Saturday, January 29, 2011

Deboning Chicken Breasts

Thursday I bought split chicken breasts for $.99 a pound. I ended up with 10 nice sized breasts for just under $10.00. I spent a good 1/2 hour skinning and de-boning them. The skin and bones went in the freezer for chicken soup. I froze two packages of chicken but kept 3 breasts out for Sunday dinner tomorrow. What shall I make with it? I have no idea.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Sour Cream Cranberry Bars

BOTTOM LAYER
1 Cup Butter Softened

1 Cup Brown Sugar

2 Cups Quick Oatmeal

1 & 1/2 Cups Flour

1. Cream butter and sugar, add flour and oatmeal until crumbly looking. Reserve 1 and 1/2 Cups for topping.

2. Press remainder into a 9" X 13" glass baking dish. bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until light brown.

3. Now mix the middle layer and pour on top of the crust.

MIDDLE LAYER
1 Cup Sour Cream

3/4 Cup Sugar

1 Egg Beaten

2 heaping Tbs Flour

2 Cups dried Cranberries (Dried Cherries taste wonderful too)

1 Tb lemon Juice

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Mix ingredients and pour over baked crust

TOP LAYER
Sprinkle the reserved crumbs on top and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Refrigerate leftovers or freeze.

NOTE: You can substitute the dried berries with 1 and 1/2 Cups coconut if you want. It might be easier if you pour the sour cream mixture all over the crust (tipping dish to completely cover it, then sprinkle the coconut on top.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Spinach Soup

I made Spinach Soup yesterday! The typical crock pot soup. Chicken broth, the carrot, onion, celery trinity, a potato and a bag of frozen spinach. I even pureed 3/4 of it. Seasoning as usual, it's not bad.. Actually I had no broth and used Soup base instead.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Lorraine's Pot Stickers (Alton Brown's Method, and drastically altered recipe)

3/4 - 1 LB Pound Ground Pork

2 cloves Minced Garlic

1" about 1 tsp Tb grated Fresh Ginger

1/2 Cup finely shredded Cabbage Use Napa if you can, but American is fine.

2 - 3 Tb ASIAN GOURMET Szechwan Sauce

1 Tsp Onion Powder

1 Egg Beaten

1 tsp Soy Sauce

1 tsp Brown Sugar

40 Wonton Wrappers or Round Asian Pot Sticker Wrappers

1 and 1/3 Cups Broth (I used beef)

1 egg beaten with 1 TB Water to glue pot stickers closed.

2 TB Oil each time you brown a 1/4 batch of pot stickers.

Mix the first 8 ingredients. Lay out 12 wrappers on the work surface and take the egg wash and wet the edges of all 12 wrappers. Place a tsp of filling in the centers.

Glue the two catty corners together first, then take your thumb and finger and squeeze the other two together including the edges. You will have several layers of pasta bunched together. After closing all 12 wrappers transfer them on a plate to the stove. Place 2 Tb oil in a skillet. I suppose a nonstick one would be best but I used a 12" cast iron skillet. Make sure it's good and hot before placing the oil in it and spreading it around, then place the pot stickers in it and turn often as they brown. Then pour 1/3 Cup broth in the pan and immediately place a lid on top to let them steam for 2 minutes.

NOTE: If the pan isn't hot before you pour the oil in more of the stickers will stick in a cast iron pan. Even with a good pan full a few might stick. (Hot pan, cold oil, food won't stick) Make sure you clean the cast iron pan with water only and dry well before starting a new dozen stickers.

Dipping Sauce: Use ASIAN GOURMET Szhewan Sauce straight from the bottle, or mixed with an equal amount of Soy Sauce.

Friday, January 21, 2011

Alton Brown's Pot Sticker Recipe

Ingredients

* 1/2 pound ground pork
* 1/4 cup finely chopped scallions
* 2 tablespoons finely chopped red bell pepper
* 1 egg, lightly beaten
* 2 teaspoons ketchup
* 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
* 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
* 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 35 to 40 small wonton wrappers
* Water, for sealing wontons
* 3 to 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, for frying
* 1 1/3 cups chicken stock, divided

Directions

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.

Combine the first 11 ingredients in a medium-size mixing bowl (pork through cayenne). Set aside.

To form the dumplings, remove 1 wonton wrapper from the package, covering the others with a damp cloth. Brush 2 of the edges of the wrapper lightly with water. Place 1/2 rounded teaspoon of the pork mixture in the center of the wrapper. Fold over, seal edges, and shape as desired. Set on a sheet pan and cover with a damp cloth. Repeat procedure until all of the filling is gone.

Heat a 12-inch saute pan over medium heat. Brush with vegetable oil once hot. Add 8 to 10 pot stickers at a time to the pan and cook for 2 minutes, without touching. Once the 2 minutes are up, gently add 1/3 cup chicken stock to the pan, turn the heat down to low, cover, and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove wontons to a heatproof platter and place in the warm oven. Clean the pan in between batches by pouring in water and allowing the pan to deglaze. Repeat until all the wontons are cooked. Serve immediately.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Won Ton Wrappers- Got a recipe For Them?

I need a recipe for my Won Ton Wrappers. I bought a pork loin to grind up and some spicy Szechwan sauce to mix with the pork for the filling.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Coney Island Hot Dog Sauce ( Like very spicy, pureed sloppy joe)

I make this sauce every so often and freeze half. Since the guys enjoyed that chili I made yesterday with the Chipotle Hot Sauce in it I decided to use a few teaspoons in this recipe to spice it up. It could have used more! LOL Here's my recipe:

1 Lb 80% Ground Beef

1 Small Onion finely chopped

6 Oz can Tomato Paste

2 Cups water or Beef Broth and more if needed

1 Tb Worcestershire Sauce

1 Tb or more Chipotle Hot Sauce

2 Tb Chili Powder

2 tsp Sugar

1/2 tsp salt

Brown the ground beef and chopped onions and drain before adding remaining ingredients. Simmer an hour, stirring often. Add more water if it cooks down too much, you need a little sauce left for pureeing. Let cool and puree. This freezes nicely.

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Lorraine's Chili (2011 Revision)

2 Lbs 80% lean Ground Beef browned

4 Cans Tomatoes diced petite (Puree 3 of them)

2 (10 Oz) Cans Tomato Soup

3 (15 Oz) Cans Kidney Beans or whatever beans you like best

2 Cans Beef Broth

3-4 TB Worcestershire Sauce

2 Tb Sugar

2-3 Tb Chipotle Hot Sauce or to taste

2 Tb Onion Powder or a large Onion chopped

2-3 Tb Chili Powder

2 tsp Paprika

1 tsp each Thyme, Marjoram and Mrs. Dash Original

6 cloves minced Garlic (or more)

Brown and drain the ground beef and throw it all in a large crock pot. It is VERY watery looking so I let it cook on high heat for 6 hours, removing the lid to pour off condensation and stir every so often. Then removing the lid altogether the last 2 hours to thicken.

NOTE: If I were to use chopped onions I'd cook them along with any peppers if you add them with the ground beef.

Friday, January 14, 2011

Pig Cake From Pioneer Woman (I'd call it Mandarin Orange Cake)

* FOR THE CAKE:
* 1 box (18.25 Oz. Box) Yellow Cake Mix
* 1 stick Margarine (softened)
* 1 can (14 Oz. Can) Mandarin Oranges, Drained, 1/2 Cup Juice Reserved
* 4 whole Eggs
* 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
* _____
* FOR THE TOPPING:
* 1 package (4 Oz. Box) Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix
* 1 can (20 Oz. Can) Crushed Pineapple, Juice Reserved
* ½ cups Powdered Sugar
* 4 ounces, fluid Frozen Whipped Topping (such As Cool Whip)
* Extra Mandarin Orange Slices, For Garnish

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. For the cake, combine cake mix, margarine, 1/2 cup juice from the mandarin oranges, eggs, and vanilla. Beat for four minutes on medium-high. Add drained oranges and beat again until pieces are broken up and small. Pour batter into greased and floured 9 x 13 inch baking pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown and set. Remove from oven and cool completely. If desired, turn out cake onto a large platter.

Once cake is cool, blend juice from drained pineapples with the vanilla pudding mix. Add powdered sugar and mix, then mix in whipped topping. Stir in drained pineapple. Spread on cooled cake and refrigerate several hours.

To serve, cut cake into squares and top each square with a mandarin orange slices.

NOTE: I would use another can of Mandarin oranges drained for the topping instead of pineapple and use the drained juice in the pudding mix, except it's not going to be the same amount of juice as a large can of pineapple, you need to add milk or something.

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Sausage/Beef Garlic Meatballs.

1 LB bulk mild Breakfast Sausage

1 LB Ground beef

3 eggs

1 Small Onion chopped or 1 TB Onion Powder

3/4 Cup Italian seasoned Bread Crumbs

3/4 Cup milk

1/2 tsp Garlic Powder or 2 cloves minced Garlic.

Mix all ingredients and form into golf ball sized meatballs. I use a large cookie scoop.
Bake at 375 degrees for 30 - 40 minutes.
Coat with spaghetti sauce or your favorite gravy.

Oven Roasted Yam/Sweet Potato IBS recipe

I think oven roasted yams/Sweet Potatoes are heavenly! I took a yam and peeled and cubed it, tossed it in canola oil, salt and fresh cracked pepper. Baked at 425 degrees for 30 minutes turned cubes over and turned down to 350 for 10 more minutes. Naturally sweet and dark brown and crispy on the outside.. I just LOVE them!

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Egg Roll Wrapper Lasagna

Did you ever consider making lasagna with egg roll wrappers? It is a serious thought of mine and I plan on trying it someday!

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Lemon Ice

4 Cups water

2 Cups Sugar

1 tsp Lemon Zest

1 Cup Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice.

Mix the water, sugar and lemon zest in a saucepan and stir until it comes to a boil. Let boil 5 Minutes then strain to remove zest. Now stir in the lemon juice and freeze in your ice cream maker or do what I do.. pour into 4 ice cube trays and let freeze. Then remove lemon ice cubes and store in freezer bags. Smash up the ice cubes if you want lemon slush!

Monday, January 3, 2011

Pulled Pork Egg Rolls

I plan on filling egg roll wrappers with pulled pork, cheese and taco sauce and then deep frying or baking them. How does that sound?

NOTE: The egg rolls were good fresh out of the fry pan. I do like the egg rolls but next time will fill them with something else. My daughter uses ground pork and cabbage.