Thursday, May 26, 2011

Cooking : Beezie's Black Bean Soup

Ingredients
1 pound dry black beans
1 1/2 quarts water
1 carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 large red onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, crushed
2 green bell peppers, chopped
2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1/4 cup dry lentils
1 (28 ounce) can peeled and diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup uncooked white rice

Directions
In a large pot over medium-high heat, place the beans in three times their volume of water. Bring to a boil, and let boil 10 minutes. Cover, remove from heat and let stand 1 hour. Drain, and rinse.
In a slow cooker, combine soaked beans and 1 1/2 quarts fresh water. Cover, and cook for 3 hours on High.
Stir in carrot, celery, onion, garlic, bell peppers, jalapeno pepper, lentils, and tomatoes. Season with chili powder, cumin, oregano, black pepper, red wine vinegar, and salt. Cook on Low for 2 to 3 hours. Stir the rice into the slow cooker in the last 20 minutes of cooking.
Puree about half of the soup with a blender or food processor, then pour back into the pot before serving.

Cooking : Brazilian Passion Fruit Mousse (Maracuja)

Ingredients
8 passion fruits
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups cream

Directions
Break passion fruits in half, and empty contents into a bowl. Use a little water to help rinse the juice out of the skins. Mix with hands to soften pulp. Strain through a sieve or cheesecloth. Stir in sugar and sweetened condensed milk.
In a chilled bowl, beat cream until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the cream into the passion fruit mixture, then quickly fold in remaining cream until no streaks remain. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Cooking : Braised Green Beans with Fried Tofu

Ingredients
2 tablespoons white sugar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 (14 ounce) package tofu, drained
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 cups oil for frying, or as needed
1 onion, chopped
4 plum tomatoes, sliced into thin wedges
12 ounces fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 3 inch pieces
1 cup bamboo shoots, drained and sliced
1 cup chicken broth, or as needed
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons water

Directions
In a small bowl, stir together the white sugar, soy sauce, white wine and 1/2 cup of chicken broth. Set the sauce aside.
Pat the tofu dry with paper towels, and cut into cubes. Season the cubes with salt and pepper. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of cornstarch over them on all sides.
Heat a little more than 1 inch of oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. If you have a deep-fryer, fill to the recommended level, and heat the oil to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). When the oil is hot, add the tofu, and fry until golden brown on all sides. Turn occasionally. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels.
In a separate skillet, heat one tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and green beans; cook and stir for 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the tomatoes, and cook until they begin to break apart, about 4 minutes. Add the bamboo shoots, and stir to blend.
Stir the sauce into the skillet with the beans, and bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the liquid starts to evaporate too much, stir in up to 1 cup of chicken broth.
Mix together the remaining 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and water until cornstarch is dissolved. Stir this into the sauce in the skillet. Simmer, stirring gently, until the sauce clears and thickens. Add the fried tofu, and stir to coat with the sauce.

Cooking : All-Day Apple Butter

Ingredients
5 1/2 pounds apples - peeled, cored and finely chopped
4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions
Place apples in a slow cooker. Combine sugar, cinnamon, cloves and salt; pour over apples and mix well. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook for 9-11 hours or until thickened and dark brown, stirring occasionally (stir more frequently as it thickens to prevent sticking). Uncover and cook on low 1 hour longer. If desired, stir with a wire whisk until smooth. Spoon into freezer containers, leaving 1/2-in. headspace. Cover and refrigerate or freeze.

Cooking : Barbequed Oysters

Ingredients
60 unopened, fresh, live medium oysters
2 tablespoons ground black pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Place the oysters on a large baking sheet and cook 8 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the shells have opened.
Squeeze the juice and pulp from the limes into a small serving bowl. Mix in the pepper.
Serve oysters on the half shell with the sauce.

Cooking : Belle and Chron's Spinach and Mushroom Quiche

Ingredients
6 slices bacon
4 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups light cream
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups chopped fresh spinach
2 cups chopped fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (9 inch) deep dish pie crust

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
In a large bowl, whip together eggs, cream, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Stir in bacon, spinach, mushrooms, onions, 3/4 cup Swiss cheese, and 3/4 cup Cheddar cheese. Transfer to the pie crust. Top with remaining cheese.
Bake uncovered in the preheated oven 35 minutes, or until bubbly and lightly browned.

Cooking : Best Burger Sauce

Ingredients
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup prepared yellow mustard
2 teaspoons dried minced onion
1/4 teaspoon dried minced garlic
1/8 teaspoon white vinegar
hot sauce to taste
seasoned pepper to taste

Directions
Whisk together the mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, onion, garlic, and vinegar in a bowl. Season with hot sauce and seasoned pepper to taste. Cover and chill at least 1 hour before serving.

Cooking : Banana Nut Bread III

Ingredients
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 cup mashed bananas
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 8x4 inch loaf pans. Set aside.
Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Stir in nuts, eggs, bananas, oil, and vanilla extract.
Pour into prepared pans. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes before removing from pans.

Cooking : Bitter Melon and Brinjal (Eggplant) Relish

Ingredients
1 bitter melon, seeded and cut into matchsticks
1 eggplant, cut into matchsticks
1 carrot, cut into matchsticks
4 cloves garlic, sliced thin
2 green chile peppers, seeded and sliced thin
1 small sweet onion, diced
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
2 (2 inch) pieces minced fresh ginger root
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Directions
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the bitter melon and eggplant to the boiling water and return to a boil; cook at a boil for 2 minutes. Drain. Rinse with cold water to stop from cooking further.
Toss the bitter melon, eggplant, carrot, garlic, green chile peppers, and sweet onion in a large bowl; cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
Stir the water, vinegar, ginger, sugar, and salt together in a pot; bring to a boil until the sugar has dissolved completely. Set aside to cool completely. Pour the cooled vinegar mixture over the vegetables in the bowl, assuring the vegetables are completely submerged. Cover and refrigerate. Serve cold.

Cooking : A Great Pepper Salad

Ingredients
1 1/2 (16 ounce) jars sliced pepperoncini peppers, drained
1 (32 ounce) jar sweet pepper rings, drained
1 (4 ounce) jar diced pimento peppers, drained
1 pound pepperoni sausage, cubed
1 pound provolone cheese, cubed
1/2 pound Swiss cheese, cubed
1/2 pound sharp Cheddar cheese, cubed
1 (6 ounce) can mushrooms, drained and thinly sliced
2 (6 ounce) cans black olives, drained and thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic
4 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 cup canola oil
1/4 cup olive oil

Directions
In a large bowl with a lid, stir together the pepperoncini peppers, sweet pepper rings, pimentos, pepperoni, Provolone, Swiss, Cheddar, mushrooms, olives, garlic, oregano, canola oil and olive oil until evenly coated. Cover tightly with the lid and let stand in fridge for 3 days. Shake the bowl often. This can be served cold, but is better when you let it come to room temperature!

Cooking : BLT Bow Tie Pasta Salad

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups uncooked bow tie pasta
6 cups torn romaine
1 1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken breast
1 medium tomato, diced
4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1/3 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon barbecue sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. In a large serving bowl, combine the pasta, romaine, chicken, tomato and bacon. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, water, barbecue sauce, vinegar and pepper. Pour over pasta mixture; toss to coat evenly. Serve immediately.

Cooking : Blue Cheese Coleslaw

Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) package shredded coleslaw mix
2 cups seedless red grapes, halved
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup prepared Dijon-style mustard
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
2 tablespoons SPLENDA� No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated
2 tablespoons cider vinegar

Directions
In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, cheese, SPLENDA� Granulated Sweetener, and vinegar. Add the coleslaw mix, grapes, and carrots and stir until evenly coated. Chill until serving.

Cooking : Blueberry Potato Cake

Ingredients
1 large potato, peeled and cubed
1 cup shortening
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups blueberries

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan. Bring a small pot of water to boil, add potato and let it boil until tender (approximately 10 minutes). Drain well, then mash. Set aside 1 cup.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in the blueberries to coat them in the flour mixture. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the warm mashed potato. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture with the blueberries, mixing just until incorporated.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.

Cooking : Asparagus Parmesan

Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup olive oil
1 pound fresh asparagus spears, trimmed
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Melt butter with olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add asparagus spears, and cook, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes, or to desired firmness. Drain off excess oil, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.

Cooking : Baked Onion Dip I

Ingredients
2 cups sweet onion, peeled and chopped
2 cups mayonnaise
2 cups Parmesan cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare a 2 quart baking dish with cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, onions and cheese. Pour the mixture into the baking dish and bake for approximately 45 minutes, until the top is slightly brown. Serve hot with buttery, round crackers.

Cooking : Apple Pie Bars

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup shortening
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1/3 cup milk
1 cup crisp rice cereal
8 cups tart apples - peeled, cored and sliced
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon milk

Directions
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt; cut in the shortening until crumbly.
Combine egg yolks and milk; gradually add to crumb mixture, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. Divide in half.
On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a 15-in. x 10-in. rectangle. Line a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan with one rectangle; sprinkle with cereal.
Arrange apples over cereal. Combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon; sprinkle over apples. Top with remaining pastry; cut slits in top. Brush with egg whites.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 50-55 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack. In a bowl, combine confectioners' sugar and enough milk to achieve drizzling consistency. Drizzle over bars. Store in the refrigerator.

Cooking : ANZAC Biscuits with Almonds

Ingredients
2 cups quick cooking oats
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 cup white sugar
1 cup melted butter
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons golden syrup
2 tablespoons boiling water

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
In a medium bowl, stir together the rolled oats, flour, almonds and sugar. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. When butter has melted, remove from heat and stir in baking soda, golden syrup and boiling water. Stir the warm mixture into the dry ingredients and mix well. Roll the dough into walnut sized balls. Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto the cookie sheet and flatten slightly.
Bake in the preheated oven 15 to 18 minutes, until golden. Remove from baking sheets to cool on wire racks.

Cooking : Apricot Raisin Loaf

Ingredients
1/4 cup margarine
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup orange juice
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup dried apricots, chopped
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon orange zest
3 tablespoons apricot jam
1 tablespoon water

Directions
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in apricots, raisins, nuts, and rind.
In a large bowl, beat together butter or margarine, sugar, and 1 egg until smooth. Beat in second egg. Blend in orange juice. Pour in flour mixture all at once, and stir just to moisten. Scrape into greased 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour, or until it tests done. Let stand 10 minutes, and then remove loaf from pan.
Stir apricot jam and water together, and heat. Put through strainer. Spoon glaze over hot loaf. Cool on wire rack.

Cooking : Antipasto Skewers

Ingredients
10 ounces Havarti cheese, cubed
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 (6 ounce) jar mushroom caps, drained
6 slices cocktail rye bread, quartered

Directions
Mix garlic, olive oil, parsley, salt, and pepper together in a medium bowl. Toss in mushrooms, and allow to marinate for 20 minutes.
Thread one piece each, bread, mushroom, and havarti onto cocktail toothpicks or small skewers. Arrange on a platter, drizzle with remaining marinade, and serve.

Cooking : Blackberry Pie III

Ingredients
1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie
4 cups fresh blackberries
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon butter

Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
Line a 9 inch pie pan with half the pastry. Save remaining pastry for top crust. Chill both while preparing the blackberries.
Combine berries, flour, sugar, and lemon juice. Spoon into pie shell, and dot with butter or margarine. Cover with top crust, and slash in several places.
Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Continue baking for 35 to 40 minutes, or until browned.

Cooking : Black Russian Cake I

Ingredients
1 (18.25 ounce) package moist yellow cake mix
1 (5.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup vodka
1/4 cup coffee flavored liqueur
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup coffee flavored liqueur
1 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan.
In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, white sugar, oil, vodka, 1/4 cup liqueur, and water. Beat for four minutes. Pour batter into prepared Bundt pan.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool on a rack.
Make a glaze by combining 1/4 cup coffee liqueur and 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar. Turn cake over on a cake plate. Poke cake several times with a fork. Cover with glaze, and dust with remaining 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar.

Cooking : Bratwurst, Potato and Cabbage Soup

Ingredients
16 ounces bratwurst, casings removed
2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 onion, chopped
2 cups water
1 medium head cabbage, chopped
3 cups milk, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 ounces Swiss cheese, diced

Directions
In a large skillet over medium high heat, saute the sausage for 10 minutes, or until browned and crumbled. Drain well and discard the fat.
In a large pot over high heat, combine the browned sausage, potatoes, onion and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the cabbage, return to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for another 20 minutes. Add 2 1/2 cups of the milk and heat slowly to just under a boil. (Note: Don't try to do this too fast, or the milk will burn on the bottom of the pot.)
In a separate small bowl, mix the flour with the remaining milk, and add to the pot slowly, stirring constantly, so that the flour does not clump. (Note: Make sure you get out all the lumps because they will not cook out on their own.)
When the mixture in the pot thickens, add the cheese and stir off and on until the cheese has melted.

Cooking : Bachelor's Stew

Ingredients
2 pounds lean beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 1 inch cubes
1/3 cup dried bread crumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 yellow onion
3 carrots, cut into thick strips
4 stalks celery, chopped
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/3 cup quick-cooking tapioca
1 (4.5 ounce) can sliced mushrooms
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed tomato soup
1 cup beef broth

Directions
Combine bread crumbs with salt and pepper and toss with beef. Place coated beef cubes into a slow cooker and add onion, carrots, celery, basil, tapioca, mushrooms, soy sauce, tomato soup and broth. Stir well, cover and cook on low for 10 to 12 hours, or on high for 3 to 5 hours.

Cooking : Aunt Dot's Brunswick Stew

Ingredients
2 cups water
2 potatoes, diced
1 onion, chopped
1 (15 ounce) can peas, drained
1 (15.25 ounce) can whole kernel corn, with liquid
2 (14.5 ounce) cans peeled and diced tomatoes with juice
1 pound ground turkey
4 slices bacon, diced
3 teaspoons salt, or to taste
3 teaspoons ground black pepper, or to taste
3 teaspoons garlic salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (optional)

Directions
Bring water to boil in a saucepan; add potatoes, and boil until tender ( about 15 minutes).
Pour the potatoes and the water used to boil them into a large pot. Stir in onion, peas, corn, tomatoes, ground turkey, and bacon. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the salt, pepper, garlic salt, and sugar. If stew appears too watery, stir together flour and some of the stew liquid in a small cup, and then stir mixture into the stew. Continue cooking for 1 hour.

Cooking : Broccoli-Cauliflower Toss

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups fresh broccoli florets
1/2 cup fresh cauliflowerets
1/2 cup sliced carrots
1/4 cup water
1 cup cubed cooked chicken
6 cherry tomatoes, halved
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon minced fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions
In a large covered saucepan, steam broccoli, cauliflower and carrots in water for 2-3 minutes; drain. Place in a bowl; add chicken and tomatoes. Combine dressing ingredients; pour over salad. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Drain before serving.

Cooking : Bacon Corn Bread

Ingredients
1 (8.5 ounce) package corn bread/muffin mix
1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated onion
5 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds
1/8 teaspoon paprika

Directions
In a bowl, combine the first six ingredients just until blended. Pour into a greased 8-in. square baking dish. Sprinkle with bacon, poppy seeds if desired and paprika. Bake at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cut into squares; serve warm.

Cooking : Awesome Sausage, Apple and Cranberry Stuffing

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups cubed whole wheat bread
3 3/4 cups cubed white bread
1 pound ground turkey sausage
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped celery
2 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 Golden Delicious apple, cored and chopped
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
1 cooked turkey liver, finely chopped
3/4 cup turkey stock
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degree F (175 degree C). Spread the white and whole wheat bread cubes in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes in the preheated oven, or until evenly toasted. Transfer toasted bread cubes to a large bowl.
In a large skillet, cook the sausage and onions over medium heat, stirring and breaking up the lumps until evenly browned. Add the celery, sage, rosemary, and thyme; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes to blend flavors.
Pour sausage mixture over bread in bowl. Mix in chopped apples, dried cranberries, parsley, and liver. Drizzle with turkey stock and melted butter, and mix lightly. Spoon into turkey to loosely fill.

Cooking : Best Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) package egg noodles
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (8 ounce) package fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 pound beef loin steak, cut into thin strips
1 (14 ounce) can beef consomme
1/4 cup Burgundy wine (optional)
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cold water, or as needed
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream

Directions
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add noodles and cook 5 to 7 minutes or until al dente; drain.
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in onions and garlic, and cook until slightly tender. Mix in mushrooms, and continue cooking 2 minutes. Place steak strips in saucepan and cook about 1 minute. Mix in consomme, Burgundy and lemon juice. Bring to a boil.
In a small bowl, thoroughly blend flour with cold water until smooth. Reduce saucepan heat to low. While stirring constantly, slowly pour flour mixture into saucepan. Gradually return to boil while stirring rapidly, until sauce is thick and smooth. Cover saucepan and continue cooking 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, let cool slightly and stir in sour cream. Serve over cooked egg noodles.

Cooking : Apple Jack Iowa Pork Chops from Des Moines

Ingredients
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
4 boneless pork loin chops
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup chopped green onions
3 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced
3 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup apple brandy
1 cup heavy cream

Directions
In a medium bowl, mix flour with seasoned salt; coat chops evenly with mixture and shake off excess. Over medium-high heat, melt butter in large skillet. Add chops, and cook about 5 minutes, turning once, or until meat surface is browned. Remove chops from pan and set aside on a separate plate.
Add onions, apples, and mushrooms to skillet, cooking just until soft. Add thyme, salt, pepper, and apple brandy; stir to blend. Return chops to skillet and surround with onion mixture. Over medium heat, simmer uncovered, for about 10 minutes. Mix in cream and simmer until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes longer. Do not let cream boil.

Cooking : Blackjack Brisket

Ingredients
10 pounds untrimmed beef brisket
1 (12 fluid ounce) can beer (optional)
1 large onion, quartered
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper
2 (18 ounce) bottles hickory smoke flavored barbeque sauce
1 cup blackstrap molasses
2 tablespoons liquid smoke flavoring

Directions
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
Place brisket in a large roasting pan (disposable aluminum foil pan is fine). Pour beer over the meat, and place onion sections on top. Season with garlic, salt and pepper. Combine the barbeque sauce, molasses and liquid smoke; pour over the roast. Cover pan with aluminum foil.
Place pan on the center rack of the preheated oven, and bake for 6 to 8 hours, or until beef is fork tender. Remove from the oven and let stand for about 10 minutes before slicing across the grain into 1/8 inch slices.