Snow Crab Stuffed Mushroom Caps©

Ohhhhhhhhhh, what an appetizer!!!! Try doubling or tripling the recipe!!






20-25 Stuffing Mushroom Caps, Cleaned
1/3 c. Butter
6-8 oz. King Crab Meat
1 oz. White Wine
1/2 Tsp. Pepper
1 Tsp. Lemon Juice

1/4 Cup Shredded Swiss Cheese
1/2 Cup Bread Crumbs
1/4 tsp sage
1/2 tsp savory
1/2 Cup Onions, Diced
1 Tbsp. Parsley, chopped
1 oz. Half and Half Cream
1/4 Cup Cheddar Cheese, Shredded

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt butter in a medium skillet. Add onion and sauté until they become translucent. Add wine, seasonings, parsley, lemon juice, crab meat and simmer for about 3 minutes. Next add cream and swiss cheese, cook an additional 2 minutes or until cheese melts. Finally add bread crumbs and stir well. Spoon mixture into mushroom caps and place caps on cookie sheet. Sprinkle cheddar cheese on to the tops of the caps and place cookie sheet in oven. Bake 10-15 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned on top. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Chorizo Rice or Egg Casserole ©

Chorizo is something one has to aquire a taste for. It wasn't difficult for us having lived in Waco, TX for several years. We had some wonderful Hispanic friends there who taught us how to cook Mexican National foods. Gary and Kat - and Lance - thank you for the time you spent with us. Adding cantaloupe slices and eggs rather than rice, makes for an intimate brunch.



12 ounces Jasmine Rice cooked according to directions OR 6-8 scrambled eggs
4 Medium-size chorizo sausages or a 12 ounce chub (tube)
1 small Onion, coarsely chopped
1 TBS Lard
4 ounce can of green chilies, chopped
1 cup Sour Cream
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 dash of pepper hot sauce
2 cups Shredded jack cheese or Pepper Jack (preferred with us)
6 To 8 tomato slices

Following package directions, cook rice until al dente.

Meanwhile, melt 1-TBS lard in a wide frying pan over medium-high heat. Remove sausage casings, crumble meat into pan, add onion, and cook until sausage is browned and onion is limp (about 5 minutes). Pour off drippings and add cooked rice or eggs, chilies, sour cream, salt and pepper sauce to taste.

Pour half the mixture into a greased 2 1/2 quart casserole; sprinkle with half the cheese. Add remaining mixture, arrange tomato slices on top, and sprinkle with remaining cheese. If made ahead, cover and refrigerate until next day.

Bake, uncovered, in a 350 deg F oven for 25 to 35 minutes or until top is slightly browned. Makes 6 servings.

Beef Chili and Beans

Spring, summer, fall or winter, there's nothing like a bowl of chili and corn bread. For the following recipe, we use either beef or venison round steak - can use lamb as well -that has cooked in the crock pot until very tender.





Meat Ingredients

2-3 Lbs of beef, venison, or lamb round steak
6-Cups hot water
2-3 Beef bouillion cubes
2 TBS Montreal steak seasoning
1 TBS cumin

Cut steaks in half or quarters and place in crock pot. Pour in water, and add bouillion cubes, seasoning, and cumin. Stir. Turn crock pot to high. It should be cooked in 3-4 hours.

Remove when cooked and let cool on a plate. When cooled, break into silver dollar sized pieces and place in food processer with the steel blade. Pulse until the meat is slightly smaller than bite-sized pieces. We don't use ground meat because by the time the chili is cooked, it has no definition or bite.

Chili Ingredients

Chili and beans

1 medium onion, chopped
2 pound of the meat you decided to cook
2-4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 tablespoon dried basil
1 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
2 large cloves garlic, minced
3 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice (or 2-10Oz cans of Rotel diced tomatoes and
chopped green chillis
4 cups red beans, with liquid

DIRECTIONS:

In a large pot, cook onions and chopped meat in olive oil over medium heat. Stir frequently.

When onions are soft and meat browned, season with red pepper flakes, basil, cumin, cinnamon, garlic, chili powder, dried oregano, cocoa powder, sugar, and bay leaf, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 1 or 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and beans. Increase heat to bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes or until it thickens


FYI - the chocolate has absolutely no taste in the final product. It primarily provides a depth of color.

You can also add potatoes or squash slices to the chili if you're of the mind to.

Serve with corn bread with 2 Oz. Mexican corn added to the batter.

Cajun Burger ©

Burgers are in any time of year. When we lived in Colorado, it was a Friday luncheon ritual to head to a restaurant in Greeley for a Cajun burger, fries, and a pitcher of beer then take the rest of the day off from work. (The boss eventually discovered what we were doing;) we invited him to one of the luncheons and he joined us in the Friday soiree. Needless to say, he thought it was a good idea (we bought his lunch) to take the half day off. Ahhhh!! All's well that ends well! :-)

These are easy to make, and provide for a tasty start of a weekend.


Ingredients

1 Lb lean ground chuck
4 TBS Cajun Seasoning
2 TBS re-hydrated dried onion flakes

4 Onion Hamburger buns split and toasted
4 halved crispy bacon slices
Colby or Monterray Jack cheese slices
Lettuce
Sliced tomato

Thoroughly mix the first three ingredients and divide into quarters. Form patties, wrap in waxed paper and place in freezer for several hours for the spice flavor to infuse into the burger.
Charbroil your usual way. When 99% cooked, place the cheese slices on the burgers and close the lid of the BBQer so the cheese will melt.

Place burger on toasted bun, tomato slice, lettuce and whatever condiments that please your palate. Sprinkle on additional seasoning. (Vidalia onion slices are good too.)

Cajun Seasoning:

Now, open your spice cupboard, get ready to pull out the spices you'll need, and start measuring:

2 1/2 paprika
2 salt
2 garlic powder or granules
1 black pepper
1 onion powder
1 cayenne pepper
1 white pepper
1 1/4 dried leaf oregano
1 1/4 dried leaf thyme
1/2 crushed red pepper

The quantities above can be tsp, TBS, cups, etc; it's the same ratio for any measurement. I normally take all the spices and place them in a Krupps coffee grinder/mill and run it for 20-30 seconds several times so I end up with a spice powder, then store it in a tightly sealed jar and keep it in a dark place so the mixture maintains its flavor. The powder lasts twice as long as the spice flakes or leaves, and has twice the flavor; hence, you use less. I also place two bay leaves into the jar to help keep the powder moisture free.

Serve with a red or new potato salad (skins on) or new potatoes that have been quartered, skewered, oiled, spiced with the above seasoning and placed on the grill before doing the burgers so they will be ready when the burgers are done.

If you're REAL ambitious and into making your own onion buns, here's a recipe. (There's another variation of buns following this post.)

Onion Hamburger Buns

In the following order, add these to bread machine or stand mixer with dough hooks:

3 Tbsp. butter, softened
3/4 cup lukewarm milk
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp. lukewarm water
1 tsp onion powder
1 TBS dehydrated onion flakes
3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 TBS sugar
1 TBS instant yeast

Put ingredients into bread pan. Set machine on dough cycle and start. Let it run for 6-10 minutes. Remove dough, weigh it and divide into 8 even pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth round ball and flatten the balls with the palm of your hand or a rolling pin until they are 4-inches in diameter. Keep tops smooth.Place the rolls on a lightly greased sheet or on parchment paper. Cover lightly with oiled waxed paper so they don't stick to the paper, and set aside to raise till they are very puffy - about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.Bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool. Spread some melted butter on top for a more golden and softer crust.

Hamburger Rolls - The Ultimate in Softness ©

After buying hamburger rolls for the better part of my life, I decided to test various hamburger roll recipes; none seemed too rewarding - depressing at best! I finally came up with a recipe - and actually remembered what I did - for the common hamburger roll that is soft, fluffy and tasty and FAR beyond the pasty, tasteless rolls you buy in a super market. For those of you interested in making your own rolls, here is the recipe.


4 tsp. instant yeast
2-1/2 T. sugar
1-1/3 cups of warm bottled water
4 tsp. Vegetable oil
2 cups KA AP flour
2 cups Bread flour
1-1/4 tsp. salt
4 tsp bottled water
beaten egg white.

In large stand mixer bowl, dissolve yeast, sugar, and warm water. Mix well with beaters, and let stand until foamy and/or creamy -about 8-12 minutes.

Add oil, 2 cups of bread flour, and salt. Stir well with beaters. Remove the beaters and insert the bread hooks. Add the remaining 2 cups of AP flour, 1/2 cup at a time, and knead until dough comes together. Add addition flour if necessary to form a smooth, cohesive, elastic ball of dough. Flour counter, and knead further as necessary to get a smooth, elastic ball of dough. Should not be too sticky.

Lightly oil a large bowl, place dough in bowl and turn so dough is coated on all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until double in bulk - about 40 minutes.

Weigh dough, and divide into 8 equal pieces – or more for smaller buns. Roll and form the dough in balls/rounds. Flatten slightly, then place on a lightly oiled cookie sheet, or on a cookie sheet lined with oiled, floured parchment paper. Let rise for another 20-30 minutes until doubled in size.

Beat the egg white and water. Carefully brush the egg white onto rolls. Bake rolls in preheated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown.

Brown Sugar Pound Cake and Blueberry Bread

The following two recipes are excellent desserts, and very easy to make. The Brown Sugar Pound cake was originally on http://www.texascooking.com/ and provided to King Arthur's Baking Circle http://www.bakingcircle.com/ by bmwatl, an esteemed BC member. The Blueberry Cake was provided to King Arthur Baking Circle by C. Stevens.

Brown Sugar Pound Cake - Smooth and dense in texture, this cake has a wonderful caramel flavor.


Cake Ingredients

1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
5 large eggs, at room temperature
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract


Preheat oven to 325F. Grease and flour or sugar a 10-inch tube pan, a 12-cup Bundt pan, or two 9" x 5" bread pans. If using bread pans, divide evenly between the two.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

At medium speed with an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugars for 4 or 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. With the mixer running at low speed, add the oil and beat until incorporated; then, beat in the eggs, one at a time(*). At low speed, add the flour mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat only until ingredients are blended; do not overbeat. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Pour into your prepared pan(s), and bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Remove cake from oven and check doneness with a cake tester, metal skewer, or toothpick. If tester does not come out clean, bake for an additional 10 minutes, then test again. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and allow to cool completely. Frost with Brown Sugar Frosting or Brown Sugar Icing.

Brown Sugar Frosting

1 pound light brown sugar (16-ounce package
or about 2-1/4 cups plus 2 teaspoons
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 5-ounce can of evaporated milk
dash of salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Hint: When making a cake recipe that calls for several eggs to be added one at a time, break open all eggs in a separate bowl, slightly beat , then pour into the cake mixture a little at a time.
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Blueberry Bread (*** )

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pint blueberries (about 1-1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 cup chopped nuts of choice – optional
2 eggs -- beaten
1 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
3 tablespoons vegetable oil


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x5 loaf pan or three mini-pans (about 6 x 3).

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in the blueberries, the lemon powder and nuts if you choose to use them. In a small bowl or large measuring cup, combine the eggs, milk and oil; add to dry ingredients and mix until moistened. Transfer mixture to prepared pan(s). Bake large loaf about 55 minutes, smaller loaves 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool in the pan 15 minutes; remove from pan and cool on a rack.

You can use dried blueberries pre-soaked in water for a while, but fresh blueberries are best

(***) This recipe has been slightly modified from the original recipe. The original recipe can be found at http://www.shaboomskitchen.com

Il cocktail di aragosta con la menta

Lobster cocktail with mint is a delightful appetizer - expecially for the hot, steamy days of summer. This Sicilian appetizer is a warmup to most any meal.

Ingredients

1 Large lobster tail (or two small ones)
1 TBS of vinegar
1 stalk of celery
3 lemons
1/2 cup of olive oil
salt and pepper
finely chopped parsley (only the leaves)
Mint leaves (2-per serving)

Directions

Clean the lobster and dip in a container of cold salt-water for 30 minutes. Put a pot of water over medium heat and add salt and vinegar; bring to a simmer. Dip the lobster in the pot and simmer until done (do not over cook). Remove when cooked and place in a salad-bowl, let Cool and dice into 1/2 inch chunks.

Wash the celery, dice it into 1/4" pieces, then place in water with the juice of 2 lemons for half hour. In the meantime, flavor the diced lobster chunks with oil, salt and pepper. Add the diced celery, and the juice from the remaining lemon; stir well. Cover the salad-bowl and store in refrigerator for half hour. Divide evenly into cocktail glasses. Before serving, add the chopped parsley and garnish with the mint leaves.

Amish Peach Crumb Pie

The Amish are an incredibly simple, yet complex people. The family unit is forever binding with them. Those of you who are reading this blog and have had them as neighbors or have dealt with them on a personal level for any amount of time, know what I mean. They are generous, very introverted, yet will share whatever they have with a friend - either Amish or English (non Amish) The following recipe was given to me by one of the Amish families here in MO. Pie is always an appropriate dessert with just about any meal. Served with a few scoops of your favorite ice cream or sherbert, you can't go wrong. We had this pie a year ago at an Amish wedding reception I attended. It was a small reception; only 350 people - all but three were Amish. They sure know how to cook and bake. Their recipes are simple, yet lavish in taste.

Filling Ingredients

4 cups peaches, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 tablespoons tapioca powder

1 (9-inch) unbaked pie shell

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.Mix together gently, peaches, sugar, salt and tapioca. Let blend for 5 minutes before spooning into pie shell.

Crumb Ingredients

2 1/2 tablespoons butter or margarine; melted
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup brown sugar
Mix ingredients well and sprinkle over pie shell. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes.
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Gyoza with Fried rice and dipping sauce

This recipe has been in the family since the 60's. The first time I had it, I thought it was a Mexican dish. Duh!!! What do I know? It's a very tasty snack, or can be a main meal served with fried rice. We resurrected it a few days ago for the first time in several years.

Gyoza Ingredients

1 Lb Lean ground beef
3 medium sized mushrooms finely diced
2 green onions (scallions) finely diced
1 Stalk celery finely diced
3 TBS soy sauce
1 tsp Ground ginger
2 Cloves garlic finely diced
1/4 cup finely chopped cabbage
1 Package wonton wrappers
1 beaten egg white
Vegetable oil for frying (*)

Mix all ingredients together. Place 1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons of the meat mix inside a wonton skin. Fold skin diagonally, so you end up with a triangle. Dampen the edges of the skin with egg white and press together so they will seal and not come apart in the cooking process. Place stuffed skins in hot oil - 5-6 at a time - and fry until deep golden brown. Remove from frying oil and place on paper towels. Place on oven proof dish and keep warm in the oven until all are done.

Fried Rice

2 Cups cooked Jasmine rice
2 Cups Chicken broth
4 Strips crispy bacon crumbled
1 Stalk celery finely chopped
3 Green onions finely chopped
2-3 Mushrooms finely chopped

Cook rice per instructions in chicken broth-not water. Let cool, then add remaining ingredients to rice and mix well. Sautee rice mixture on medium high in a large pan until the rice is browned and heated through.

Dipping Sauce

1/3 Cup Soy Sauce

1/3 cup Habanero Vinegar

1/2 cup water

4-6 Chive stalks that have blossoms on them (Gone to seed)

We make our own vinegars, so I don't know if Habanero vinegar is available in the stores, but it's easy to make. Add 4-6 quartered habaneros - seeds and all - chives, plus a few cloves of crushed garlic to a quart/gallon- jar/bottle. Pour heated (not real hot) vinegar into the jar of peppers, chives, and garlic and let it sit for a month or longer in a dark place so the flavors will infuse into the vinegar. It's only slightly warm, but has the wonderful flavor of the habanero. Dip the cooked gyoza into the sauce.

The gyoza can be fried, steamed or boiled. We prefer the fried version.

Il Prosciutto ha avvolto i cuscini di pollo

This is a fairly quick recipe that is very rewarding.

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup frozen, chopped spinach, defrosted
1/2 Cup ricotta cheese
Pinch of nutmeg
4 B/S chicken breasts, about 6-8 ounces each
4 Slices of prosciutto ham (preferrably imported)
2 TBS butter
1 TBS Olive oil
12 small onions or shallots (pearl onions are great here)
1 1/2 cup button mushrooms sliced in half
1 TBS all purpose flour
2/3 Cup dry white wine
1 1/4 Cups chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Drain defrosted spinach in a strainer, and press all the water out with a spoon. In a bowl, mix spinach with the ricotta and nutmeg and season with salt and pepper.

Slit each breast through the side lengthwise and enlarge to form a pocket. Fill with the spinach mixture, reshape the chicken breasts, wrap each breast tightly in a slice of prosciutto and secure with cocktail toothpicks. Cover and chill in the refrigerator.

Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet and brown the breasts for 2 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to a large, shallow ovenproof dish and keep warm until required.

Sautee the mushrooms and onions for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned . Stir in the flour then gradually add the wine and chicken stock. Bring to a boil while stirring constantly. Season and spoon the mixture around the chicken.

Cook the chicken uncovered in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Turn the breasts over and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove the toothpicks. Serve the chicken with the sauce.

A nice accompaniment with this meal is a candied carrot puree, and steamed fresh green beans. Of course, a glass of chilled chardonnay wouldn't hurt either. Mangiare felice!

Yorkshire Pudding

Yorkshire pudding has been a favorite of ours for years. We generally serve it at the Christmas meal with a standing rib roast, green beans, gravy, and mashed potato.


Yorkshire-Pudding batter needs to be cold. Make it a day ahead, and refrigerate.Serves: 8

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
6 large eggs
2 1/2 cups milk

1. Sift together flour and salt. Place in bowl; make a well, and place eggs in center. Slowly whisk eggs into flour mixture until a paste forms. Gradually whisk in 1/2 cup milk.Gradually whisk in remaining 2 cups milk. Cover with plastic; chill in the refrigeratorat least 4 hours, or overnight.

2. When roast is finished, set oven at 425 degrees. When pan has been deglazed, pour 1/4 cup reserved pan drippings into roasting pan. Heat pan and drippings until very hot, about 5 minutes. Remove batter from refrigerator, and shake or whisk well; quickly pour into hot pan. Cook until crisp and golden, 20 to 30 minutes.

3. Alternate method would be to melt one stick of butter in a glass baking dish 8 1/2" x 11" then pour the batter into the dish with the melted butter. You can also make individual Yorkshire pudding servings by using a muffin tin with 1-TBS melted butter in each muffin section. I suggest getting a Texas-sized muffin tin.

Pasta Primavera

With most fresh veggies fully available most of the year , pasta primavera is a nice meal - or anytime. It can be served hot or cold as a salad.

12 ounces uncooked spaghettini, vermicelli, penne, or ziti

• 2-1/2 cups (3-inch) diagonally sliced asparagus (about 1 pound)
• 1-1/2 cups shelled green peas (about 1-1/2 pounds unshelled)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
• 2 cups diced zucchini
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions
• 1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto or ham, chopped
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated Asiago or fresh Parmesan cheese


To keep the prosciutto from sticking together in the pasta, lay it out on a plate to dry after you chop it. The rich, nutty flavor of the Asiago complements the saltiness of the prosciutto, but Parmesan can be substituted if necessary.

1. Bring water to a boil in a large Dutch oven, and add the pasta. Cook pasta for 5 minutes. Add the asparagus, and cook 2 minutes. Add the peas, and cook for 1 minute. Drain well, and set aside.

2. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini; saute 5 minutes. Add onions; saute 1 minute. Add broth and wine; bring to a boil. Stir in pasta mixture, basil, and oregano; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in 1 teaspoon oil, salt, pepper, and prosciutto. Spoon 1-1/4 cups primavera into each of 8 shallow bowls; top each serving with 1-1/2 tablespoons cheese. Yield: 8 servings.

Quick and easy Italian summer meal

This is quick and tasty. You can do it outside on the grill in a matter of minutes.

2 TBS olive oil
2 TBS butter
1/4 Cup Marsala Wine
1 Green Pepper Sliced in 1/2 " slices
2 Large Portabella mushrooms sliced in 1/2" slices and halved
1 Large onion sliced in rounds - 1/2" slices
2 Italian sausages sliced lengthwise OR a grilled B/S chicken breast
2 Kaiser or Hoagie rolls
Garlic powder for veggies and rolls

Grill sausages then slice in half lengthwise. In the mean time, sautee veggies in oil,butter, and wine until fairly soft. Split rolls in half lengthwise and toast on grill with a tad of garlic powder.
Place sliced sausages on bottom half of roll.

Drain and distribute veggies on roll - close roll with the top. You might want to spread a little marinara sauce on it too if you have it in the fridge. Also great on pasta.

Mangiare buono! Piacere!

Hot and Spicy Marinade

This is guaranteed to 'tickle' your fancy if you like tender and spicy.






Blend together:

4 minced green onions
2 seeded jalapeno or habanero peppers
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (or 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
a pinch of nutmeg.

Put meat in a sealable plastic bag, then pour in the marinade. Turn over from time to time. Best if marinated 4-hours or over night for an EXTRA surprise.

Blend all until smooth in a blender. This is good with chicken, beef, or pork. WARNING!! Be prepared for the morning after.

Bracioli and Meatballs

This recipe is simply fantastico!!! If you have the time and the hunger for an exquisite Italian meal, try this. Your guests and family will keep coming back for more. Served with sauteed zuchini squash, garlic, onions, and mushrooms, and REAL garlic bread, linguini or rigitoni and chianti? Oh MY!!

For the braciole:

1 1/2 cups milk
2 cups cubed (1/2 inch) day-old Italian bread
2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1 clove garlic, chopped fine
2 pounds beef bottom round, cut into 12 slices, each 1/2-inch thick
12 slices (about 6 ounces) imported Italian prosciutto
1/4 pound imported provolone cheese, cut into 1/4- by 1/4- by 2-inch sticks
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

For the sauce:

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 small onions (about 8 ounces), chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
3 (35-ounce) cans crushed Italian plum tomatoes (preferably San Marzano)
1 cup dry red wine
3 tablespoons tomato paste
4 bay leaves
Water, as needed
Salt, to taste
Crushed hot red pepper, to taste
2 pounds sweet or hot Italian sausage

Meatballs:

1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground beef
1 cup fine, dry bread crumbs
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped fine
1 large egg
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 pounds rigatoni
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

For the braciole:

Pour the milk into a medium bowl, add the bread cubes, and let soak until the bread is very soft, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain the bread, squeeze out the excess milk from the cubes with your hands, and return it to the bowl. Stir in the chopped eggs, parsley, Parmigiano-Reggiano, raisins, pine nuts and garlic to create a stuffing. Mix well and set aside.

With the toothed side of a heavy meat mallet, pound each slice of beef into a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Arrange one of the pounded meat slices in front of you with one of the short sides closest to you. Top with a slice of prosciutto, and tap the prosciutto with the back side of a knife so it adheres to the beef. Spread 2 tablespoons of the stuffing along the edge of the meat closest to you, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Place a stick of provolone over the stuffing. Fold the border over the provolone, then fold the side borders in to overlap the edges of the stuffing. Roll into a compact roll about 4 inches long. Secure the end flap with a toothpick. Repeat with the remaining beef and stuffing, then season the rolls with salt and pepper.

To brown the braciole, heat olive oil in a large heavy casserole over medium heat. Stir in the onions and garlic and cook until the onion is wilted, about 5 minutes. Add as many of the braciole as will fit in a single layer and cook, turning as necessary, until golden on all sides, about 7 minutes. If necessary, repeat with any remaining braciole. Adjust the heat under the pan as necessary to prevent the beef from scorching.

For the sauce: Empty the tomatoes into a bowl and squeeze with your hands until coarsely crushed, removing the cores as you do. If necessary, return all the braciole to the casserole. Pour the wine into the casserole, bring to a boil and cook until most of the wine has evaporated. Stir in the tomatoes and bring to a boil. Add tomato paste and bay leaves and stir until the paste is dissolved. Season lightly with salt and crushed red pepper, adjust the heat to simmering, and cook, adding water as necessary to keep the braciole completely submerged until the beef is tender, about 3 hours.

After the braciole have been simmering in the sauce for about 1-1/2 hours, add 2 pounds hot or sweet Italian sausages, poked all over with a fork and browned.

For the meatballs:

Crumble pork and beef into a mixing bowl. Sprinkle the bread crumbs, 1/3 cup grated cheese, parsley and garlic over the meat. Beat the egg with salt and pepper in a small bowl until blended. Pour over the meat mixture. Mix the ingredients with clean hands just until evenly blended. Don't overmix. Shape the meat mixture into 1-1/2-inch balls. Dredge the meatballs in the flour until lightly but evenly coated. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil and the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Slip as many meatballs into the skillet as will fit without overcrowding. Fry, turning as necessary, until golden brown on all sides, about 6 minutes. Adjust the heat as the meatballs cook to prevent them from overbrowning, and add them to the pot after the braciole have been simmering for 2 hours.

When the meats are cooked, transfer them to platters, spoon a little sauce over them, and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Cook rigatoni according to package directions, drain well and return to the cooking pot. Add enough of the sauce to coat the rigatoni lightly, season with Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese, and transfer the sauced pasta to a large platter. Pass any remaining sauce and some grated cheese separately. Remove the toothpicks before serving. The braciole can be prepared up to two days in advance, then reheated over low heat until warmed through.

Hoagie Rolls

These rolls or bread make a total and complete sandwich for a barbeque. This is an adaptation and variation of the Bread Baker's Apprentice... written by Peter Rinehart... recipe for Italian bread. It’s a combination of the Italian bread recipe, which includes Paté Fermentée in lieu of the biga(*). It yields a delightful hoagie roll with a soft, golden topped crust. These rolls go very well with just about anything you want to put on them like roast beef, turkey, char-broiled Italian sausage, BLT, BBQ beef or pork, or ham and cheese.

Dough Ingredients by Volume:

2 ½ cups Unbleached, high gluten bread flour
1 2/3 tsp non-iodized salt
1 TBS sugar
1 tsp instant yeast
1 tsp diastatic barley malt powder
1 TBS olive oil
7-8 Ounces milk
1 Egg yolk
8 Oz Pate fermentee
Semolina flour or cornmeal for dusting
Stick butter

Instructions:

Paté Fermentée should be at room temperature.

With a wooden spoon, stir together the flour, salt, sugar, yeast and barley malt powder in your largest mixer bowl. Add the olive oil, egg yolk, and milk. Mix until it forms a ball, adding flour and/or water according to need. Mix on medium speed with dough hooks until you get a dough that passes the ‘windowpane’ test, is slightly tacky and soft, but not too stiff. The dough should clear the sides and bottom of the bowl

Knead for 10-minutes on floured counter, or 6-minutes in mixer bowl with dough hooks. Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl. Roll the dough in the bowl several times so it is coated with the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let it ferment/rise until double in size. Because of the small amount of yeast used, the rising will take about 3-4 hours. DO NOT increase the amount of yeast.

Once doubled in size, add the 8-Oz of Paté Fermentée. Knead the Paté Fermentée into the raised dough, adding flour as necessary to get a silky, yet fairly stiff, flexible dough. Lightly dust with flour and return to bowl and let rise to double once again. This rising should take no more than 45-minutes.

Divide into either four or six equal pieces, depending on how large you want the rolls. Let the pieces rest for 10 minutes. Roll and shape into hoagie shaped rolls - about 8” long by 4” wide by 3 inches thick (for 4-roll.) The roll ends should be blunted, not pointed so you have a rectangular shaped creation.

Place the shaped rolls on a sheet pan that is lined with parchment paper, lightly oiled, and dusted with semolina flour (preferred) or cornmeal. Spray tops of rolls lightly with olive oil. Cover loosely with dry waxed paper and let rise to one and one half the original size.

Turn on oven and set to 500F. making sure there is an empty steam pan in the oven. Score the rolls with two horizontal slashes. Pour several cups of water in the steam pan, and spray the walls of the oven with water. Place the rolls in the oven. After 30 seconds, spray the oven walls again and quickly close the oven door. Repeat spraying again after another 30 seconds. After the final spray, lower the oven temperature to 400, and rotate the pan 180 degrees. It should take about 15 - 20 minutes for rolls to complete baking.

When rolls are golden and cooked through, remove them from the oven to a cooling rack and rub the tops of the rolls with a stick of butter for a soft, golden crust.

Paté Fermentée(*)

Paté Fermentée translates into fermented bread. It is NOT a sourdough, but rather a process that many bakeries use for either French bread, or Italian bread. The Italian version is called biga, and another French version is called poolish. Each version is different in consistency and has different uses depending on what kind of bread you are making. Each one is a key in breadmaking; a little bit from each batch is held over to the next day to make another batch, etc. the following day. I might add, that a frozen then thawed batch of the Paté Fermentée seems to have better bread rising qualities than the original.

This recipe yields approximately 16 ounces. Use only 8 Ounces for the roll recipe, and freeze the remaining 8 ounces in an air-tight freezer bag. It will last about 3-months. Lightly oil the inside of the freezer bag before you put in the Paté Fermentée.

Paté Fermentée Ingredients

1 1/8 Cups of unbleached high gluten bread flour
1 1/8 Cups of All Purpose flour
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp instant yeast
6-7 ounces of bottled water at room temperature


With a wooden spoon, stir together the flour, salt, sugar, yeast in your largest mixer bowl. Add the water. Mix until it forms a course ball, adding flour and/or water according to need. Mix on medium speed with dough hooks until you get a dough that is neither too sticky nor too stiff.

Knead for 4 to 6 minutes by hand, or 4 minutes in the mixer with the dough hooks. Dough should be soft and pliable and tacky, but not sticky.

Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl. Roll the dough in the bowl several times so it is coated with the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let it ferment/rise until 1 ½ times the original size.

Remove the dough from the bowl, knead it lightly to de-gas, and return it to the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Place the bowl in the refrigerator over night. You can keep this in the refrigerator for up to three days, or freeze in an airtight plastic bag for up to three months.

A P.S. here - always use bottled or spring water at room temperature. Chlorinated water and the yeasties don't always get along, and it can change the taste and texture of the bread.

Home

Calamari with Lemon Myrtle

Ok, OKAY - I agree, this is a bizarre salad recipe, but I can assure you, once you try it, you WILL be back for more!! :-)

Lemon Myrtle is an Australian native tree indigenous to the coastal, sub-tropical rainforests of Queensland. The Lemon Myrtle leaf has a unique, refreshing flavour and aroma of a blend of lemongrass, lime and lemon.




Ingredients:

3 cups calamari (squid) tubes
5 fresh lemon myrtle leaves (very finely sliced) or 1/2 tsp powdered lemon myrtle
4 shallots finely chopped
1 large red chili pepper (optional) Jalapenos here are great
1 TBS chopped ginger root
1/4 cup roasted unsalted macadamia nuts
2 tsp Thai fish sauce
1 TBS sesame oil
1 lime
1/2 cup sliced or shaved fresh coconut
salt

Instructions:

Cut calamari in 1/4" rings. Squeeze lime and retain juice and skin separately. Boil 2 quarts of water in saucepan - add lime skin and tablespoon of salt.Plunge calamari into boiling water until water comes back to boil but no more than two minutes.Remove calamari and drain. Allow to cool rapidly. Do not rinse or refrigerate.

Wash and slice shallots, chilli, coconut and ginger. Combine with remaining ingredients and calamari. Allow to marinate for one hour. Serve as an appetizer or entree on a bed of crisp lettuce with a dry white wine, or a white burgundy.

Sicilian Sausage

Italian sausage is very easy to make; even easier if you have a meat grinder with the sausage tubes for stuffing. This recipe calls for pork and beef. I prefer using all pork, but that's my taste.





SICILIAN SAUSAGE

3 1/2 pounds pork shoulder or butt (*)
1 1/2 pounds beef
5 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups minced Italian parsley chopped (flat leaf)
3 tablespoons fennel seed
2 tablespoons anise seeds
3/4 cup coarsely grated Romano cheese
3/4 cup coarsely graded Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup water
¼ cup red wine (Marsala sweet is best)
1/2 pound sausage casings (natural casings preferred)
4 cloves of garlic fine chopped

Grind pork with beef, using medium blade on grinder, or have butcher do this for you. Combine ground meat with salt, parsley, fennel seed, anise seed, Romano cheese, Parmesan cheese, and pepper. Mix until all ingredients are well blended. Pour in water slowly and mix until all ingredients are bound together. Refrigerate over night for flavors to develop and blend with meat.

Place mixture in sausage press and have fun. If press is not available, stuff skins by hand, or form sausage mixture into paddies and pan fry. Let fresh (thawed) sausage sit at room temperature for 30 minutes prior to grilling or pan frying.

(*) Don’t use pork loin, as there is not enough fat to give it the proper sausage taste, and they will be too dry.

Biscuits

This recipe is not one of my inventions, but I guarantee, if you like biscuits as many of us do, you'll find yourself making them often. The recipe was first posted by David Lee on the King Arthur Baking Circle. David passed away recently at a very young age. He left a legacy of wonderful recipes; and, a legacy in the form of a person who truly cared for those of us who cook and bake. His memory lives on. I suggest to all reading this that you join the King Arthur Baker's Circle - www.bakingcircle.com. It costs nothing, and you will find some of the most wonderful people in the realm of baking and those of us who try to cook, and those who DO cook - not only for pleasure but as a profession as well. Join us. There is much to be learned here.

These biscuits are as quick and easy to make as opening up one of those biscuit tubes available in the refrigerated section of the grocery store, and 1000% better - sooooooooo flaky and tender!! You will NEVER go back to store bought!~~

• 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder (double-acting)
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 3/4 to 1 cup heavy cream
• Melted Butter

Preheat oven to 425F.

Lightly grease a cookie sheet or baking pan. Sift the dry ingredients together in a bowl, then stir to combine them evenly. Add the cream and fold it in until a soft dough forms that can be easily handled. Turn the dough out onto a floured board and gently and lightly knead it for around 1 minute (max.)

Do not knead the dough like you would a bread dough -- handle it as lightly and as little as possible. You are only kneading it to make sure the dough has come together and is smooth -- you DO NOT want to develop the gluten like you would for regular bread dough.

Gently pat the dough out using your hands until the dough is around 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch thick. Cut into rounds, dip the round into melted butter and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Leftover dough should be gathered together, rekneaded just until it comes together again, then pat it out and cut again. Continue until all the dough is used.

The first cutting will be the nicest biscuits -- save those for "company!" Bake at 425F for 15 to 18 minutes. Serve hot!

Notes on cutting the dough -- first dip the cutter in flour to prevent the dough from sticking to the cutter, then cut straight down and DO NOT TWIST. Lift the cutter up quickly and the round will come out of the dough easily so you can pick it up and dip it in the butter. OR if you lift the cutter slowly you can pick up the uncut dough and the rounds will stay behind (like die punching!)

Pollo alla Scarpariello

Did you ever get the impression that I like chicken? Well, it just so happens I do. It's versatile, inexpensive (by comparison) and if you get the right brand of chicken, it can be, well, gastronomically orgasmic. (I hope that is not offensive to anyone - if it is, tell me and I will change that term.) When buying chicken, try to get 'air-chilled' chicken, not water chilled. And there's only one producer of air-chilled pollo in the U.S.A - MBA Poultry - Smart Chicken. In New England, you can find it at the Big Y stores. Water chilled chicken is the stuff you buy, and when you open the package all the reddish slime water pours out. The chicken should be thoroughly rinsed at best before cooking. Don't ask me how they do it, but Smart Chicken cooks in half the time, and is actually jucier. Enough!! On to the recipe.

Scarpariello means "shoemaker-style", and it is thought that the name might have originated as the result of chicken bones protruding from your mouth as you eat them much like a shoemaker might hold tacks in his mouth as he works.

Another southern Italian origin to the name comes about from the fact that even the family of a poor shoemaker in southern Italy could afford to make this dish, while another version is that all of the ingredients in this dish can be easily "cobbled" together. Whatever the source of it's name might be, the dish is delicious. Some versions of this dish add sausages and vinegar in place of the lemon. All of the recipes I have come across use cut up chicken pieces. (*)

Cut the chicken breast into 2 or three pieces to ensure all of the chicken pieces cook evenly. You can remove the skin as well if you prefer. I like to serve simple side dishes to accompany this dish such as mashed potatoes or polenta, linguini pasta, and a nice crisp green vegetable.

1 (2 1/2 to 3 Pound) Chicken Cut Into Pieces
1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
Salt & Pepper
1 tsp Oregano
4 TBS Olive Oil
3 Cloves Garlic, Peeled & Sliced
1/2 Cup Chopped Onions
1 Sprig Fresh Rosemary
1 Cup Chicken Broth
1/2 Cup White Wine
Juice From 1 Lemon
3 TBS Unsalted, Softened Butter
1 TBS Flour
1/4 Cup Chopped, Fresh Parsley

Preheat the oven to 400F. Mix together the flour and oregano, and season with salt and pepper. Rinse and dry the chicken pieces, and then dredge them lightly in the seaoned flour mixture. In a heavy, ovenproof skillet, large enough to hold all of the chicken pieces, heat the olive oil, and then brown the chicken well on all sides over medium heat. Be careful not to burn the oil by using too much heat. Once all of the pieces are well browned, remove them to a plate.

Pour out the left over oil in the pan, leaving just a tablespoon or two with the browned bits at the bottom. Add the onion and cook until soft, and then add the garic. As soon as the garlic begins to sizzle, add the wine, and stir the browned bits at the bottom while you reduce the wine by half over medium high heat.

Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Break up the rosemary into pieces, and add it to the sauce. Return the chicken pieces to the skillet, and spoon the sauce over top. Bake the chicken until done, about 20 minutes

Remove the chicken to a warmed platter, and bring the remaining sauce to a boil. Add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Mix the tablespoon of flour with 1 tablespoon of softened butter. Add the remaining butter to the sauce in the skillet, and mix well.

Remove the rosemary pieces from the sauce. If the sauce is thin, stir in a little of the flour and butter mixture, wisking continuously to prevent lumps. Once the sauce has thickened, add the chopped parsley, and pour the sauce over the chicken on the platter. Serve immediately.

(*) Y'know, you could avoid the bone-in chicken, and use boneless/skinless chicken breasts; or, boneless/skinless thighs. Either way, it's exquisite. Mangia, mangia!! AND, be sure to have some Chianti or Bordolino on hand. IF, and it's real iffy, you can find or order a bottle of white chianti, you will be in for a treat beyond belief. REAL garlic bread is a must here.