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Author: vscson

Raisin Sauce for Ham

Raisin Sauce for Ham

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Yield: 4 to 6

Food Network

The raisins cook up plump and soft, and the lemon balances with the fruit’s sweetness and best of all it’s easy to make. This is a must served with ham
Cook: 9

  • ½cup packed brown sugar
  • 2TBS cornstarch
  • 1tsp ground mustard
  • 1½cups water
  • ½cup raisins
  • 2TBS white vinegar
  • 2TBS lemon juice
  • 2TBS butter

In a saucepan, combine the brown sugar, cornstarch and ground mustard.

Stir in water, raisins, vinegar, lemon juice until blended.

Bring to a boil, cook and stir for 2 mins or until thickened.

Stir in butter until it is melted.

Serve warm over sliced ham.

Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken Enchiladas

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Yield: 4

adapted from: https://www.thelazydish.com/easy-canned-chicken-dinner-recipes/

Say some nice stuff about the recipe Jed. (Maybe after I test it.)

OK, tested and it’s pretty good. You could add spinach and/or black beans or swap out the chicken for shrimp or beef.

  • 12.5 oz can chicken, drained
  • 1cup pepper jack cheese
  • 1cup cheddar cheese
  • 4oz can diced green chilies
  • 28oz enchilada sauce or red or green salsa with 2 TBS tomato paste
  • 8flour tortillas

Preheat oven to 350°F.

For salsa:

Pour salsa into a 2 qt pan. Add 2 TBS tomato paste. Heat to boil, reduce to simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes. Use a stick blender or regular blender to puree. Adjust thickness with additional tomato paste or simmer longer.

Assemble:

Spread ½ cup of the sauce onto the bottom of a greased 9×13 baking dish.

In a medium size bowl, combine the DRAINED chicken, diced green chilis, ¾ cup pepper jack, ¾ cup cheddar, and ½ cup of the sauce.

Evenly fill the tortillas with the chicken mixture and then roll and place them seam-side down in the baking dish.

Cover with remaining sauce and cheese.

Bake:

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Remove from oven and rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve.

Sous Vide Salmon

Sous Vide Salmon

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Yield: 4

Serious Eats

Sous Vide Salmon Cooking Temperatures
Like firm sashimi 105°F (41°C)
Soft and buttery 110°F (43°C)
Translucent and starting to flake 115°F (46°C)
Very moist, tender, and flaky 120°F (49°C)
Firm, moist, and flaky 130°F (54°C)

Prep: 10 Cook: 50 Rest: 30

  • 4salmon fillets (5 to 6 oz each)
  • Kosher salt
  • 2TBS extra-virgin olive oil
  • Aromatics such as fresh thyme, dill, parsley, thinly sliced shallots, and/or citrus zest (optional)
  • 2tsp vegetable oil, if serving seared

Season salmon generously with salt on all sides.

Place salmon in a single layer in a gallon-size zipper-lock bag, or in batches in quart-size bags. Add olive oil to the bag or divide it between the smaller bags. Add aromatics to bags, if using. Close bags, place them in refrigerator, and let salmon rest for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.

Using an immersion circulator, preheat a water bath according to the chart above and in the notes section. Remove the air from the zipper-lock bags using the water displacement method: Seal bag almost all the way, leaving about an inch open. Slowly lower the bag into a water bath, holding the open end above the water level. As the bag is lowered, the water pressure should force air out of it. Just before it is totally submerged, seal bag completely. Use a rack, or clip bag to the side of the cooking vessel using a binder clip, to prevent it from moving excessively. Cook for 30 to 45 minutes for fillets 1 inch thick or less, or 45 minutes to an hour for fillets between 1 and 2 inches.

Carefully remove salmon from bags (it will be very delicate) and transfer to a double layer of paper towels. Discard aromatics and gently blot the top of salmon with more paper towels.

To serve immediately: Carefully peel away skin and discard. Serve salmon immediately with the freshly skinned side down for better presentation.

To serve cold: Transfer salmon to refrigerator uncovered and allow it to chill completely. Store in a sealed container for up to a few days and serve cold in sandwiches or salads, stirred into pasta, or on top of rice bowls.

To sear: Heat vegetable oil in a cast-iron, carbon steel, or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Carefully add salmon skin-side down and cook, pressing gently on fillets with the back of a flexible fish spatula to help maintain pan contact, until skin is browned and crisp, 1 to 1½ minutes. Carefully flip and cook for an additional 15 seconds. Transfer to paper towels to blot off excess oil, then serve immediately.

Hamburger Soup

Hamburger Soup

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Yield: 4

Scott Nowell

Adjust all ingredients and quantities to suit.
Note: Gayle thinks I put too much cumin. I couldn’t tell. Now reduced to 1 tsp. I inadvertently left out all of the tomatoes. I guess they really are optional.

  • 1TBS olive oil
  • 1medium onion diced
  • 2stalks celery diced
  • 1lb ground beef
  • 3cloves garlic minced
  • 1quart beef stock or broth
  • 1tsp cumin
  • 1tsp chili powder
  • 1tsp oregano, dried
  • 1lb potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 14oz canned diced tomatoes, with juice
  • 110 oz can fire roasted tomatoes with chilies (optional)
  • 1cup corn, frozen or fresh
  • 1cup green beans, frozen or fresh
  • 1cup peas, frozen or fresh
  • 1cup pearl onions
  • Salt and pepper to taste

In a 4 qt or larger soup pot, over medium heat, heat 1 TBS of olive oil until hot.

Add the onion and celery and sauté to soften, but don’t brown. Add garlic and stir for 20 seconds. Add ground beef and cook until browned and mostly cooked through.

Add 1 quart of beef stock, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp chili powder and 1 tsp oregano and mix in.

Add diced potatoes and bring to a boil. Cook for about 10 minutes until nearly done.

Add tomatoes, corn, green beans, pearl onions. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes or until potatoes are done.  Add peas, mix. Season to taste and serve.

.

Irish Apple Cake with Custard Sauce

Irish Apple Cake with Custard Sauce

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Yield: 12

Billy Parisi

This delicious homemade apple cake recipe is easy to prepare and is topped off with an amazing vanilla custard sauce.

For the cake:

  • 4cups AP flour
  • 1cup sugar + 3 TBS
  • 1TBS baking powder
  • ½tsp sea salt
  • 1½tsp cinnamon
  • 8oz cold unsalted butter
  • 2peeled cored and large diced granny smith apples
  • 2peeled cored and large diced golden delicious apples
  • 4large eggs
  • 2tsp vanilla extract
  • 1cup whole milk

For the custard:

  • 4egg yolks
  • 1cup whole milk
  • ½cup sugar
  • 1tsp good vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Cake:

In a food processor, cream the flour, 1 cup of sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and butter until the butter is the size of rice. Remove to a large bowl.

Fold in the apples using a spoon until they are completely coated.

In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, vanilla and milk and then combine it into the flour-butter-apple mixture until combined. It should resemble a thick dough.

Transfer the mixture to a 9” greased spring form pan and bake in the oven at 375°F for 80 to 90 minutes or until golden-brown on top and firm in the center.

Cool completely on a rack to room temperature before slicing and serving.

Custard:

Whisk together the egg yolks in a medium size bowl. Set aside.

Heat the milk and sugar in a medium size pot over medium heat just until lightly boiling.

Slowly pour the mixture into the bowl with the eggs while continually stirring and then pour the mixture back to the pan over low heat and stir until it becomes very thick, think alfredo sauce.

Finish by whisking in the vanilla and then pour a small amount over a cooled slice of cake.

Make-ahead: You can make this cake up to 2 days ahead of time. See storage instructions below.

How to store: You can cover and keep at room temperature for 3-4 days. Cover and keep it in the refrigerator for 5-6 days and freeze it covered for up to 3 months. Be sure to thaw it in the refrigerator for 1 day before serving.

If you want to prep everything up to make for another day, the apples will hold well in pineapple juice for up to 3 days.

To cream the dry ingredients together with the butter, feel free to put all of it in a food processor and pulse until the butter is incorporated.

If the top of the cake starts to brown too quickly, place a piece of parchment paper on top by just laying it on there or tent it with a piece of foil.

Shrimp and Vegetables

Shrimp and Vegetables

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Yield: 2 to 4

Scott Nowell

Yum. Tasty, tasty, tasty. Your choice of vegetables. Whatever you want.

Premix sauce:

  • ½cup water
  • 1spoon BTB chicken, heat and stir
  • 1-3TBS Hoisin sauce
  • 3tsp Shaoxing cooking wine
  • ½tsp sugar
  • 1TBS of oyster sauce
  • ½-1tsp sesame oil
  • 1tsp soy sauce, mix well

Shrimp:

  • 1lb large shrimp, peeled, deveined, rinsed, patted dry
  • salt & pepper, season shrimp, add
  • 1/4cup corn starch, mix well to coat shrimp

Vegetables:

  • 1carrot, peeled and sliced thinly diagonally. Precook in MW 2 to 3 minutes.
  • 4oz green peas
  • 4oz green beans, other vegetables optional, e.g.,
  • 2oz red and orange peppers, sliced thin

Stir-fry:

  • vegetable oil, divided
  • 1tsp ginger, sliced
  • 1tsp garlic, minced
  • ½onion, julienned and separated
  • 1-2scallions, cut small

Slurry:

  • 1TBS corn starch mixed with 2 TBS water

Stir fry shrimp: In a hot wok add 1-2 TBS oil and add the shrimp. Cook until browned on bottom, then flip and brown other side. About 1-2 minutes on each side. Remove to bowl.

Vegetables: If the wok is dry add a little oil. Add the garlic and ginger to the wok and stir fry for 30 seconds.

Next add vegetables to the wok, stir fry until lightly browned.

Add premix sauce to the wok and let it boil for a couple minutes.

Add slurry to thicken.

Return the shrimp back into the wok and stir everything together. Adjust seasoning.

Crispy Salt & Pepper Shrimp

Crispy Salt & Pepper Shrimp

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Yield: 2 to 4

Cook! Stacey Cook

2 cloves of garlic, finely minced

1 tbs onion, small dice

1 tbs bell pepper, small dice

1 stalk of green onion, small pieces

1 lb peeled shrimp, rinsed, pat dry, add

1/4 cup cornstarch, mix until coated

Heat pan over medium-high heat, add 1 tbs oil

Pan fry shrimp until brown, flip and repeat for other side, remove to plate

Add vegetables to the pan in the remaining oil, add a little more if needed. Add

1/3 tsp white pepper

1/3 tsp black pepper

1/3 tsp salt, stir fry, return shrimp to pan,

Mix and serve.

Cottage Pie

Cottage Pie

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Yield: 6 to 8

Adapted from: NY Times

Cottage pie is a near twin to its sibling, the slightly better-known shepherd’s pie. The main difference between these traditional dishes, which have roots in Ireland and Britain, is that cottage pie embraces ground beef while shepherd’s pie, fittingly, favors lamb. Smothered in a delicious and thick gravy along with carrots, onions, celery and peas, the ground beef filling is covered in creamy mashed potatoes and then baked into a hearty and satisfying meal. Known for being freezer friendly, easy to make and economical, this recipe stretches its simple ingredients to feed many mouths. For variation, try using chicken or turkey and other vegetables in the base and swapping in sweet potatoes for the topping.
Prep: 20 Cook: 2 hrs

For the filling:

  • 2lb ground beef
  • salt and pepper
  • 2TBS salted butter
  • 1medium white or yellow onion, diced, about 1 cup
  • 2celery stalks, finely chopped, about ½ cup
  • 1medium carrot, peeled and finely chopped, about ½ cup
  • 3garlic cloves, minced
  • 2TBS tomato paste
  • ¼cup AP flour
  • 2cups beef broth
  • ½cup dry red wine (or water)
  • ½cup frozen peas
  • 2TBS Worcestershire sauce
  • 4thyme sprigs
  • 2dried bay leaves

For the topping:

  • Salt
  • 2½lb russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • ½cup whole milk
  • 5TBS salted butter, melted
  • ¾cup grated Parmesan (about 1½ oz)

Heat the oven to 350°F.

Prepare the filling: Heat an ovenproof 12-inch skillet over medium. Add ground beef and a large pinch of salt and cook, breaking up the meat as you go, until slightly pink and just cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the ground beef to a bowl and set aside. Leave about a tsp of fat in the pan and discard the rest.

To the same skillet, add butter, onion, celery and carrot and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, and the carrot is just tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste, stirring to coat, about 1 minute. Add flour and stir to incorporate.

Add broth, red wine, peas, Worcestershire sauce, thyme sprigs, bay leaves and 1 tsp each salt and pepper. Stir to combine, then bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the consistency of thick gravy, 7 to 10 minutes. Taste and add extra seasoning, if needed. Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs and stir in the ground beef. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.

Make the topping: To a large saucepan, add 4 quarts of water and 2 TBS of salt and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until knife-tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and put back into the saucepan. Add the milk, 4 TBS butter and ½ cup grated Parmesan. Mash with a potato masher until just creamy, avoiding over-mashing. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Dollop the mashed potatoes on top of the beef mixture in the skillet, carefully smoothing the mashed potatoes until it fully covers the beef mixture and reaches the edge of the pan. Drizzle the remaining 1 TBS of butter over the top, sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup grated Parmesan and bake in the oven until golden and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Tips:

If you do not have an oven-proof skillet, you can transfer beef mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish for assembly and baking.

Cottage pie can be fully assembled and refrigerated (up to 2 days) or frozen (up to 3 months) in advance, then baked. If frozen, allow to defrost fully before baking.

Homemade Rice-a-Roni CC

Homemade Rice-a-Roni CC

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Yield: 4

Daring Gourmet

Do you like the taste of boxed Rice-a-Roni but have been looking for an alternative with fewer chemicals? You’re going to love this homemade Rice a Roni recipe!
Prep: 5 Cook: 20

  • 1cup brown or white long-grain rice
  • ½cup broken up capellini, vermicelli or thin spaghetti
  • 2TBS extra virgin olive oil
  • 2TBS butter
  • 1small yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 3-4TBS chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
  • 3cups chicken broth (can also use beef broth or vegetable broth)
  • 1tsp salt
  • ½tsp dried rosemary
  • ½tsp dried thyme
  • 1TBS chopped fresh parsley
  • salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil and butter in a skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the rice, pasta and nuts and sauté, stirring frequently, until roughly half of the rice and pasta is browned.

Add the onion and cook for another two minutes.

Add the chicken broth, salt and herbs and stir to combine.

Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook as you would normally cook rice, about 15-20 minutes for white rice (longer if using brown rice) or until the rice is done.

Fluff with a fork and serve immediately.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

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Yield: 4 to 6 Servings

Adapted from: Rachael Ray / Food Network

A few notes to answer some common questions –
• Sharp or extra sharp cheddar work best
• Grate your own cheese for best results, but it works with pre-grated as well, although pre-grated is usually coated with anti-caking agents and can make for grainy sauce.
• Breadcrumbs on the top – Gayle’s preference
• We like the top extra crispy. If you do not, I’d recommend covering with foil for the first 30 minutes.
• Nothing like some nice browned burger or hot Italian sausage mixed in.
• This can be prepped a day ahead and baked prior to serving.

  • 1lb elbow macaroni
  • 1lb (4 cups) shredded extra sharp or sharp cheddar cheese
  • 2TBS AP flour
  • ¼tsp ground mustard (can be omitted)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2cups low-fat milk (or go with whole if you’re feeling indulgent!)
  • 1½TBS butter
  • 1lb ground beef or hot Italian sausage (optional)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray or grease a casserole dish or a 9×13 pan.

Bring 1 gallon of water to boil in a large pot. Add in 1 TBS salt, stir and add macaroni. Cook macaroni as directed on the package until firm.

While macaroni is cooking, heat a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat, add ground beef (or hot Italian sausage), season with salt and pepper and cook, breaking up until browned and mostly cooked through. Drain and set aside.

Combine 2½ cups of cheese with dry ingredients (2 TBS flour, ¼ tsp ground mustard, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper) in a medium bowl.

Drain macaroni and return to pot. Add cheese mixture, and browned meat. Mix to combine and add milk over macaroni and mix again to combine.  Pour into the greased pan. Top with remaining 1½ cups of cheese and dot with butter.

Bake for 45 minutes or until firm and golden-brown.

Optional: Let sit for 10 minutes before serving to further firm up.

Note: We like the macaroni and cheese a little extra crispy. If you like it softer, cover it with foil for the first 30 minutes of baking.