom together. Stitch the open end of the tube shut.
6. You need to shove the bottom up into the body of the hot pot. Use your hands or a pair of scissors (be careful).
7. Now it is a doubled up tube that will easily pit on the handle of you
skillet! Enjoy :D