Re: Kai's "Old-Fashioned" Recipe Thread
Tomato and Fresh Mozzarella Salad
Salad:
2 tomatoes, peeled and sliced 1/2-inch thick
6 to 8 ozs. fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/4-inch slices
4 or 5 fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped or torn
1 small yellow pepper, sliced
Sweet onion slices, about 1 cup
1 or 2 cucumbers, sliced
Avocado, peeled and sliced, optional
1 or 2 small yellow squash, thinly sliced
Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup tarragon or cane vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Pinch salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. honey mustard
To prepare salad: In large platter layer tomatoes, cheese, basil leaves, yellow peppers, onion slices, cucumbers, avocado and squash. To make vinaigrette: In small bowl, whisk vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and honey mustard together. Right before serving, sprinkle vinaigrette over salad and serve.
Makes about 1/2 cup vinaigrette.
Salad serves 4 to 6.
Tomato-Stuffed Squash Boats
6 medium yellow squash
1 fresh tomato, chopped
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper or mild banana peppers
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
2 or 3 leaves fresh basil, chopped (OR fresh parsley, to taste)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
11/2 tbls. butter
Wash outside of squash. Place whole squash in pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool slightly. Cut in half lengthwise and using a teaspoon remove seeds and center pulp and discard. In medium bowl, combine tomato, bell pepper, onion, crumbled bacon, basil leaves, pepper, salt and cheese. Divide among squash boats. Place uncovered on baking sheet. Cut a small pat of butter and place it on top of filling. Bake in preheated 400-degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until heated through.
Makes 12 halves (6 to 12 servings).
Cream of Crawfish Soup
1 lb. crawfish tails with fat
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
2 cups chicken broth, heated
1/2 stick butter
1 onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup flour
2 cups whipping cream, warmed
2 cups milk, warmed
2 tsps. salt, or to taste
2 tsps. cracked pepper, or to taste
2 tsps. Creole seasoning, or to taste
2 tsps. garlic powder
Paprika for garnish
Process the crawfish tails, green onions and mushrooms in a food processor until ground but not mushy, adding 1 cup of the chicken broth if needed. Melt butter in heavy 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and saute for 5 minutes. Stir in the flour with a whisk. Cook 1 or 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add remaining chicken broth and stir until blended. Add the ground crawfish mixture and mix well. Simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the whipping cream and milk. Season to taste with salt, pepper, Creole seasoning and garlic powder. Mix well. Bring to boil then reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Ladle into soup bowls. Garnish each lightly with a pinch of paprika.
Serves 6 to 8.
Stuffed Peppers
1 (31/2-oz.) bag boil-in-bag long-grain rice
4 medium red bell peppers
3/4 lb. ground sirloin
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground allspice
2 cups bottled tomato-and-basil pasta sauce, divided
1/2 cup (2 ozs.) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup dry red wine
Cooking spray
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Set aside. While rice cooks, cut tops off bell peppers; reserve tops. Discard seeds and membranes. Place peppers, cut sides down, in an 8-inch-square baking dish; cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on high 2 minutes or until peppers are crisp-tender. Cool. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef, onion, parsley, paprika, salt and allspice; cook 4 minutes or until beef is lightly browned, stirring to crumble. Remove from heat. Add rice, 1/2 cup pasta sauce and cheese to beef mixture, stirring to combine. While beef cooks, combine 11/2 cups pasta sauce and wine in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Spoon about 3/4 cup beef mixture into each pepper. Place peppers in a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray; add wine-pasta sauce mixture to pan. Cover with foil. Bake at 450 degrees for 20 minutes. Uncover; bake an additional 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve peppers with sauce. Garnish with pepper tops.
Makes 4 servings (1 stuffed pepper and 1/3 cup sauce each).
Re: Kai's "Old-Fashioned" Recipe Thread
I almost forgot *desert* ! :eek:
Praline Peanut Butter Fudge
1 cup evaporated milk
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 stick plus 6 tbls. real butter, divided
10 to 12 ozs. peanut butter chips
About 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup light Karo syrup
1 cup pecans
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1. Line a (9x9-inch) glass baking dish with aluminum foil. Butter well or spray with nonstick spray.
2. To make bottom layer: In a heavy saucepan, combine milk, sugar, salt and 1/2 stick butter. Bring to a boil, between medium and medium-high heat, and cook for about 7-8 minutes, stirring constantly.
3. Remove from heat. Add peanut butter chips and creamy peanut butter. Stir well, working quickly to avoid the candy from setting up in the saucepan. Quickly pour mixture into prepared pan. Smooth out the top, if necessary. Refrigerate until firm.
4. To make top layer: In a small saucepan, melt 6 tablespoons of butter. Add brown sugar and Karo syrup. Stir until smooth. Bring to a boil and stir for 30 seconds. Remove from heat. Add nuts and powdered sugar. Stir well. Quickly pour over bottom layer. Chill for at least 2 hours. Cut into small squares.
Makes about 36-48 small pieces.
Banana Pudding
8 ozs. cream cheese
1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (5.1-oz.) vanilla instant pudding
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups milk
8 ozs. Cool Whip, divided
4 bananas, sliced
1 (12-oz.) bag Jack's vanilla wafers
1. Beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add condensed milk, pudding, vanilla and milk. Beat until smooth. Fold in 1 cup of Cool Whip.
2. Line large bowl with vanilla wafers. Spread half of pudding in bowl. Top with half of sliced bananas. Repeat with remaining pudding and bananas and top with Cool Whip. Chill.
Serves 12-14.
Simple Pecan Pie
4 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup dark Karo syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 cup pecans
1 (9-inch) unbaked pie shell
1. Combine all ingredients. Mix well and pour into pie shell.
2. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 30-40 minutes.
Peach Cobbler
4 cups canned peaches with juice or 4 cups fresh peaches, peeled
2 tsps. cinnamon
2 sticks butter, divided
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tbls. sugar, divided
2 cups plus 2 tsps. flour, divided
1 tbl. vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsps. baking powder
1 cup milk
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1. In a saucepan, combine peaches, cinnamon, 1 stick butter, 1 cup sugar and 2 teaspoons flour. Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Add vanilla. Mix well and set aside.
2. To make crust, combine 2 cups flour, 2 tablespoons of sugar, baking powder, milk, 1 stick of melted butter and powdered sugar. Spread crust mixture in bottom and up the sides of a (9x13x2-inch) baking pan that has been sprayed with nonstick vegetable spray.
3. Pour in peach mixture. Do not stir. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 30-40 minutes.
Sweet Potato Pie
6 large sweet potatoes
3 cups sugar
1 1/2 sticks butter
3 tsps. cinnamon
2 tsps. nutmeg
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tbl. vanilla extract
1 tsp. almond extract
2 (9-inch) unbaked, deep-dish pie crusts
1. Boil sweet potatoes with skin. Peel off skin, when potatoes are soft and tender.
2. Mix warm sweet potatoes with sugar and butter. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking powder, eggs, milk, condensed milk and extracts and combine with an electric mixer.
3. Spoon mixture equally into pie crusts. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown and pie filling is set.
Makes 2 (9-inch) pies
Re: Kai's "Old-Fashioned" Recipe Thread
OOH OOH OOH OOH OOH OOH! Fugi, that rhubarb pudding cake was awesome. I've already decided I can make it with apples, blueberries (if I go pick at my sister-in-law's), peaches... DAYGUM it was tasty! And a huge hit with the mil!
Re: Kai's "Old-Fashioned" Recipe Thread
Barbecued Tenderloin Open-Face Sandwiches
Serves 4
Ingredients:
4 filet mignon cuts of beef tenderloin (4 to 8 oz. each)
3/4 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce
3 Vidalia onions peeled and cut into half-inch slices
1-1/2 cups of shredded white cheddar
1 loaf of focaccia (Panera's Asiago focaccia works great)
Olive oil
1 bag of organic greens prepared for salad
Salt and pepper
Instructions:
Oil the grill so your steaks don't stick. Grill the tenderloins to your liking. (Approximately 4 minutes per side for medium on a grill heated at medium level. It depends on your grill.) During the last 3 minutes of grilling, baste the tenderloins with your barbecue sauce. Do the same for the onions. Put them on the grill at the same time as the steaks. Grill them alongside the steaks and baste with sauce.
Slice the focaccia in half horizontally so you have two "pie shapes." Then cut the pie shapes in half so you end up with 4 half-moon shapes.
Baste the cut side with your favorite olive oil. You can use flavored olive oil if you want; basil or pepper-infused olive oils work great. Grill or broil the cut side until it's lightly browned.
Put the bread face up on a cookie sheet. Cut the filet into 1/4-inch strips. Lay the strips, overlapping, side by side on the bread. Pile the onions on top. Put the grated cheese on top of the pile and put it under the broiler for just a minute to melt the cheese. While the cheese is melting, lightly dress your salad greens with olive oil and grate salt and pepper on the salad to taste.
Take the sandwiches out of the broiler. Use a spatula to transfer them to your plates. Pile the "salad" on top of the sandwiches and let it cascade down the sides.
Re: Kai's "Old-Fashioned" Recipe Thread
{{About all I can afford at K-Paul's }} ;)
Hush Puppies
1 egg
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups corn meal
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
Cayenne pepper, to taste
6 Tablespoons chopped onion
Fat for deep-frying
Beat egg and buttermilk together and set aside. Mix all dry ingredients and add chopped onion. Blend in egg-buttermilk mixture. Heat fat to 370 degrees. Drop hush puppies, a few teaspoonfuls at a time, into the fat. Fry about two to three minutes or until evenly browned. They will float to the surface when cooked. Drain on absorbent paper and serve at once.
SERVINGS: 8
Re: Kai's "Old-Fashioned" Recipe Thread
Island Barbecued Spareribs
3 pounds spareribs or Texas-style ribs
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 egg-size gingerroot, grated
1 teaspoon MSG (optional)
Place the ribs in enough water to cover in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat. Simmer for 15 minutes; drain. Mix the sugar and salt together. Rub on all sides of the ribs. Place in a container and cover. Chill in the refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours. Combine the soy sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, gingerroot and MSG in a bowl and mix well. Chill, covered, in the refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours.
Brush the ribs with some of the sauce and place in a baking pan. Let stand for 1 hour. Bake, covered with foil, at 325 degrees for 1-1/2 hours. Remove the foil. Bake for 30 minutes longer, basting with the remaining sauce every 15 minutes.
SERVES: 6
{{Anybody hear from our favorite MIB ? }}
Re: Kai's "Old-Fashioned" Recipe Thread
:D
Beef Alabraise
• 1/4 to 1/3 lb. salt pork, rind and some of the fat removed, in small dice
• 1 onion, chopped finely
• 1 tsp. or more parsley, chopped finely
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp. thyme
• 4 lb. beef rump roast
• 1/2 c. port wine
• 1/4 c. vinegar
• 1/4 c. salad oil
• Salt and pepper
Roll the diced salt pork in the onion, parsley, garlic and thyme. Make about eight deep slits in the roast and force the salt pork mixture in them. Try to keep the slits parallel to each other to produce a nice pattern when the roast is carved. Set the roast in a non-metallic container.
Mix the port wine, vinegar and oil together and pour over roast. Refrigerate overnight in the marinade, turning several times. Discard marinade before roasting the beef. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Roast uncovered for 2 to 3 hours, depending on doneness preference. Baste occasionally with the juices from the meat.
:D
Maple Charlotte
• 1 c. maple syrup, at room temperature
• 1 envelope (1 tbsp.) gelatin
• 1/3 c. hazelnuts, toasted, skinned and chopped finely
• 2 c. heavy cream, whipped
• 1 (12-count) pkg. ladyfingers
Heat the maple syrup slightly in a small pan. Stir in the gelatin and stir, over heat, until dissolved. Refrigerate until the syrup becomes thick. Stir in the chopped hazelnuts. Carefully fold the syrup mixture into the whipped cream.
Separate the ladyfinger layers. Line the ungreased Charlotte mold, or any round, 1 1/2-quart, flat-bottomed dish, with five or six separate "spokes" of ladyfingers meeting in the center, curved side toward the bottom of the mould. You may have to cut each side of the little cakes to make a point to set them in a starburst pattern. Next stand the other ladyfingers, still attached to one another, around the side of the mould, keeping the rounded sides outward.
Pour the Charlotte mixture in the mold, to the top of the ladyfingers. Chill in the refrigerator at least four hours. Turn over a large serving plate to unmold. Cut very gently with a serrated knife to prevent squishing the cream mixture. Serve immediately.
:D
Re: Kai's "Old-Fashioned" Recipe Thread
:D
Grilled Sirloins
Note: Bleu d'Auvergne, a creamy French blue cheese, or a gorgonzola works well in this recipe.
For blue cheese butter:
• 4 oz. (about 3/4 c.) creamy blue cheese, at room temperature (see Note)
• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
• 4 tbsp. chopped chives, divided
For steaks and onions:
• 2 tbsp. dried thyme leaves
• 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
• 3 (1-in. thick) boneless sirloin steaks, each about 1 1/4 lb., trimmed of excess fat
• 3 large red onions (about 2 1/4 lb. total)
• 3 to 4 tbsp. olive oil for brushing on onions plus extra for greasing grill rack
• 4 to 6 metal or wooden skewers (soaked for 30 minutes in water)
To prepare the blue cheese butter: Break cheese into small pieces and place in a mixing bowl along with butter and 3 tablespoons of the chives. Using a fork or spoon, blend the ingredients. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. (Blue cheese butter can be prepared a day ahead; bring to room temperature 30 minutes before using.)
To prepare steaks and onions: Mix together thyme, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Use half of the seasoning mixture to rub on both sides of each steak. Peel onions, then halve lengthwise and cut each half into 3/4 -inch-thick wedges going through the root ends. Divide wedges and place on skewers. Place olive oil in a small bowl, then brush onion wedges on all sides with it. Sprinkle remaining seasoning mixture over both sides of onions.
When ready to cook, oil a grill rack and arrange 4 to 5 inches from heat source. Prepare grill for a hot (high-temperature) fire.
When grill is ready, grill skewered onions, turning often, until charred around the edges and tender. Onions will take about 20 minutes. When done, remove from grill and cover loosely with foil. After onions have been on grill 10 minutes, add steaks. Grill steaks until lightly charred outside and pink inside, 4 to 6 minutes per side for medium rare. (Internal temperature should be about 145 degrees.) Halve each steak and arrange on a serving platter surrounded by onions. Top each steak with a generous dollop of blue cheese butter and sprinkle with remaining chives. Serve warm.
:D
Cornmeal shortcake biscuits
• 1 2/3 c. flour
• 1/3 c. fine-grain cornmeal, such as Indian Head
• 4 tbsp. sugar
• 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 8 tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled
• 1 egg, at room temperature
• 1/3 c. sour cream, at room temperature
• 3 tbsp. water, more if needed
Topping:
• 3 c. blueberries
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/3 c. honey or sugar, or to taste
• 2 tsp. grated lemon peel
• 2 or 3 tbsp. B&B or Benedictine Liqueur
• 1 c. heavy cream
• 2 to 3 tbsp. sugar, preferably superfine
To prepare biscuits: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Sift the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large, shallow bowl. Cut the butter into 1/2-inch size pieces and place in the bowl and mix well. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Set aside.
Combine the sour cream and water in a small bowl and beat until well-blended. Sprinkle the sour cream-water mixture over the dough and using a fork, quickly stir the dampened dough together and then gather into a disk or ball. If the batter is a little dry, add another tablespoon of water.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and dust lightly with flour if it sticks. Knead the dough lightly a couple times. Then, roll or pat the dough into a circle about 3/4-inch thick, 8 to 9 inches in diameter. Using a floured 2 1/2-inch cookie cutter, cut the dough into biscuit. Reroll scraps and cut into biscuits.
Place the biscuits on a lightly greased baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Place the pan on the lower oven shelf and bake the biscuits for 12 to 15 minutes or until puffy and lightly browned.
Remove the biscuits from the oven and split each in half horizontally with a serrated knife.
To prepare topping: Rinse the berries and remove stems. Combine the lemon juice, 1/3 cup honey or sugar, lemon peel and liqueur in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook over high heat until the mixture thickens slightly, about 3 minutes.
Stir in the blueberries and immediately reduce the heat to low. Simmer the berries, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes or until they begin to release their juice, but still are whole. Remove the berries from the heat and let cool in the pan.
Combine the heavy cream and 2 to 3 tablespoons sugar in a chilled bowl and beat with a handheld mixer until the cream is fluffy, holding soft peaks. Don't overbeat; the cream will become grainy. Refrigerate the whipped cream until ready to serve.
To serve: Spoon about 1/3 cup of the berries and juice over the bottom half of the biscuits, dividing evenly. Replace the biscuit tops and dab on the whipped cream. Serve immediately.
:D
