Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Cooking : Beef Pot Roast

Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 pounds boneless chuck roast
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
Heat a heavy Dutch oven on top of the stove over medium high heat. Add oil, and sear meat in the center of the pan for 4 minutes. Turn meat over with tongs; sear all sides for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Remove meat from pan. Arrange onion, garlic, and 1 bay leaf in the bottom of the pan, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Return meat to pan, place remaining bay leaf on top of meat, and cover.
Cook in the oven for 30 minutes at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Reduce the heat to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C), and cook for 1 1/2 hours. Remove roast to a platter to rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Slice, and top with onions and gravy.

Cooking : Broccoli Fettuccine

Ingredients
4 ounces uncooked fettuccine
2 cups broccoli florets
3 tablespoons chopped green onions
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
Cook fettuccine according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a skillet, stir-fry the broccoli and onions in oil for 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, oregano, thyme and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 6 minutes.
Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into skillet. Bring to a boil; cook for 1 minute. Drain fettuccine; top with broccoli mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Cooking : Apple Pan Chicken

Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
3 apples - peeled, cored and sliced
3 tablespoons dried currants
3 tablespoons pine nuts (optional)
1/3 cup apple juice
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute onions and garlic until soft and translucent. Move the onions to the side, and brown chicken breasts 4 minutes on each side. Top chicken with apples, currants and pine nuts. Pour in apple juice. Season with thyme, parsley, jalapeno, salt and pepper. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until apples are cooked and chicken is no longer pink.

Cooking : Asian Beef Skewers

Ingredients
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons sherry
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon barbeque sauce
2 green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
1 1/2 pounds flank steak
skewers

Directions
In a small bowl, mix together hoisin sauce, sherry, soy sauce, barbeque sauce, green onions, garlic, and ginger.
Cut flank steak across grain on a diagonal into 1/4 inch slices. Place slices in a 1 gallon resealable plastic bag. Pour hoisin sauce mixture over slices, and mix well. Refrigerate 2 hours, or overnight.
Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat. Discard marinade, and thread steak on skewers.
Oil the grill grate. Grill skewers 3 minutes per side, or to desired doneness.

Cooking : Braised Lamb Shank with Vegetables

Ingredients
7 (1 pound) lamb shanks
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
water to cover
1 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and diced
1 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled and diced
1 1/2 pounds onions, peeled and diced
1 ounce all-purpose flour
2 ounces butter, melted

Directions
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Brown shanks in oil, about 20 minutes. Add water to cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 1 hour.
Add potatoes, carrots and onions and simmer for about 1 hour. In a small bowl blend flour into melted butter to make a roux, then stir this into simmering dish to thicken.

Cooking : Bacon Wrapped Barbeque Shrimp

Ingredients
16 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
8 slices bacon
barbeque seasoning, to taste

Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
Wrap shrimp with 1/2 slice of bacon, securing with a toothpick. Be sure and use the large shrimp--the cooking time for the shrimp and the bacon is similar. If you use medium-sized shrimp, you might want to precook the bacon a little--over cooked shrimp are tough and rubbery--and a real shame.
Line a jelly roll pan with extra heavy duty foil, and place baking rack in pan. Place the shrimp on the rack, and sprinkle heavily with the barbecue seasoning, turn and sprinkle second side. Let the shrimp sit for 15 minutes. The bacon will turn from creamy white to a little opaque, and the seasonings will soak in.
Cook the bacon for 10 to 15 minutes. The rack keeps the shrimp from sitting in the draining bacon fat. With a little luck, you won't tear the foil -- you can throw that away and only have to scrub the rack.

Cooking : Apple Oatmeal Crisp

Ingredients
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter, melted
3 cups apples - peeled, cored and chopped
1/2 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C.) Lightly grease an 8 inch square pan.
In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, oats, flour and butter. Mix until crumbly. Place half of crumb mixture in pan. Spread the apples evenly over crumb mixture. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon and top with remaining crumb mixture.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown.

Cooking : Bellyful of Barbecued Bananas

Ingredients
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups vanilla ice cream

Directions
Preheat grill for low heat.
Halve each of the bananas lengthwise, then widthwise. Sprinkle bananas with lemon juice. In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll banana pieces in sugar/cinnamon mixture until well coated.
Lightly oil the grill grate. Arrange bananas on preheated grill, and cook for 3 minutes per side. Serve in a bowl with vanilla ice cream topped with a sprinkling of remaining cinnamon/sugar mixture. Yum!

Cooking : Butterscotch Bread Pudding

Ingredients
1 (10.75 ounce) loaf day-old bread, torn into small pieces
4 cups milk
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
3 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup butterscotch chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish.
In a large bowl, combine bread, milk, sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla and butterscotch chips; mixture should be the consistency of oatmeal. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake in preheated oven 1 hour, until nearly set. (It should have a "thigh wiggle" or wiggle as much as a well endowed thigh.) Serve warm or cold.

Cooking : Bud's Potato Salad

Ingredients
10 pounds potatoes
1 cup water
1 cup white wine vinegar
1 cup white sugar
2 onions, diced
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon celery seed
2 cups mayonnaise

Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and allow to cool.
Slice cooled potatoes and layer in a large bowl or dish.
In a saucepan combine water, vinegar and sugar. Bring to a boil and cook for one minute. Remove from heat and pour over potatoes. Cover and chill for at least 12 hours.
Drain excess marinade and add onions, salt, pepper, celery seed and mayonnaise. Mix well and serve chilled.

Cooking : Andalusian Gazpacho

Ingredients
1 cucumber, peeled and diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
5 green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tomatoes, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 1/2 cups navy beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 (46 fluid ounce) can 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

Directions
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.

Cooking : Beets and Greens

Ingredients
1 bunch beets - trimmed, leaving 1 inch of stems attached, greens washed and reserved
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced
sea salt (optional)
fresh-ground black pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Rub the beets with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and place onto prepared baking sheet. Place in preheated oven, and bake until the beets can be easily pierced with a fork, 20 to 60 minutes depending on size. When done, allow to cool on the baking sheet until cool enough to handle, then remove and discard the skin, and cut the beets into wedges or slices.
Meanwhile, cut the beet greens in to 1/4 inch wide ribbons. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion; cook and stir until it begins to turn golden brown, about 10 minutes. Once the onions have begun to caramelize, stir in the beet greens and cook until they wilt. Add the beet slices and continue cooking until heated through. Season with sea salt and pepper before serving.

Cooking : Beer and Brown Sugar Steak Marinade

Ingredients
2 (16 ounce) beef sirloin steaks
1/4 cup dark beer
2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions
Preheat grill for high heat.
Use a fork to poke holes all over the surface of the steaks, and place steaks in a large baking dish. In a bowl, mix together beer, teriyaki sauce, and brown sugar. Pour sauce over steaks, and let sit about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with 1/2 the seasoned salt, pepper, and garlic powder; set aside for 10 minutes. Turn steaks over, sprinkle with remaining seasoned salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and continue marinating for 10 more minutes.
Remove steaks from marinade. Pour marinade into a small saucepan, bring to a boil, and cook for several minutes.
Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill steaks for 7 minutes per side, or to desired doneness. During the last few minutes of grilling, baste steaks with boiled marinade to enhance the flavor and ensure juiciness.

Cooking : Broken Window Glass

Ingredients
1 (3 ounce) package lime flavored gelatin mix
1 (3 ounce) package orange flavored gelatin mix
1 (3 ounce) package cherry flavored gelatin mix
4 cups boiling water
1 1/2 cups cold water
1 (3 ounce) package lemon flavored gelatin mix
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1 (1.3 ounce) envelope whipped topping mix

Directions
Prepare lime, orange and cherry flavored gelatins separately, according to package directions, using 1 cup boiling water and 1/2 cup cold water for each. Pour each into a separate 8x8-inch pan. Refrigerate until firm.
In medium bowl, combine lemon gelatin, sugar and remaining 1 cup boiling water. Stir until gelatin and sugar are dissolved. Stir in pineapple juice and chill in refrigerator until slightly thickened.
Cut firm gelatin into 1/2-inch cubes. Prepare whipped topping according to package directions. In a large bowl, combine whipped topping with lemon, pineapple juice mixture. Fold in cubed gelatin and pour into mold. Chill 5 hours or overnight before serving.

Cooking : Aunt Rita's Italian Stew

Ingredients
1 pound mild Italian sausage links, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 yellow summer squash, thinly sliced
2 zucchini, thinly sliced
2 carrots, thinly sliced (optional)
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms (optional)
2 (14.5 ounce) cans Italian-style stewed tomatoes
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
Cook the sausage with onion and garlic in a large, deep skillet or pot over medium heat, until the meat is browned, 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Mix in the summer squash, zucchini, carrots, mushrooms, and stewed tomatoes, reduce heat to medium-low, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and serve.

Cooking : Blueberry Streusel Muffins

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups blueberries
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, chilled

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition, then stir in the vanilla. In a separate bowl, stir together 2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt.
Stir the flour mixture into egg mixture alternately with milk. Fold in blueberries. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle topping over unbaked muffins.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Cooking : Bacon-Potato Burritos

Ingredients
8 bacon strips
1 1/2 cups frozen Southern-style hash brown potatoes
2 teaspoons dried minced onion
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
6 (8 inch) (8 inch) flour tortillas

Directions
In a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp;drain on paper towels. Brown potatoes and onion in drippings. In a bowl, beat eggs; add milk, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Pour over potatoes; cook and stir until eggs are set. Crumble bacon and stir into eggs. Sprinkle with cheese. Meanwhile, warm tortillas according to package directions. Spoon egg mixture down center of tortillas; fold in sides of tortilla. Serve with salsa.

Cooking : Baked Tofu Bites

Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) package extra firm tofu
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 dash hot sauce
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly spray a non-stick baking sheet with oil.
Slice tofu into 1/2-inch slices, and gently press excess water out of tofu. Cut sliced tofu into 1/2-inch cubes.
In a bowl, stir together the soy sauce, maple syrup, ketchup, vinegar, and hot sauce. Stir in sesame seeds, garlic powder, black pepper, and liquid smoke. Gently stir tofu cubes into sauce. Cover, and marinate at least 5 minutes.
Place the tofu on the baking sheet in a single layer. Bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes. Turn tofu, and bake until the tofu turns golden brown, about 15 minutes more.

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.